1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Citalopram

Stopping citalopram after 21 days... please help!

Posted , 13 users are following.

Dobber80
Dobber80

Hello everyone,

I apologise if this has been brought up before but I feel I really need some help.

I am 37 years old, and my depression started 5 months ago when I found out my wife cheated on me with her boss.  We have been together 8 years and married just over a year.  I was extremely happy with where my life was and still madly in love.  From my perspective we had an amazing relationship and there were no signs or reasons what so ever for her to stray.  After I found out, she denied anything happened in fear of losing me.  She eventually admitted to it, but says she never sought out anything, never planned on leaving me, and that he initiated everything that happened.  She only admits they kissed several times while at work and can't explain why she let it happen.  The news has absolutely blind sided me, and completely blown up my world spiralling me into depression.  

5 months ago, my doctor first prescribed me lorazepam 1mg, because the anxiety was so severe I couldn't sleep, and was forced to be off work.

I chose not to leave my wife, in hopes that time would help me cope with what happened, however 3 months later my depression was still there.

My doctor then prescribed me citalopram 20mg.  Fearful, I refused to take the pills and they sat in my cabinet for 2 months.  Eventually my doctor convinced me to take them.

I started off 10mg for 6 days, and didn't feel anything at all... Then upped to 20mg as per the directions.  After the 3rd day of 20mg I started with a ton of side effects. Brain zap, confusion, memory loss, increased anxiety and depression, tingling in my body, crying fits, unable to ejaculate, and even suicidal thoughts... all within the 2nd week.  At that time I panicked and wanted to refuse taking any further.  My doctor insisted I keep taking them promising it would get better.

Taking her advice, I did for another week.  The side effects were decreasing, and one day for a few hours, I did feel a bit better and somewhat like my old self.  But after numerous google searches and research I've decided this medication scares me and no longer want to be on it... or dependant on it in 6 months which was my doctors plan. 

I was on 10mg for 6 days, then 20mg for 15 days... I have gone back down to 10mg to ween myself off.  It's only been 2 days and already feeling the withdrawal symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, brain zap, tingling all over... and an end of the world feeling. If I feel this horrible trying to come off after only 21 days, I don't even wanna know how hard it would be after 6 months or longer. No thanks.

I feel as though my depression and anxiety won't ease up until I can either forgive my wife, or choose to leave.  She has since been extremely remorseful, regretful, ashamed and embarrassed, says she loves me everyday, and has even quit her job in hopes to save our marriage.  I know I love her and I'm scared to death of losing her, but I can't stop thinking about what happened or asking myself why she would do this to me.  Luckily we don't have any kids, but at 37 years old, losing my wife, marriage, my house, and the fear of starting over, or never being able to trust anyone again is really messing with my head.  I'm actually thinking I would rather be alone in fear of this ever happening again.

I'm starting to panic and would like to know how long I should ween myself off and how long the withdrawals should last, only being on them for so little period of time.

And also, is it wise to take 1mg lorazepam to help me sleep through the weening off of citalopram?  I really don't want to start having withdrawals from lorazepam next.

Any help is greatly appreciated.  Thank you kindly in advance, and I apologise for venting.

0 likes, 29 replies

29 Replies

Prev
  • matt2015
    matt2015 Dobber80

    Posted

    Hi Chaps

    I have been taking 10mg for 10 days to see if they were going to help with some autonomic issues. I wasn't depressed or anxious before I started but holy cow I am now! I've always slept like a log but now get hardly any sleep, I feel on edge, I have blood in my stool and spend a good couple of hours a day vomitting at the moment. 

    Enough is enough and I am going to stop taking them, my gut feel is to just quit cold turkey as I don't think I could feel much worse. We shall see how that pans out!

    How are you all doing?

    • Dobber80
      Dobber80 matt2015

      Posted

      I feel for you brother.  I was only on them for 3 weeks, but I tapered off for 4 days before stopping altogether. Ive been off completely for 4 weeks now, but my anxiety is severe every single day.  Non-stop rapid harder than normal heartbeats all day long, I still get sleepless nights, and I'm just not feeling like myself at all.  I am however going through a shocking situation where I found out my wife cheated on me, and everything is in limbo right now, so I'm hoping that is whats causing my anxiety.. I'm starting to worry these nasty side effects have become permanent.

    • Dobber80
      Dobber80 matt2015

      Posted

      Hey Matt, honestly things are somewhat the same.  The anxiety is still there, but not as severe everyday.  The severe anxiety comes and goes, and everyday is generally a milder anxiety.  My concern is I have fears that I've never felt before.  Fears of feeling I'm old (I'm 37), fears of old age, fears of dying, fears of the future, fears of hopelessness, fears of being alone.  It's scary and I'm wondering if it's a trigger effect of the anxiety, or if it's all a result of my life being in limbo because my marriage is hanging by a thread.

      How are you feeling?

  • NoMedsMrP
    NoMedsMrP Dobber80

    Posted

    Hi Dobber80,

    How are you doing now? I'm 41 years old and had 2-3 panic attacks in last 3 weeks. Veg, blood and other reports were fine. As soon i found nothing is wrong, i felt great and spent next 2 days as normal. There was few palpitations but i thought these are aftershocks and go away. Then, My gp sent me to psychology doc. She gave me citalopram 10 mg for a week and then 20 mg. I took the first dose last night. After 30 minutes i felt my heart racing , veins burning. I could not sleep whole night. I talked to my wife and have decided not to take it. Meditation, yoga and ayurveda route we will go.

    Did you take this medicine again and how are you now?

  • lewis67017
    lewis67017 Dobber80

    Posted

    Hi Dobber80 I’m new to the site but how are you feeling now?? I have gone cold turkey off citalopram for 20 days now and I hate it and them! Have your feelings gone away now? 
    • NoMedsMrP
      NoMedsMrP lewis67017

      Posted

      I quit this medicine (poison) after one dosage only. Yoga, few herbal medicines, meditation and family support has helped me improved a lot. I'm now 70% back to normal.

    • lewis67017
      lewis67017 NoMedsMrP

      Posted

      Hi every afternoon I still get mad head swoosh’s and a state of panic. How long was you on the poison?
    • NoMedsMrP
      NoMedsMrP lewis67017

      Posted

      1 day only. I switched to herbal and mediation techniques.
  • michelle0228
    michelle0228 Dobber80

    Posted

    Hi there,

    my husband was on 10mg and after 3 weeks decided to stop taking them (cold turkey) as the side effects were just so bad! ive never seen him ans his Anxiety be so bad! his was better before he started taking them! His now frightened of the dark, being alone for long periods of time, has to be with me all the time...his worse in the evenings as soon as it gets dark! were now into day 2 of stopping but after reading all of your stories im more frightened of the withdrawal effects..

    any advice would be greatly recieved

  • Anxietyasf
    Anxietyasf Dobber80

    Posted

    so firstly, sorry about the wife.. sucks. anyways I'm also on citalopram started with 20mg an also left unopened from fear of being addicted to it plus I dont take pills huge phobia but they were small an doctor assured I'd feel better.. after taking them I felt the same, confusion, memory loss etc. I did however start to feel better. I was given trazodone for sleep. The world ending feeling happens every so often still if I think to hard on whether or not I remembered to take the pill or not Lol.. any how I also dont feel this is a good fit for me anymore an back to being afraid to take it..

Back to top
Prev

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.