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Reducing citalopram help advice?

Posted , 4 users are following.

henry77355
henry77355

I have been on citalopram 40mg for 14 years for anxiety panic attacks and intrusive thoughts, I decided to come off citalopram and slowly reduced over a year going well until I was down to 10mg and coping, then I forgot to take them for a few days felt fine so decided to stay off them after a couple of weeks felt old symptoms returning panicked a bit and started to take 10mg again which now 1 week later I am very scared as panic attacks have returned and they stay stay with me constantly sweating shaking intrusive thoughts causing me blind panic feeling nauseousI have increased the dose today to 20mg but am scared maybe I'm doing the wrong thing is it because I went back on tablets that I am feeling as bad as this i have made myself hospital ready due to the fear something is really wrong with me I'm so weak tooI just dont know what to do for the best...any advice appreciated....it does not help that due to corona I feel I cant just phone doctor easily

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • rob37052
    rob37052 henry77355

    Posted

    hi henry

    sorry your feeling dreadful mate, this is one medication you MUST NOT stop abruptly!

    it is of the utmost importance that you slowly reduce, the last 5-10 mg as they are the most difficult to reduce. Its very easy to think that you feel great no probs & you dont need the medication........it is totally possible to be med free but it must be done through steady reduction, taking it nice & steady.

    you ll feel yourself again mate dont worry just give it time....take care

    • henry77355
      henry77355 rob37052

      Posted

      Thanks Rob I realise this now, I just thought i'd been doing really well taking it slowly, thought the last 10mg would be easy how wrong was I......the main thing I'm wondering is as i was down to 10mg and doing fine until i stopped completely should I stick with 10mg or go to 20mg like i did today out of panic of how bad i feel confusing....

  • lu54447
    lu54447 henry77355

    Posted

    Hi Henry, it will settle again. I think when we've been on a higher dose and reduced and feeling ok, 10mg feels like nothing!

    The problem is we forget how powerful 10mg is!

    As its been a week on the 10, I would give it a few more days on that and see how you feel, unfortunately in the grand scheme of things with these pills a week isn't a long time and they are so powerful that your body needs to settle again. Remember, you went cold turkey for a few weeks, and you've only been back on the 10 for a week- so it takes the body time to re-adjust again!

    You will be just fine, just try to be really kind and gentle with yourself - you deserve it!

    We are our own worst enemy!

    Lu x

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