Withdrawal or Bug?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi there. Ive been on Citalopram for 5 years but went up to 40 mg last year. Successfully cut down to 30mg without any problem over 8 months but now trying to get to 20 mg. Started on Saturday and this coincided with my son having a really bad headache and sickness type bug. he recovered 24 hours later but by Sunday night I had a massive headache. No sickness thankfully. Paracetamol helped relieve it but as it wore off, symptoms returned and I still have them. Pain also above right ear and upper right jaw. Sinuses? I assumed I had his bug but I'm now wondering if it is withdrawal. I have no brain buzz, no dizziness and only slight nausea yesterday. Those of you who have been here before might recognise if my symptoms are sounding like withdrawal or not. Any advice welcome.
0 likes, 5 replies
toria_07298 Sally_66
Posted
hi sally, it sounds like 100 percent withdrawal to me x
brian49010 Sally_66
Posted
sally i agree with toria - since you dropped from 30 to 20 mgs this is most likely the cause. you tapered a little too fast! there is a withdrawal symptom list by a dr . it is on a certain website . headaches and flu like symptoms is on this list. also instruction for withdrawal is on this site. i can pm it to you if you want. taper down no more than 10% of current dose per month to keep withdrawal symptoms away. example 30 mg lower it to 27 mg take for one month then 10% of 27 - lower it to 24.3 mg for one month and so forth. you have to be steady and stable before tapering. the slower you go the less withdrawal symptoms! be very slow and cautious tapering. im in there with you! ive tapered too fast a few times also! it can be done just do it rt the first time 😃 im no dr these are my experiences only.
good luck!
ian82869 brian49010
Posted
Hi Brian
I use a pill cutter to cut 10mg into quarters, 2.5mg. I don't think I could cut them again into eighths, 1.25mg. How do you cut the tablets into eighths? Many thanks
brian49010 ian82869
Posted
ian
i take lexapro and get dr to prescribe 5 mgs tablets. i cut in 1/4 and get 1.25 mgs . rt now im 12.5mg once i get to 9 mg i will have to get dr to prescribe liquid lexapro so i can stay under 10% taper per month.
good luck !
ian82869 Sally_66
Posted
Hi Sally. This sounds very much like my withdrawal experience. I have been on 10mg citalopram for over 10 years, on and off. I am now into my 3rd withdrawal and am doing it very slowly (I didn't with the other two withdrawals). I went from 10mg to 7.5mg in 4 weeks, then 7.5mg to 5mg, again over 4 weeks. I then had a relapse and was back on 10mg for a week while on holiday. Back home, I resumed with 7. 5mg. I think I have been altering the dose far to much. Increasing is just as bad as decreasing I am told.
Like you, I have slight nausea with a gurgling stomach and a headache over the right eye. Every time I have done withdrawal, it affects the right side of my face. It's never the left side! Yours sounds definitely like withdrawal.