Going back onto antidepressant, citalopram :(

[Justin1973]

Hi everyone,

Last night I couldn't get any sleep. I kept shaking, I was sweaty and hot one minute and cold the next. I tried hard to relax and clear my mind. I managed to relax some of the time but, It didn't last long :(

I'm feeling terrible; out of control and just fed up with this ongoing anxiety. Relaxation CD's are helping at the time and for while after however, the anxiety feelign soon come back and I'm back to square one, again.

I'm not looking forward to going AD's. I'm sure it'll be citalopram. I was on it from Aug 02 last year till May this year. I tried to wean myself off properly but couldn't. I felt awful trying to wean myself off. i really needed the support to get off them. Yet, I started the weaning off process too early in anycase. I didn't alow six months to pass without a twinge of anxiety. My sister said that this is what I shold of done. Mum said the same thing the councellor I saw last Thurs. said the same. I was told by a doctor to just stop taking them, or go down to 10mg (I was in 20mg from Aug to April) and just stop taking them provided I wasn't getting any anxiety. Well, I wasn't anxious on 10mg. I wasn't actually anxious while weaning myself off, of them!!!! I just head wooshes, low immune system and over sensitive eyes.

As I say; I'm not looking forward to going back on them. The plus side is that I've done this before so I know exctly what to expect. The side effects sholdn't be as frightening as they were back in Aug/beginning of sept last year.

On the positive side; I'm making a positive decision. I can't do this without AD's alone. I've tried for a over 5 weeks now and anxiety's getting worse so... I think this is the right move to make.

How is everyone else coping with citalopram?

[pinkdove]

:hugs:Hi Justin, sorry you are having a bad time at the moment, but you have maybe stopped your meds too soon, i did that early 2010, stopped citalopram slowly, did,nt have much trouble gettting off them , but by may/june i was feeling awfull roughly 3 months after stopping them, i unfortunately got really ill, and spent some moonths in bed, but in october last year started citalopram again started on 10 mg and got up to 60mg gradually, i am now taking 35mg at night and now am almost back to my old self, it was'nt too bad getting back on them, as i had been on them before, but i did need a hight dose ( you might not ) my advice would be to get help, and not let it go on too long, after all it is only a tablet, and if it makes you feel better, then it is so worth taking. hope you feel better soon take care

[Justin1973]

Thanks Pinkdove :) I don't see I personally have a choice. yeh, I believe in the power of the mind and all that yet, many us do need a lot of help of other sources, like meds. I came off mine way too soon. Had a very interesting talk with the doctor today.

He says that if I'm taking just 20mg, as I was, then stoping the cold shouldn't be a problem. If I was on a higher does I'd have be weaned off then and only then.

I told the doctor about doing 10mg for a month and trying wean myself off them. told him about hte head wooshes. He believed that was the anxiety coming back. I claims that although my main anxiey issue were resolved, there'd still be anxiety hanging around for a while. I believe the head wooshes, eye sensitive to light and the feeling crappy was the anxiety coming back. I didnt' feel particularly anxous though. Maybe it was just building up to what I've suffering with now.

I does make me wonde if I'll ever be able to get off the med... ever. However, I can only tryand try again and until one day.... I really do come off them without anxiety.

I don't feel a failure for this. I just mad a big mistake this year. I took things too fast. I felt so good that I was convinced I was well enough to stop the meds. Well, not quite anyhow.

I don't know; I shouldn't worry about being the meds for a long time. I really do worry about being on tem for life. I'm sure it desn't have to be that way? I'm thinking way ahead, putting too much pressure on myself to get better.

The doctor was great, friendly and all. He gave me 20mg citalopram and diazipan (sp) to see my trhough the first couple of weeks on the med. Here we go again folks lol.

[cathycrumble]

Thanks Pinkdove :) I don't see I personally have a choice. yeh, I believe in the power of the mind and all that yet, many us do need a lot of help of other sources, like meds. I came off mine way too soon. Had a very interesting talk with the doctor today.

He says that if I'm taking just 20mg, as I was, then stoping the cold shouldn't be a problem. If I was on a higher does I'd have be weaned off then and only then.

I told the doctor about doing 10mg for a month and trying wean myself off them. told him about hte head wooshes. He believed that was the anxiety coming back. I claims that although my main anxiey issue were resolved, there'd still be anxiety hanging around for a while. I believe the head wooshes, eye sensitive to light and the feeling crappy was the anxiety coming back. I didnt' feel particularly anxous though. Maybe it was just building up to what I've suffering with now.

I does make me wonde if I'll ever be able to get off the med... ever. However, I can only tryand try again and until one day.... I really do come off them without anxiety.

I don't feel a failure for this. I just mad a big mistake this year. I took things too fast. I felt so good that I was convinced I was well enough to stop the meds. Well, not quite anyhow.

I don't know; I shouldn't worry about being the meds for a long time. I really do worry about being on tem for life. I'm sure it desn't have to be that way? I'm thinking way ahead, putting too much pressure on myself to get better.

The doctor was great, friendly and all. He gave me 20mg citalopram and diazipan (sp) to see my trhough the first couple of weeks on the med. Here we go again folks lol.

Hi Justin 1973

I feel as if I am reading about myself.Like you I felt great last april I had been on cit since the september. and I came off cold turkey and went right back to square one i am soo angry I came off them. I am back on been on them now about 11 weeks been on 40 for about 7 weeks I am still waiting for me to feel good and side effects were not good. And like you I find it hard to accept taking them that's why I came off them too quick but I am now telling myself I need them for the time being and I need to take them. they are just not kicking in quick enuf.

Cathy xx

[Justin1973]

I hope they kick in soon Cathy. That's the one bain about antidepressants is that they make you feel a lot worse before they actually work on our systems and our brain. It's horrible but, if we feel our normal selves on the then, that's worth gong through the pain for a few weeks. As long as its only a few.

I feel so stupdid stopping so soon. I was gong throgh a tough time, the whole family were back in Aprtil. That when I reduced from 20mg to 10mg. Dod that for a month then tried to wean myself off 10mg. That when I got the discontinuation symptons. I still can't understand my doctor telling me that uyou can come of AD's cold turkey provided that you're on the normal 20mg dose. Surely people don't do cold turkey off meds on the normal dose? I don't understand!

I'm like in that taking antidepressants is not nice. However, what worries me that I'll be on them for life!!!! Maybe it's too soon for me to think this way. I'm going back on them and I'm gonna be on them for a lot longer then I had previously. I'm gettingtherapy and will use the therapy tools for self help as and when. I'm trying hard to tell mself that I@m not a failure for going back on the meds. I made big mstakes i nthe way i came off them and the time I choose to do so. So, it's no surprise I'm back to square one again :( All this over a panic attack while eating dinner around someone elses house. Yeh, that really what this is a ll about now :(

I will feel better soon. I hope you will too Cathy. Keep talking to your doctor if things aren't improving. 11 weeks is a long time. Take care :)

[Bakerboy3685]

Hi Justin

I have just gone back onto Citalopram, started last Thursday so been a few days now. I have to take 10mg for a week before going upto 20mg which is what I was on before.

Like you I came off Citalopram but am back on it again, as I have been suffering from worsening anxietry it seems since I came off them (about 4 months ago).

At least we know what to expect this time, but I must admit last night I had almost no sleep as my mind was racing and I think it could be the Citalopram kicking in. I hope you don't have severe side effects as well but I know what it's like if you do because I suffered badly last time and I hope they aren't going to start again. All I want right now is a good night's sleep!

[Justin1973]

Same here bakerboy; night sleep at all Sunday night was the last strw for me. Fortunately, my mind wasn't racing so much. The odd negative thought crepped in there. It was the physical symptons of shaking and pulse pounding that kept me awake. I tried hard to relax. I got some relaxaton only to start shaking again. It like my body is reacting to living in fear and my mind knows there's nothing to fear!!!

I'm praying the side effects won't be a bad this time around although I'm expecting much the same as last time. I'm also hoping that 20mg will do the trick as it certainly did last time.

Hope you'll get on well with the cit bakerboy.