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Citalopram withdrawal ...... is this normal ?

Posted , 3 users are following.

exhogg
exhogg

Following heart surgery [AVR] & pacemaker fitted in August 2011 I've been 'symptomatic' & have had various 'tests' to establish cause [I've been told the heart is working OK, albeit I've had 5 cardioversions [AF] the last one being in December 2014. I'm presently back in sinus rhythm.

As the cardiologist & GP had basically run out of ideas they decided I was probably suffering with anxiety & put me on citalopram. This is my second round of the drug & up until 6 weeks ago I'd been on 20mgs per day for the last 6 months. My new GP then agreed that I probably wasn't anxious & could come off the citalopram. I halved the dosage for 2 weeks, then took the reduced dose [10mg] every other day for a further 2 weeks, then stopped completely. This was now one month ago & I'm feeling worse than ever ....... all physical symptoms, chest tightness, breathing laboured, heavy legs, dizziness, disconnect between body & legs, fuzzy head, hot flushes, visual disturbances, lethergy, neck ache ....

My question is could this still be withdrawal symptoms after one month & if so has anybody experienced similar & how long did it last ? My GP is not convinced that it is withdrawal but doesn't have an alternative to offer !!

I am also on warfarin, simvastatin & bisoprolol ........ i'm tempted to stop the beta blocker in case it is the cause of the problem, but am reluctant to do this IF the issue is related to coming off the citalopram

Any thoughts/help/experience shared would be gratefully accepted ... thank you

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • exhogg
    exhogg

    Posted

    I should have also mentioned what people I believe refer to as brain zaps. I'm getting zapping/mini shocks in my head to go along with all the other 'stuff'
  • gwen1953
    gwen1953 exhogg

    Posted

    Hi, so sorry you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. I do believe it is the Citalopram that is causing these and it's to do with the way in which your withdrawal took place. Citalopram is one of the worst drugs to come off of so it helps if the withdrawal is very gradual i.e. reduce down to 6 days a week for one week and then 5 days a week, then 4 days a week etc. You may think you did the right thing but I think your GP should have advised you better and been more cautious about the way in which you withdrew. To be honest Citalopram is the only drug amongst those you have listed that could have caused these side effects. May I suggest that you contact your GP and ask to return to taking the Citalopram on a reduced dose and hopefully the side effects will disappear. Then you can come off it at a later date in a more gradual way than before. I wish you luck. If it helps at all I reduced Citalopram on the very slow way I stated and had no side effects at all.
    • exhogg
      exhogg gwen1953

      Posted

      Thanks Gwen. What you say makes good sense, thanks. i have to admit I was kind of hoping that having now been off this horrible drug for a month now I could now just hang on & hope the symptoms just wear off ........going back on to come off again seems counter-intuitive.

      Thanks again

  • exhogg
    exhogg

    Posted

    What I find really strange is that for the first week or so after coming off I was OK'ish & in my head [my very fuzzy head !!] I was thinking it would gradually improve as time went by ... not worsen ?
  • katecogs
    katecogs exhogg

    Posted

    Oh yes indeed - brain zaps.  Absolutely withdrawl symptoms.  I had them first time I came off - weird sensation.  I think you came off this medicine too quick as it can take months to withdraw.  All this will eventually stop, maybe another month or so?

    These aren't the worst to come off.  All SSRI's give the same side effects and withdrawl symptoms.  Depends how it's done.  Taking these for a second time I've just reduced mine down to 5mg from 20mg and have had absolutely no symptoms at all this time around.  I've been doing this for around 6 months maybe - there was no hurry to come off them so doing it as leisure.

    Live reduced by 5mg each time - the slower the better.

    I think these are definitely withdrawal symptoms anyway.  They'll pass in time.

    K x

    • katecogs
      katecogs

      Posted

      Not 'Live' ... was meant to be 'I've' :-)
    • exhogg
      exhogg katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks Kate. I suppose i'm now in 2 minds. Now I've stopped do I stay off & hope it's not too long before the withdrawal symptoms fade/stop ..... bearing in mind they appear to be worsening rather than subsiding, as I had hoped ......OR do I go back on this obnoxious drug at say 10mg daily [half my original dosage] & come off at a slower pace !!

      I know we are all different & react differently to meds, but it is strange that some people are on high doses & have no side effects, whilst others like me are on small doses & have all sorts of issues

      Anyway I really appreciate you getting back to me & good luck with your withdrawal programme

       

    • katecogs
      katecogs exhogg

      Posted

      Hi exhogg

      I think now you've been off the medication a month it's best to stay off and ride the storm through the withdrawal symptoms.  It takes a long time for this medication to build up in your body and equally a long time for it to leave it too.

      It should subside over the next month or so.  I came off it once before and had a few side effects that lingered longer than others ...... nausea and crying! gosh I could cry at anything I remember :- D

      K x

  • ness05694
    ness05694 exhogg

    Posted

    I'm just coming up to 5 wks cit free tomorrow. From The last time I came off a drug (cipralex) which took 3 weeks, I was expecting the same.  I'd been cutting down gradually this time from 20mg since before Xmas. I managed to avoid all withdrawal symptoms till I stopped altogether. But it was week 4 where I felt utterly pants and looked at the forums.  I had bad stomach for a week, swollen glands and throat, dizziness. felt dreadful.  But a week later and I feel much better, but I'm very grumpy today..... That could be withdrawal or PMT... Mood wise I've not been too bad.  

    From what I've seen on forums is that people tend to come on forums around week 4 when symptoms are at their worst, but you see very little after that, so my personal assumption is that they are feeling better and are not bothering with the forums.  

    I feel much better now even after a few days.  If you've got this far, stay with it.  It's definitely out of your system now, it's just your system adjusting which is causing all the problems. 

    Im not sure if I'm out of the woods yet.  Ive read that it can take up to 6 wks for physical symptoms to go, and up to 3 mths for emotional ones to go.  Don't know how true this is, but physically I feel 100% better than I did this time last week.  I'm still tired tho... Had a busy weekend...

    • exhogg
      exhogg ness05694

      Posted

      Hi Ness

      Thanks for this. you make a very good point re 'week 4'. As I said I'm now at that point & definitley feeling much worse than weeks 1,2 & 3 !

      I'm now getting some chest pain [nothing too bad] & my head seems to be 'full', like my ears are 'bunged up'. it's the strangest feeling ... almost as if my body & mind is coming to a complete stop

      Good to hear you are feeling so much better

    • ness05694
      ness05694 exhogg

      Posted

      Thanks exhogg! My mood is better today. 

      It's tough, but should settle down in a few days.  I felt sick all the time and didn't want to eat. Lost about 5lb in 10 days.  But appetite is well and truly back! 

      I read somewhere that you can get inflammation because it affects all kinds of things.  For me it was my throat and glands.  Everyone kept saying I had summer cold etc, but I had no fever or any other symptoms. I knew it was withdrawal, but I was surprised with what it affected.  

      Just hang and in there and reassure yourself that it will be over soon..

      Take care x

    • exhogg
      exhogg ness05694

      Posted

      Thanks again Ness. I was a little more hopeful at the weekend as I was feeling a little better .... then zap !! today I'm back to my 'usual' dizzy self. I'm disappointed as feel that after 5 weeks of no citalopram [& only having been on a low dose 20mg for just 6 months] that i would be seeing a vast improvement in my physical symptoms ........ can it really be taking this long for the physical withdrawal symptoms to be wearing off ....... and/or is 'recovery' from these horrible side effects not a straight line ... with up's & down's along the way. OR maybe my symptoms are connected to something else & NOT the citalopram ..... maybe the beta blocker ??

      Any thoughts ? .........ANYBODY !! & thanks to everyone who has responded to my postings. I wonder just how many people have a smooth start & finish with this dreadful med ?

    • ness05694
      ness05694 exhogg

      Posted

      The dizziness came and went for me too.  It's 5 1/2 weeks for me now. I'm not dizzy anymore been ok for most of a week but I'm still forgetful and not quite right in the head :-s!

      i thought I was ok til the weekend when I was doing my voluntary thing and I'm a team leader, so where I thought I was ok, I found that in the previous week I'd promised to phone someone and completely forgot, and I was getting my instructions all confused.  So I've still got a bit to go.  But I have improved... 

      Ive read somewhere that there's an enzyme in your body and however much of this you have affects the metabolism of cit. So I think withdrawal is different for everyone. And 6 mths is long enough for it to be thoroughly in your system.. It may be that you came off a bit too quickly? GPs don't seem to know much about this.  They can work it out mathematically but if your system is tipped on its head, then it's prob best to do it slower.  

      I don't think your symptoms are anything to do with beta blocker because it's a definite withdrawal symptom but could it be possible that it's exaggerating the dizziness???

      The fact you're having a few good days is positive, that shows there is improvement!!! Stay positive!  Let me know how you're getting on.  Xxx

       

    • exhogg
      exhogg ness05694

      Posted

      Thanks Ness.

      My head feels heavy & 'fuzzy' ...... with a bit of tinnitus for good measure, my whole body/head feels as though it's grinding to a halt ..... very weird feeling.

      Glad to hear you are improving after 5+ weeks .... may it continue. I really appreciate your comments, many thanks x

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