From 40mg to 0mg in 3 weeks???

[June83]

After getting lucky with a cancelation I have managed to see a doctor. I have been told to taper my cit down from 40mg to 0mg in just 3 weeks. I have been told to take 30mg for a week, 20mg for a week, 10mg for a week then 0.

From what I have researched this seems to be way to fast! I had to fight for the 30mg drop she wanted me to go from 40 to 20 over night which was horrific the other way around. I was originally planning a more gentle approach 30 mg for 3 weeks, 20mg for 3 weeks, 10mg for 3 weeks and then 5 for 3 weeks. I love the idea of being citalopram free in just three weeks but I don't think it is likely!

Should I try the doctors 3 weeks crash method or my three month method?!

[milo.1]

im trying to get my citalopram down frm 30mg to 20mg for 3 wks now & im struggling so i would say go slowly only if you feel strong enough..do it in your own time..you know how you feel more so than the dr...good luck..where did you go to research coming off cit? i could do wiv looking into it myself xx

[nomorepanic]

This is a good read...

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=46980

A lot about withdrawal in there

[gs]

in my experience...do it gradually...i stopped taking my 20mg tablets over a couple of weeks and didnt have them for about 2 weeks and got awful side effects so tonight i decided to take one and hope these side effects go....im then planning on reducing the dose very very slowly...everyone is different but i have read a lot about horrible withdrawl symptoms and had them myself in the last 2 weeks and they havent been very nice :(

[June83]

Well it has been the three weeks so I thought a little update was warranted. I had been planning to go slowly and gently with the withdrawal but then I ended up going to see yet another doctor who told me to get off them asap (the words -'being poisoned' were used!) and not to dawdle so I figured lets just do this.

Going from 40 mg to 5mg was so very easy! Every single day I felt better and better, more alive, sleeping better as the nightmare were less frightening. I was having zero withdrawal problems. Now I am stuck in the 5mg to 0mg stage and ok this is very very different! I am back to being a citalopram zombi, sleeping is all I want to do! The brain judders are driving me mad as well plus the irritability - just don't talk to me!!! Been off the tablets completely now for four days and honestly every day is getting harder. My hubby keeps holding out a 5mg dosage and ordering me to take it but I am being a stubborn mule at the moment and refusing. I've been doing the maths to work out how much of the drug is in my blood and there have been some large consecutive decreases over the last few days but it will be leveling out by the weekend so just trying to hang on until then! I cannot wait to be free from these drugs! Just focusing on keeping busy and trying not to focus on the judders too much!

[Sparkle1984]

You were poisoned by citalopram?! What exactly did the doctor mean by that? And how would someone be able to tell if they were being poisoned by it? Sorry for all the questions - I'm a bit scared, although I presume such a reaction is quite rare.

I hope you're ok?

[dread]

It's different for everyone, but if you're concerned, see another GP.

I had an amazing GP when i came off mine, and he did it in 3 month intervals, dropping 60mg- 40mg-30mg-20mg. The side effects for me were awful, but then there are other people who feel none whatsoever.
I think it depends also on how long you've been taking them - they have a half-life and the amount in your system increases the longer you've been taking them, so sometimes the withdrawel/side effects take longer to go.

[June83]

Re the word 'poisoned' I think the doctor was being a bit melodramatic to be honest but she did make me speed up my coming off it.

In her view if you have been faithfully taking a drug for 6 months and the only benefits you are getting are to live a life of crippling side effects (I was off work for 5 weeks the effects were so bad) then the drug is 'poisoning' you. It is not doing any benefits only negatives. (I should also say the doctor is 100% against antidepressives!) So not poisoned as in the literal sense but poisoned in a rather broader sense! I am feeling so much better now just waiting for the brain judders and tiredness to stop!

[Sparkle1984]

Oh I see. I did wonder, but it freaked me out when I saw the word "poisoned".

I'm glad you're feeling a lot better now. What are your plans for dealing with your anxiety now?