Hard time weaning off citalopram
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi all,
Haven't been on in here in a couple of years. .. Didn't really think I would be back . . .
Finding it difficult to start my message. . . On citalopram since March 2014. Never found it overly beneficial. Had a few short stints of various types of therapy in various places - always helped and then relapsed after finishing. Have been with a good therapist for 10 months or so now. I decided to stop seeing her and wean off the tablets too. . . I realise now that may have been a bit ambitious of me.
Anyways, I have always been on 20mg. I went to the health unit in my university instead of my regular GP to discuss coming off the tablets. ( I didn't like my GP's "Well I don't know!" attitude the last time I went. It was quite negative and he was stumped about what to do with me/how to advise. He also made some decisions in the past with myself and other family members that were poor. I don't feel confident or safe under his care) . . . Anyways, not ideal as the student health unit doctors weren't familiar with my history as regards me taking citalopram and my "journey" (I feel that word describes it well) with my mental health. . . I was given a plan to come off. In total, it's only 2 months of weaning time. On this very website, there is an article advising a weaning period of 6-8 months if you have been on the tablets for as long as I have .. . So perhaps this is ambitious. . . BUT the pros of just going for it are that I will be off it completely about 2 weeks before I return to university, I guess (one that I don't really care about) lower cost as I won't have to buy tablets . .. that's it really.
I will be on teaching practice (I'm a student teacher) by the end of this month. I don't want to be like I am right now (moody, indecisive, unable to focus, swinging between adrenaline-driven productivity or demotivation, tearfulness, paying unneccesary attention to detail without even being aware of it etc.). . . I don't think it's fair on the children ( and not for me either) if I start teaching practice in the current state I am in. . .
To top everything off. My Dad was diagnosed with an incurable cancer this year. (not terminal, treatable but a long and tough road of treatment, hoping for a long remission). . . He is currently undergoing the most gruelling treatment he has had to date. . . My brother recently moved out of home so it's just me and Mom at home right now. Mom is working full-time (she took time off before but decided to work now as Dad is staying overnight in hospital so there is not too much she can do). I am living at home. Just me & my Mom now. So first change - brother moved out, soon after, Dad gone to stay in hospital for this treatment (as planned). So it's all quite new. Circumstances are pretty s**t what with Dad going through what he is going through. . . Mom & I taking it in turn to visit Dad and bring him clean clothes, buy foods he asks for etc. . . . It's not easy. And it's a bit lonely being at home all day on my own mostly. And then sometimes when Mom goes to visit Dad in the evenings too. . . Or even when it's just me & Mom because that's not what we're used to . .. anyways, that was an aside to explain my current situation a bit better.
So I am thinking, I go to a new GP this week, explain my situation and my experience so far weaning off and discuss weaning off more slowly. (I still definitely want to be off these tablets for good).
I know this post has been very unstructured but that's how my thinking is right now. 
I'm not even sure why I'm writing this really. I guess I am hoping for support and perhaps some input from people who have weaned off citalopram before too.
All input appreciated.
Thanks,
Agirl x
0 likes, 24 replies
AnonymousWoman
Posted
Hi all,
Thanks for all your replies! I wanted to write a general response to update you all.
The reasons why I am determined to get off these tablets are as follows:
1. I have had problems with recurring allergic sinusitis this year and problems with nasal allergies for the last couple of years. . . I have realised that sinusitis is a side effect of citalopram (listed in drug information leaflet- I think for some brands only, I noticed it when I was checking the information about coming off them). No doctor or pharmacist ever noticed or commented on this. I realised that these allergy problems began around the same time I started taking citalopram. I tested allergic to my cats - but we have had them 7 years and my major allergy problems only started around 3 years ago, the same time I started taking citalopram. I am convinced my nasal allergy problems started because of ( or at least have been exacerbated by) my taking citalopram. I missed a lot of time at university this year because I was ill from recurring sinusitis and I was under a lot of pressure as a result this academic year passed.
2. I always noticed more of an improvement in my mood/condition with therapy, rather than the tablets. Tablets have been a constant - but it's after therapy ends that my mood drops again (Even when I initially went ón the tablets, I started therapy – a 6 week programme, at the same time. I was doing really well and relapsed after therapy finished. This makes me think that the improvement was due to (or mainly due to) the benefits of therapy, rather than being on the tablets.
3. I am a young person (26). You are not supposed to drink on the tablets. I did in the past with bad consequences on one or two occassions. I am tired of missing out on social occasions or being the odd one out not drinking AT ALL (I am not a heavy drinker but it is nice to have 1 or 2 drinks with friends or family every now and then).
4. I suspect the citalopram has also caused 2 other side effects which are listed (and I had noticed before looking at the side effects again when I began weaning). (I don't want to mention those 2 side effects as they are embarrasing.)
5. In the past, when i have forgotten to take my tablets even just for 1 or 2 days, it can affect me negatively - physical side effects (headache, nausea) or mood side effects. . . I don't like having to be dependent on them in this way. (Note: in the past,I was quite forgetful when it came to taking my tablets. Now, I am much more careful. I haven't missed a single dose in a long time. And if I do miss a dose (very rarely), it's one dose, not any more than that. Since I have started weaning, I have followed doctor's instructions very carefully and taken the correct doses as instructed. )
6. Being on citalopram is preventing me starting a more longterm birth control the method that is most suitable for me can affect your hormone levels which can in turn affect your mood.
. . . I guess after 3.5 years, I am sick and tired of all of these factors related to my taking citalopram. I don't like how being on citalopram restricts my life - allergy problems, no drinking, scary side effects if I miss one or two by accident etc. ..
?Before posting here, I was between two minds whether to ride this out or to change the weaning plan. But your feedback has been pretty unanimous – now is not the right time to put extra pressure on myself.
So, all of this considered, I am going to call and arrange to have an appointment with a new GP today. I will discuss coming off my medication more slowly so that the side effects (especially those that are mood-related) are less pronounced.
After I get off the tablets completely and have a rest period after being off them, I will review my situation and decide whether it would be beneficial to try a different type of drug.
In the meantime, I am seeing my therapist weekly again. I have been honest with my friends about how I am doing and they are being very supportive. I am going to focus on looking after myself (sleep, diet, exercise, positive relationships, work, hobbies, BALANCE). This is my condition. I am going to own it and take back control!! That feels very liberating to say!
I want to thank you all for your help. You guys have helped me see sense. I was not expecting so many responses. It felt really nice to see that so many people cared and wanted to help me. Thanks again to all for your good advice, kind wishes, concern and even personal anecdotes. I appreciate all the help.
Wishing everyone a happy day,
Agirl xxxx
AnonymousWoman
Posted
katecogs AnonymousWoman
Posted
That sounds like a good plan. Hope it works out ok, and don't forget the weblink and book too.
K x
AnonymousWoman katecogs
Posted
Thanks so much Kate! Yes, you're right. I will be honeset, I had forgotten about them with all the hustle and bustle that's been going on for me lately! I will make it my business to look at the weblink and see about the book this evening!
Hope you are well.
Agirl xxxxx
katecogs AnonymousWoman
Posted
Yes do look up the link - I think you'll be really pleased.
Its absolutely brilliant.
K x
AnonymousWoman
Posted
Update 26th August 2017:
Never attended doctor as scheduled on 19th August when I realised (the morning of my appointment) that I did not have enough money to pay for a consulation. As I was due my last dose the day after (20th August) I would attend, I decided not to bother going but to keep a very close eye on how I felt after my last dose. . .
It has been a week since I took my last dose. So far, I feel normal. I don't have any physical symptoms of withdrawal, apart from perhaps a heightened sense of touch and heightened sensitivity to sounds which I have noticed. I am not sure if this is a withdrawal symptom or not but just something I have noticed in the past few days. The sound of a marker on a page, really bothered me. Touching paper bothered me. . . I have not noticed this so much the last couple of days. Although, I did notice extra sensitivity to light the other day, I had been walking in the woods. When I drove out of the woods/park, my eyes hurt adjusting to the light. Perhaps this was due to fatigue and just readjusting to the light. Though I did feel like it was uncomfortably bright even after my eyes had readjusted.
Sleep - I have been sleeping fine.
My appetite - fine. If anything I had noticed a huge increase in appetite for a little while a week ago but I haven't experienced this too much in the past week. Yesterday, I was preparing for a night out and I realised most of my clothes don't fit anymore as I have gained weight. This was very disheartening and my self esteem took a bit of a hit but I have decided that I will just try and lose the weight slowly. Not by crash dieting or anything but just by introducing some regular non-strenuous exercise that I feel I will be able to maintain despite a busy schedule. I'm thinking a daily walk and/or some yoga at home or yoga classes. I did binge eat a couple of times the last couple of weeks which is why I put on weight, no doubt. I am going to keep an eye on this behaviour and try to refrain from the excuse that I can eat chocolate because my body is adjusting to less serotonin (eating chocolate promotes serotonin release).
Emotional side effects – I was definitely having emotional side effects in the weeks I was weaning off the tablets. I have not noticed so many since I have stopped completely on 19th August. Yesterday night (25th August) after I realised I could not fit into a lot of my clothes, I was quite down. This was also because I was bothered by something that had said to me at home too though. I realised I felt like crying when I was at the table with my friends in a bar. I felt this was a bit out of the blue and did feel like my shift in mood from early in the day to later at night was quite radical. . . But I didn’t cry and I picked up a bit after.
I have realised that I need to be aware of when I am engaging in self-comforting behaviours such as avoidance, over-eating, being overly particular about how I carry out certain tasks, stress cleaning. I have come to realise that I carry out these behaviours when I am particularly stressed and that I need to recognise them in real-time when this happens.
The second step will be to ask myself what is bothering me and either face the fear and DO something (whatever it is I was avoiding, dilly-dallying on etc.) or SAY something (say if someone bothered me or say how I feel or assert my rights/needs), DO LESS – take on less or drop some commitments, RELAX more – leave the house (even if I feel tired, sometimes I need that parent-free time and space.
It’s all well and good to say I want to come off the tablets but I need to be aware of my mental health, my behaviour, how my behaviour affects others and also how to make wise decisions in my life that mean I can have a well-balanced life – in terms of work life, social life, my relationship with my boyfriend & my family life. It’s all about balance. If I take on too much, I get out of balance and that has a knock on effect in other parts of my life, which has a knock-on effect on my mental health. So I need to remember to BALANCE things.
Focus for next while:
-wellbeing – physical health – exercise to destress and help me sleep & for endorphins, mental health - realise my stressed out behaviours and ACT when I notice them
-BALANCE – make wise decisions & communicate effectively and assertively for the sake of maintaining a healthy balance across all aspects of my life.
I still feel happy that I made the decision to come off the tablets. I do feel like I am no worse off now than when I was on them. In fact, I am much more emotionally stable than I was a few weeks ago. Granted, I was under a lot of strain then but still I think that says something (i.e. that I don’t necessarily NEED these tablets to function or to be happy).
Will update again at some point if I remember. Not so much because I feel like anyone on this thread is interested or still following the discussion but for the benefit of anyone who finds this discussion as a search result and was interested to see how I progressed after weaning off the tablets.
Peace out to all!
Agirl x