Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi all.
I just went from 20mg to 10 for 2 weeks, then one every other day but found that taking a tablet after not taking one was worse!
I've been on Venlafaxine (ouch) and other stuff before for 4 years.
These flu symptoms are a nightmare but luckily I feel quite calm - though sleeping is a problem.
I don't recommend Kalms or anything like that until the Citalpram is out of your system completely.
I've only had one bad emotional moment (just crying for no damn reason!) but know I just need to ride things like that out.
Luckily I'm not working at the moment otherwise I don't think I could cope.
Re: Coming off Citalopram
I'm a great believer in drinking plenty of water and going for long walks, to help with depression. Apart from walking taking your mind of things, it does help to flush out those nasty chemicals that make you feel irritable and depressed.
Tom
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi Spooner, I came off Citalopram one week ago and the side affects are indeed AWFUL
The electrical impulses and dizziness are so weird, along with headaches, nausea etc.
The think is the tablets gave me headaches and nausea too!
Its really nice to hear that the symptoms are fading, how long have you been off them now?
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi there,
I came off Citalopram almost 3 weeks ago now and i still dont feel any better. I was on 30mg, down to 20mg in a month, then down to 10mg within 1 week and came off the meds completely.
I am having problems falling asleep, upset tummy, whooshy head (which has only just started to happen over the past few days), bad chest pains, shortness of breath, sometimes i feel that my heart is going to burst through my chest because i am so anxious. My anger is a real worry, i am snapping at my husband and have a really SHORT FUSE. I'm finding that I am suffering from road rage, having arguments with complete strangers on the street. I am crying constantly and literatually have to drag myself out of bed to go to work everyday... Will this ever end? :-(
Re: Coming off Citalopram
hi there everyone,
wow this site is great, sometimes i think half of us could be smarter than our doctors. Anyway my story starts like this, I was 18 when i had a pretty major car crash. I was the driver and was in a rural artea where i didnt know the road. NO not driving fast actually driving 90kph where the limit was 100kph. Anyway the accident was so bad everyone said i should be dead. From the minute i woke from my unconsiouness till this very day, not rewally something you should say to someone who now suffers from a phobia of dieing due to the anxiety and panic attacks related to my accident. At first i was diagnosied with post tramatic strees but now that im 21 i have looked into this and i never had PTS i was slowly but surely getting into deep anxiety and panic attacks. People say how can you be effected by your accident sill you should just be happy to be alive but its not like that. So at the age of 18 i went to see my doctor, but he wasnt there that day a locum was. After telling her my symtoms she priscribed me AROPAX (Paroxatine). I didnt know what this was but it was going to make everything better, and after a week it did i was feeling like a normal teenager again and was happy, I couldnt cry though even when our dog died it just wouldnt happen the tears wouldnt flow. After 3.5 years on aropax i desided this is stupid my origanal symtoms have gone and i desided to wean myself down. Thats when it all hit i had heart pelpertaions when i missed a pill or lowered my dose (i had discussed this with my doctor first) I wanted to harm myself. Long story short i got off the aropax on the 17th march 2008. This was great i did have the very scary side effects (yes they are real) but once they went away approx 4 weeks after last pill and i had no major panic attacks but then approx 3 weeks again it all came flooding back i have tryed to fight it for the 3 weeks but finally went to the doctor today and was priscribed Citalopram. Great I cant even live a real life without an SSRI. For those who are trying to come off citalopram i wish you luck and just want to say (AND I KNOW THIS NEVER HELPS) that it does get better at least for a couple of weeks anyway, and if not we can always live the rest of our lives on these drugs, cant we??? From what i have read from people on Citalopram it is alot easier to come off than aropax so maybe thats one thing to be greatful for. I am not completely bad mouthing SSRI's either though. They saved my dads life and for that i am greatful. Anyone out there who is trying to give up an SSRI try a therapy called CBT or NLP. I have used NLP and it worked great and i have just started CBT. Just look into it you cant loose more than you already have.
I hope i have not board you all with my story and info but at least i feel a bit better even if no-one reads it i can tell myself you have all read it.
hope you all get well soon!!!!!!
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hello all, I am new to this site and I have been on Citalopram for 6 months due to depression.
Started on 10mg then 20mg, then to 40mg.
I know everyone is different and these drugs have helped lots of people. I just wanted to share my experience.........
Since taking the tablets I have gone from mildly depressed to exstemely depressed. I have not been able to function, cry at every juncture, had nightmare, lost my appetite and have lost lots of weight.
At one point I felt so desperate I walked into a hospital and said 'Help Me!'
I decided to drop from the 40-20 and had terrible withdrawal. Manic crashes of insecurity, no positive outlook and a constant feeling of negativity.
Since going down 20 and getting over the withdrawal, I have been a different person, it was almost like coming out of a drug coma. I went from seeing in black and white to glorious technicolor. I have continued to drop to 10mg after 2 weeks of 20mg and again there has been a massive improvement in my moods.
I have put in place psychotherapy and have had a couple of sessions and so glad I am coming off these horrible pills.
On research of citalopram withdrawal and other such issus with the drug, it has become clear that the pharmasutical companies have not put adequate warning of withdrawal on the leaflets and the emphasis of suicidal thoughts have not been made of which I had plenty while being on the tablets.
Doctors also seem to have very little knowledge of the very dangerous side effect of the tablets, so do not advice sufficienty.
This article is a very good example of the terrible withdrawal one can experience with this drug.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...an/30/post1022
I am very happy for the people that have had good experinces on this drug, but want to make others aware that it is not like this for all and they put me through hell and made me feel I had nothing to live for. If it wasn't for my partners amazing support, well put it this way if I had been on my own they would have finished me!!!!!
Please be careful people!!!!!
sunbeam
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hi guys. Been on citalopram for 2 years now. One thing is clear to me about anti depressants and that is they do help but they are not the cure. Its like having a labourer assist you on a job (it just makes it a little easier to cope).
The hardest thing about depression as you all know is the lack of positive thinking and total lack of motivation and feelings all twisted. I cope and I have faith that this is all in my own mind. With the pressures of modern society anyone could be prone to it. Heres some good things to think about.
Positive vs negative in a boxing match..who wins..none of them win cause they both fight for dominance...the conclusion is.....be neutral cause you are not affected by either then and you can cruise through life without a worry.
Neutral thinking neutral eating and neutral exercise are the way for me but is hard to achieve. Ask your inner self for peace not war and drink a nice cup of tea in the morning and neutralise everything around you with comedy laughter. Hey guys and girls soon you will be better just hang in there ok!
love simon xx
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Quote:
Originally Posted by
devon_guy
I had really bad head zaps when I came off the pills and had to cut down very slowly, but even then still had head zaps. I guess they symptoms lasted for about a week - 10 days after I stopped taking my last tablet.
Face, accept, float, let time pass
Hiya I have been on citrapram for over a year and have decided to come off and its only my 5th day but i feel like i get these electric shock sensations go through my head
are you still having symptoms
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Quote:
Originally Posted by
leanna
Hi Spooner, I came off Citalopram one week ago and the side affects are indeed AWFUL
The electrical impulses and dizziness are so weird, along with headaches, nausea etc.
The think is the tablets gave me headaches and nausea too!
Its really nice to hear that the symptoms are fading, how long have you been off them now?
Hey i get the werid sensations in my head like im being electric shocked its awful
Re: Coming off Citalopram
Hello guys, I've just joined this site as I was browsing to see if anybody else had problems coming off citalopram. Well it seems I'm not alone.
I've been on citalopram for about 2 and a half years for anxiety and panic attacks. I went from 5mg to 10 mg to 15mg over about 3 months.
I had to go on the sick at work for 4 months but fortunately I got paid and went back eventually.
I have to say these tablets DO WORK. I have had less panic and felt less down since I have been on them.
After about 2 years I decided (off my own back) to reduce to 10mg and I did it with just a couple of anxious moments within one week.
Then again a few months later I decided to drop to 5mg with not too many problems.
3 weeks ago I asked my doc if he thought I should come off them altogether and he said give it a go. He said it will take a couple of weeks before I would notice any side affects.
The first 2 weeks I got tingly face and hands and kept spinning out at work. It didn't bother me too much because I told myself it was the drugs (not a stroke), honestly, the way you think when you're sensitive!
So now i'm into my third week of coming off them, and all over a sudden I've had two massive panic attacks (in work, great), cried in the toilets for no reason, cried on the way home. I feel really quite down and anxious, oh and very snappy.
I thought it was going ok, then this!
Anyway, like you guys I WANT TO KNOW WHEN IT WILL STOP!
I have considered going back on them as it doesn't seem worth the agony. I can't be off work again, I'll get sacked, (not really, but I will get into trouble!)
Oh what to do??
Is there anyone out there who's come off them and feels reasonably ok...? How long did it take?
HELP!
ok, ok....it's just a feeling, humph.....
Thanks for listening, J x
Re: Coming off Citalopram
hey smokingjax
Im just coming off of citalopram myself. I was on 40mg, down to 20 now, and to zero next. All the side effects you guys are going through are similar to what i have had in the past. They are horrible and may make you feel like givin in and going back on the pills, but believe me, when your system is flushed out, you will feel so much better, and like your old self again
good luck to all
monkey
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