The so called safe medication
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi, I have been taking citiliprim for around six years.Doctor told me they were safe, not mentioning withdrawal symptems. I listen to a lot of people here that are having problems just starting out.I would like to say thet they are much worse on the other side withdrawing. These pills can do real damage to your nervious system and coming off them has been a very difficult task indeed. I have been reducing for around two months now from 20mg a day to 10mg every two days. My heart rate has gone through the roof even though I am on a medication.If I bend down as I did this morning lifting a piece of vinyl, my head started pumping real hard and fast. I stopped and imediately took a reading,157 was this mornings reading, very scary ! I have symptoms also like vertigo as if my brain takes time to catch up after turning my head. It is extreemly uncomfortable.I think if most people were aware of these dangerous side effects and sat in my seat, they would never venture down this path. I would like to add that since reducing drastically my depression has eased drastically so why the hell was I taking them in the first place.The answer to that is desperation and lack of knowledge about this dangerous substance. All I can add is that if it doesn't feel good , do not do it because coming off is worse than starting. Please, if there are like minded folks out there with similar experiences with this drug, I would love some feedback. The greed of the multinational drug companies overides any decent long term testing and doctors are complicate in just handing out meds without really knowing what the effects will be down the line. Sorry about my rant but had to get it off my shoulders and out there for people going down this path.
2 likes, 4 replies
deryl44443 des53612
Posted
Hello Des,
I would like to endorse everything you have said about this drug. I was on it, on and off but mostly on for 20 years and on reflection I should never have been put on it in the first place. The price I have paid apart from all of the hideous symptoms you mention is a serious weakening of my bone mineral density. I found this out when I fractured my hip in January. The problem I have is that so many people on this site seem to benefit from this medication so I find it very difficult to relate to them at times although I try. I have been off the meds for around 8 weeks now and am just about over the vertigo, and I have days when I feel emotional and weepy but they pass and I am glad that I haven't fled to the GP for another script. I am absolutely determined not to. I thank you for your post
des53612 deryl44443
Posted
Hi Deryl,
It's good to know I am not an island and that others feel this way about the med. Since reducing, I can feel a definate improvement, more energy, starting to sleep better, not so many wild dreams and an overall more optimistic attitude to life. I at times also feel a bit down but afterall isn't that just life. The main thing is we do not dwell in it as I was doing while on these meds.I was also very moody befor and not a pleasure to live with. It's great to feel normal again with normal feelings that I can work through rather than the band aid effect.I wish you the best of luck in your endevours and pray that you and others like us continue to improve and strengthen. I like your forthright attitude and I agree it is more helpful to put it out there rather than pandering to what people would like to hear.
katecogs des53612
Edited
In defence of the meds ... I've been reducing my medication since last year - this is my second time - the first time I halved my dose each time and though it took months and months, I had withdrawal effects. This time however, I've reduced by 5mg each time (from 20mg) (using a pill cutter and splitting my meds) and I've had no withdrawl effects at all. Nothing. So different to the first time. I'm now on my last 5mg which I've further reduced by doing alternate days, and will eventually spread that out to every 3rd day etc etc until I stop which I'm expecting to do so by the end of this year. If you just halve your medication each time you will feel withdrawal. Withdrawing using the minimum amount is the way to go.
These meds are a lifeline for many people - myself included. I was ill for 16 years with depression and anxiety, and within 6 months of taking these meds I had recovered. Before my meds, if someone had said to me 'ok we can cure you but we'll need to cut your arm off' I'd have said do it ... because I was so desparte. My young son also fell foul of this illness 2 years ago - without the meds ... I just don't know where we'd be today. Suffering this illness was bad enough, but watching your child go through the hell of depression is undescribable (hence my need to restart my meds). Took him 9 months to recover, and today he is off all meds (no withdrawl effects as he did it by minimal reduction) and is a happy young man, has a girlfriend and has his life back.
All medication comes with side effects (even Paracetemol) and many have their down sides. Many people have to take meds - you wouldn't expect someone with epilepsy to try and get better on their own or indeed someone with diabetes either. Depression and anxiety is no differerent - it is an illness, and often one that people like myself have battled with for years. For me and my family, the side effects of these meds far outweigh the years of misery and the darkness of this illness.
What I think is needed is better education of these meds for doctors. I've heard many stories about docs stopping peoples meds abruptly, weaning them off too quick, not seeing their patients and lack sympathy and worst of all ... doctors just shelling out these meds for other ailments?? There are of course, many, many wonderful doctors out there too.
These meds don't suit everyone - we're all individual with individual body makeups. Whats suits one person, doesn't suit another. All meds do come with a Patient Information Leaflet - often not read. If taken absolutely correctly and withdrawn correctly, it reduces unpleasant effects dramatically.
Misssy2 des53612
Posted
its almost like we shouldn't be put on any med..and just deal with our issues..but sometimes these meds do work
Citalopram..is the devil to me...too many bad side effects that are subtle and you don't realize it.
As far as your withdrawal...NO..there is no way per my DR...that you suffer more than 2 weeks after discontinuing the pill..its not psychiolgically possible.