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Finally made it

Posted , 7 users are following.

carol111
carol111

Well I didn't want to speak too soon  but I think I have made it and finally got off it . Fingers crossed I am not tempting fete with this post. I made some notes along the way- felt withdrawal on 1/2 from last attempt so 10mg then 3 mg , 3mg % 2mg spread out up to 14/2/15 and nothing since.

What have I noticed? Yes a bit ratty but standing back and being impartial these things would make anyone ratty- just normal reaction. The main thing is not wanting to sleep! I have been awake for 2 weeks and no 3 hour naps in the afternoon. I have been so busy these last few days from dawn to dusk.

I was undecided before whether I was zonked due to hysterectomy, menopause, stress, getting older but no it was Citalopram!

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • a18842
    a18842 carol111

    Posted

    Great!! I hope u do well ❤️❤️ I'm only on day 33 of starting but hopefully I end up on the same path as you soon 😀
  • dawn66355
    dawn66355 carol111

    Posted

    Hi, so glad you have manage to get off them, I am on the 2nd week of halving my dose, I have been on them for 8 years, and have decided to come off them, how long did it take you Carol?

     

  • gwen1953
    gwen1953 carol111

    Posted

    Glad for you. At least you have done the right thing by coming off the Citalopram slowly. To take a continuing reduced dose for several weeks is the best way to do it. Slowly but surely reduce the dosage and the days on which you take the pills and all should be fine.
  • carol111
    carol111

    Posted

    Hi Dawn and Gwen

    I cut back from 40 down to 20 for 3 or 4 months and then down to 10 for 3 or 4 months and then various attempts at cutting down 10mg alternate days then 5mg alternate days then even less but gave up after a couple of attempts because of withdrawal symptoms- last attempt described above so whole process I would say about 12 months

  • carol111
    carol111

    Edited

    Hi 18442

    Just watch how long you are on them for- take them when you need them if they help but try and ween yourself when life is less bothersome.

  • dawn66355
    dawn66355 carol111

    Posted

    Wow long time sad but congrats on getting there,  I was on 20mg, doc told me to cut down to 10mg for 2 weeks then 10mg every other day, listening to your experiences maybe I ought to take it slower... x

     

    • tom11888
      tom11888 dawn66355

      Posted

      Go easy as the withdrawals don't start until you are clean off I'm off now for 10 weeks was on 20mg for 1 year getting there slowly,everyone is different kerp strong and try hard to stick it through

      Good luck

      Tom

  • doloroso
    doloroso carol111

    Posted

    Hi Carol. Welcome to the "Now I'm off the Citalopram Club"! I was on them for 11yrs. Weaned off slowly on a low dose every other day for approx 10mths last year. Did have terrible days, real wobbly ones to be honest with a great deal of crying sad but I pushed ahead and am now in a good place. Everything takes time. Once again, good on ya! Keep the good work up!
    • tom11888
      tom11888 dawn66355

      Posted

      You will get there slowly slowly one day at a time

      You will be get there

      Promise

      Tom

  • doloroso
    doloroso carol111

    Posted

    Oh you WILL my dear! May I say here that you have to work at it too. 11yrs is a long time but I had lost my only darling Sister then Dad and then Mum. We're all on this medication for different reasons are we not? smile
  • dave2002
    dave2002 carol111

    Posted

    Congratulations!!

    I am at week 10 of no Cit still with some withdrawal but getting there!!!

    Keep up the good work!!

    • carol111
      carol111 dave2002

      Posted

      Hi Dave

      Well done- how do you know symptoms are still withdrawal and not normal emotions kicking in? At what point can you really say it is out of your system? From what you say I still have a way to go?

    • dave2002
      dave2002 carol111

      Posted

      Carol Hi!

      I was on Cit for a total of six weeks ans with consultation with my GP stopped taking them. I had been prescribed them for anxiety. I have never experienced anything like the side effects  before and hope to never again. The last few days I beleive that i am almost back to normal!!

      I commenced on 10mg then after 4 days increased to 20mg within 24 hours of taking the increased dosage my side effects kicked in as follows. Loss of appitite, nausea,stomach gas total lethargy and dry mouth. These were the main side effects which over the last 10 weeks have continued slowly subsiding but on a roller coaster basis thinking  that I had beeten the withdrawal for a couple of days, then going backward with my side effecst. I ended up completing recording each of the symptoms several times a day and really getting sad about it but slowly but surely a trend appeared though not as i thought. 

      My thoughts were that in general the withdrawal symptoms increased during the day but the records indicated that the actual results were less convincing.

      Having said all that it does not necessarilly mean that other people will have the same experience and could get the withdrawal out of their system sooner than i did.

      I think that my body did not like this drug at all and reacted badly to it. What I do know for me stopping Cit was the right thing to do!! So if you feel the same take the bad days knowing that there will be light at the end of the tunnel! For me better off the drug than on and never again!!

      I hope that this helps.

    • carol111
      carol111 dave2002

      Posted

      Hi Dave

      Thanks for the reply. Sorry you had such a bad time of it but glad you got off it quickly. I must have been on it 4 or 5 years. It sounds like you jumped up from 10mg to 20mg really quickly, maybe that didn't help.

      The only side effect I have had from it on your list is the lethagy. My withdrawal symptoms were feeling tearful (and I don't normally do tearfiul), very irritable and ratty and a bit down. Now I am off it , it is harder to get to sleep and my mind is quicker- I wouldn't say it was whirring but it has picked up pace! Not sure if that is good or bad.  I need to make sure the thought process stays positive.

    • dave2002
      dave2002 carol111

      Posted

      Carol Hi!

      At the time it can be hard to stay positive but as long as you know that others have had similar or worse and have come out of the tunnel then in the short term it must be worth fighting for!!!

      I like you have had irritable and my family have had to walk on broken glass for the last few weeks. I still have that with me though not as bad as it was so consider that this will subside for you as time goes by.

      This is not an experience which I would want to repeat. I have never been a pill taker and the big mistake for me was that thepotential  concequences of taking the drug were not explained tome by theGP nor did i research the drug this will never happen again !!

      I hope that you keep to your guns, stay positive and continue to improve

      Dave

    • tom11888
      tom11888 dave2002

      Posted

      Hey Dave

      keep the chin up have a look at my post to Carol regarding some herbal remedies I like you anm not a pill popper but if something works happy days

      lets know how you go

      tom

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