Withdrawal from Citalopram

[Nikki111]

As of yesterday i have come off Cit (10mg every other day) and for the last few days i've been having a headache/tension feeling across my brow. Last night i felt dizzy and light headed and today have been feeling the same. Is this a normal side effect? I discussed this with my Dr and he said as i was on a very low dose, i wouldn't have any side effects but these would be physcological. I am worried that i will go back to feeling, low, depressed, anxious but i'm also worried about the side effects of coming off Cit.

[rebeccad]

Arrrghhh really annoys me when docs tell people this , when I came off cit I felt dizzy sick and every time I turned my head it felt like my brain hadn't caught up , this lasted for about 4 weeks x

[BumbleGirl]

Hi Nikki, to be honest I think it depends on the person so I don't think your dr can tell you you wouldn't have any withdrawal effects as if 10mg didn't do anything they wouldn't put people on that dose. I'm on 40mg citalopram every day and a few times I have run out of pills and missed 2 days worth and the side effects I have had are feeling down and anxious. Hopefully you won't go back to feeling depressed but there's always that risk. You will deal with it if it happens I'm sure :-) good luck xxx

[pacer]

I came off Citalopram a few years ago, was on 40mg and slowly decreased it and the withdrawals weren't nice. I was really dizzy and had like electric shock feelings in my head. They lasted a few weeks until they totally disappeared.

[JustJules]

As of yesterday i have come off Cit (10mg every other day) and for the last few days i've been having a headache/tension feeling across my brow. Last night i felt dizzy and light headed and today have been feeling the same. Is this a normal side effect? I discussed this with my Dr and he said as i was on a very low dose, i wouldn't have any side effects but these would be physcological. I am worried that i will go back to feeling, low, depressed, anxious but i'm also worried about the side effects of coming off Cit.

Nikki,

I have been on and off Citalopram for quite a few years and the only way to not get any side affects are to do it very, very slowly. I read an article about it on the internet years ago as Dr's always say they aren't addictive but you can experience withdrawal symptoms. What I did was to chip a little bit of the tablet every day and did that for at least a month to six weeks and then just half a tablet, again, for six weeks or so and then half a tablet every other day etc. It works, with no problems. If you have problems after you've come off the Citalopram, you've come off them too early - you'll know when you're ready.

Take care.

Julie

[Nikki111]

Thankyou for all your replies, good luck to you all too :)

[Pcdaft]

hi nikki i agree with jules thats what i did and it worked hope you feel better soon ? x