Coming off citalopram. :(

http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/about-anxiety/anxiety-disorders/ Do phone them up - don't just scroll through the pages if you want to shake feelings off.

I am laughing at the discussions about the weather - I just love thunder storms and hail stones so must be truly mad! Last year I devised a rainy day plan that I put into action and it is not as much fun as a lovely sunny day but it is okay, and involves lots of 'me time'. You must all get working on more 'me time'. Learn how not to rely on other folk.

I was trying to think of one think that I have learned about depression over the past 40 years that could possibly make a difference and there is but one thing. I have more than one I am afraid.

Depression is much about expectations and disappointments whether it has a family history or not. Personality is a factor.

Your expectations of others, life and others expectations of you. Unrealistic expectations = disappointment.

What will I remember to do today? Not 'expect' to feel bad cutting down my pills but expect to feel something.

Make plans to do something nice with or for people who matter to me and don't have too high an expectation of me, ie: people who I can please. Or do something nice for myself that does not break the bank.

Politely decline to be around people who's expectations of what I am and what I can do are beyond me.

BE YOURSELF. If your behaviour is not dangerous then just stop worrying about what other people think of you.

I will stay off this web site for one whole week and hope you all feel better by next Saturday - you will I am SURE

XXXX

Hi all

dont want to be negative today but cant help it, had a very bad day yesterday, but i survived just lol

it was mainly the sickness, i hate being sick, felt sorry for my hubby as he had to come home from an 10hr shift and cook him tea as i couldn't get my head from the pillow, he's fantastic though its a good job hes a chef and luvs cooking!!!!!

still not up to par today, only been sick twice so far so thats a bonus but its still early, and i still have this pounding headache which pounds to my heart beat and going hot and cold, but hey at least am still here, and apart from that am fine lol, luckily ive still got my sense of humour just!!!!

hope everyones doing great, we can and will beat this together

Juliex

Karen, I don't think Valium should be given for a long periods either, as it's very addictive but I don't see anything wrong with taking a couple on an emergency as they do calm you down. I have 2 friends who are given a small supply for panic attacks and they never abuse them.

Julie, Glad you're feeling a bit better.

Last night, running for a bus, I fell flat out so have grazed knee and palms but, luckily, no broken bones. I'm sore and feeling sorry for myself. This is all I need, as I have so much to do and just want to go back to bed. I miss my mother pampering me.

ms mac, go back to bed, whatever you have to do will be there tomorrow, be selfish and think about yourself now.

sorry you fell over, those sore knees are a killer arnt they lol

what do now is say to myself, now what will happen if i dont do whats needed

will someone get die, get hurt, not eat, will something break down etc

and if the answer is no to the questions i say sod it then lol

JUliex

@ ms mac

thanks for asking and yes i am feeling better than yesterday, i must not have cut the tablet right and didn't get my 5mg!!!

what i have decided to do is that i am gonna take 5mg every other day for a week or so, then every 2 days etc until i stop them, its not a race so doesn't matter how long it takes.

didn't think i would feel so bad as am taking such a low dose, just goes to show hey

hope you had a nice time with your friends yesterday

Juliex

In my 60's so too old for grazed knees and palms. It was so embarrassing as the whole bus load of people saw me as well as men waiting. I wanted to run away but needed that bus!

Anyway, have stayed up and can't go to bed as I've stripped it but so tired. Think it will be the couch. Was a bad week so that just completed it nicely.

No Julie, it's not a race at all and don't make the mistake I made. Just take it easy and be kind to yourself. The journey will still be there after you come off them. I'm making it and so will you. We've been dependent on pills for so long and it's hard not to want another when you feel bad. I gave mine to the pharmacist as I knew I would never take another one.

My day trip to Edinburgh was lovely - great city with so much to see. So many tourist, yesterday! Pity the day ended with that fall.

S

Hello everyone, I am so glad this excists actually. I have been on citalophram for about 6 -7 years and have tried to get off them twice without any luck. I am ready to try it again and I read many good ideas. I want nothing more then to stop. The reason for taking them 6 years back are long gone and I am in a good place right now . I read in the beginning someone shaved off the tablet each week a little more and overall it took about 5-6 months. I think that is the way to go. Anyone else tried this ? ... I want my own healthy emotions back, I want my ' me' back and not to mention I want my normal weight back lol. I am going to give it my very very best and want to succeed. Good luck to everyone else out here

Hi Maria, Yes, I am glad to discover this discussion too. I've read some really good (and supportive) advice since I first discovered it about 3 weeks ago. I've just come off cit after 7/8 years on it. Hopefully I don't have to go back on, because i was starting to think I would be on it for the rest of my life. I'd missed a few days and felt really good (after my Mum went home after a long stay...), so thought I'd give it a try.

What you are doing sounds like the right thing to do, based on what others have said here, including an extremely kind and helpful private message from Nezza.

Ahh, I'm sorry to hear about your fall MsMac! I hope that you are resting up ... and excuse me, but 60's isn'told! My Mum turns 70 tomorrow and "thinks old", whereas my husband's Mum is 75 and looks and thinks about 60!

Happy Mother's Day to any of you lovely Mums out there.

Allison xx

I'm a very young 60+ but the fall has really shaken me up and I've cried all day on and off and even went to bed in the afternoon and slept for an hour and a half. Just feeling sorry for myself. I've gotten over a lot worse that this - just another kick in the teeth by Life. Lousy week.

My weight has not gone up any, since stopping Cit. and is going down very slowly but that's fine as long as it goes down. I couldn't cope with the weight gain as it added to my depression. If I look better I will feel better, I'm sure.

I had these ups and down when taking antidepressants so just have to wait until the black cloud moves on. In fact, I think the black clouds got darker on them.

Be positive, be positive.

Yep, life can be rubbish! But as you say, try and be positive. You are a strong and wonderful person MsMac .

(sorry for the weird smile, but the emoticon options on this site are not good! )

Thank you all for your support and lovely comments and private messages too. Just so fed up struggling on my own all the time but I will climb this hill - not a mountain, thankfully.

well folks

false alarm lol, it wasn't withdrawal symptoms at all, think i had a touch of food poisoning as i just found out my son of 24 felt off as well.

As of now i feel fantastic, the same as i was on friday, all symptoms and sickness have gone so it was definitely not withdrawals thanks god!!!!

my hubby was horrified as he is a chef, but he make it lol, it was actually some lamb which we had on wednesday, and my hubby told me that it was for the dog as it was over the 3 day keeping rule, but i didn't listen to him and made a sandwich on friday night. Hence me being very ill yesterday and half of today. My son had some but not as much as me lol yeah ok i was greedy!!!!!

I got a good telling off from my hubby wen he came home from work lol

So its all good, so am back on original plan but am not stopping the 5mg tomorrow gonna leave it a few more days cause of my recent sickness

hope everyones good

Juliex

Hi maria

thats what i am doing with the cit, i have reduced from 20mg to 5mg and am using a pill cutter to do this

am staying on the 5mg for a bit longer before stopping them.

ppl say that 5mg is such a low dose that its not worth taking, but i dont agree, anything which can help lessen the withdrawals is a good idea even if its only for a placebo effect.

I have had very few side effects since i started reducing, and am sure its because am cutting it down further than some say as i thought going from 10mg to nothing was such a big drop.

Also what some have stated that when you do reduce if you get withdrawal symptoms which you cant cope with, then go back up to the dose which worked for you until the symptoms go, then reduce more slowly.

I have also found that taking omega 3 capsules have helped i take 3 a day,

taking baby steps is the way to go,

Juliex