Long term Citalopram usage: Tapering off slowly but getting withdrawal effects
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi
Many years ago (over 10 at least) I was prescribed Citalopram for anxiety and panic attacks. Initially, I believe it was a 10mg dose, then upped to 20mg and possibly reduced to 10mg at some point. I've never been on a dose higher than 20mg.
I have tried unsuccessfully over the years to come off the drug, by slowly reducing the dosage/frequency of taking, but each time the side effects have made me give up and go back on to the full regular dose. Headaches, head filled with cotton wool, spaced out, not with it, distant, tired, extremely irritable, mood swings, memory issues, lack of focus and concentration, did I mention extremely irritable?!
My doctor and I discussed a better plan for slowly tapering off the drug and I'd not heard of this one before and it seems neither had the chemist as they never have more than one in stock at a time - but essentially the idea is to use Citalopram drops instead of tablets to have a finer control over the reduction. As the doctor described it and I understood it: "by alternating tablets of different strengths, the amount of chemical in your body is not constant or regular, it's up and down if you do that, like your side effects and mood".
So I started with 6 drops daily with no rush to reduce it further. Many, many months later I'm down to 4 drops daily, which I think is the equivalent to a 10mg tablet.
The problem is I'm now getting the symptoms described above on an almost daily basis. Sometimes they feel debilitating. I'm off work today for example with a thumping headache which I've had for 3 days. I feel not with it, foggy, drowsy.
I have had many blood tests recently to screen for any deficiencies and also for stomach related issues, but all have (and always have) come back clear apart from a slightly raised liver function (which is always slightly raised; I don't regularly drink either).
I'm waiting to see the doctor I discussed the withdrawal plan with about this, but ironically he has been signed off sick for weeks.
Just wondering if there were any others out there suffering in the same way with the same circumstances.
Jamie
0 likes, 26 replies
jamie43353
Posted
Well, doctor and I thought we'd try tapering off further. Now gone from 4 drops per day to 3. Wasn't really expecting any negative effects as that seems like such a tiny reduction.
Fast forward a couple of days on the new dose and my head feels like I've been doing a head stand on it for a week. Headache/pressure in the head, feel woozy, sick, sweaty, tired, extremely irritable, (like with the stupid text editing on this forum WTF is going on with it on iOS?), can't concentrate, off work with a migraine, eyes move and brain slowly catches up etc. etc.
I remember now why I've failed so many times to come off them. I'd have never started taking them all those years ago had I known the WD side effects might last indefinitely. How can anyone function as a human being coming off this stuff let alone as a father, husband and employee.
laurel64844 jamie43353
Posted
I've come to the realization that I can't wean myself off it due to the debilitating withdrawal affects. I'm stuck.
toria_07298 laurel64844
Posted
im down to 3 drops and have had the worst withdrawal but dont care how bad it gets i want off x
toria_07298 jamie43353
Posted
why do you want off it jamie? x
jamie43353 toria_07298
Posted
I'd like to see how I feel without them. Sometimes I feel tired a lot, spaced out, not really with it. I'd like to know if my concentration and memory would improve, if I'd have more energy. The only way to know would be to come off them and see. I wasn't expecting a horrendous withdrawal from 4 to 3 drops, but I had one. I can only think that 3 drops is the lowest dosage I've ever been on since starting with Citalopram over a decade ago and my body wasn't happy about it. I also had a fever last week; the doctor seems to think I may have had a viral infection at the same time, although I had no other symptoms than those I recognise as SSRI withdrawal, so I'm not sure. Seems a bit of a co-incidence.
Anyway, back to 4 drops and feeling stable. I can also move over to tablet form which is more convenient now as 4 drops are the equivalent in therapeutic value than a 10mg tablet (it says this on the box for the drops for reference).
toria_07298 jamie43353
Posted
jamie what ever you do dont take antibiotics it isnt a viral infection, ive had a year of hell and was starting to get stable, feeling great on and off then got a faulty liquid bottle (drops massive) but not giving up i will get off this x
toria_07298 jamie43353
Posted
my memory etc have massively improved x
jamie43353 toria_07298
Posted
A faulty bottle? Getting the drops to flow properly out of the bottle is stressful enough 😃 my temperature went back to normal a couple of days after reinstating my dosage; I'm not convinced that was a coincidence but we look to doctors for the correct answers. The thing about trying again is that I felt unable to work and unable to be much use to anyone, including wife and child - so I'd basically need to put life on hold somehow and ride it out, but I can't just do that.
laurel64844 jamie43353
Posted
I have been on Citalopram for twenty years and have tried to come off it multiple times, under my doctor's supervision. I had brain zaps, mood swings, brain fog and irritability, which I couldn't tolerate, so am back on it and have decided I'll have to take it forever! Hope you're doing better!
jamie43353 laurel64844
Posted
Feeling much better this week after re-instating my previous dosage. I don't want to go through another week like last week with no obvious end in sight so like you have taken the view that I'm stuck on them.
toria_07298 jamie43353
Posted
ive been on 3 drops for a year trying to settle and its been hell but no way am i staying on it x