reducing citalopram

Hi all,

I went to the doctor today and convinced him I need to get off these tablets. He suggested I reduce from 40 mg immediately to 30 for a month, then 20 for a month, see him again in July and discuss going to 20 from 10. So that sounds like a plan!!

Nicky Jane, I thank you for your wonderful caring comments but I don't think I'm special at all. It's just that at 56 I can see a little further back than most here. And I see younger contributors, some of whom I realise are about the same age as my kids, and I want to reach out, to help them avoid the heartache and pitfalls that can derail us and prevent us from reaching our potential. Thank you for your kind thoughts. I will let you know how my custody battle goes. Try to see the good in every situation, because there is a good side to just about every situation.

Stiltman, an ice warrior suggests a cold, murderous barbarian who lets nothing stand in his way. Is this the real Stiltman? I like the graphics but I wonder if you really are a cold macho persona or more misunderstood? Just a casual observation.

Tiny Tears, I love your posts because they're always honest and from the heart. And you are so much better than you were just a few short weeks ago. I'm really glad you are enjoying your work, especially as that work and income offer you independence. Good for you sweetheart.

Melbi, I really thought you would be able to go back to work, even on a gradual return basis, and that you would move right back into the workforce. it must be frustrating for you to be manipulated by doctors, or at least feel that way. You have been so strong lately. I do wonder why your medicos suggest anti-depressants when your problem was sleep-deprivation, not depression. Do you feel secure in your ability to do your job? Are you confident that you can enter a phased return to work? If so, why not go for it? We are here for you, all the contributors to this forum have proven again and again that they are willing to share their experiences and offer love and caring.

Kind regards,

Breezman

Breezman

Sounds like your Drs appointment went really well and he seems to have laid down a good plan for you it seems reduction should be done gradually so we all better follow the rules what's that saying \"More haste less speed\" it doesn't matter how long it takes to get off the pills as long as we do in the end but it's good to have a plan to focus on.

The way that you give so much advice, your common sense and how you care about others makes you special Breezman. It's raining here now this afternoon but I'm going to pretend the sun is shining 8)

Hope everyone is ok today, love to all

Nicky Jane x x

Hi everyone, how are you all today?

[b:4228f10734]My head is like the weather :lol: raining buckets, thunder and lightning the next, then :P :D really hot and sunny.

:roll: I had a lovely day at work today, just a shame I cant afford a cleaner.

Melbi, Id go with what your therapist says and try and enjoy your time from work - she says being the complete walking contradiction that I am, but if I were to get cbt, and if I were told to take time out, just take it,

I just wish I could eat, I am feeling really dizzy, I dont even get hunger pains anymore, or if i do I dont recognise them, managed to eat half a bar of chocolate today, whoopeee doooos!!!!!!!

I cant access the chatroom either.

Oh well ,llets hope tomorrow works for me, I dont expect instant recovery, in fact at the moment, I am expecting the opposite just for a while, but hey, each to their own, and every little, tiny winy teencie weenie bit MUST help!!!

Take care everyone, and remeber to stick them out.Sorry the ones on your chest thank you very much (Dont make me throw up that chocolate bar I mean god, 1 track mind :lol: ) God talk about a swinging pendulum, oh god now Freudian slips are slipping out my mouth and I have gone completely bannnans, What was that I hear you say? A what?

A cheeky slap dash little monkey?????

I beg you pardon???????

Oh nevermind, I am bonkers, am I bonkers, or is this planet mad?. I mean it want be long before the third worlds catch up with us as we go into recession and hopefully and thankfully blow us up!!!!!! Right must go and do some housework!!!![/b:4228f10734]

My grandmother had a plaque in her kitchen which read, \"All the world is queer, save thee and me. ..... And even thee is a little queer.\"

So Katy, you are perfectly \"normal\", like me, and the rest of the world is just out of whack. I seem to recall a quote from a 50's song about \"incy wincy teeny weeny .. (yellow polka dot bikini) ... and you're right, every step in the recovery process is a step along our journey.

Katy you must eat properly! I went through a period recently where I was hungry but did not feel like eating. I would cook myself bacon and eggs, then throw it out! I'm back on track now, and my strength is increasing, my sleep patterns are now measurable at least, and I can see a path towards concrete goals in my plan for the future. Please try to eat a little, frequently. Reward yourself with a choccy occasionaly, but don't fall back on snack foods because you will find yourself exhausted having done nothing, your partner will gloat and you will be right back where you were. If you tell yourself you are a failure, you will succeed and be a failure. Persist and you will win. It is hard to change us from inside, but just keep telling yourself, \"I'm a good mum, I'm good at work, ...\" the point is, even if you don't believe this stuff your mind will direct you towards it if you repeat it often enough. And it gets better. If you find yourself changing, and you repeat these things with some passion, wow, you will be amazed. Stay positive sweetheart. You can do it. I thought your double entendré was very funny, incidentally.

Nicky Jane thank you again for your kind comments. My doctor and I joked yesterday but he agreed with my planned reduction which I had written out as Waldo suggested, except that he preferred in my case to just cut to 30 for a month, then 20 for a month, then go back to see him before further reduction. He knows I have several operations and property settlement plus custody hearings in late June, so I suppose if I'm going to hurl myself at it I'll never get a better chance to be strong.

I cannot imagine living in a wet climate. We are still in the grip of drought here. After 8 years we could stand some steady, soaking rain for a few weeks.

Kind regards to you all,

Breezman

Breezman, wow! Thank you , I drank and ate cheese.

\"talking about a revolution, finally the tables are starting to turn:\".Yippeee!! Whisper, and finally ...shes got a ticket, think shes gonna fly anyway!\"

I was so cold tonight, I had to put 3 jumpers on. Wore my bosses jeans at work today as I got so soaked by the rain, thougt this was hilarious, as my last boss would have sent me home!1 I love \"fast Car\" by T Chapman, brill song, night night, I nees sleep! take care, I really hope you are, hugs, KT x

Hi all

Melbi, apologies for the delay in replying. Had a bit of bad news yesterday which took the wind out of my sails somewhat. Anyway.....

Yes, the idea of switching me to Mirtazapine is because of my insomnia. These tablets should help me to sleep albeit I see little evidence of it just yet! I have also had intermittent nightmares when I have been able to sleep without knocking myself out with sleeping pills.

I know you are not keen to try a different AD drug because of the side effects that you experienced with Citalopram, however, you might want to discuss with your GP if this would be right for you. One caveat I would add is that for the first couple of days on these I really felt quite spaced out - as if I was living in a dream. It's settled down now but thought I would make you aware. Whatever you eventually decide - good luck.

Hi Stiltman

Sorry to hear of your 'setback', hope you bounce back soon.

I have decided to agree to trying a different AD after speaking with my boss who I have to say is being very supportive and endured listening to me have a damn good cry to him over the phone yesterday.

I will try a different one but please god don't let it send me anything like the citalopram sent me. :oops:

Thanks for the feedback Stiltman, I still have the awful nightmares if I don't take the zopiclone :cry: They are just way too real sometimes to just shrug them off as a bad dream :oops:

I'm at the doctors tomorrow and have faced facts that I'm going to be going tomorrow to agree to trying another drug and not to be signed as fit to return to work.

You never know in a couple of weeks I might even be able to do things around the house everyday and not just 2 or three times a week (if I'm lucky).

I can see now that until I am able to function as me everyday, I cannot return to work, it would be so unfair of me to be ringing work every few days to say I can't come in today because I can't get showered or dressed; I can't bring myself to eat or drink anything or I can't cope with listening to other people's chat. :oops:

Thanks Stiltman and others for your ongoing support and caring words. Please keep us posted Stiltman on your progress with Mirtazapine - wonder what my doctor will prescribe tomorrow?!?

Breezman, good luck with your programme to reduce the citalopram, I sincerely hope it all goes well for you.

Love 'n' Hugs to you all

Melbi xxx

12 days since i gave these tablets the old Heave Ho.The Dizzy spells have gone.If i can get off them then anybody can.Up to now i have had no other adverse effects.Just remember to take your time and come off them slowly.

In the words of the Beatles Song I Have to admit it`s getting better.Corny but True.Good Luck to all who will fight to get these sodding pills out of their

lives.

Hi all,

I was on 40mg per day but after 6 months thought I wanted to be me again as I wasn't feeling in control. I reduced the dose over 4 wks, by reducing it by 10mg a wk. I did find that when I dropped to 20mg, I wasn't so well, so went back to 30mg for another wk before dropping back down. I am now off themcompletely and feel ok except some slight dizziness that may or may not be due to withdrawal.

Hope that helps. All I can say is that I feel so much more with it and in control now, like the fuzziness has gone.

[b:230738f6bf]HELP! Iam not reducing my does, on 30mg, but I am so dizzy and sweaty, i think i am going to pass out. Ive been up and down today like a complate roller coaster ride, and my tummy and body feels like that way too. Someone help me!!! ive allready broken doctor Spocks pm inbox, and there is no response, must be having a life or something. I need advice quick, help!!! :cry: :oops: [/b:230738f6bf]

Katy, if your daughter said to you what you have written in your last post, would you not take her to see a doctor? Please seek help for yourself. You hace a choice. Why choose to live in the doldrums when you can get help towards living a fulfilling life, surrounded with love, a life you choose, one of value! But you need help from a competent professional Katy, I've been down like you are now, and I'm back up thanks to professional help. You are a good person, a good mum and sister, you have so much going for you if you could just get help to clear the fog and see it.

With love and Koala hugs. xx

Hi Breezman, i astill soo dizzy, but a bit better, cant sleep though!! have work tomorrow, I like it there so far, scared to say it though, incase it all turns on me again. The doctors are saying that I am anxious, and that its due to the abuse I feel this way. Sorry, but my partner has been nothing but patient with me, i understand his torment to, so why am I here????? I just wish I could be understood, I am living in katys world, sorry here comes the dizziness again, ....Breezman, the other day i dropped my children off at school, i was feeling dizzy and stilll managed my cheeky comments. like the lollipoop lady , shes funny, keeps saying, \"look hun, I am going to but you an alarm clock\", then every Friday I am early cause I am upbeat that itll be the weekend, but then as the weekend continues I seem to get worse. Sorry side tracked again, but yes, I droppped my children at school got ticked off by the assistant teacher, then left my children there, and believe me, the flood gates opened up, cried all the ay to work, was really down and everyone around me seemed so happy. I am the eldest there and the most incompetent, yet I dont know why, give me a maths equation, an anlysis on a book, or painting or even a script of music, I can analyse all of these and even peoples buying behaviour, but I cant seem to use my initiative in the workplace witout lacking total confidence, and I have no reason to fell this way..or be this way..Then when someone ticks me off, i take it soo harsh...(You know when you were a child and you misbehaved and well in my case a little smack on the bottom was not unheard of, but the loneliness and the tears would be awful). i see it in my daughter Becca, I always warn her not to do something as she might hurt herself and that she would howl for Scotland...btu she always argues back with , \"but mummy I want to\" Sometimes I just let her do whatever badness it is, so that she feels the consequence, but she never seems to learn , or rather it takes becca 3 times before it sinks in.

I think as a child there was definately something up. Not just due to my family, my family are all individually beatiful people, my point is that I feel that it is my own trap. This is katys world, and I cant get out of it unless I drink or take lots of citalopram. I am so lonely. Breezman, I do feel guilty for burdening you with this grief when you are so ill yourself, and boy I think you are doing exceptionally well.

I managed to speak to my dad today. He was great, he truly is a smart man. When I was little, my dad always stuck up for me, he was very protective over me, then when my parents seperated, mum took so much anger out on me, and I had my sister to stick up for me, I could not and was too frightened to stick up for myself. My mum has changed since those days, but Istill feel like she has more for my sister. My sister is fantastic at the old art, so is mum . they always had this gift in common, so I gave up. I gave up expressing myself through picture, though must admit, Ive definately improved over the years. Oh, here we go, dizzy..

Dont get me wrong, I know my mum loves me, but I still feel like a failure in her eyes. I still feel like there is no point in trying to make her proud of me.

Anyway, breezman, thank you for listening. I think Ill try sleeping again tough that seems pretty pointless to. Night night, but enjoy your day, koala hugs to you to.

:cry: Cant sleep!! Yawn!! :grrr: tried counting :sheep: Listening to :note: tried everything, even tried reading :cry: Cant sleep!!! :roll:

Hi,

I thought I'd let you all know how my Citalopram reduction is going. I wanted to reduce from 40 mg, and under doctor's advice reduced to 30 for a month, then 20 for a month, and the plan was to drop to 10 then get off it completely.

What prompted me to want to get off this drug was that I discovered I had acquired a sexual dysfunction, which in my case took the form of being unable to maintain interest at the critical point. It was like a switch turned off in my brain. When I asked the doctor he explained that this was a known side-effect, and mused that perhaps it may have been of some interest to me to know .... (He explained that the list of possible side-effects is so long, and so random, a lot of people would not try the drug at all. Yeah, that might do that!)

The funny thing about this was that I felt like skipping out of his office, because I now knew it wasn't me, but the chemical. Hence the desire to remove the chemical.

I went to Court on 25 June and won on every point so far, even having my costs awarded so that my ex must pay $8,500 of my$13,500 legal fees for the day. Since my objective is to educate my daughter rather than my barrister's son, I was happy with this. My ex has denied me any access whatever to my 10 year old daughter, without reason other than spite. At least that was what the judge found, so I now have an opportunity to reestablish the wonderful relationship I had with my little girl.

In view of this, and the fact that I must go back into hospital on Thursday 10 July to have my gall bladder removed, (and some other problems), my doctor preferred that I stay on 20 mg for at least another 2 months.

For those of you wondering about what questions to ask, and to whom these questions should be addressed, I have found that my doctors responded well to the fact that I showed initiative in wanting to reduce my medication, that I had a solid, unwavering reason for moving forward, and that I was positive about what I want and how I articulated my position. This was not the reason that I argued so strongly for reducing, but in hindsight (20:20 vision!!) I can see that my attitude was the deciding factor. And I was willing to agree to extending my original deadline because this doctor is a caring medico who took the time to explain to me that if the next court appearance goes against me, and if my other problems do not go away with the surgeon's knife, I may regress to a point where I was about 2 years ago, when I couldn't remember why I was standing looking in the fridge! That was so frustrating!

My thoughts on all this are that depression can strike anyone. It does not discriminate with respect to age, gender, race, creed, socio-economic status or physical fitness. Depression can overtake a person slowly but surely, or surround and suffocate in a very short time. It seems to me that we who have somehow been forced to face the uncomfortable fact that we suffer from this debilitating condition are in fact the lucky ones. We are able to find help if we bare our soul to the right people, and are honest to a fault in describing how we feel. This was difficult for me, as a father of five and self-employed, used to making tough decisions and doing what had to be done. Suddenly I was injured with a broken knee, unable to work for 15 months, money stopped, wife left and took my beautiful (then) 7 year old daughter 600 kilometres (360 miles) away, a physical and emotional wreck, my life's work in tatters, busines gone, farms after 8 years of drought about to be taken by banks, and me unable to remember where I parked my car!

Medical help was at hand, I was gently allowed to talk and talk and talk and somehow in that time I came to an understanding that there was still life to be lived, things to be done, responsibilities to be met. And I met a woman who is truly wonderful, and we just \"click\".

I do not believe I would have survived this ordeal without medication