How low to go and when to stop meds?

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Been weaning off 10mg citalopram just over 5 weeks as made mental symptoms whole lot worse, also given me OCD which read on another forum can be side effect of SSRI's. Since dropping to 2.5 mg about week ago have had couple days with definite improvement but followed by a meltdown day gues the waves & windows effect. Thinking halving the dose as only way going to recover is get these drugs out my system so cant do long taper.Just wondering when to actually stop as never going completely stabilise while on them, and know withdrawal can last quite a while but did actually have the odd day felt more like I did before starting them.

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5 Replies

  • Posted

    When I came off 10mg over a year ago after being on them I was told to just loose a dose a week. So first week 1 day off, second week 2 days off and so on. I had completely tapered by week 7 and I had absolutely no withdrawal symptoms. I'd say by week 7 you should be completely off them, but everyone's different.

    • Posted

      Thanks very confusing as some sites say don't skip doses. I've been tapering 7.5mg then 5 mg then 2.5 mg, trying half that bit hit and miss as having to crush tablet and just dust really!

    • Posted

      That was what the doctor advised so I just did that and had absolutely no issues at all. I had tonnes of side effects going on them in the first place so I was surprised. But I think I was so much better and felt normal again it didn't bother me.

    • Posted

      Are you still on them, seems doctors tell you one thing, and people on forums advise another not that I've got much faith in doctors. i did take them years ago when had depression due to menopause helped that but done nothing for anxiety this time.

    • Posted

      I went back on them 8 weeks ago because of the stress this whole lockdown has had on me. But I was off them for a year with no problems.

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