Coming off citalopram. :(

Great to read your post cmc46 and know that you are also experiencing the same symptoms as me. You do feel alone in this battle which is why this forum is so good. I'm glad you've made it to 5mg and know that you'll eventually tolerate that. My bloating is so bad today that I can't do up any of my pants which fit me fine last week. I haven't had an appetite at all so it's frustrating to be so "fat" and not even be eating! I really hope that goes away soon. I must say that, this is day 6 and the brain zaps have lessened. yesterday they were continuous but today probably every 15 to 30 mins. That is positive! and I have felt some motivation return. Yay for the little things!

Great to read your post cmc46 and know that you are also experiencing the same symptoms as me. You do feel alone in this battle which is why this forum is so good. I'm glad you've made it to 5mg and know that you'll eventually tolerate that. My bloating is so bad today that I can't do up any of my pants which fit me fine last week. I haven't had an appetite at all so it's frustrating to be so "fat" and not even be eating! I really hope that goes away soon. I must say that, this is day 6 and the brain zaps have lessened. yesterday they were continuous but today probably every 15 to 30 mins. That is positive! and I have felt some motivation return. Yay for the little things!

Also everyone,

I found out recently from my psychologist (who is very well known in the Anxiety field here in Sydney) that she went to a Conference on SSRIs and she was told that there will be a large number of class actions taken against the pharmaceutical companies who manufacture these drugs because there is now medical proof that these drugs actually prevent the body from being able to produce it's own serotonin and dopamine meaning that patients because completely reliant on the drug for life. That is very worrying.

Secondly, my dietician tested me for a gene mutation called MTHFR which is common in people who have irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, PCOS, insulin resistance and difficulty losing weight. The Gene mutation means that you cannot metabolise folic acid and some B vitamins properly and this affects your production and metabolising of serotonin among other things.

My result: positive gene mutation on the MTHFR A1298C. I have just started taking a supplement called Methylfolate which is a pre metatoblised form on folic acid.

Might be worth asking your Dr about this if it seems relevant for you.

Yes we have to take all the good signs, however small they are, as positive signs that things are going the right direction. I find the bloating comes on worse in the late afternoon and if it gets too bad I take peppermint oil capsules which seem to help.

Hi everyone, I just thought I would let you know about my progress in coming off the tablets.

I have been free of them for 27 days, my withdrawal symptoms have now gone completely, and I threw my remaining tablets away this week.

Coming off Citalopram has been one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. The side effects were horrid, but I found them so much more manageable by weaning off very slowly.

To all you guys trying to wean off, please remember that it can be done - it may seem like an impossible task and that you will never get there. You will when the time is right to come off.

Good luck and I wish you all the best xxxxxx

I'm now on day 6 of no tablets, moods up and down extremely irritable, and intolerant. The head "judders" as I call them are irritating the shit out of me, in the middle of a "normal" conversation I just go blank. Then there is the sickness, omg I can't eat .. Nauseous all the time, absolutely no appetite, have found being at work kinda helps as long as I keep away from other staff members, my poor kids must be tired oft being so crap all the time. I get home from work and clean like a loony the get sooo stressed should anyone da remove anything out of place, even though I know this is all just temporary it doesn't help one bit, just irritates me all the more knowing that I should be doing more to control this . I am now trying binaural entrainment to help, except even that is now annoying me. Do you know how much easier this would be if I just popped one of my pills , all this crap would be over , I mean what if this is how I'm going to remain for the rest of my life?, destined to p people off and just be vile .. What if this "new me" is the. "Real me"?? Sulking at mo as my house is untidy again (

Sorry Yes, this 'irritation' does pass. If your kids are old enough try to explain to them (and the hub / partner of course) what's going on, be assured it's definitely only temporary I realise that it may be hard but try and laugh it off, tell those around you how you are feeling, don't push it down, get it off your chest

I bloody hope so!, thank you Benny for your reply, my kids and other half know, and all are so very proud of me for doing it. Just had a heart to heart with my son, god am so lucky he's amazing, he was telling me that with all I've been through over the years pre tablets that is, that I am a strong person, very strong person, and that there's know way I will be like this forever, also this made me smile, that he often finds people fookin annoying wan**** and just shuts them out he's just turned 18 (my son that is) and walks away, it did make me chuckle, then well up again.. the reason I stopped was I ran out, been doubling up for a while.. I needed them, yet I had 14 days to wait for my next months supply, couldn't keep telling the pharmacist I'd left them while on holiday..even though I only stopped a week ago I just feel that in taking the pills it had become an association with the situation that put me on them in the first place, catch 22 I guess. Am going pic me up some vit c and b complex tomorrow start on them. I just don't want to loose weight cause for the first time ever I actually look healthy.

Hi CMC

My pharmacist recommends if you have do have trouble dropping a dose then go back to the dose that you felt ok on for some length of time. For me she recommended 3 months. I'm not sure how you would feel about going back up a dose if you have been on 5 mg for four weeks without problems. What was your previous dose level?. 10mg or alternating 10mg and 5mg?.

Also the weight gain is an interesting thing on medications. I have read two books by the same author (nutritionist) which helped me understand the way medications, alcohol, coffee etc can load up the liver resulting in weight gain. Dr Libby Weaver, 'accidently overweight' and 'rushing womens syndrome'. The books are very similar so just read one if it interests you. Cheers Marbel

Hi everyone, I have really enjoyed reading your stories and advice. The support you give each other is amazing

Well i have been taking antidepressants for 11 years and cit 20 mg for 3 years. I have tried to come off these many times but have failed form how strong the withdrawals are. THIS time I am giving it my all and really want to succeed. I have slowed my dosage down to 10 mg a day and already the withdrawals are intense. Clicking in my head, fatigue, nausea, mood swings, head ache, blank minded, (pretty much a zombi). Everyday had pretty much become a struggle and Im trying to stay strong... MY doc has prescribed me propananol to take every morning and night which to be honest isn't helping the withdrawals too much. I have too young children and over the weekend I have to have them with there grandparents because i was too unwell to care for them.

Rahhh I hate this medication, I have already coincided a few times to take it as normal because its too hard. For those of you that have done it, how long did you take it and did you take 1/4 after the 10mgs ? And how long?

Hi Marbel,

I am very tempted to go back on 10mg per day, this dose I felt fine on and had been on it for 5 months after coming down from 20mg which I had taken for about 8 months, part of me feels that I am giving in to it and I don't really want to do that but I know that I am not feeling so good at the moment, I was hoping I would by now being on 5mg for 6 weeks now, thanks for your help.

Good luck Escapee, I hope things get better for you, I know what you are going through.

Hi all I hope everyone is ok, been a week off mine now, peeing like a race horse vey strange, dizzy spells still crap and the nausea.. However have started taking vit B complex with B12 and feeling better mood wise little more stable.. Xx

When I went on Citalopram it felt like my life had been saved. I made sweeping statements like, 'I will never stop taking this drug, why would I? It's the final piece of the puzzle for me!'

Part of me still feels that way, like the weight gain and the libido loss are almost worth the mental peace.

So it is with a great deal of confusion that I now find myself on day five cold turkey. Six even.

The dizziness was mild at first, but now if I move too quickly I literally separate into two parts that only come together again when I stop moving. I have a toddler so this can be pretty scary at times when I need to be vigilant. I cry, am short-tempered. I over-react to things that would have gone unnoticed on a full dose.

I'm scared but also determined to see this through. I loved how calm and collected I have felt while on the drug but miss my sex life and worry about the long term effect of lacking this will have on my marriage.

Plus, I'm double my usual size. Bloated rather than fat so there's that.

I just want so badly to get back to where I was without the pills, they were prescribed for post natal depression but I feel as if they addressed a lot more than that.

I am in therapy, and will continue to be so, as I know it helps. I would love a show of recent hands who have made it successfully to the other side. It feels pretty unlikely right now and any positive reinforcement would be a very welcome sign.

Hi everyone,

I am now day 11 and I am FINALLY feeling more normal.

Day 9 was pretty good and the brain/body zaps have really decreased, the mental fog lifted and I felt some motivation return. But day 10 came in and swept all that away. I had extremely bad anxiety. I couldn't pin point what I was worrying about but every thought made me anxious. Even stupid things like "oh my god it's Satuday and I need to get the shopping done by Monday"...every single thing sent me deeper into anxiety and finally I called my Psychologist, whom I hadn't seen in a few months. She did a therapy session for me over the phone and talked me through how I was feeling. She was very concerned as she hadn't known of such extreme withdrawal symtoms. I told her about this forum and she wants the link to have a read. Anyway she told me to write all my thoughts down and I felt much better after speaking to her. Today, day 11 I am feeling MUCH MUCH better. Caroline - please hang in there. I also never wanted to come off Citalopram and said the same things as you about it. But in the end the weight was the main reason I came off it. I did not do it cold turkey. It has taken me 6 months to get from 40mg to now with 5mg shaved off each month. Also, I have been taking Cit for 4 years - 2 years at 20mg and 2 years at 40mg. Ultimately I don't think it's the sort of drug you should take long term unless absolutely necessary so good on you for coming off it. I also have small children and it is AWFUL. My vertigo was also very bad especially when on stairs, I felt as though when I lifted up my leg I would lose my balance and kind of forget there was a step beneath me. So weird and not great in a two story home! HANG In there all you!!! it does get better. I really think I might be through to the other side. Fingers crossed. Write how you are feeling down and give yourself permission to do whatever it is you need to do to get through this short period of agony. xxx

Oh and well done LinnyM - so good to read that you made it through to the other side and that you're feeling good. Great to hear! good on you and all the best x