Coming off citalopram. :(

Dear all,

I am so glad i found this forum. I have been on fluoxtitine for many years and my GP changed me onto 20mg every second day in August last year (2012). Since then I've increased to 20mg everyday, and due to circumstances in my life and me not coping well at all, a week ago I was increased to 40mg a day, I've had bad headaches and nausea and didn't think anything. But after reading your posts and realizing how hard it is to get off cit, I am now scared. Dont' know if I should quickerly go back to 20mg or what. Cit is supposed to make us feel better, so why make our brains fuzzy and tired etc. CONFUSED. Can anyone help me out with some good advice.

Hi Kathy and Jax, welcome to the discussion. I found that the citalopram was actually making me feel ill but I still needed to slowly reduce my dose over weeks/months to avoid really bad reduction syndrome as it is called, Basically the longer you've been on it the longer it takes for your body and brain to relearn how to make enough seretonin to keep you emotionally balanced and in good health, I dont recommend cold

turkey it can be dangerous.

One of the reaaly positive things besides feeling 10 times more alive and with it as I have reduced is I feel I have control back in my life again. I wish you both all the best, keep in touch and take your time reducing,

all the best , Karen.

Hi Karen, Thank for your reply. How did you reduce. Also, to all, how do you know when you ready to start coming off Cit. Also, did Cit not help anyone at all.

Question: For those of us who feel we can't cope without 20-30mg. What really are the long term side effects. I mean how bad it is if I can't come off them

Hi Everyone.. I would really appreciate your help..and I suppose, reassurance that life will get better..I recently stopped taking Cit after 2 years..I was prescribed the drug as I had severe post natal depression after the birth of my 2nd child.. ( I have always suffered on and off before that for years)..well anyway..I forgot to put my repeat in and decided that the I would really like to come off the drug.. I'm in the middle of studying for my finanxial adviser exams and I feel that I have gone completely 'brain dead' everything I read goes in one ear and out of the other..I can't focus or concentrate. .I just can't seem to 'feel' oe 'think' anymore! ! Anyway..I've decided that I need to try and eliminate if the drug is causing my inability to study and 'feel'..this is my 6th day drug free.. (yes cold turkey but It sort of just happened)..I have severe dihoreea. .feeling yet not physically sick..feel like I'm walking on air rather than the ground..pins and needles throughout my entire body..stomach cramps..and terribly itchy and jumpy legs!!..and on top of that cannot for the life of me get to sleep...Well anyway..please help..has anyone gone though the same as me and come out of the other side in one piece??? I don't mind if you lie..i just need to know that I can live a life without antidepressants. Xxx

Hi Jax, the answer to how to reduce may be different for all of us but I found reducing by cutting down (literally using a pill cutter from a chemist) first -down to15mg for a week the 15 one day 10 the next for week then 10 for a week then 10one day 5 the next for a week then 5mg for 2 weeks then 2.5 one day 5 the next for 1-2 weeks then 2.5 the 0. thats the plan I'm currently doing ok on 5mg so I will alternate with a 2.5 dose staring saturday. sounds tedius I know but it is working for me, my brain just does'nt cope with any quicker and I have to stay ok because of the nature of my job but it can be done. I think you are ready to come off when you really know you want too, it does take patience, honesty and determination, sometimes feeling like 2 steps forward one step back but it can be done

, I know from reading the posts that citalopram has been really helpful to many people but it was never originally intended to be a long term treatment and therefore was not assessed for long term side effects which are only just begining to emerge. There is some analysis that suggests that the body may lose the ability to produce sufficient seratonin after long term use of citalopram, good news for the drug companies but not for people who dislike the changes citalopram has made to their personality and thought processes. I personally believe now that there are better ways of dealing with anxiety that are less risky ie counselling, short term use of medication and counselling. too many people are being left on ssri's for far too long by overworked GP's who don't have the time to keep up with the latest research.

Sorry to go on but from what I've read from other people something needs to be done. For those of us who want their lives back the answer is reduce slowly and find out the root of our anxieties, make changes in our lives where we can and support one another, best wishes Karen.

Heck Kerry that sounds tough!!

Well I would say its because you went cold turkey...some people seem to do that I admit successfully but I think in yr case it's not working

And your having all those problems

I have been loosing the plot forgetting stuff for ages to be honest! My life is a list and I am post menopausal

You can see my back posts but I went on it in feb and started coming off it mid July very slowly... And am still only just down to 10-10-5-10-10-5

You can live without them....but you have to reduce the right way and put in other support things for yourself

Just seen Karens post when I dragged down

It's very good and a true reflection

She's right

It was best thing I ever went on,but time to stop and regain my strength

I used a pill cutter too in fact I think Karen reminded me

I did 20-20-10-20-20-10 for few weeks

Then 20-15-20-15

Then 20-10-20 -10 but u know that gave me a wobble so went back up to last dose age until I felt ok then reduced again

You can play with it however you want but I took 3/4 weeks on each reduction...

Hi all, I'm on my fourth day after coming off Citalopram, it's been harder than I had expected, however it is manageable. Really the only things I'm dealing with are low level anxiety, and being more emotional.

I want to stress that I came off the tablets very quickly (two weeks after over a decade on tablets)in consultation with my doctor, (I think it's really important to stay in close contact with your doctor and let them know how you're going) but coming off them so quickly will not be for everyone. Each of us is different, and as you reduce the dosage, you are the best judge of how you're feeling and coping.

I'm also seeing a counsellor regularly which helps immensely.

I really feel for all of you, anxiety and related disorders can be devastating, but one thing I've learnt is that we are stronger than most people, even though it often seems like the opposite. The average person without anxiety disorders would be astonished at what we cope with on a daily basis, and we forget to acknowledge how well we cope.

Never be afraid to ask for help, and keep talking about it. Once you talk about it, you externalise it and can begin your journey to recovery. There will be good days, bad days and days where you don't want to get out of bed, but you will continue to improve and won't go backwards no matter how much it feels like you might be. I'm heartened and proud of each and every one of you and your endeavour to come off the meds.

One thing I see quite often is that people are led to believe that if they go on meds, it will solve their anxiety issues, then they can come off them. Medication should only ever be a tool used to give you some breathing space and allow you time to seek counselling and other psychological assistance. I only wish I learnt/knew all of this years ago when I was first prescribed medication.

We all deserve to be happy and healthy, and the outcome is in your control, not a doctor or psychiatrist and not the meds.

Wishing you all the best xoxo

Thank you so much to all of you who have replied to my post. Today is a very bad day..Kurani..I cried my eyes out reading your post. .I have cried most of the morning, and I'm getting worsening 'head zaps' and dizziness. ..I've been crying to my husband on the phone and I'm really worried that I don't feel anything for him anymire..I'm so totally and utterly confused with what is just a 'thought' and what is a real emotion. My husband wants me to try and go to a counsellor and try and get to the 'real' problem. .However I'm afraid if what it may reveal about myself..I'm so jealous of other people's happiness. .I wish wish wish i could be a different perdon today..xxx

Hi Kerry

I joined last nite and ment to put up a post but it didnt work.

i have been on cit 20 for a year and i know how you are feeling pet. x

i was wit a wonderful girl and was so happy with her when i changed from flux 20 (3 yrs) to cit 20 things where better for a while but, things soon started to drift as she was going trough some things when she lost her job that ment the world to her and i was working 74 hours a week chefing. i was feeling onto off the world but all i seemed to care about was my job and when i came home from work she was in bed.

but we stayed together. she got a new job a few months later and we both where working and moved in to a house together. but soon i felt like i didnt want her anymore and felt like i i never loved her. soon after i i broke up with her. but she loved me and gave me space we have been seenig eachother agen and the feelings come and go but i know she loves me and has my back we are working on things and taking it easy. i stoped taking my cit 20 (sun ) and so far im feeling better not to say tomorrow could be different. i know how hard it is, and pushing someone away may feel like the best. but try to think of ur partner as your friend who is there for your and the rest will come in time. xx ps i find good long walks are very helpfull its hard to get up and leave the house but when ur out walking the edge soon comes off and it clears your head

Hi all- it's good to be able to discuss things that seem irrelevant to 'normal people' - I'm on a stable dose of 20mg cit now for the 2nd week- I've had a range of different emotions including not wanting to be with my boyfriend anymore and not wanting to keep working or my business open- basically negative about everything. I'm desperate to reduce my dose however if I feel like this on 20mg then I don't hold much hope for less. I'm managing my weight at the moment and reducing my wine intake - but at the end of the day there has to be an answer to all of this? Has anyone tried hypnotherapy?

Clare

If you have only been on cit two weeks you haven't felt the good effects yet...or are you reducing down from a higher dose ?

The light doesnot go on for 3/4 weeks....then it all stabilizes...

I trawled these sites every day looking for someone to encourage me to keep going

So been there. Done that

It does get better

Yes I had to reduce wine intake too! Gave me dreadful headache and I felt hungover on one glass

Yoga gym work meditation vitamins with probiotics...all help me...

Thanks Gillian- I've been on these little monsters for nearly 2 years- started on 40mg- can't remember if I had any side effects- probably too zombied out! Came down to 30mg ok but had headaches tearful- then stayed on 30 for a year. Coming down from 30 to 20 was ok too- I guess I was having therapy then too so that helped. However coming off 20 is a mission I'd like to try 15mg but can't do it. Not going through the suicidal stage again! I hate feeling nothing or negative - I'm too tired to go out and get anxious if I do. I am so worried about everything perhaps I should go back upto 30?

Clare..I know the longer your on it the harder and longer it takes to come off it

Try 20-20-15-20 -20-15-20-20-15

For 3/4 weeks

It sorta kids your body...

Allow yrbody to get used to it and stabilize

Then maybe 20-15-20-15 and so on but do each reduction for 3/4 weeks

You may get an odd down day disregard that but if u get2/3/4 then go back to level u were on before

Reduction must be very very slow ...