Re: Coming off Citalopram
:scared15:
Oh dear, have been reading the side effects of coming of citalopram and am wondering if I am doing the right thing in trying to wean myself off. Doctor
has advised me how to do it.
I am only on 10mg but hate the idea of feeling worse, when at the moment
I feel quite strong.
I get headaches at the best of times, so I can deal with that, but the effects sound a bit "iffy" to say the least.
Has anyone come off them and been pleased with the result??
Jackie
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi everyone
I've been on 20mg citalopram for over a year and have just decided to start coming off them. With the advice of my doctor I've lowered my dose to 10mg a day for a month, then 10mg every other day and so on until i naturally forget to take them.
It's been about a week since dropping to 10mg a day and i have been feeling awful. The worst symptoms being dizziness and shortness of breath. I have also been short tempered and emotional!
It's a bit of a busy time at the moment anyway, so that probably doesn't help. I'm just hoping that my body will get used to the 10mg a day pretty quickly before i drop to every other day...
My loved ones have just advised me to keep going, keep in touch with my doctor about symptoms and believe in myself that the life changes I've made have been enough to make me better in the long run. And that as soon as the withdrawal symptoms die out, i will be back to my old (pre-depression) self again! Just with a little more experience i suppose!
So my advice to you is the same. Make sure you talk to your loved ones and doctor about how you're feeling, just to keep reminding yourselves that you're not alone and they're completely normal symptoms.
Good luck all, you are NOT alone xxx
Re: Coming off Citalopram
I stopped Citalopram completely about 2 weeks ago, but I am still feeling sick every day. Is it normal to feel this way after 2 weeks?
Thanks,
Chris
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi Everyone
I have been on Citalpram twice now both times for panic attacks and all the awful anxiety/depression that come with them.
I took 10mg daily and am currently weaning myself off, so i am down to 10mg every other day. I forgot about side effects until they hit me after about a week, I feel so dizzy and a bt clumsy, but I know i am stronger because the dizziness is not sparking panic, i am calm and know it is just a side effect.
This time around I had CBT with a local charity so I had as many sessions as I needed and paid what i could afford. The combination of the CBT, understanding myself better, how my mind works and taking the citalopram has made a huge difference and I can't wait to be off them. They worked last time so I think they will work this time.
So what i would say to anyone who is coming off, do it slowly, reduce your dose and stay on the reduced dose for as long as you feel comfortable and then drop down again. Last time I dropped to every other day then every third day then started to forget to take it, it felt natural.
Also check out th epossibility of local charities which provide councelling as an NHS referral will often only give you 6-8 sessions and for me that would have made me more stressed as I would feel I had to get better in a set time. It is honestly the best thing I ever did.
Good luck everyone and don't give up, just take it easy and keep talking to your doc and loved ones.
Sarah
Re: Coming off Citalopram
hi every one i am tring to come off citrapram aswell the effects are horribull i feel as i am getting electric shocks when i turn my head i am so glad all you lot have the same as i thought i was cracking up!!! now i am having 10mg evry other day then a month i will go every three days i hope it works as i hate being on them. very emabressing but i have no sex drive because of them and my marrige is falling apart because of it wish me luck anyome want i chat who is going through the same please please get in touch xxlisa
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi folks, I found this site by searching about citalopram, so i joined, I'm more worried now about these things, 20mg did buggar all for me in 2 weeks now im on 40 for another few weeks and i feel no way uplifted but from the start i was always against medication, but as my doctor says they can take 4 weeks 2 kick in i force myself 2 take them or i cannot honestly tell him they do not agree with me.
After reading only a couple of posts my fears are confirmed that there will be problems getting of these nonsense tablets, man made medication is not the way for depression / anxiety, even i know that, but i'm now 46 and cant always rely on hard physical training to alleviate my condition, life has always been a struggle and i have been reluctant 2 take part, i read in another post that one should focus on what you want, not the negative, but i have never realy wanted anything, simple fact and i do know that unless you realy want something so utterly and completely then you shall not have/achieve such, so pointlessness reigns.
not a very uplifting first post, but it can only get better:) best wishes 2 each and everyone, things can and will improve for you.
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi.
I am a 33 year old bloke and i have been taking citalopram for 9 months. I have been under the cloud of depression for over 10 years, but felt embarrassed to admit that i was suffering with depression to friends and family and generally had the opinion that it was just the way i was anyway, everybody has their problems, why should i burden someone with mine, until I had a mental breakdown last year and just had to do something about it. My employees were really understanding and sent me to a psychotherapist and after opening up to my G.P, he started me on 10mg then up to 20mg and then up again to 40mg.
2 months ago i told my GP that i did not really think citalopram was doing anything and i wanted to just come off the tablets. He set me on a program to take 40mg/30mg alternatively for 2 weeks, then 30/20mg for the second fortnight etc etc until i ran my course of tablets out. I find myself getting angry and disillusioned with many aspects of life/people again but i am determined to beat this by more natural means which some people have mentioned here (exercise, eating better etc)
It has been 2 weeks since my last tablet and i am starting to get the "electric pulses" that many people here have mentioned and temporary dizziness. Does anyone know of any positivestories of getting off citalopram? I just don't want to end up going back on medication again.
Re: Coming off Citalopram
I have been on 20 mg for two years and then dropped to ten for four months and then 10 mg every other day
ive been ahving weird head swooshes i was told were my inner ear ive just come off them compeltely and the head swooshes are constant
Thanks for letting me know its a side effect I had decided i had a brain tumour (yes anxiety is right up)
keep fingers crossed i can do this cause currently i am struggling
Re: Coming off Citalopram
I came off my meds cold turkey before and have to say, after a few weeks of struggling, my anxiety hit me worse than it ever had before and i was straight back on meds. I have to say, i would rather be on mediacation and know my anxiety is being managed rather than having to struggle on a daily basis.
Good luck to you huni and i hope it works for you.
Love Lisa
xxx
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi,
I've been on citalopram for 5 years, started at 20mg every day and over the last 2 years dropped to 20mg three times a week (mon.wed,fri), i tried dropping to 10mg daily but found this worse to cope with, am defiantly better on 20mg. Just seen my doc about coming off them, so gonna drop one 20mg to 10mg and try it really slowly, i'll let you know how i get on. How is everyone who has gone cold turkey getting on, no-one seems to continue posting once things get bad, does anyone finally get there? Is there any hope?
Good luck guys