Coming off Cital after 2 years on 20mg

[Pete_uk]

Sounds like your body is really trying to keep the Citalopram flowing into you.

Stay strong, and I hope you can get off the pills if that's what you want.

[UrbanMark]

Sounds like your body is really trying to keep the Citalopram flowing into you.

Stay strong, and I hope you can get off the pills if that's what you want.

I would love to be off the pills mate, but my issues don't seem to allow it.

[UrbanMark]

Still on the 20mg.
Start a new job next month.
Onwards and upwards.

[clarisse]

There is nothing wrong with staying on a med that helps you Mark. We take pain killers for pain and think nothing of it. Good luck with the new job

[moodsoldier]

UrbanMark, I just wanted to thank you so much for posting your long efforts at coming off Cit 20 mg/calibrating the meds. What a lot of people might not recognize is that you and our fellow posters are a lifeline to people all over the world (such as myself) who are struggling with D/AX (as I nickname them) and trying to find the right combination of meds that will not numb us completely out but at the same time give us back our focus, vitality, courage, and energy, even if not 100%.

Like you I have been struggling for a long time to reduce/replace Cit, so far without true success. I've been on Cit 20 mg for a year; 3 weeks ago, I got it in liquid form and made my second attempt to reduce to 18 mg. A little shaky at first, but was able to make it 2 weeks at 18 mg/day.

Then I got "greedy" and dropped to 17 about 5 days ago; bad idea. 1 more mg (or should I say ml) was too much at that speed. Farted around with 17.5 and kept feeling worse and worse, so today bit the bullet and back up to 18; hope I can hold that line. I will try to stay there another few weeks and then if I'm ready reduce to 17.5 (liquid measured out literally with a calibrated syringe). Yes, indeedy I think .5 ml may be my reduction point; I'm not beyond dropping below that micro-level either. Whatever f'ing works.

Like you I believe the Cit has submarined my libido. I went from being a very randy skirt-chaser (even on 10 mg, which I foolishly got completely off of last year, withdrawal from which nearly killed me) to, after 3 months on Cit 20 mg, numb below the waist, uninterested in sex or romance, and completely unmotivated in that department. My long time gf is about out of patience and I don't blame her. So my prime motivator in Cit reduction is to try to restore libido. 47 seems too young to have to permanently retire myself.

I am also on 200 mg Wellbutrin (morning) and have reduced from 30 mg mirtazapine ("mirt") to 5 mg (compounding pharmacy 1 mg capsules) over the last year. Mirt is supposed to fire up the libido but in my case it didn't and of course it is possible that the Mirt is part of the "dead libido" culprit vis a vis a contrary reaction. I have been ok so far reducing mirt by 7.5 mg per drop, up until I got down to the "final 7.5," which is why I have slowed that down and am going mg by mg.

I enjoyed the single life up until last year when the need for the meds was greater than the need to be a hound and I had to sacrifice my libido in the name of survival. Like you, I hope mine will come back if I can just taper down to the bare minimum (or the ragged edge) of what dosages/meds I really need. It is unbelievably hard and your story is, like many others' out here, one of great courage. When in doubt, I have to place my functionality over my sex/love life, so there it is. Frustrated as hell, but knowing I am not alone in my struggle is a great comfort and inspiration to me. Thank you and please keep us updated. - Moodsoldier

[panic_down_under]

Like you I have been struggling for a long time to reduce/replace Cit, so far without true success.

Have you considered that maybe the problem isn't the med reduction per se, but your psychological reaction to quitting it. Withdrawal is at least as much about psychology as chemistry and biology. Expect to suffer greatly and an anxious mind is very capable of producing your worst nightmare.

Then I got "greedy" and dropped to 17 about 5 days ago; bad idea.

How long between the dose reduction and the onset of symptoms?

[UrbanMark]

Hi folks!

I started a new career five months back - a total departure from what I had been doing for 25 years - I am no longer office based, I am out and about on the tools and loving it. I have lost two stones in weight and I feeling a lot fitter.

There was some initial teething problems fitting in to the new team, as a few of them acted like they were thirty year old children.

I think much of my anxiety/depression was down to my last place of work, I should have left it many years ago for my health's sake, but now I am going onward and upwards in my new place of work.

Because I am feeling a lot better I plan to stop taking Citalopram at the end of February 2018 - once the bad winter is out of the way - if....that is Trump and Jong UN don't Nuke us all first....

[CenturyEyes]

Hey, just wanted to say thanks for chronicling the journey thus far, it's been really helpful to me and very similar to my own experience with Citalopram 20mg. I've been taking it for 3+ years myself, tried to stop taking it a while back but after that backfired I came to the conclusion that, at least for the time being, it's something that I need to be on. I hope one day to be able to come off it, and I hope your taper in 2018 goes well! Good luck!

[UrbanMark]

Hi folks, thanks for the kind messages - we're all in this together.

I just wanted to input an update, I'm still loving my new job despite some run ins with a few ten year old adults...
I don't feel half as anxious as I did in my last job, I think that's because a lot of bad things in my life happened when I worked there, and I think my mind couldn't separate those incidents with my place of work - so it's much better now.

My current situation is 20mg Cit.
I feel like I am in a numb body with my emotions switched off.
I have a hypersensitive personality and I think Cit `switches' it off, otherwise it would be incredibly difficult to function.
I have realised that I cannot handle alcohol, maybe it's time to knock it on the head, the panic, guilt and fear I have after drinking all night is absolutely terrible, suicidal thoughts sometimes and it's all self-inflicted.

I am really hoping to get off the Cit in 2018, I plan to reduce to 10mg gradually and stay on that doseage for at least two months before going to five for two months then 5mg every other day for two months. I will combine this with exercise, fresh air and no alcohol. I'm hoping to start this on the 1st of Feb 2018.

Have a very happy Christmas and great New Year and remember, help is only an ask away.

[epitaxial]

Thanks for the update UrbanMark. Hopefully 2018 will bring you success. You may want to think about a smaller drop of 2.5mg instead as I've read many people have had success with that.