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Staying on citalopram forever?

Posted , 13 users are following.

Madge99
Madge99

I have been taking cit for 18 months. Last autumn I tried (unsuccessfully, obviously) to get off it, and a while ago I decided I would try again.

I've been cutting down slowly, from 30mg a day now down to 10mg every other day, but I've started to feel like the depression is coming back. I'm feeling very down, crying a lot and wondering if all this is worth it.

I went to see my GP today, had a good cry, and asked should I try and \"tough it out\" and hopefully get through these symptoms, or just \"give in\" and increase the dose again.

She told me she thought I would be better off taking them for the rest of my life!!!! I was horrified. I don't want to be a slave to these things for the rest of my life.

Part of me wants to prove her wrong and get off them, but there's another part which is thinking maybe she is right.

I just don't know what to do.

Any help anyone?

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hey.....wait a minute Madge....Ive been on them 3 yrs...Im not off them properly yet either. I took a week of off them last week and i mustsay it was awful, and im now having panic again! But rebuilding myyself back on them.

    I think perhaps...im just thinking... I knew a girl that took 20 and she must have had a good GP, but the doc gave her 10 mg tabs....She was to take 10 when she felt things were going all right...if she flet herslef sliiping back down she would take a further 10 at night...and so n...so she was weening off them but had a emergency back up ( just incase). Sorry Ill try that again. She wsa to take 10mgs in the morning, and if she had had a particularly bad day to take 10 mgs in the evening...and they did it to suit her needs. Now she doesnt need them....she weened of them in her own style and method...and it worked. Dont give yourself a hard time about it!

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    i think doctors are too keen to throw medication at you and not think about the fact that you're a person, and being dependent on medication for the rest of your life is not a happy thought. maybe you could try supplementing your body's serotonin with loads of exercise. if you have the energy to do those good things when you are on it, get into the habit while you are on them and try to ween yourself off them by swapping the two.

    that said, some people are just imbalanced and their bodies dont have the capability to regulate themselves properly, and that's nothing to feel ashamed about.

    i'm not a doctor but have you tried taking different anti depressant? my doctor said that they dont put people on medication with the idea that they will be on it forever, but instead that they will kick-start your body into being able to regulate itself properly. maybe another kind of antidepressant will work better with you in this way? just a thought. but get a second opinion- no doctor should tell you that you have no other option than to depend on anti-depressant forever.

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I've been on ADs for about 10 years now. I'm only 28 now but to be honest I feel I will always have to be on them. I would love to be free of drugs. Not that its anything to be ashamed of. Would just be one less thing to worry about and I would feel like a normal person, what ever that is.
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hey Tony - O dont believe there ever is such a thing as a normal person. we are all unique. if ADS help you cope-youve absolutley nothing to be ashamed off! :D

    Ive been on them for 3 years- i still struggle- ( you probably know!), but you know what-its okay-feel no shame. it could ne worse - you could be me and have the alcoholism to deal with( now thats more shameful) so take care and dont be so hard on yourself.

    cake, I m worried about you. Please please let us know you are oksy. Citalopram can cause a lot of suicidal thought, so whatever you do , do not , and I repeat do not blame yourself. pleases let us know. Hope you take care!

  • Barney
    Barney

    Posted

    Hi Madge, If you had a heart condition and required to take medication, would you be saying the same thing??? We have a medical condition and some of us need it more than others. Taking a pill is better than feeling on the dark side, so dont be ashamed. Good luck.
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    thank you Bad Girl. I have had alcoholism to deal with in the past so I know how you feel. Important thing is to do whatever it takes to recover from it. For me it was AA meetings. Felt good to hear other people views and present my own. I don't go to those anymore unlike some people but have stayed clean and don't even miss it now. Best of luck to you smile
  • Madge99
    Madge99

    Posted

    Thanks for everyone's replies.

    I'm not ashamed of taking anti ds, they have helped me a lot. I probably wouldn't be here today if I hadn't been on them. Like Tony, I would like to be \"normal\", I want to know what it feels like to be me without any drugs.

    I'm feeling a lot better after getting stuff off my chest at the GPs on Friday. I haven't even cried since then! I think the dip was due to withdrawal symptoms. I am going to stay on 10mg every other day for a while before I try and cut down a bit more.

  • Ness
    Ness

    Posted

    hi all

    I have been on thease tablets for about 3years and I still fine myself getting stress out at times but not as bad as I was without them as I did try taking 10mg but it didnt work. I am only 29 so feel ashamed to think I will need to keep taking tablets for the rest of my life but I seem to worry to much about things and cant seem to change this habit and only seem to be ok when I am on the 20mg. I am back at docs tomorrow to see what he said but I think he will wont to try to rejuice them down again as I have been on them so long but I think I still need to take them as I still get work up and am weepy at times. Just wish I have someone to talk to about this as I still live at home and parents dont know i am on tablets so thats why I have wrote so much on here just to get it of my chest. Sorry its such along blog.

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hang on a minute, if they are helping why not keep taking them? Better than feeling low! As it might not be for life who knows? Just take one day at a time - if they are working for you now!

    Just a quick question - have you ever taken more than 20mg? given that you still get worked up/weepy, or are the docs reluctant to go higher? I am on 20mg for just a week and crying much less but i dont know if that is down to being off work also. Have no feelings of 'happiness' though. Is this normal? I know its early days but impatient as trying to muster up some enthusiasm to be able to face work next week! xxx

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi everyone

    Please dont worry about taking the medication. If you had another condition such as diabetes or a heart condition you wouldnt hesitate to take medication for it. Depression is an illness too & if you need medication & it works it doesn't matter. The main thing is that you feel better & can function properly.

  • Ness
    Ness

    Posted

    Thank for info back it has made me think things thought as I should start living and think one day at a time. Been to docs today and want to see me in 4 months to see how I am doing. Lilke Sarahfacinguptothings said he wont up my meds as He thinks I am doing alot than I was a while go so will just keeping going till i see him next time.
  • acakes
    acakes Madge99

    Posted

    I am probably ver late reading this message board, but when you wean off meds you have withdraw effects like being extra emotional and higher than usual anxiety. You may cry more too. Your baseline, how you normally are without meds will gradually show up. You can't judge it until being completely off it for maybe 2 months. They doctors will not tell you that and make you think it's because you need the drug. I have been off Celexa for 5 months now. So I know first hand.
    • xdebsx
      xdebsx acakes

      Posted

      Been on antidepressants for more than 10 years, longest Iv managed to stay off is 4 months but in that one I was motley confining myself to the house doing my own self help stuff. When it came to going back out into the world I was straight back on them. I am on 40mg of Citalopram and think this is how it's going to be for the foreseeable. I won't be made to feel bad about that by anyone. CBT and many other non drug therapies do help change our perspective on things, and help us understand more of what's happening to us and maybe why, but antidepressant medication saves lives also. I know this from experience.
    • xdebsx
      xdebsx

      Posted

      The above was supposed to say 'in that time I was mostly confining myself to the house'.
    • jessica44142
      jessica44142 acakes

      Posted

      Hey 3acakes,

      You said you've successfully been off of celexa for 5 months. So just wanted to know, how are you feeling now? What were your methods of tapering off? And what dose of celexa did you take? How long?

      I tried to taper off and ended up also having to just go back to my regular dose because the anxiety was too much

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