citaloprom is it dangerous

[jimmyj]

I have read many scare stories of people using this SSRI for many years and it causing permanent damage ( withdrawal) .Is it safe to use and eventually come off ?

[Debs21uk]

Hi,

I've been on and off citalopram for over 12yrs now, more on than off, I have had no problems at all. Any medication of this type will have withdrawal effects but many are avoided if you slowly come down the dose. I am coming down the dose to change medication and by doing it slowly I have had minimal withdrawals.

They are not addictive like many drugs and withdrawal effects are not the same as being addicted where your body craves the drug. There will be scare stories everywhere on the internet which you need to put in perspective, the ppl writing these stories are the ones the drug didn't work for, the rest are out living their life not writing reviews as the drugs have helped them.

Best of luck x

[MyNameIsTerry]

Withdrawal isn't damage, permanent or otherwise. Withdrawal is just Discontinuation Syndrome.

If experiencing the side effects of this on antidepressants equated to permanent damage, then surely so would the onset side effects? It's just the body getting used to the drug and the changes it is making, whether starting or stopping.

I don't think they know the true possibilities with newer meds yet, so it can't perhaps be ruled out, and there are research articles about depression being caused by some of these meds when they were originally prescribed for anxiety instead (but stopping the med caused the depression to dissipate, hence whey they know it's the drug), so I share your concern as a long term user myself now. But be careful with user stories, some of these people may just be experiencing their own anxiety coming back and the longer we suffer badly with anxiety, the more complex & impacting it seems to often become.

[jimmyj]

i was on for about 4 years and came off last year ,feel pretty anxious and grumpy all the time but dont want to go back on as worried of long term effects.I now have had a headache for about a month that wont shift ,is this all just anxiety ?

[Mermaid16]

Hi Jimmy! I have also been on Sertraline for a long time, over 10 years and tapering off as it isn't working any more. I did quite a quick taper, and had quite intense withdrawal symptoms (I did this on my doctors advice). At the end of the day there is no answer to your question. No one knows if this is your original symptoms returning, is it caused from being on the medication and now not being on it. I guess all you can do is make a call as to the way forward. I am no psychiatrist obviously, but if your brain takes 8-12 weeks to get use to these mefications than maybe it getting used to being without them takes a similar amount of time...I don't know. Maybe give it a bit more time another month or so and see if you feel differently then. Tracy

[jimmyj]

Thanks how long have you been off sertraline for then >

[jimmyj]

Thanks but having briefly looked at Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker does tis mean that people who take AD's long term will be chronically ill forever even after they have stopped ?? This is anxiety ridden in itself surely