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Citalopram withdrawal. Please advise on symptoms.

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sula_78296
sula_78296

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

160 Replies

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  • babsyboo
    babsyboo sula_78296

    Posted

    Hi

    questions, did all ur withdrawal symptoms go away ? If so how long did it take for them to disappear ? I'm off Celexa as of 5 days ago went down somewhat slowly. I'm having withdrawal symptoms like headache, heartburn , shakes , wiping and anxiety 😢 oh and chills early morning and heat like around 5 am , it goes after I get up . I read while searching that it takes like 3 weeks for the withdrawal symptoms to subside is that right ????

    Hope u still get this after all the month of u writing this ☺ thank u ahead of time for any of ur help

    babsyboo

  • gsquez77
    gsquez77 sula_78296

    Edited

    Hello! I just recently went from 20 mg to 10 mg Celexa . I was on celexa 20 mg for around 3 and half months.

    Can you get withdrawal from this change?

    What are the signs of this?

    Thanks!

    • babsyboo
      babsyboo gsquez77

      Posted

      Hey

      yes every time u go up or down on this meds Celexa u get withdrawal symptoms 😠it's for everyone different , like I got headache , nausea , shakes , dry mouth , anxiety goes up and crying ..... there are so more . Each different for each person , pray u will not get any or bad once . Hope this helped u a bit . babsyboo

    • gsquez77
      gsquez77 babsyboo

      Posted

      Hello ! i am getting those you described.

      It is terrible. What do you do for any relief daily? It seems like it happens every day .

      I see a therapist and he thinks its not meds and me making myself this way.

      Therapist and Doctors dont ever blame the meds .

      These meds are very strong .

      Thanks!

    • lois95799
      lois95799 gsquez77

      Posted

      oh it is the meds combine with your natural anxiety.

    • babsyboo
      babsyboo gsquez77

      Posted

      Hi morning

      u are right most therapist and Dr won't admit it's the meds sad but true

      it is the meds 😠 I'm so sorry to hear u have the same withdrawal symptoms as me . Are u still on the 10 MG ? I'm off the celexa as of 7 days now ☺ and I have withdrawal symptoms from it . It takes 3 to 4 weeks to feel somewhat better I read and was told . So we see , everyone is different . I'm still having the headaches, nausea, shakes , feeling weak , no energy , my wants are gone for now and the anxiety and crying are the hardest for me . How are ur evenings ? Mine are the best of the day I was told by Katecogs that it starts with the evenings for some , I think it did for her and they are also with me . Give it time the meds work very slow and yes the withdrawal symptoms will subside ☺ oh u asked what u can do for the withdrawal symptoms.......... I learned nothing , sad but true . I'm still having them 😕 sad to say daily so I am waiting with u and pray they will go in do time and for u to feel better soon . Yes the meds are strong and so are the side effects. Here for u if u need to ask any more questions ☺ happy to help were I can , I got help from many here on this side and others like Lois, katecogs and Gillian ❤💙💚💛💜 they know a lot about the celexa . Hope this helped u a bit , babsyboo

    • gsquez77
      gsquez77 babsyboo

      Posted

      Hey how you been feeling?

      Is their anything you take for the withdrawal symptoms?

      I still on 10 mg and nervous about weening off. Im still struggling on that dose.

      Why did you decide to come off the celexa?

      Thanks!

    • gillian176
      gillian176 gsquez77

      Edited

      if you are struggling on the 10 mg you should stay on it until your stable

      This could even be a month

      DO not panic

      This is not a competiton

      you could the try a further reduction of 2.5mg alternating with 10 mg

      ir 7.5/10/7.5

      stay on that until your stable

      then try 7,5/7.5:7.5/7.5

      again until your stable

      i took a year to come down from 20 mg

      i had very few problems

      if i felt at all unstable i held the dose

      However it was a waste of a year and the 3 years it took me to realize I have the chemical imbalance

      i need it to function

  • gsquez77
    gsquez77 sula_78296

    Posted

    Hello! So what you do or take for your withdrawal symptoms?

    How you feeling baby?

    I was on 20 mg then went to 10 mg so what do i do?

    I did have a crying spell and feel very ill .

    Im not doing much due to this .

    Thanks!

    • gsquez77
      gsquez77

      Posted

      This is for babsyboo or anyone.

  • marlyn67383
    marlyn67383 sula_78296

    Edited

    After my Dad died in 2009, I started to suffer the most horrendous anxiety that lasted over a week. I tried exercise, acupuncture the lot and nothing worked. Eventually I went to the doctor and he prescribed me, 10mg of Citalopram, Propanol and a high dose anti hystamine to calm the side effects down. The Citalopram was then increased to 20mg. I eventually stopped the anti hystamine and Propanol.

    I continued to take 20mg of Citalopram for 10 years. I still had anxious spells throught the month near my cycle but they only lasted a few hours then went away. I lived a good quality of life concidering.

    I decided that 2010 was the year to come off them as I felt really good about my anxiety. I weaned myself off them over 8 months and by September 2010 I was only taking two 20mg tablets a week and decided just to stop.

    For five full weeks I was totally fine. I was so proud of myself. I am going through a very stressful divorce along with trying cope with no income from my business due to Covid. I noticed i was becoming seriously angry very often, my stomach and breathing was tight at several points every single day, even doing a simple task. At meetings I was feeling slightly anxious and wanting to leave.

    Without speaking to my Doctor I took a 20mg Citalopram. I felt really anxious and frightened. the next day or so I phoned the Doctor who told me to start back the tablets but only 10mg a day. i ignored this thinking, I will be smart and take another 20mg as I have taken these for years (albeit stopped 5 weeks ago!). The situation got worse so I took 10mg the next day. This was 50mg over the space of 4 days.

    OMG!! what a horrific time I have had of it. I never took another tablet and am waiting and praying that whatever the hell has happened to me stops soon!! I am experiencing many of the items on that withdrawl list. extreme fear, can't eat, legs spasms and shakes, waking every hour with fear, prickly sensation on my face and arms. Now developing clammy hands, hot flush, feeling of wanting to rush but no where to go....

    Please tell me this is not self inflicted and the amount of Citalopram I have taken in a short period of time is to blame.

    • aprilrush84
      aprilrush84 marlyn67383

      Posted

      I have had covid 19 and was taking celexa prior to this and it helped me but since testing positive from covid i have had those same symptoms. Im on my 3rd week of stopping the celexa and continue to have those symptoms. Have you noticed your pupils being dilated as well?

  • marlyn67383
    marlyn67383 sula_78296

    Posted

    I took 9 months to come off 20mg that I had been on for 10 years. Probably longer that a Doctor would advise. Had my monthly ups and downs near my cycle but all very managable.

    As its only been a week you are off them that's not too late to re introduce them with no real side effects. I would get back on them and take as long as you can to wean off...no rush xxx

  • marlyn67383
    marlyn67383 sula_78296

    Posted

    I took 9 months to come off 20mg that I had been on for 10 years. Probably longer that a Doctor would advise. Had my monthly ups and downs near my cycle but all very managable.

    As its only been a week you are off them that's not too late to re introduce them with no real side effects. I would get back on them and take as long as you can to wean off...no rush xxx

  • iyoga
    iyoga sula_78296

    Posted

    I have also gone cold turkey from today. l have been on Citalopram for nearly 3 months and side effects are still so bad i have decided to stop. the way i look at it is how can the withdrawal symptoms be any worse than the side effects i am experiencing now,? GP's hand them out like smarties with no guidance how to take them and i have never been given a review for any medication i have taken. The citalopram has levelled my mood but its not worth it for the way it has made me feel physically. l have come off antidepressants cold turkey and the only think i suffered was extreme irrability around people, but hey COVID19 means i am out off a job and never see anyone anyway:-/

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