Citalopram reduced can i expect more SE

[mum to three]

Hi everyone

just looking for some advice my GP seems to think after 10 or so weeks it is time to start reducing my dose. I am currently on 20 mg and gp has advised me to drop to 10 mg one day then 20mg the following and so forth. I am already starting to panic about side effects, will i suffer them with this reduction because i was really badly effected when i started taking them for a good 4 or 5 weeks. Any advice would be appreciated. Take care all xxx

[nomorepanic]

To be honest the answer is yes you wil get side effects.

Why are they stopping it after only 10 weeks?

[mum to three]

Hi thanks for your reply although it was not what i wanted to hear lol, although its good to be prepared so thank you . My GP originally diagnosed me with depression/anxiety as i was suffering from tremors, dizziness, "brain fog" and the fact i have had 3 bereavements since the start of the year. Before i started on citalopram all my symptoms were purely physical i did not feel depressed at the start that came after feeling dizzy, shaky for so long and not knowing what was wrong with me. Since i have started cit my anxiety at times is through the roof, this is something i have never experienced before taking meds. All the physical symptoms are still there so my GP seems to think that cit may be making me worse, who knows im pretty confused and just doing what im told at the moment hoping one day i will be back to my old self, sorry for going on a bit. Take care xx

[NoPoet]

Hi mumtothree, your story sounds similar to my own. If you change your dose by more than 5mg in 2 weeks you risk having side effects. It should take you a total of 8 weeks to come off a 20mg dose. Some people need to come off it more slowly. Others might not get any withdrawal effects at all.

[mum to three]

hi poet thanks for your reply, hopefully SE should not be too bad as i have to take 10 mg + 20 mg alternate days so strictly speaking its a 5mg drop per day so fingers crossed i dont suffer too much, take care x

[mum to three]

hi
well i started on my reduced dose on saturday and have been feeling good, that is until today, i feel a bit disoriented, lightheaded and really anxious and irate is this withdrawal side effects that will pass or should i abandon the idea of reducing my dose and go back to 20mg everyday ?? xx