Citalopram withdrawal after 14 years!
Posted , 3 users are following.
I started off on Fluoxetine 14 years ago, shortly after changed to Citalopram due to Fluox side effects. Been on them ever since with several failed attempts to wean off over the years. 40mg at max, down to just 10mg when pregnant with my daughter who is now 4. I have gained almost three stone in weight since the start which aggravates my arthritis & disk prolapse. I am absolutely determined this time that I WILL get off this damn drug. I reduced from 20mg to 10mg just over two weeks ago & the zaps are just starting to ease a little. Could anyone please offer any advice on just how slowly I need to reduce to get it right this time? I am eating 4 or 5 Brazil nut every morning as I have ready many times about the selenium helping the brain to produce serotonin so hopefully this will supplement what the SSRI was giving me to some extent. Any tips on withdrawal greatly appreciated, I don't want this drug in my life any more. 😦
0 likes, 3 replies
katecogs HattieMummy
Posted
Hi
You’re doing it too quick. I came off meds after 16 years (in fact have come off twice). First time, like you I halved my dose each time (20 / 10 / 5 / 0) and had brain zaps etc etc. I managed to come off and was pill free for a year but had to restart due to the stress of family illness. Second time I came off meds I spent a year reducing from 20mg by 5mg reductions over 4-6 weeks each time. That way I had no withdrawl effects at all.
Doing it this way its easier to increase back up 5mg if you don’t feel great, as 5mg isn’t felt very much (though some peopl are more sensitive).
I bought a pill cutter / crusher then cut my 20mg’s into 4 making each one 5mg and went from 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 / 2.5 / 1.25 / 0. I had to crush the last 2 doses because they were too small to cut further, so crushed and divided the powder.
Don’t be in a hurry to come off - the slower the better.
HattieMummy katecogs
Posted
Thank you for your reply Katecogs, much appreciated. I have bought a little pill cutter container thingy from the chemist so I can chop the evil little buggers into tiny pieces! Tomorrow will be three weeks at 10mg, half my old 20mg dose. The electric shock feelings (zaps) have already stopped so I'm trying to decide whether to stay at this lower dose for a while or to just go for it & try to reduce further by a tiny bit. Mentally I seem better than I was at previous attempts when I was literally a crying mess but I'm waring of getting too cocky about coping & withdrawing too fast. I guess as I've been on them such a long time like yourself that even if it took me many months to come off it would be worth the patience in the end! 😃
katecogs HattieMummy
Posted
Haha love that you call them the evil little buggers 😃
I'd stay where you are on 10mg for now. Allow your body to settle and get back to feeling normal again. When I reduced I spent around 4-6 weeks on each 5mg reduction and that way my body didn't notice the slow but steady drop. The previous time I came off I did the same as you and halved from 20 to 10 and had those brain zaps too which lasted a long, long time. Weird little things aren't they - reminds me of a fly being zapped in those blue lights at night.
But it pays to go slow - test the waters bit by bit. Drop, stay for a month or more before dropping again. If you don't feel so good then stay on the dose and if it doesn't change go back up to the previous 5mg and wait some more. Your body will tell you when its ready.
K x