Citalopram withdrawal. Please advise on symptoms.
Posted , 49 users are following.
Hello. I need some advise pls. I started taking citalopram 10mg 18 months ago for health anxiety. I went 'cold Turkey last Wednesday so 7 days ago. I was feeling a lot better and I felt the time had come to stop. Since Saturday I have been having awful falling/whooshing sensations in my head and feel weak and dizzy. Is this because I stopped and how long will this last? I'm feeling very anxious about it.
2 likes, 160 replies
bob00844 sula_78296
Posted
Hi sula78296
Just thought I'd post my experience here.
I have been on 30mg Citalopram for 4 years. Had a "wee breakdown" ;o) and my doctor said I needed to have my mood lifted, and I surely did need it.
I was very impressed with how these meds helped me and I have relied on them for 4 years.
lately I had started to forget to take them, not sure why.
Then one day I wondered what these strange sensations were in my head and strted thinking back to what could be causing them. I reckoned it was 10 days since I had taken any meds!
I felt fine. no depression or anxiety, maybe a little emotionally raw, but nothing I couldn't handle.
it's 2 weeks after that day now, the zaps are milder and reducing, the emotional rawness is reducing and I see it as "waking up" after 4 years and getting to know my emotions again. It is nothing "bad" to me, and I am looking forward to the zaps going completely, and they are nothing to bother me now.
I have made an appt. with my GP to tell him what has been going on and to get his opinion. I see this whole thing as my sub-conscious mind telling me it was time.
Hope this helps. your post and the replies helped me understand the zaps etc. Thanks!!!
Guest sula_78296
Posted
The withdrawal symptoms tapered off about 1 month into withdrawl.
The worst issue is that every now and again I would plunge into a deep depressive feeing which would leave me feeling really down and depressed. This would last anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days, thankfully that is now passing. I realise that I am slightly more irritable and snap at people sometimes but am sure that this is just my brain adjusting to not being on the drugs.
Overall after 9-10 weeks I feel as though I have turned the corner and am feeling better and stronger every day.
Griffdg sula_78296
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I stopped taking the citalopram 9 weeks ago, cold turkey and started weaning off tramadol with gradually lower and lower doses of slow release tramadol. I’m now down to two 50mg slow release tablets a day.
Anyway, let’s just say I totally underestimated how nasty the citalopram withdrawal would be. Was fine for a week, then was violently ill with shakes, vomiting, dihorea (can never spell that)! Palpatations, panic attacks, anxiety, depression and brain zaps. The vomiting stopped after a few days but 9 weeks on and most of the other symptoms are still here. I too am worrying it may be permanent.
I wish that GPs would go into full detail before prescribing about the difficulty you would have when you want to leave these drugs behind. I would definitely have thought twice before taking those scripts.
Good luck with your withdrawal pal x
gillian176 Griffdg
Posted
A lot of GPS do not understand enough about this drug
I am medical which made a difference but yes this drug needs healthy respect
I took a year getting off it in 2013
Using a very complicated spreadsheet of tiny staged reductions😂
Worked great
But but
Am on it for the second time
And will stay there
My body needs it
Like insulin
zoe15274 sula_78296
Edited
Ive been on Citalopram for almost 2 years. 6 months ago Dr reduced me to one tablet wvery ither day and after me asking her what the next step was she advised i stop taking them.
That was 2 weeks ago.
Saturday was awful, it took me back to before instarted the pills - i was irrational, scared and couldnt stop crying.
Ive been super anxious, constant brain zaps - sooo tired i can fall asleep at my desk. Flu like symptoms and headaches
I can dealmwith all of thisnis its just the coming off phase - but im sonworried that this might just be me? Maybe i am this sad and unstable iff the meds? In which case i want back on them ?!
How can i twll if thisnis withdrawal ... ofle this IS my defaukt mental state?
Please help
lois95799 zoe15274
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zoe15274 lois95799
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lois95799 zoe15274
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If you don't want to suffer reinstate..if you want to suffer then battle...simple...from your post it seems like your struggling/suffering.
lois95799 zoe15274
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Oh by the way you are feeling I'll because of the instructions your doctor gave you to wean..your weaning process is was completely wrong... there's lots of folks on here with the correct recipe to wean....
Guest lois95799
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lois95799 Guest
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lois95799 Guest
Posted
Guest lois95799
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lois95799 Guest
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Slow and steady to me means one year to wean off properly not one or two months. ..the longer you stay weaning .20/15/10/5/2.50/1.25 and stay on each of these doses for two months each you shouldn't have a problem...
lois95799 Guest
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I don't see you giving any advice to Zoe...so please feel free to..
Guest lois95799
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lois95799 Guest
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Well start sharing.. because that's what iam doing...
Guest lois95799
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lois95799 Guest
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I most certainly don't ..but if your looking for other celexa users advise or experiences than you shouldn't have a problem...iam on celexa and recovered..if you feel the need to intercept comments why don't you just reply to the person who's seeking advice...not the ones giving advice..peace
lois95799 Guest
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And by the way I don't have any opinions..they are only experiences..
Guest zoe15274
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lois95799 Guest
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Iam going to intercept now... insinuating you went cold turkey to people on this forum is dangerous..what may have been good for you may not be good for others...cold turkey on these drugs is dangerous. .folks ask your doctor if that's normal to go cold turkey...iam sure you will get and answer..
katecogs zoe15274
Posted
I agree with Lois - you're having withdrawal symptoms because you've come off way too fast. These meds need withdrawing over a very long time and by minimal reductions. I also spent a year coming off these meds by 5mg each reduction and had no withdrawal at all. I had come off these a few years earlier by halving each time and spent 6 months doing this (staying on each reduced dose a few months) but it was still too quick and had brain zaps, nausea that lasted months and dizziness too. The nausea was the worst.
Sadly a lot of doctors do give some strange advice re withdrawal, and their patients are left struggling. The symptoms you have won't go away for a long time yet and as Lois suggested it might be an idea to reinstate a small amount of the meds so your body will settle. Do speak to your doctor first though.
Not only does quick withdrawal result in nasty side effects but it can also bring back your anxiety symptoms. The body hasn't had time to adjust to each reduction and can bring the old feelings back.
Never ever go cold turkey. Seriously. It may be fine for some but it is very dangerous and could lead to being admitted to hospital. Everybody is different whether starting out on these meds and certainly from withdrawing too. Play safe and do it sensibly.
I've spoken to many people on this forum who've come off meds too quick, reinstated and continued slowly. I've also spoken to people who've gone cold turkey and they've ended up in a really bad place.
K xx
zoe15274 katecogs
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I just did what my Dr told me - i had no reason not to trust her and onky sought advice once i felt terrible
Guest lois95799
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I am not insinuating anything and frankly I find that really insulting. My personal journey was to go cold turkey, the emphasis being personal! You seem quite arrogant in not wanting to take on any one else's point of view. I will emphasize once again I am discussing my PERSONAL journey.
Guest katecogs
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lois95799 Guest
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Arrogance is not the issue here.danger is the case here .. because what's good for the goose ain't always good for the gander...and I ain't insulting anyone ..your point of view seems dangerous...you going cold turkey is your personal experience ..but I wouldn't post any cold turkey experiences on any site ..is very dangerous to cold turkey... especially when some one is suffering from side effects or any type of withdrawal from weaning...
lois95799 zoe15274
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katecogs zoe15274
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Hi Zoe
Yes absolutely, we all trust what our doctor says - it's their job. I have though read so many similar posts to yours from people who's doctor has advised them to withdraw in a lubricious amount of time and they've felt the same as you. There are many doctors who just don't know what it feels like to withdraw as have never taken the meds, and we who take them know that these just don't work the same as any other meds.
Remember - it often takes many months for these meds to work and for you to recover on and so it'll take the same amount of time the other way too.
Yes by all means you can carry on as you are and ride through these symptoms, but its a bit yuck. Some people fair better than others and some really suffer and freak out.
But if you're really struggling, do go and see your doctor again and ask to reinstate a small amount of meds - seriously, this does work. These meds work on your Serotonin in the brain, hanging onto to it before being reabsorbed, and it takes time to build this process up and time to reverse it. Stopping abruptly or coming off too quick, you deprive your brain of this and it'll cry out - which is what its doing.
Hope you get it sorted soon - let us know how you get on
xx
katecogs Guest
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Hi lox
It really does depend how you did it over that year - and it does stand to reason that weaning is better, because weaning just deprives your brain of a little bit of meds each time and stopping dead deprives it completely, throws it off balance and you can end up worse than you were in the beginning.
Anyway, I'm glad you were successful - hows it going now? Still feeling well?
Guest lois95799
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Your implication seems to b that I am endangering people by posting MY withdrawal experience on this site. Although I have read other similar experiences to mine on this forum. I joined this forum to hear many different experiences and seek advice from many different people. I'm not dangerous, not at all, the issue that you have with me is that I challenged you. My experience didn't fit into your frame of reference so you challenged, goaded and misguidedly dismissed it as credible.
Guest katecogs
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I researced and purchased vitamins that were said to be useful, organised some talking therapy, started an exercise programme and rested.
I prepared for the worse, when I experienced the brain zaps or dizziness I rested, listened to music, prepared a meal or did anything else to occupy my mind.
I made sure that i had a robust support system in place. I went cold turkey on the 20th January 2018 and now feel very well but still appreciate that i am still making my way over the curve. I have prepared myself for complete recover over 12 months, for a short while I experienced a low mood feeling but that has since passed, I am still slightly more emotional than I used to be but even that is tailing off. To be honest I feel well and have for many weeks. I appreciate that a relapse is possible and if and when that happens I shall see a medical specialist and seek advice. To anybody who reads this post I do not advocate you taking the route that I did, by all means follow the recommended guidelines see your healthcare practitioner and wean off slowly over many, many months. Although Citalopram worked for me and helped me to overcome a very difficult period in my life I no longer wanted to take it so made a concerted decision to come off.
If in the future I experience any negative effects from stopping so abruptly I shall give an honest account of my experience on this site. Best wishes.
zoe15274 katecogs
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O shall call the Dr today.
I so want off the drug - in 2 weeks i have noticed the return of my long lost libido (!) - but at the same time the dizzy nausea is just too much for me
My work is very full on and if i make a mistake a lot of people could get hurt.
I cant take anywhere near 4 weeks off so i guess inwill have to go back on them 😞
lois95799 Guest
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That's what I wanted to read...good job... peace...
zoe15274 lois95799
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Today is day 16 without and inhave never felt so dizzy and so sick
Waiting for the Dr to call to do a phone consultation
lois95799 zoe15274
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Your going to have your start ups again...I'm always here to help.. saying a prayer for you..but iam pretty sure you will start to feel better ...
katecogs zoe15274
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Oh bless you - its not nice is it? I remember that awful nausea and dizziness. Yes as Lois says there'll probably be the start up effects so expect the next couple of days, maybe a week or 2, to be a bit rough.
Don't rush to a big dose - might be wise to start small. I'm sure you'll start feeling the benefits soon.
K xx
gillian176 katecogs
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I am back on 20 mg second time around as you know
It was a couple of months after first stopping them veeery slowly that the withdrawal hit me
It took me a 3 years to realise I just need them
The starting up symptoms are frightening
Not putting myself through that again
Learnt my lesson
Missed out on 3 years
katecogs gillian176
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Hi Gillian
Not seen you here for a while
Yes I took these initially for 16 years - I was not in a hurry to come off (if ever) and knew I needed them and wasn't going to risk going back into that dark scary hole again. As it was, after 16 years (and reducing them significantly for maintenance) I decided to test the waters, slowly came off and am still fine (about 18 months now). However, I would start them again in an instant if I ever felt the need.
Yes I missed many years of my life too - looking back it doesn't seem possible.
How are you doing now?
gillian176 katecogs
Posted
Am good ..Tx...
I am Lucky enough to be on holiday in the sun and been here a month now and after a couple of weeks I felt so much brighter than I had been before we set out when I had slipped a bit into worry frets which we’re noticeable to others too
Is it the sun? I don’t know
I have a SAD lamp in the uk I use
But have increased the type of exercise classes I do here Pilates stretches etc
Really focussing on mindfulness and meditation techniques. That’s helped too
Being kind and restful
Appreciating and making a grateful list
Counting 5-1 then getting on with whatever the task
Not lying in bed over thinking
Removing myself into a quiet me space when I feel overwhelmed
All these things have helped
Am very grateful that I can do all this
So I share with you all
At some point I will try reduce to 10 mg
But at my last Feb review when I suggested it my GP could see it was almost a guilt thing that I felt I should reduce. So your not ready he said
The relief was overwhelming
So he was right !
katecogs gillian176
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How fab being on holiday!!
Sunshine certainly helps and definitely the SAD lamps too. I've got one too!! 
Yes all those points listed are brilliant.
K x
d11091 lois95799
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He's not allowed to post his personal experience?? Nobody on this public FORUM is claiming to be a doctor. If you're not a moderator, then it's your non- medical opinion against his. I am doing a fast reduction, and if I need to, I will reinstate.
lois95799 d11091
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I don't understand who you are referring to as he...
lois95799 d11091
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But good luck on your reduction...😎
babsyboo lois95799
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Hey Guest
u were on Celexa and recovered from what and how long were u on it and how did u know u were recovered ????
Thanks babsyboo