Citalopram for ever?

[hopeful1]

Does anyone else feel they will be on Citalopram forever. I have struggled with health anxiety for 20 years and been on and off and on again Citalopram for 9 years. I reduced my dose to 10mgs 3 months ago but the dreaded anxiety returned and my GP advised going back up to 20 mg, she cannot understand why I would like to survive tablet and anxiety free.
.... it will never happen. Perhaps I should accept my crazy side and give up the fight and just take the tablet.. Please somebody tell me I am not alone. It would be OK but the weight is unstable and the memory shot to pieces!

[brucealmighty]

you are certainly not alone, I had dreadful health anxiety for years and was on cit for 15 years with only a total of a few months off it.
I tapered off very slowly in the end and have been off it 2 years and 1 month successfully. I don`t count myself as cured or any better than anyone i just know I feel `right` somehow. I still have days when I truly sh*t myself with fears but they tend to only get to a 7 or 8 on my old panic rating scale and comes down more quickly.

I was also asked why do you want to struggle, if you bled you`d put a plaster on and all that, but I knew that deep down I didn`t want to be reliant on anything if I could manage without it ,its different if you`re talking insulin or that sort of thing of course.

its certainly possible to come off when you`re ready just take your time and put other things in place like reduced caffeine, exercise, sleep, and release mechanisms like meditating or writing down your worries then burning the paper.

hope this helps

[hopeful1]

Thank you for your reassuring reply. When you say slowly reduce, how slowly do you mean. Perhaps I went at it like a bull in a China shop desperate to be Normal!

[brucealmighty]

I tapered for months so I'd have 20mg for 6 days out of 7 with 10mg on the 7th, then 20 x 5 days 10 x 2 etc but I plateaud for weeks on end so I went nice and steady. think the last few months was 5mg every other day then twice weekly to nothing. there's no rush just see how you go and do it with your gp.

[hopeful1]

Wow that is slower. Good idea though, perhaps at that rate the old bod won't notice what I am up to. I will save this for a later date when I feel a bit stronger, winter is not a good time for me! Thank you, it is so good to know I am not in this on my own - always relieved to find fellow sufferers, if you know what I mean.

[Pamplemousse]

A very slow withdrawal may be best. At one time (when I thought I was finally in a 'good place') I was advised to reduce my 20mg dose to two tablets in three days for two weeks, then one tablet in three days for two weeks, then one a week for two weeks.

It did not work for me (the nightmares were terrifying), and to be honest the 20mg only just about keeps me on an even keel - it could really be more if I'm truthful. But... I'm going to be on various other pills for the rest of my life, so what's one more...? Some of the well-known side effects are immaterial to me anyway.

If you feel that you are in a position to come off it, then try it. But there's no shame in remaining on it.

[brucealmighty]

spot on pamplemouse, right now I'm good but if I felt I wasn't coping again I'd have no problem trying meds again rather than having another breakdown. no shame at all in looking after yourself.

[kevinHuston]

I've been on citalopram for about 9 months now for depression/anxiety. It took a while to start working(little benefits first 6 months) but now, im feeling more like myself(and more in my body). Ill have to talk to my doc, but ive seen very little side-effects, so if Im feeling better, I wouldnt mind staying on it for ever. (Ive been to some dark places mentaly, so I want to STAY in the happy world forever lol.

[pollynewsome]

I've been on cit for 9 months too. Started feeling like my old self after 7 months.. but this last week feeling just like I did before I started it. Been on 30mg for about 2 months now. Fed up is an understatement xx

[venusbluejeans]

My Dr bought this up with me the last time I saw her...

She says that some people just have that chemical imbalance in their brain and may actually benefit from being on anti-depressants all of their lives..... she likened it to other medication.

if you have high blood pressure would you just take the medication untill your blood pressure came down?? no you would continue taking it so that your blood pressure stays stable... she said she sees it as the same with anxiety etc.

I personally hate taking medication for anxiety but it has helped a hell of a lot.... obviously I still work on the reasons I have it BUT have accepted the fact that I may have to be on Citalopram for the rest of my life (but maybe at the low dose) an up it a little if I start to have a major blip.