How much to reduce dosage by?

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I'll definitely take your advice and go real slow. I have an appointment with my doctor at the end of August and my plan is to try tapering soon after. Just want to get the majority of school hols out the way first as I have 3 children with additional needs and it's a stressful time! Thanks again .

Hiya and thanks so much for your reply.. we do seem to be in very similar situations!! I also have so much nervous energy, I'm a very anxious person which was exacerbated after having kids (I have 4, and 3 of whom have additional needs).

Do you have any plans to taper off yet? I've tried many times but never got behind those 7 days

Definitely would love to support one another!! Good luck we can do this! I have an appointment at the docs at the end of August and I intend to chat about cutting down a little.. by 5mg at first I think from chatting to John above.

Chat soon I hope

Hi there

Well I've been on Citalopram for 8 years now initially starting on 10 then going up to 20 then 30 and now I'm.on 40 mg . I guess I'm so worried what will happen if I reduce as I've relied on them so long but need to give it a go even if I stay on 20 mg . I'm also a mum but to a 15 year old boy do not as reliant on me as your young children but I guess I still worry what impact my emotions have on him especially with withdrawal .

There is some great advice on here and Kate's advice of reducing by 5mg and then if that's unbearable reduce by 2.5mg is really sensible as I find most doctors don't give the best advice on reduction .

I'm planning on starting to reduce in September when my son is back in school so at least the summer holidays are over and I can focus and try and get through it as I am terrified lol ( probably most of it in my head ) .

I find the tiredness on these tablets unbearable so feel it's finally time to try .

I guess it's all down to us at the end of the day but I'm sure my anxiety just gets the better of me making things worse than they actually are . 🤔

Please stay in touch and let us know how you get on , I will be reducing by 5mg first wk of September perhaps for 6-8 wks and then if all ok reduce down by another 5mg after that which means I will be on 30 mg.

It would be great if we could both share each others journey . Lovely speaking to you , I love this site as everyone is so helpful and supportive 😄

Big Hugs in the meantime , take care 😘

Thanks so much Katecogs. Did you really have no withdrawal symptoms?! That's amazing! Having done this before I'm fully expecting to have symptoms sadly. I wonder if the fact that I've been on them for so long makes it worse. I seem to hit a wall at day 7 and never continued through.. I plan to really really try this time. I'm just not sure how you know whether it's regression back to how you were before or withdrawal symptoms.. how do you know?!

Thank you again so much 😊

Hi Fraggle

Nope - not one single withdrawal symptom 

I came off previous to this (a few years before) and I had then reduced by halving my medicine each time, and I had withdrawal then.  It was too big a jump.  I had nausea, dizziness, brain zaps and headaches which lasted months and months.  It eventually settled and I had a year free of medicine but then had to restart due to the stress of family illness.  I took them for about a year then decided to reduce again, so this time I did it much slower and with a smaller reduction.  I decided that if at any time I felt ill I'd just wait it out, see if it settled, if not I'd go back up a dose, but if all ok I'd carry on further.  But no, I didn't have any withdrawal effects at all reducing by that small amount.  I think if I'd hurried it I'd have felt ill, but I let each reduction last about 1-2 months.

I had taken them for 16 years when I came off the first time ... but I think however long you've taken them, if you do it slowly, it should be ok.

You could even try 2.5mg each time.  Your body doesn't really miss a tiny dose each time you reduce, and letting lots of time go by guarantees it will get used to that before you go further.

Withdrawal symptoms are different to start up meds symptoms and different to anxiety symptoms that I had before I ever took the meds - but of course we are all different and often have different symptoms.

Maybe try 5mg less and see how that feels - don't forget to wait 1-2 months on the reduced dose.  If you feel unwell then reinstate the 5mg, wait until you've settled again then try 2.5mg instead?

I've been off meds since last year and now take over the counter 5-HTP and l-tyrosine and am doing well.  Very happy and anxiety free.

K x