Coming off citalopram. :(

Hi all

I have been following this forum for some time now being very envious of those who can come off this drug. I have been on and off it for around 15 years now. Mostly on than off! Currently I have been on them for 3 1/2 years without a break, at 20 mg. I tried to come off them around 9 month ago by going cold turkey but it was a disaster and I had a complete breakdown, where all I wanted to do was go to sleep and never wake up. I still often feel like that now but I blame it on me being weak and unable to cope with life. I always feel very paranoid and think people are criticising and pointing their finger at me. No matter what goes wring I think I am to blame even though quite often it has nothing to do with me. If I make a mistake I think people will think I am stupid and laugh at me.

My question is, is this me or the drug because really I don't know. I am frightened to start to come off incase i am being stupid and really need it. My doctor says I will know when I am ready to come off and he is happy to prescribe it as long as I need it.

Oh yes and the weight gain. I use to be around 134lbs I am now a whopping 182lbs which depresses me immensely as I have tried everything to loose weight but it is just not happening.

Cuckoo - that could have bee written by me!!!

I felt no-one liked me, although family said they loved me, and felt I was being used and let down. That had a terrible effect on me and, like you, just wanted to go to sleep and never waken up. I, now, totally believe those tablets changed my brain in such a way that I couldn't be positive about anything and saw no future. I was living in hell, most of the time.

Just a few months ago, I told the doctor that I was sure I would be on them for life and she just shrugged her shoulders and said 'You never know'. Here I am, drug-free, for the first time since 2000 and the best I have felt in a long, long time. I'm even thinking of a round the world trip!

I know a lot of feeling better is the brighter and longer nights as I do suffer from S.A.D.

I have my self-worth back - something that was gone for many years. I now want to get my weight down, as I am the same weight as you and went to 187 lbs. I, too, tried everything to lose weight but it just kept soaring. At the moment it has just stabilised to around 182 lbs. (I'm 5'3") but I am determined to get it down because I can no longer blame the pills.

You CAN do it but only when you are in the right frame of mind.

Best wishes and take care of number one.

Cuckoo...you can do it. Just don't go cold turkey...huge mistake. Take the time to wean yourself off these things. I started with half a pill until I felt little or no withdrawal side effects. Then I went to half of the half until I felt little or no side effects....then I stopped completely and it has been wonderful. Take the Benadryl too like I said, it really works. Don't get too anxious. Just make your plan and stick to it. It could be a couple of months. Weight loss will have to come later. You will never lose weight on this drug. Be patient, you will know if you need to be on them after you've come off them. Myself, I couldn't be happier off these things. I have my energy back and actually have my emotions back. Good luck!

Hi Ms Mac and Sandy

Thanks for the response. I am really wanting to go for it but don't know when I am in the right frame of mind because I am always so miserable and feel like doom and gloom. Some people say I need to increase my dose. Which I definitely want to avoid.

Ms Mac my family also tell me they love me but at times I don't believe them I think they just say it. And yes I feel everyone just uses me for there own gain. I am sure that is not true because I do have a lovely husband daughter and son.

I am going to start cutting down from tomorrow and hope I get the results I desire more than anything.

If there is anyone who wants to do it with me or help me that would be great.

So here is to the first day of the rest of my life.

We've all felt like that, Cuckoo and I believe the pills made me worse after a certain time. Try it very gradually and don't force yourself to do anything just for the sake of it.

I have hit low spots, during the withdrawal period but, hopefully, I am over that but I can never be complacent.

Good luck. You will find all the support you need, on here, to be free.

Good luck.

hi cuckoo

just take one day at a time, baby steps my hubby calls it, there is no right or wrong way, the right way to get off the cit is the right way for you!!!!

it doesn't matter how long it takes either, you will reach the finishing line if it takes you 1 month or 12 months, but please take it slowly let your brain and body adjust between reductions, be completely withdrawal free before reducing further.

keep telling yourself that it is only withdrawal symptoms and they WILL go away and you need to get through these symptoms so your brain can heal.

i tried to cut the cit last year but didn't quite make it and went back up to the 20mg, it took me a while to realise that i didn't fail, i just wasn't ready at the time.

i have read a lot of posts for other forums regarding coming off the cit and quite a few ppl have recommended Omega 3 capsules, several have commented that they help the brain zaps, i take one in morning and one before bed, not sure if they have helped but i will keep taking them as i will stop cit altogether in 7 days times, so i hope they are doing something lol

keep smiling and welcome to the club,

Juliex

Hello Good People,

I'm brand new to the forum and have a question. I've been on 10mg for close to 3 years and now I'm tapering off. I began this week by cutting my 10 in half and now on 5 daily.

Now here's the question: is it best to stay on the same dose daily or vary the dose, i.e. 5 one day 10 the next and so on. I am happy to go slowly so assume I would stay of 5 for awhile. Then would drop down to 2.5.

And what are your thoughts about slowly? How long on the 5 then the 2.5?

Thank you!!

Ann

Hi Guys, i am also brand new to this forum and this is my first post.

I have been taking anti-depressants now for about 1 year starting with Fluoxitine and then moving on to Citalopram. I've been taking Cit for about 6 months now at 20mg per day. I decided to stop at the weekend and haven't had a tablet for 5 days. I used to be able to tell when i missed a tablet as my head felt funny, but recently it doesn't feel like the drugs are doing anything - i feel ok now.

Anyway i was just wondering if i've lasted this long (is 5 days long?) am I likely to get a big whack in the face one day, or am i just a lucky one who can slip off with no worries?

I have also put lots of weight on with Cit and am looking forward to shifting it. If i've learned one thing about this drug from this forum it's that every case is individual.

I wish you all well - i know how depression and anxiety can screw your life up.

Craig

Hi ann

a lot of ppl say its best to take a little every day rather missing days out, as this creates an even supply of the cit in your system.

Now others miss days out and have cut down this way and are fine, its entirely up to you how you want to reduce them and its all about what works for you.

Most do say that they stay on a dose until any withdrawal symptoms stop, meaning your body is used to the dose, and you go as slowly as you need to, its not one size fits all, its how it fits you lol

For me personally i was on 20mg and tried to reduce very very slowly last year over a period of 6 months and i didn't make it and went back on what i started on 20mg, i dont regard this a failing, i just wasn't ready at that time to come off them.

This time i have been reducing 20, 10, 5 and have done this over 4 weeks and its going great at the moment and am planning on stopping them next monday, have only had minimal withdrawal symptoms and feel fine. The only difference i can see is that i am taking omega 3 capsules.

How slow you go is really down to yourself and how your body is adjusting to each now dose, it has been stated by numerous ppl to stabalise on the dose before reducing further.

So regarding a time frame, i would say that is generally down to yourself, it doesn't matter how long as it better to reach your goal in a steady manner which you can cope with.

Hope this makes sense

Juliex

Hi craig

wow i hope you are one of the lucky ones who dont get many withdrawal symptoms, only time will tell

I can usually tell on day 2 to 3 of not taking any cit, the withdrawal symptoms hit me like a lead balloon lol

I hope it goes well for you, this forum is full of wonderful ppl who understand exactly what you are going through and where all trying to achieve the same thing

The knowledge and support on this forum is fantastic, and they can really empathise with you as we all really do know what your going through

Good luck in your quest lol

Juliex

Hi Julie,

thank you for your kind words

Can i ask how long you have been on Cit for to warrent this kind of reduction you mentioned in your response to Ann?

Thank you

Craig

Craig and Ann

My doctor always said that taking a very small dose would have no affect so would be no point in taking that so told me to come off them within 2 weeks.

To save you reading back, I was on 20/40 mg of Cit. and chopped and changed from different SSRI's for over 13 yrs.

I felt fine, for 5/7 days and then I crashed but I persevered. The doc. said I could have taken it slower than the 20/10 for a week and 10/0 for a week but I just followed her advice. Why tell me that a month afterwards?

It was far too quick a withdrawal but, to be truthful. I would never have gone down to 2.5 mg. as I thing taking that low a dose is just a placebo effect but, if that works, that's fine! Whatever works for YOU, is fine but, I would keep taking them and slowly, until you felt k to withdraw completely.

Thanks Julie,

I found this on one web site last night:

"if you have been on maintenance treatment, taper more gradually: e.g. reduce the dose by not more than ¼ every 4-6 weeks."

That is very conservative but I don't want to intentionally fail. I think I'll give it a try and increase the fish oil.

In appreciation,

Ann

Ms Mac, Good advice! Thank you.

Ann

Hi craig

i have been on the cit for around 15yrs altogether i think, gosh it gets muddled when trying to think about it and how long lol.I have only ever been on citalopram, first 10mg then upped to 20mg after 2 weeks.

I was prescribed it when my daughter died, and yes it brought me back from the brink and yes i definitely did need it, although it made me feel more normal, it made me emotionless and flat, i couldn't cry, i didn't feel sad, i didn't feel happy, i just felt nothing, which i suppose worked for me at the time.

I am not saying that i didn't need them, cause i did, but i dont think that i have needed them for this long, i feel that i have been let down by the gp's over the years as no one has reviewed these tablets just kept on giving me repeats, although i get my diabetes medication regularly reviewed!!!!

To save you looking back over my posts, i have a problem with different brands of the tablets, some give me horrendous side effects due to the fillers and coating they have on them, the ones made by Sandoz are the worst, every time i got a different brand, it was like taking them for the first time and i had to wait till my body adjusted to them, so if i got a different brand every month, then 2 weeks out of the month i would feel awful and only started to feel better when i got another different brand.

my pharmacist worked this out for me, and although he couldn't guarantee i would get the same brand each month, thats when i decided to come off them, this was last year but it didnt' work out as mentioned.

I am taking the Bristol brand of cit at the moment and they are fantastic, no side effects at all, so i am cutting them into 4 to get 5mg which is a pain as they are oval shape lol, but its working for me as i have had minimal side effects so far and have managed to get down to 5mg in 4 weeks.

Am stopping altogether on monday, so hopefully i wont suddenly crash and have a bad time, i have increased my omega 3 capsules to 2 a day, which is working well.

Even though the 5mg is such a small amount, and its not an accurate 5mg either as am using a pill cutter, it has worked for me to reduce this way and if it is a placebo effect so be it lol

sorry for the waffle lol

good luck in the journey

Juliex