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Citalopram withdrawal - help?

Posted , 59 users are following.

laura3007
laura3007

Dear all,

I had taken Citalopram for 14 months following a traumatic incident when a man broke into my apartment while I was taking a shower. After the event, I suffered severe anxiety, panic attacks, and was diagnosed as suffering from PTSD. My GP put me on Citalopram, I (very!) gradually began to improve, and 14 months later decided enough was enough; I felt sufficiently recovered to wean off the medication.

I did everything the "right" way, and discussed a withdrawal plan with my GP.

I was on a 20mg dose, which we reduced to 10mg, and I took those every day for 4 weeks. Then, I took them every other day for 3 weeks. The next stage was to take one every three days, but due to family events and occasions, I missed one of my days of taking it, and before I knew it, I'd gone a week without taking any.

After consulting the internet and the NHS helpline, the general consensus was that, once I'd gone a week without them, just carry on not taking them.

I have now been without the medication for about two weeks.

I found the initial decrease in dosage difficult, but managed to avoid the major side effects mentioned on these forums. The most distressing symptom for myself was severe mood swings, which have only worsened since coming off the drug completely.

Usually a calm person, I am now incredibly short-tempered and irritable. I can snap at the drop of a hat, and just become a completely different person. I am overly emotional, feel like I could burst into tears at any second, and am so not myself. I find I am arguing more with my partner, because I am over-sensitive, often read too much into things he says and completely overreact to things which ordinarily wouldn't bother me. During an argument I am unable to remain calm (as I usually would), and end up shouting and saying very hurtful things. This is incredibly out of character for me.

I am trying to control these symptoms by telling myself that it's just the medication and not really me... and my partner is being as understanding as possible. He claims he feels like he is walking on eggshells, and that I'll either start crying or have a temper tantrum at anything he does. Typically, we take things out on the people we love the most, but I'm worried these symptoms might have a really negative effect on our relationship. He also claims that he can almost see me "switch", and I become a completely different person.

I understand that since coming off the medication completely, my body is "re-learning" how to make its own serotonin etc... and hasn't quite got it right yet, which is causing these effects.

My question is: how long can I expect this to continue? And when will I be "back to normal"?

I read on websites that this depends on how high your dosage, how long you've been taking them etc.... but with all the details I've given I hope that someone far more knowledgeable than I am will be able to give me some more specific guidance on when I can expect to feel more like myself again.

Thanks in advance to anyone who has read all this (apologies for the essay, I thought it important to be as detailed as possible), and I look forward to reading your responses.

Laura.

5 likes, 71 replies

71 Replies

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  • dawn66355
    dawn66355 laura3007

    Posted

    Hi,  I have just written a lengthy reply, but it has been banned cause I swore, can't write it all again, so will shorten it lol, I was on Cit for about 8 years, 20 mg for anxiety, and over 2 months stopped taking it ( under docs advice), but I am still having the following - mad anxiety/stress, palpatations, shortness of breath, tight chest, short fuse, really not being able to cope with normal life, please tell me that they will go away, as I dont want to go back on the pills, it is lovely to cry again at a film xxx
    • Mtthwjrd
      Mtthwjrd dawn66355

      Posted

      Hi!

      I wrote the following in response to Laura's post and you may find it helpful:

      I'm not sure what your status is, as this post is very old, but I came across it when I was researching withdrawal symptoms. What I did was switch from my 20MG to 10MG (cutting pills in half) for about 4 days and then I forgot to take it the next day and decided, well hey, let's just kick it for good. Well,here I am, three weeks later. The first/second week was hard with headaches and a little bit of dizziness, but that has mostly worn off. I'll get a little headache here and there but they weren't as bad the first week.

      My problem now (in my third week) is that my mood swings, short temper, easily irritability and crying spells are identical to yours. As a 21 year old male, I've never really experienced such drastic mood swings. It's definitely strange for me.

      My question for you and for others is how much longer does this last? I only took Celexa 20 MG for a little under 2 years. I'm ready to feel "normal" again.

      Another question I wanted to bring up was in regards to the weight gain and sexual dysfunction. I gained 40 lbs while on Celexa and experienced the sexual dysfunction side effect as well. What can I do to start losing those pounds? Do they come off naturally or do I have to work out and do some cardio?

      Thank you all for your help.

    • nicola19711971
      nicola19711971 dawn66355

      Posted

      I thought something was wrong with me until I read all these posts... You don't feel emotion .. Any sadness/joy on these drugs.. I would love to be able to just 'feel' again. I've been on 20mg for over 10 years and also have all the awful withdrawal symptoms and end up returning to using them. These posts about tapering off slowly do give me hope.
    • soulcolour
      soulcolour Mtthwjrd

      Posted

      Hey I was on citalopram 20mg for about 5 months I did the same as you started halving for the last couple of weeks then stopped. It's been 5 days. My sex drive has come back but I feel so out of it I have no idea who I am or what I enjoy. I kind if feel like im on one big long horrible drug trip. I have constant white noise in my ears, jolting vision and iv become nasty and obsessive over thoughts of killing myself, what's worse is I am a student nurse. I can't have time off sick or ill fail the course. I was wondering how long the withdrawal symptoms lasted. It seems everyone has been asking this and no one has answered haha thanks.

      Meg

      X

    • dawn66355
      dawn66355 soulcolour

      Posted

      Hi Soulcolour,

      I know it is not something you will want to hear, but I really struggled when I came off Cita, and after 6 months I had to go back on them sad , but everyone is different and I was on them for 10 years, but you have only been on them for a short while, reading on here though your really need to come off them really really slowly x Good luck x

    • kostas61165
      kostas61165 nicola19711971

      Posted

      hi from greece.

      I am 63 years old ,and got 20 mg citalopram for 10 years.

      when I felt well, I cut them down ver very slowly during a period of 3years!

      I am with no pils for 4 years now ,withought any symtoms,

      however in the last two months some light symptoms have retuned ,but gradually are reduced ad can handle them.

    • granth515
      granth515 dawn66355

      Posted

      Yep, I too am stuggling w/withdrawl - on Celaxa for around 8-10 yrs, 20 mg that i dropped to 10 mg for around 3 months (few problems, not bad at all), and finally to 0 - have been off for around 2 months now, and lots of issues w/anxiety, big mood swings, depression - at least seeing a lot of other people here w/same issues.  From all I've been reading, seems like I really need to give it at least a couple more months - AND - need to exercise and eat well, and get some supplements to help as well.  But I'm relieved somewhat to realize it's not just me, or there's something else uniquely wrong w/me - just the reaction to my body needing to adjust to being off the drug.

  • Mtthwjrd
    Mtthwjrd laura3007

    Posted

    Laura,

    I'm not sure what your status is, as this post is very old, but I came across it when I was researching withdrawal symptoms. What I did was switch from my 20MG to 10MG (cutting pills in half) for about 4 days and then I forgot to take it the next day and decided, well hey, let's just kick it for good. Well,here I am, three weeks later. The first/second week was hard with headaches and a little bit of dizziness, but that has mostly worn off. I'll get a little headache here and there but they weren't as bad the first week.

    My problem now (in my third week) is that my mood swings, short temper, easily irritability and crying spells are identical to yours. As a 21 year old male, I've never really experienced such drastic mood swings. It's definitely strange for me.

    My question for you and for others is how much longer does this last? I only took Celexa 20 MG for a little under 2 years. I'm ready to feel "normal" again.

    Another question I wanted to bring up was in regards to the weight gain and sexual dysfunction. I gained 40 lbs while on Celexa and experienced the sexual dysfunction side effect as well. What can I do to start losing those pounds? Do they come off naturally or do I have to work out and do some cardio?

    Thank you all for your help.

  • tiffany87207
    tiffany87207 laura3007

    Posted

    Hello

    I have been on Citalopram(20mg) roughly 3-4years after my mother and father passing away within 8mths of each other.  I had been on anti-depressants before due to Postnatal Depression, but being the trooper I am, I successfully came off it - so I didn't think much of it when I decided to come of Citalopram.  

    It is coming up 3 weeks free - this disorientation/electric shock feeling happens randomly. I feel like a idiot in the street trying re-sort myself out when it happens. I am always sleepy, yet I have no problem sleeping at night, but struggle immensely waking and/or getting up in the morning. Dreaming is now becoming exhausting - sometimes.... I mean sometimes my dreams feel so real I have to ask... "did this happen?" 

    After reading these amazing posts, I thought hard what has changed in these weeks. I am a smoker, so my eating habits are terrible as smoking can suppress hunger. I am thinking... MAYBE NOT this time. I eat very little and yet I feel starved and anything I eat is not satisfying my hunger.

    I'v also read about those who sweat excessively, and or body temperature fluctuates from really high to really low... I experienced this and my initial thought was that my immune system was shot as I got the chicken pox late in life - still working on this theory!?

    Anyway my reason for coming off is that I desperately want to quit smoking and I have been prescribed Champix. This should be truely interesting!! I will up date later.

    I wish you all the best and hope that you'll find peace!!!!

     

  • Andreigon
    Andreigon laura3007

    Posted

    Apologies for necro-ing this thread, but only just registered and thought I'd check in on any progress and add my own experiences (for what it's worth!)

    Suffered from depression since teens (now in my forties). Decided that self-management was no longer working after I had a breakdown at work. Prescribed Fluoxetine initially...no positives, just side effects. Changed to Citalopram, 10mg to start, upped to 20mg later. On for a few months, but have felt chemically kosher, not myself. Ultimately I came off 2 weeks ago.

    First few days not too bad, felt 'released'. Then foggy-headed, a little spaced, and headaches. Seem to be more irritable and snappy, more prone to swift reactions emotionally. However, the feeling of 'liberation' is still there. Feel weird, disconnected and somewhat 'spacey', but I have never been comfortable taking medication (don't smoke, do 'drugs' and even refrain from off the shelf painkillers unless at death's door), so intend on continuing. I was advised to drop straight off the Citalopram - wrongly, I feel - but as I was originally going to move onto venlafaxine, I did so.

    The last week or so has been rough...vivid dreams, mood changes, anxieties...but I am still fully committed to breaking this chemical hold. Stubbornness of decades of denial and self-strategising, perhaps, but I don't want to be reliant on the dehumanising effects of artificial brain chemistry! Sure this will be unpleasant, initially (especially in light of my 'cold turkey' method), but I want 'me' back and so the drugs need to go. The only really effective treatments have been green therapies and forcing myself into activities that used to fill me with joy and purpose. Each day it is less forced and more natural...light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

    • Andreigon
      Andreigon

      Posted

      *koshed, not kosher, haha. Oops.
  • dawn66355
    dawn66355 laura3007

    Posted

    Just a quick update guys, after 4 months of suffering with the anxiety and irratibility after coming off Cita, I have gone back on them sad x

     

  • kalmkidd
    kalmkidd laura3007

    Posted

    if anyone is in the united states feel free to call, or text me. 28yr old male in nyc with YEARS of knowledge in this. also battling my last withdrawl now. would love to help anyone in need. 917-693-0384
    • alex1979
      alex1979 kalmkidd

      Posted

      Hi,

      Do you have any insight/experience about PSSD?

      Regards

  • rayvic17
    rayvic17 laura3007

    Posted

    Laura,.....I have been going through exactly the same thing....went back up to 10mgs,..will stay there you 60 days and try again at a lower dose....this is unbelieveable!  Hang in there!!!

    Ray

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