Citalopram - coming off cold turkey

[Peachsh]

Hi all, although I know it isn't recommended I just wanted to share my cold turkey experience.
I have been on citalopram 20mg for over 18 moths due to panic attacks and pnd, they genuinely helped me out of a bad place and I would recommend anyone who is suffering random panic attacks to speak to their doctor to see if they could help. After about 12 months the doc was happy just to give me them when i ran out, no questions asked. So about a fortnight ago I took my last tablet not realising I had no more left. I put in a prescription, and having to wait the 48hours it took me over the weekend. So after 2 days of the head whooshing and dizziness I thought about not collecting the prescription and just going cold turkey, I looked all over the Internet for support but found none.
Finally I decided to stick to my desicion and stayed away from them.
Day 1-3 I was dizzy
Day 4 -8 more dizzy slightly nauseous
Day 9 - now perfectly clear head, have actual emotions and opinions!
Although it isn't recommended to come off cold turkey, I did and survived! I saw the doctor on day 8 and she told me to stay off them and listen to classical music to help with sleep (didn't do that but hey)
So for anyone who wants to or accidently(like myself) go cold turkey from citalopram, there is light at the end of the tunnel :)

[pollynewsome]

OMG so tempting! My head was no where near as foggy before the tabs and also the tension headaches were not an issue. My main problems are the need to get a deep satisfying breath and not being able too.. and now tension headaches. 10 week on 20mg and still feel rubbish, bit better than i was though, x

[Peachsh]

My advise would be to stick at them and if they are not working still, then see the doctor again and ask him to try something new, it's really worth it, I used to have that uneasy deep breath feeling, I think it was anxiety, good luck :winks: x

[pollynewsome]

aww thank you. X

[Suziewuzie]

I went cold turkey after a month & I wanted to section myself after three days!
It just goes to show the importance of being in a good place before you stop any meds.
I have stopped Sertraline cold turkey after 2 years because I was 100% totally fine and knew I wouls be OK, but I would never recommend doing it.

[Victory2016]

Good luck!!!! Hope it works out for you. Just be on the watch out for protracted withdrawal, which can happen a few months later since you went cold turkey. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but it has happened to a lot of people. Keep us updated on how you are feeling. :hugs:

[Gettingbetternow]

Thank you so much I too am going turkey after 10+ years on 40mg am on day 7 and apart from a few aches a bit of headache and frequent toilet trips today it's been relatively easy.

[lulu12]

Wow cold turkey is tempting! especially the way you describe it. I have been on 20mg for 18 months - cut down to (approximately) 15 mg for the last week and I think I am going to give 10mg a try this week. My doctor suggested just cut my dose to 10 mg for a week and then stop completely! Said that was considered a good taper. Anyway, I am going slower because I am sensitive to side effects. So far so good..

[panic_down_under]

Going off any psych med - antidepressant, antipsychotic, benzodiazepine, beta-blocker especially, mood stabilizer, etc - cold-turkey is a very dumb idea. You might get away with it relatively unscathed emotionally and physically as the OP apparently did, but many don't.