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Wanting to get off of citalopram how to do it correctly?

Posted , 5 users are following.

teal25628
teal25628

I have read some of these comments about stopping the citalopram and now I'm scared but I really want to stop taking it. I find it hard to stay awake and function I dont care about nothing. It's so hard to go to work I wanna sleep all the time and never want to do anything. I hate it!!!  I just had my thyroid taking out out in November thought that would help but it didn't I'm still the same and my levels with the synthroid meds are perfect so it's not that. I work on a handicapp school bus as a aide , so if anyone can please guide me on how to gradually stop this medicine so that I don't get to many side effects. I am taking this for anxiety I didn't have any depression but it seems like I do now cause I feel like sh*t all the time!!! Please help thank you for listening to me rant !

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Chik07
    Chik07 teal25628

    Posted

    How long have you been on It? I felt they ame as you, but was only on it a week, stopped as felt so zonked out and sick, but just stopped as not been in long. Talk to your doctor you need to cut down very slowly.x
    • teal25628
      teal25628 Chik07

      Posted

      Hello Chik07.  I have been on it since November of 2013 so little over a year . I felt better after I first started taking it the anxiety got better but now I feel miserable all the time so tired and I don't even wanting to go shopping. And if you knew me that's NOT like me lol. Thank you for listening and your input. I hope things work out for you.
    • Chik07
      Chik07 teal25628

      Posted

      I was prescribed them for depression after my dad passed away, but they made me feel worse so I did councelling and try to force myself to do things, but still depressed and do not want to do anything, worst xmas I have had without dad but guess grieving is not meant to be easy. Hopefully some people who have come off them will give you the best advice, good luck and hope all goes ok for you. X
    • teal25628
      teal25628 Chik07

      Posted

      So sorry for your loss no it's never easy. Your dad sounds like he was a wonderful man and you know he would want you to be strong!!! Time will ease the pain but your memories will always be there and make you smile!! Thank you and best wishes to you.
    • Chik07
      Chik07 teal25628

      Posted

      Thank you. Nice to hear from people who understand, so many people with not problems do not understand depression and grieving, friends who have not been through it think I can just carry on cheerfully as normal. Awfull as I feel, I am glad I came off the chit, so good luck and let us know how you get on. And yes my dad was the best ever 😀 was so hard seeing him in so much pain and suffering at the end, we would not be allowed to leave animals to suffer like that... He was hanging onto me begging to die... It will traumatise me forever:-(
  • pat97152
    pat97152 teal25628

    Posted

    It took me a year to reduce from 40 mg.....slowly reducing in 3 month segments ...cutting up the last dose to 5 mg..I still got withdrawal symptoms for 3 months after taking my last pill ..the reduction to 5 mg was easy for me ..it was the last bit that was difficult..you just have to ride it out 
    • phillip1977
      phillip1977 pat97152

      Posted

      Thats the bit that I found hard after my last dose got terrible side effects. Very very moody ..ended up back on them now only 20mg any body experience the same thing ?? Any ideas on how to manage this ? 
    • pat97152
      pat97152 phillip1977

      Posted

      Please try to realise doctors don't tell you what you need to know..your last dose should be as near to 2.5 as you  can cut the tablet ..strange I know ...but ..from 10mg for at least 4 weeks ..then 5 mg for 4 to 8 weeks .if possible 2.5 for 4 weeks ..
    • teal25628
      teal25628 pat97152

      Posted

      Hello Pat97152.  Omg a year. I've been on alittle over a year. How long were you taking it before you decided to stop?   Did you just go to 30 from 40 for 3 months then 20 then 10 then 5? We're the symptoms everyday and all day for 3months?  Just trying to prepare myself and does the wanting to sleep all the time when you start cutting back?  I'm sorry for all the questions just looking for a light at the end of a tunnel!  Thank you for listening and your support.
  • pat97152
    pat97152 teal25628

    Posted

    Hi ..there is no need to take a year..that was my choice...3 months would be ok 

    i was on them for 4 years ..i found the high dose gave me insomnia and profuse sweating

    now that I have stopped these have gone..we are all different

    the withdrawal. Symptoms came in waves ..mostly feeling of anxiety..but I was able to ride it out

    please ask if you need any more info

    pat

  • laura25731
    laura25731 teal25628

    Posted

    I have probably been very silly in deciding to go cold turkey. I went onto 20mg in September due to ridiculous stress and depression caused by work. I felt awful for 3 weeks then started feeling so much better. These tablets really helped so much, but I did know that I was not being 'myself', I felt like a shadow of myself to be honest. But I needed to get through a bad time so I carried on. I've been on the sick from work since the end of October when things just got stupid and before Christmas, I told my doc I wanted to reduce my dosage as I wanted to feel like me again. Also have lost all sex drive and motivation to do anything, and get bad clenching of teeth at night. She wasn't happy but agreed to let me go down to 10mg. I took this dose for a few weeks and then my last tablet was on New Year's Eve. I haven't had one since and have decided to ride it oput - despite everything I have read! I am not very clever, I know :p All was OK till yesterday. All of a sudden, I was absolutely exhausted and couldn't do anything. I also started to feel cold and very nauseous. my head felt heavy and I needed to rest it. My husband noticed that I had 'slowed down', even my words were not coming out at a normal speed, though inside my head, everything was fine! I also seem to have diarrhoea. Lovely.

    Woke up today, just very slow and my head still feels very heavy, but I am going to force myself to shower and dress and leave the house as I need to go to the post office. :S I have decided to try to force myself into action as much as possible to try to fight this. It doesn't help that I am recovering from tonsilitis (this stopped giving me bad symptoms from New Years Day) so it is hard to know exactly what is withdrawal and what is just ne getting over the tonsilitis - one of my reasons for stopping now! I figured if I felt sh*t already then I might as well feel a bit more sh*t!

    I can feel my anxiety coming back but I got that when I reduced to 10mg and although it was scary I managed to deal and get it to a normal level for me, so hoping to do the same here. If I get no other withdrawal symptoms then I can cope... fingers crossed. Good luck to everyone else in the same boat!

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