1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Citalopram

Forgotten Citaloptam - Back to square one?

Posted , 4 users are following.

danielle16500
danielle16500

Hi Guys

This is a big thing for me as I'm really worried about sharing my feelings.

I've been on Citalopram for over 2 years with a few failed attempts to come off it.

A few weeks ago when I was on 20mgs I forgot 2-3 days of my tablets, silly I know.

A few days later....I felt 100% fine, everything was rosey. The next a dark cloak fell over me and everything was terrible. I don't want to meet friends, I'm weepy, I want to cling to my mum. But the most worst thing is I worry about my 8 year relationship, one minute I want to hug and kiss, the next I wonder wether I love him or not it's unbelievably confusing. Whenever I have a blip my biggest worry is depression ruining my relationship. It makes me sick worrying about it. Citaloptam has sorted it these terrible feelings before I'm just worried this time it won't.

I've been on 40mgs again for 5 days now and I just can't seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Will they work again?

Has anybody felt like this before?

Sending happy vibes

Danielle

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • decndor
    decndor danielle16500

    Posted

    Hi, Sorry to hear the wayb that your feeling.  iIn the first instance I think that you came off them to quickly. .I am just in my fifth week after trying to come off citalopram after taking them for a number of years.  Although I did this slowly by reducing the strength of my tablets I am still suffering from  miserable side affects. Mainly fatigue and tiredness. But I am going to persever with this a bit longer.

    ​It took around six to seven weeks for them to start working when I started on them so it is more than likely going to take somthing similar when trying to come off them.

    ​I dont regret taking them as they helped me a lot. Did yiou go straight on to 40mg after you stopped taking them or did you gradually build up to this strength. becasuse if you did go straight on to the 40mg then youy you may have done this too quickly. Which can create more problems. You saty that you are worried about sharing your feelings. Well dont be. you are among like minded people who know what you are going through. You can in most cases get better advice here than with your GP. I hope that you soon start feeling positive again. And start sharing your feelings with your partner I am sure it will help.

    • danielle16500
      danielle16500 decndor

      Posted

      Hi decndor

      Thanks for your reply, it's comforting knowing there are others going through similar things.

      A few times (with gps help) I've tried to reduce a few times. First time it didn't work but for he last year I reduced from 40 to 30 and the last few months I've been on 20 and things were going fine. I accidentally forgot my tablets for 2-3 days which I didn't think would effect me....all of a sudden I felt exactly how I did all those years ago when I first got depression. Citalopram eventually sorted me out. Best thing I ever did was go on citalopram.

      I was back on 30mg for 2 weeks and now I've been on 40 mg for 5 days with little to no improvement. Everyone keeps telling me they will work again but I can't seem to believe them. Usually cit starts working for me after 2 weeks so I'm obsessing over the fact that I was back on 30mgs for two weeks with no improvement. I keep telling myself that because I felt 100% fine one day and so rubbish the very next day that it must be forgetting my cit that is making me feel like this.

      My partner knows how terrible I feel and he is so understanding and good with me. Deep down I know I love him so much I'm just afraid depression is going to tear us apart.

      Thanks so much for any advice

      Danielle

  • katecogs
    katecogs danielle16500

    Posted

    Forgetting meds happens to us all from time to time, and yes, it will make you feel unwell.  I'm not sure why you didn't just resume 20mg again instead of jumping up to 40mg?  No wonder you're feeling ill.  You're having a few withdrawal effects from missing and now you're also having start up side effects from the extra 20mg you've taken.  Jumping straight up to 40mg from taking no meds for a few days wasn't the way to go.  The 40mg won't make up for what was missed and neither will it make you better quicker.

    Have you beenon 40mg before and has your doctor prescribed that dose?  Personally I'd reduce back down to 20mg which was the dose you were on.  You then just have to wait for the meds to settle - probably take a week or 2.  You're going to feel rough for a few days more.

    I've just come off Citalopram.  The best way to do it is by reducing by 5mg at a time.  I went from 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 / 2.5 / teensy bit / stop.  This has taken me a year and I've had no withdrawal effects at all doing it this slow.  I came off once before but dropped too much and I paid the price.

    Buy a pill cutter and chop the pill into 1/4's.  If its a 20mg they'll be 5mg each.  Start by taking 5mg less of your dose and stay on it for a good month or 2 until you feel settled before reducing again.  The last 5mg I got to I then crushed and took half of that as 5mg was too small to cut.

    But, first of all you need to level out on the meds for now, and when you're more settled, maybe try reducing this way.

    K x

    • danielle16500
      danielle16500 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi K

      Thanks for the advice. I have been on 40mgs for a few years before I started reducing. All of my reducing and being on stronger doses has been closely monitored by my doctor.

      I think she put me back up on to the 40mgs to get me back on track. She says I've to be on this for at least a year before I even try to reduce again. Just can't wait for this blip to be over.

      Never thought missing a few doses could make me feel this bad.

      Thanks

      Danielle

    • katecogs
      katecogs danielle16500

      Posted

      Hi Danielle

      Ah, good you've been monitored.  I still would have gone back to 20mg if it was those meds you'd missed for a few days as you'd have settled quicker than going onto 40mg.

      Yes can hit hard if you miss meds ...... I've done it before, but only a day late.  I remember feeling very sick.

      K x

  • john059
    john059 danielle16500

    Posted

    Hi Danielle. Hopefully things will normal out for you soon. I have decided to reduce to 35 from 40 mg's as I just wasnt seeing anything positive from the Cit. going through hell right now but hopefully it clears

    Up soon. Been on these for 8 months at various strenghts and I plan on reducing the same way until i'm hopefully off them altogether. Hopefully everything will work itself out soon----for both of us. Enjoy youre day.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.