Coming off citalopram. :(

Hi golfer son

I do not believe it's out of your system at all

Gp does not know what he's talking about

Am amazed but nOt surprised

Look what were all saying ....slowly slowly. I shall be finishing on 2.5 mgs

Am on 10 mg currently

The drug has helped me so much but it took a while to rewire my brain , it's quite a vicious little drug in its way. Slowly does it ...

Hi golfer son

I do not believe it's out of your system at all

Gp does not know what he's talking about

Am amazed but nOt surprised

Look what were all saying ....slowly slowly. I shall be finishing on 2.5 mgs

Am on 10 mg currently

The drug has helped me so much but it took a while to rewire my brain , it's quite a vicious little drug in its way. Slowly does it ...

Hi guys, me again. I am seriously thinking about going back on 10 mg. as I've posted before I came down from 30mg to 20 for two weeks, then two weeks of 10 then nothing. I've been on nothing for about two and a half weeks but am not doing well. I had a couple of very weepy days but managed to carry on... Was okay for a few days but the last few days have been hell, my husband is working away for a few days, usually I am fine, but I've really struggled to keep up with homework, after school clubs, did walking and all the domestic choresas well as work! I feel like I have awfull PMT!! Want to eat all the time, feel very gloomy about my future, and have been sooo ratty with the children I feel like the worst parent ever!! I'm worried now though I' ll have a rough time re-introducing 10mgs! My aim is still to come off them but I can't face feeling like this! Any thoughts guys would be sooo helpful. Thanks

Im almost off of them, im now down to 5mg and im going to drop down to nothing next friday, thats going to be the test really, i have found it easier than i thought, if you want to read my blog about how i done it just message me xxxx

Hi Golferson, Tids and Clare1974

Just wanted to reassure you it is possible to come off but it really needs to be done slowly, I became suicdal when I dropped to quickly so my advice is alternating current dose with lower dose every other day, then when you feel ok drop dose by just a small amount for a week the drop it and alternate it with your new lower dose for another week, and repeat until your down to 5mg It does take weeks doing this but it gives your body time to adjust to the changes in the seratonin levels. There is so much clinical evidence now aboutdiscontinuation syndrome when comming off ssri'sI cannot believe how ignorant many GP's are about this subject. Just to reiterate it is possible to come off but my experience is the longer you have been on them the longer it takes too come off them, hope this helps. Best wishes Karen

Hello golferson,

I agree with gillian176. I'm amazed how ignorant many GP's are about these drugs! I don't think it's out of your system either.

I'm not qualified to tell you what to do, but my best advice is to read all of the comments here and do what you think is right for you, even if that means starting the pills again and then very slowly reducing.

I'd love to hear what you decide to do and how you're getting on. Take care,

Ruth

Hi all

Totally agree with Karen and ruthiepegs....and myself!

SLOW SLOW SLOW

And when I get to 5 mg it will then be 2.5 mg for me..I am taking a good 4/5 weeks on each level

I may even go 2.5-0 2.5-0

I say again...It's not a competition girls/ ladies to get off this in shortest possible time

Tids

Too fast

Go back on 10 mg stay on them at least a month

Then start reducing

Get 10 mg tablets

7.5 a month

5 a month and so on

It can be done but slow sloe

I thought I was doing great and "oh yes I can go down pdq"

NO

Thanks so much for all your comments. I've gone back on 10 mg and will stay for 4/6 weeks then i will start reducing. It's been sooo helpful having your advice. I don't feel so alone with this problem now. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks! X

Good luck tids. My pharmacist recommends to level on a dose for three months if you have had trouble reducing. So maybe even consider longer than 4/6 weeks.

I was talking to my doctor the other day who reiterated what I have learned here and on other sites that when you flood the brain with citalopram the receptor sites in the brain get lazy and as you reduce the dose they need time to respond. Remember this is a foreign introduced drug which our brains have never been exposed to until now. The brain is a marvelous thing but needs time to adjust to the adjustments we are making in our levels of drug.

Could not have put that better myself marbel

Your Brain has obviously not been as fuzzed up as mine!

Well put!

Had a little wobble with the black dog myself this morning but have read this , pulled myself together and let's move on...

Hello All,

Have just joined up but have reading the posts over the past weeks. I ran out of pills and have not had time to pick some more up.Am now on the third week.Truth be told,I want to come off them. I had a huge wake up call when I it dawned on me that,I can not remember massive chunks of my life.Now that is scary. I feel happy sat inside my warm bubble,but then,sayin that I would still get mood swings,panic attacks,etc. So why not just bite the bullet and come off them. Have to say the past weeks are hell. Today,my mood feels a bit brighter.I felt happy yesterday,like really happy,.Was a nice feeling. It was only when I turn my head the reminder comes back or walking. And the itching. And the dashes to the loo. I don`t know what is up with my bladder. AAnd the feeling drunk, I have today off so I can go and pick up my pills,. I want to be back in that warm bubble. But I want too at the same time. I have put on loads of weight but do not really care,well,I do but think the pills just wash over that part of me. In fact I am sure over the past few weeks I feel I may of lost some,A friend mentioned to me some suff you can buy from Holland and Barret? Helps the brain to make serotinine (sp?) Would it be worth trying that? I have enjoyed,not sure if that is the right word,reading these posts. But I understand how you all feel and it is good to get some insight on the effects. Have to say all of you are brave and amazing people.My concern is,how long will the itching,the drunk feeling,the out of breath last for? I make sure I have two good walks everyday to and from work,and I must look a state. Oh yes,and I thought the sweating was just me. I have had at least 2 checks to see if I was on "the change". Hope you all have a good week. Now to decided on what to do with my day off,sleep or get up and d things.

Pinchie

You to think this through very carefully

You are suffering all the side effects of going on the drug.. Read the info leaflet. Google it too. May help.

If your only on the third week you will be feeling much worse...I did and am sure others did too. Then the light went on week 3/4 and I felt great. I was warned this would happen. But I am so much better and happier

It may be St. John's wort you are referring too..you must NOT take that at the same time..my gp did suggest it to me a year ago and I poo pooed it, went on propranolol for anxiety...waste of time...then eventually went back and she put me on Citalopram

SJW does a similar thing..in theory to Citalopram ...they are not to be taken together...and I really wouldn't mess with your head just swopping over

I am coming off cit after 5 months on it from February . And as a seperate comment to those I have been chatting to recently...one forgets that it's not that simple is it to just reduce..you still have those little odd moments of black dog...that's why it's such a slow process...and I may do as marbel says and take much longer than 4/6 weeks. Good idea

Would I take this drug again....YES....my regret is I did not see my GP years ago

I feel I was and still am a victim of low seratonin levels full stop....

Pinchie

I agree with Gillian, it does take time for this drug to work, longer than 3-4 weeks for me but it was worth it, I was only on the 20mg for 8 months before going down to 10 but what a difference it made, I hope now you have got this far you can hang on and get over the worse side effects and hopefully you will know how well it can make you feel. Good luck.

Sorry,I have been on these pills for,well,not sure how many but years.My Husband thinks I should go back on them,my mood has been horrid the past few weeks. I shall have to make some time to see my doc next week. Sighs. Cheers for the replies. Hope everyone is ok. I was going to go out but just could not face it.