Citalopram withdrawal

[frankie850]

So day 7 of going cold turkey from Citalopram and I'll be honest I feel awful!

Wooziness and dizziness is almost unbearable, also experiencing nausea and feel as though im floating a lot of the time. My hands and feet feel like ive been sat on them, like they are asleep. I have also now started experiencing muscle aches particularly in my neck and back and having trouble sleeping. I feel very tired because of this and actually slept through my alarm this morning which I haven't done since I have been on the medication.

I am also going cold turkey from Quetiapine but this doesn't seem to be causing problems like the Citalopram. I was more worried about coming off this to be honest because of it being an antipsychotic. I had no idea that Citalopram was so strong and could cause such devastating side effects! Had I had all the info in the first place from the doctors then I would never have started taking these tablets.

I have taken various antidepressants and these are the worst I have experienced when coming off them. My reasons for coming off all these meds is because I no longer felt like myself, I didn't feel worse which was great but I also didn't feel any better really. I felt numb and not like myself and now I feel normal again. That is my positive in all this. Hello emotions and feelings! I have missed you :D

[pinkdove]

Hi you really should have come off citalopram slowly, and as far as i know it is not an antipsycotic, it is an ssri, you should never go cold turkey, as your gp would tell you, have you read the citalopram survival guide, there is a lot of really good informantion on coming off cit, please take the time to read it, and don't put yourself through the awfull side effects, and good luck x

[frankie850]

No I know citalopram is an antidepressant but I have also come off an antipsychotic called quetiapine(not sure on spelling).

I agree I probably should come off them slowly but when your GP and mental health services have been as useless as mine you would understand the extreme measures. Also I do not believe that by reducing a dosage I would wean myself off. In fact by reading posts from here I think there is evidence that people tend to go back up to their normal dosage so I'll take my chances as I do desperately want to be free of this drug.

Thanks for the tip about the survival guide though I will definitely look it up. Wish me luck!

---------- Post added at 21:06 ---------- Previous post was at 20:28 ----------

Had a quick look at the survival guide and it's fantastic! Thank you x

[pinkdove]

Good luck frankie, i wish you all the very best in your withdrawal it must be very difficult when you do not have a support network, take care x glad you found the post helpfull, i myself have used it often, and have been reducing my dose of cit too, we will get there in the end

[frankie850]

Thank you:hugs:

[cathycrumble]

No I know citalopram is an antidepressant but I have also come off an antipsychotic called quetiapine(not sure on spelling).

I agree I probably should come off them slowly but when your GP and mental health services have been as useless as mine you would understand the extreme measures. Also I do not believe that by reducing a dosage I would wean myself off. In fact by reading posts from here I think there is evidence that people tend to go back up to their normal dosage so I'll take my chances as I do desperately want to be free of this drug.

Thanks for the tip about the survival guide though I will definitely look it up. Wish me luck!

---------- Post added at 21:06 ---------- Previous post was at 20:28 ----------

Had a quick look at the survival guide and it's fantastic! Thank you x

How right you are the gps just don't have a clue about cit or any other antidepressent drug I am sure and if I had know about cit ie side effects and withdrawals I never would have gone on them I know my illness has gone worse since starting and coming off this drug. And I am struggling at the moment. And like you said frankie, they make you numb. Your personality disapears. And you do feel real again when you come off them. However I am off them 3 weeks now and it's still hard for me I have awful fearful thoughts and I shake a lot. I have never touched drugs like heroine but, my god I bet it would feel the same coming off that to as with cit. Also reading people's experience with coming off cit, It makes no difference whether you wean off them or go cold turkey everyone still has to face withdrawals.

I wish you well coming off cit Frankie I know it's not easy I am doing it to. and I have had all the withdrawals you have had. They are all horrible, I am having CBT just had the one session so I hope it goes well for me. Good luck Frankie I will be thinking of you.

Cathy xx

[frankie850]

Thank you for sharing your experience and alsi your kind words. I am terrified that i will go back to how i was but its a risk that i want to take. I will be seekig some kind of therapy lile CBT as i feel these kind of therapies are far more beneficial long term then meds.

Good luck and my thoughts will be with you also Cathy

:hugs:

[cathycrumble]

Thanks and just think of the things that helped you to get well the positive things you did and think and build on them. Also do as I am trying to do and that is accept all the tricks our nerves play on us I have been saying come on do your worse lol :ohmy: it aint easy but I am not going to let this beat me. good luck

Cathy xx

[frankie850]

So today I have found it very difficult to wake up and get out of bed. I felt like all the muscles in my body had given up, was very weak and 'floppy'. Also experienced stomach ache/cramp as though I was starving hungry but have barely managed a few spoonfuls of cereal. The other more worrying feeling that I have today is irritability to the point of almost rage building inside me. Holding my bowl of cereal all I could think of was taking it back to the kitchen and throwing it into the sink or just launching it across the room. I don't know if this is a normal side effect of coming of citalopram or frustration on my part because of the lead up to me making the decision to coming off it. To be honest all I want to do today is pull the covers over my head and sleep/hide all day. One day at a time I suppose...this will pass - that has become my mantra when dealing with these feelings. Sometimes it helps but sometimes it feels useless

[frankie850]

Feeling more normal today. Still got a fuzzy head and a wobbly which is making me clumsy, well more clumsy than usual!

The nausea has lessened though which is good and not really aching now. Still not great sleeping and feel very tired but getting there.

To anyone else doing this, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I think I'm on about day 10. Just hang in there x

[katieinwonderlandx]

Frankie, how are you feeling now? Im on day nine, and i feel like i have died. In so much agony. Everything hurts, vomitting, shaking, crying, fainting, feel like my brain is getting electric shocks and my body doesnt move when i tell it to! Today i stood outside my front door crying with frustration, because i couldnt remember how keys and locks work together, and couldnt get in my house. Coming off citalopram cold turkey?= worst thing you can put yourself through. Please someone tell me this doesnt last much longer/ get any worse. :(

[dooleys1981]

Just after advice about citalopram withdrawl, my husbands been on it for a few years, finally getting his dose right at 60mg about 6 months ago, then this new guidance comes out that doses should not be above 40, he dropped down to that 6 days ago and is having a horrendous time, shaking, tired, irretable and down, heart palaptation the first few days....just after any advice to get him through this tough time, he was doing so well its so frustrating

[cosmic_kerry]

Hello all!

I ran out of my cit 6 days ago.. I've been on 20mg for 5 months now. My libido has died, literally dead and it's killing my relationship. I decided that I wouldn't get the next prescription and ride it out.
I feel terrible. I had a major melt down today at the same time it felt good to be able to feel again!! I'm a creative, emotional loving person 'normally'. Since cit i feel completely numb. Nothing. So after 6 days, i feel bloody crap! headache, fuzzy brain, dizziness. Somehow though i think i can handle it. Is that wise? All the information i have been reading about cold turkey has frightened the crap out of me!!

I want to feel again, i want to be able to have sex again! Yet today i had a major melt down, i felt like wanted to go to sleep and not wake up.
I don't feel like that now. I just feel really teary and really tired! I've been really snappy at the kids (3 kids - gf doesn't live with me)
I tried to convince my girlfriend to leave me today. I tried to convince her that she shouldn't be with me as i make her too unhappy. (No sex, no emotion from me, she's not happy!) I thought if i could make her leave me then i wouldn't feel so guilty about not giving her what she needs.

OMG i'm a mess.....

Sorry for my ramblings. I will stop here.

[Goggy]

Hi guys

I was only on cit for about 2 1/2 months and my doc said to just stop which I did and have been off them for 3 weeks now was just wondering when the withdrawl stops?

[sleepygirl]

Hi. I've been on citalopram for just over a year. I got my prescription through my GPs online service. I went to renew my prescription and it came up that I needed to review the meds with my doctor. However, I've been unable to get an appointment, and they only do phone consultations while I'm working, so I can't do that!
I'd been thinking of coming off citalopram anyway as my depression/anxiety has been stable for some months. I was going to do it properly - reduce dose etc - but because of this situation I'm now on cold turkey day 5! The symptoms have brought home to me how nasty this drug really is - I'm quitting this stuff for good.

[cazza151]

OMG i thought i was dying until i read your comments ...the " brain zaps" and dizzines where the worst i was convinced i had a tumour !!! I have been taking 10mg citalopram for 7 yrs and as they wernt preventing my anxiety attacks i weaned myself off them to the point i was taking 1 every 3 or 4 days ..however due to the withdrawals i am now back on 10mg daily and it has helped to a certain degree although i do still feel very panicky ..it got to the point where i couldnt even leave the house to take my son to school !! Thanks for making me realise im not terminally ill its just this horrible medication ...i wish i had been told about these withdrawals before i started taking them :)

[Sparkle1984]

Hi. I've been on citalopram for just over a year. I got my prescription through my GPs online service. I went to renew my prescription and it came up that I needed to review the meds with my doctor. However, I've been unable to get an appointment, and they only do phone consultations while I'm working, so I can't do that!
I'd been thinking of coming off citalopram anyway as my depression/anxiety has been stable for some months. I was going to do it properly - reduce dose etc - but because of this situation I'm now on cold turkey day 5! The symptoms have brought home to me how nasty this drug really is - I'm quitting this stuff for good.

I hope you will be able to get an appointment with your doctor soon so that you will be able to wean yourself off them safely. I would hate for you to undo all the good progress you've made over the last few months. Your employer should be able to give you time off if you say you have a doctor's appointment. You don't have to tell your doctor what the appointment is about if you don't want to.

The symptoms you've been having are withdrawal effects, they're not the citalopram itself.

---------- Post added at 21:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:14 ----------

Cold Turkey is only for Boxing Day! :roflmao:

[Emphyrio]

I was on escitalopram (10mg) for 2 months back in 2003 and citalopram for around 6 weeks at the start of this year. Although I was on a low dose in each case I developed terrible agitation and a worsening of my intrusive thoughts around 2-3 months after I stopped (this was a few weeks after the 'zaps' stopped).

I don't know whether this was just the anxiety/pure o thoughts returning but it didn't happen to me when I stopped taking fluoxetine (this has a natural taper because of its very long half life). But in any case, you should taper off medication very, very gradually - over a period of weeks - especially in the case of medication with a short half life.

[Sparkle1984]

What confuses me is how someone can say citalopram is a "nasty drug" even though it helped keep their depression and anxiety stable for many months? :huh: I'd say that's pretty awesome! This sort of comment could cause unnecessary anxiety to people who are new to the medication. It does say on the patient information leaflet to wean gradually, so surely it's not the pharmaceutical company's fault if someone doesn't want to follow the instructions? What does everyone think about this? It's really helping me so that's why I feel the need to stick up for them. :)

[nippy70]

The leaflet in the box says never jus stop taking the cit...... there are hundreds of posts on here that say never go cold turkey.... always ween yourself off them , lower your mg about 5 times every few months ,,, why are people still doing the cold turkey routine then complaining about the side effects , people say they run out of tablets and can get an appointment for a week ,,, when u get your new box of cit book a new appointment a week before they run out so u will never go with out ,

[gs]

hi, ive been on citalopram for about 18mths for anxiety and panic attacks...(after a very long diagnosis....ecg's, frequent trips to a&e for tacchycardia and 3 months on diltiazem!! which made me absolutely dizzy) so was glad when gp finally said after 2 yrs he thought i had anxiety! the citalopram really helped i started off on 10mg then went up to 20mg for 18mths...started feeling like my old self again..... this year in feb, me and my husband decided we would try for a baby....no joy....i immediately thought it was the tablets so decided to try and come off them....big mistake....i felt ok at first reducing them to every other day and then only having them every 3 days and so on (still on 20mg!!) then stopped taking them.....this was approximately 2-3 weeks ago...still trying for baby...nothing... i got flu 2 weeks ago and started with headaches, dizziness, not wanting to get out of bed really very tired....thought it was just a cold and waited 2 weeks but then decided go to gp....he gave me antibiotics and sent me home...took 2 days of antibiotics now and feel terrible....very dizzy, bad mood, irritable, tired, no appetite...then googled citalopram and found out my symptoms could be withdrawls!!!!! omg...i went straight for my packet of tablets and took a 20mg tonight to try and make me feel better....really worried now about how this will effect me and what i should do next???

---------- Post added at 23:03 ---------- Previous post was at 23:01 ----------

i also been having like pins and needles sensations and like little electric shocks....very bad vivid dreams too :weep:

[cazza151]

i reached for the citalopram after 2 wks with out ( i did wean off them ) and most of the dizziness is gone now however i do have a lot of anxiety ..yesterday i had to go out and i was a complete mess i did ask my GP if these tablets where addictive and he told me no they are not ...i really think these meds need examining agian as seems alot of people are having alot of problems ...keep up the good work all those that have stuck with coming off these meds you all deserve a medal and i hope your symptoms pass soon as it will give us hope xx take care

[little scientist]

Cazza, they are not addictive in the sense of an illegal drug being addictive (ie they do not cause the urge to need a "hit" so to speak like a drug such as cocaine)

[cazza151]

i do feel as though i am addicted, as long as i know they are within reach i am ok or if i havnt had any i fell like a junkie who needs a fix, not that ive had that experience but im sure thats what it feels like ..if they arnt addictive why do u have to be weaned off ?
been the doctors today and was told off for weaning myself off without help ..im on day 6 of taking citalopram again and must admit i fell " normal " i even left the house last night, 1st time in 3 wks, and didnt have a panic attack BIG WOOP !!! i feel that patients should be given more information about these range of medicines if id had known how difficult a time id have coming off them i dont think i would have taken them in 1st place and looked for an alternative, after 11 yrs of panic attacks i am now having CBT which is hard. it hads changed my way of thinking so it is working ...before i always used to think i would not still be on this planet by christmas but now i find myself saying by my next birthday ) june ) i will be a whole different person ........keep up the good work everyone and if you feel you cant cope there is no shame in asking for help or even starting again on your meds until you find the time and help to do it more slowly ...GOOD LUCK