coming off any advice please

I am afraid you will have to stop taking your citalopram slowly, because you have been taking it for 4 weeks.

I took citalopram, 10/20/30 mg for 7 weeks and stopped it abruptly, which is not a good idea if you can avoid it. After a couple of days I felt better but then about a week after stopping citalopram I experienced another period of intense anxiety and insomnia which lasted for about a week to 10 days. After that I was alright.

Below is some information about citalopram withdrawal symptoms:

‘SSRI Withdrawal Syndrome’

The following criteria define the SSRI (or SNRI) withdrawal syndrome:

Criterion A: A course of treatment in which an SSRI (or vanlafaxine) is stopped or interrupted or the dose is reduced after a period of 4 weeks or more.

Criterion B: Two or more of the following symptoms develop within 1 to 10 days of criterion A (except for fluoxetine in which case the symptoms must develop within 28 days):

(a) dizziness or light headedness

(b) nausea and/or vomiting

(c) headaches

(d) lethargy

(e) anxiety and/or agitation

(f) tingling (paresthesias), numbness or \"electric\" shock-like sensations in the head or limbs

(g) tremors

(h) sweating

(i)insomnia

(j) irritability

(k) vertigo (dizziness)

(l) diarrhea

http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.withdrawal.html

I am sorry you are having such a bad time.

Hi Margaret

I took the 10mg a day tablet for just one week and after consulting my doctor I came off them because I didn't like the way they were making me feel, I just stopped them straight away and I was fine but as I say I was only taking them for one week.

Hope this helps and that you feel better soon.

Take care

LT x

Hi LT,

Thanks for the reply, just wish I knew what to do. It seems to help some people and not others. I cut 20mgs in half last night but it made no difference at all this morning. I couldnt sleep and the shakes are dreadful.

Thanks anyway Margaret

Hi Margaret, I would go and have a chat with your doctor before you decide to come off them.

I had bad side-effects with this med after only 3 days, doctor has put me on amitriptyline.

Dont know if its the relief of the citalopram getting out of my system or the new med, but I feel a bit better even drove the car today!!!! Still feel anxious but no where near as much.

I dont think I would just stop taking them, have a chat with doctor first.

Danielle.

Thanks Danielle, but I thought they made you feel worse after reading other messages. I havent stopped taking them, but cut the last 2 nights 20mgs in half.

God Bless you, Margaret

Hi Margaret

Yes I would agree with Danielle that you should not stop taking them without consulting your doctor first, that's what I did and after telling her how I was feeling she advised me to stop taking them. I have now been perscribed Diazepam just for times when i'm feeling stressed so i'll see how I get one with those.

Good luck Margaret, take care.

LT x

Thank you everyone for your kind wishes. Im not feeling to bad this morning. and Mr or Mrs X thanks for the w/d symptoms. I have no intention of just stopping them. Im going to take half of 20mgs for a few weeks then slowly cut again.

Good Luck everyone Margaret

I hope I am not too late to chime in with my experience of coming off of citalopram. I also took 20mg for 28 days, and decided to stop taking them on Friday the 8th of this month - 16 days ago. I have experienced none of the side effects listed by X. I was already experiencing insomnia, which the citalopram exasperated, and a loss of appetite caused by the citalopram. I was also experiencing ejaculatory disfunction, although I suspect that may not be an issue in your case. All of these side effects have subsided for the most part, and I have not felt particually bad for the past two weeks.

I am not suggesting that simply stopping would be the best course of action for you - your plan to slowly come off them is the recommended way of doing it and is sensible. I just thought it might be useful to hear from somebody who, as you mentioned in your first post, had simply ceased taking it.

I hope you find something that works!

Thanks for the info, I havent just stopped taking them. For the last 4 nights I have cut them in half and last night had the best nights sleep ever. The sweating at night is still there but not so bad, my appetite is coming back slowly. I would like to thank everyone that has given me info on Citalopram and wish you all the very best wishes for the future.

Bless you all Margaret