View Full Version : please help me come off citalopram
Hi all, i have been taking citalopram now for around 11 months and i really want to come off them, i do feel much better but have completley lost my sex drive and i mean 100% nothing there. I went to the docs and she agreed it was time to come off them but she told me to do it over 2 weeks and then stop. I have read so many awful things about the side effects of coming off them i am so so scared. Dizziness is a huge phobia of mine i just cant stand it and this is a side effect. I currently take 20 mg has anybody had any good experience with coming off them my doctor has offered me no support and infact just rolled her eyes when i went in just for that. I feel if i dont get any help i will just take them forever i know they are not addictive but i feel i am now mentaly addicted to them if that makes any sense. Please help xxx
I had reduced sex drive too, I also found it nearly impossible to climax on them. Im on mirtazapine now and ive no problem. So if youre still anxious/depressed then consider swapping to another type.
Onto the withdrawl stuff.
It'll take longer than 2 weeks if you want to do it with the least problems possible.
My advice would be to get a prescription for 10mg.
Then swap between then 20 and 10. So day 1 - 20, day 2 - 10, day 3- 20, day 4- 10. Then after a while youll be ready to swap to 10. Youll know when this is as youll be feeling no wierd side effects onthe days where you only take a 10mg pill.
Then you can taper down by cutting the 10 in half and doing 10>5>10>5.
OR
You can start cutting the 20 smaller into 3/4 of the pill and taking 15mg until you feel fine on those, then go down to 10.
Just make sure you listen to your body and only drop once you feel ok on the lower dose.
thanks so much i am so scared to come off them i really cant stand being dizzy :-(
suzannacorfu
11-07-10, 14:29
Dear Rebecca,
I was on 20mg Citalopram for 12 months and came off in january. i too an terrified of dizziness but I had absolutely NO problem AT ALL and neither will you. My psychiatrist (also a great friend of mine!) told me to do this:
15mg for 4 days
10mg for 4 days
5mg for 4 days
nothing
This gives you 12 days to do it and the system is fine.
PS I am sure that Vixxy's way is perfect too!!!
Please remember that EXPECTING dizzynedd will almost always PRODUCE dizzyness!!! So tell yourself that they is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that you will feel dizzy...
Hugs Suz
PPS Let us know how it went
PPPS I too had trouble climaxing while on Citalopram but I have a feeling it may have been due to not having any sex while on it...LOL
Suz
HI there,
I have never been on citalopram but I have been on prozac a number of times and I believe that the drugs are similar. The first time I came off it, I reduced it to every other day over two weeks then cut it out. The withdrawal was horrible, I was dizzy all the time, anxious, just felt horrible. The next time, I did it much more slowly. I basically took a half dose every other day and a full dose every other day for about ten days, then I cut it down to a half dose every day, then a half dose one day and a quarter dose the next, then a quarter dose every day, then a quarter dose every other day, and eventually stopped. Doing it that way I never had a single symptom of withdrawal. It took about a month but it was so worth it. The prozac I was taking came in capsules, so I had to split them and take half the powder out, then when I was on quarter dose take three quarters out. I always put the remaining powder back in the capsule and took it that way as I think taking it in the capsule affects the speed at which it releases. I was on 20mg and my doc would not give me 10mg as she did not believe that withdrawl symptoms exist! The key is just to do it s l o w l y!!! As long as you do that you'll be fine. Good luck!
Listen to your body, you will know when to drop down to a smaller amount :)
hi - i was interested in this post because i too am coming off citalopram but i have to say that if you look at most withdrawal sites - alternating doses 10 one day 20 another is NOT the way advised - this is to do with the half life of the drug etc and what you end up with is a see saw effect although i realise most gp's advise this method. i only know this because i have done a lot of research over the past few weeks.
the best way is to cut down very gradually. 15 mg for at least two weeks and then 10mg for at least two weeks and so on - keeping on a set dose for at least 2 weeks cuts down the chance of withdrawal symptoms apparently.
i had to smile when i read about the lack of climaxing - they have the opposite effect for me!!! although prozac "numbed" me down there lol!
i do not feel 100% anxiety free by any means but have realised that this is my tendancy and have learnt so much about dealing with it that i am not actually sure the meds are helping anymore because i still have to overcome big wobbles on it and so am going down the eat well, sleep well, exercise routine. i have been on 10mg for 10 months as my dose was lowered when i had thyroid problems so have a pill cutter and am taking 7.5mg at the moment.
good luck!
That's interesting joannap, I have never heard of the see saw effect but it makes sense. The third time I came off prozac (I have been on it three times in total) I did use the slow withdrawl method, reducing the dose gradually over about 6 weeks, and that worked for me too, I think slowly does it is the key. My GP advised me to come off it over 2 weeks but I think two months would be a better guideline. I just wish that GPs were more informed about these drugs, since when I came off for the first time my withdrawal was really bad but my Dr said there was no such things as withdrawl from SSRIs so then of course I thought I had something serious wrong with me that was causing all my symptoms. :doh:
thanks guys, unfortunatley i havnt had the courage to do it yet ive just took another 20 mg so dissapointed with myself. My doctor said you dont get withdrawals but thats not what ive read, i was under my local mental health team wish i still was maybe id get a little more support from them :-(
I have made my own decision to come off Cits myself. I didnt want to be on them in the first place and I do not believe that I needed them, this was backed up by a professor I saw. Instead of addressing my concern, the Dr believed it easier to put me on Cits.
I have started this morning. I am currently on 20mg, have been for 5 months, and have only taken half a pill this morning. I will do this for 2 weeks then go to the Dr and tell them what I have done and that I want a course of 5mg for a further 2 weeks.
I have to agree that I have had no interest in sex at all whilst being on these and it has nearly destroyed my relationship with my partner. I have also gained 5kgs too so the sooner I am off these the better. Though I accept that many people think these are great and they do work for the majority that need them. Good luck rebeccad.
maybe ill be a little braver tomorrow :-(
tashbarnes87
12-07-10, 18:25
i have no advice hun as im not on any tablets but just wanted to say good luck xx
don't see it as a failure lol - i was terrified about coming down from 10mg to 7.5mg! but am acutally quite excited now. if you truly need to go back on them - you can do - why not try to cut down to 15mg for a month and then 10mg - go slowly.
ps - i agree with the statements made about gp's lack of knowledge - it really is quite scary how little they know! x
StressedEric
12-07-10, 21:48
I was on 20mg Cit. for 3 months then up to 25mg for a short time but after speaking to GP, she wants me to try something else as my anxiety still high. However I would like to try and cope without meds if I could as cit. made me feel spaced out and don't want to do thru more side effects of new med!
Anyway, she suggested comin down 5mg steps from 25-0mg over just over a week (from 25-20mg for 3 days, 15mg for 2 days etc.) I'm feeling a little more spaced out (than uaual!) on my first day on 15mg but nothing I can't handle but I'm also scared of withdrawl effects. After reading earlier posts I agree that it is a good idea to do the reducing more slowly so I will discuss it with my doc. Cheers. :)
ok so here goes just took 15 mg so hope im not gonna feel dizzy i can cope with the sickness just not the dizziness :-)
k so day 2 of only 15 mg, how stupid for this to be an issue but it really is hopefully if i was gonna have any severe withdrawals they would have happened by now thanks everyone.
xx
Glad to hear you are okay. It`s day 3 for me and I feel no difference at all. I only only taking half of a 20mg tablet. I am planning to see the GP on Friday and will tell him what I have done. According to the leaflet that comes with the Cits, the withdrawal process is 2 weeks, so hopefully will be cit free a week Monday.
Good luck rebeccad
georgina20
14-07-10, 09:56
Hiya i came of cits about 6wks ago never rush it .the side effects are bloody horrible was on cits for 9 mths had enough 40mg making like a zombie .drop to 20 felt dizzy crying etc but put up with it for about a week nhalf .stayed on 20 for 2 weeks drop to 10 mg same kindab thing happened . i thought ok this is it the last 10mg so after 2weeks i stopped the 10mg .bad news big shock to the body .DONT DO THIS ! like above listen to your body do all this over a period of time n when you reach 10mg go to 5 then 2.5mg then when you off them support your body with .vitimins minerals esp vit b s i heard st johns wort is good ask your pharmacy .n if you feel like crap for a while dont beat yopurself up about it !this is the nearly the first day after 6 weeks i have woken up without no dizziness .whish i had gone on this NMP THREADS before i would certainly not done it thje way i did . but now im so glad im off them .good luck drop 5mg a time please may take a bit longer but much better for your body take care:bighug1:
thanks for that georgina and mightypc well done we can do it together lol, i feel a bit wooshy if thats a work but maybe its all in my head as i have only dropped 5 mg, keep going and good luck xxx
ps keep me posted on how you feel as your a day ahead of me,
georgina20
14-07-10, 14:23
hiya glad to help just remember if you feel like crap!!!!!its not u ,its the side effects i kinda struggled with one ! good luck:)
I stopped my cital's last week & whoa mega head-shocks / dizziness, im hopping this will pass im going to give another week to see if they calm down.
Just to update you, I am now on week three and now will take half a tab, 10mg every other day. I feel fine so far, no side effects apart from a dry tongue and mouth. I never thought that I should have been on them in the first place and this was reiterated by a professor and councillor. I went to my Dr 2 weeks ago, told her what I was doing which she was not happy about saying that the course is for 6 months. She said the choice is yours good luck. The astonishing thing is that she never gave me any advice on withdrawing or prescribed a lower dose.
The strange thing is that since I have cut down on the cits my back, shoulder pain has gone. I am eating less and my sex drive is starting to return. I am hoping that I can shed the weight as quickly as I gain it whilst on these.
How are you getting on Rebecca?
I have seen in a few other posts people saying they have cut down to 5mg then 2.5mg. My understanding is they do not produce 5 or 2.5mg. Is this right? Or do people cut a 10mg in half?
Good luck Paul and thanks for the verification
10 days now off 20mg cital. Head shocks have calmed down they are still there but not as bad now. May even go to a house party tomorrow for a few drinks whoop whoop...
Hi bboy,
Well done for coming off the citalopram...just read through your thread and you have done well!!
Enjoy the party!!!
TC
Jo.xx
bboy, what are head shocks? Is that where you get a strange feeling in your head fopr a second or two? I am experiencing this.
Hi,
I've been looking around for some help while i'm coming off my tablets so thought i'd give this a try.
I've been on Citalopram for over a year and have been reducing my dose over the past 4mths so that I can come off them (my decision).
Been dealing with a lot of stuff over the past year and finally feel like I am myself again and dont need the tablets.
I got down to 10mg a day and I stopped taking them a week ago now.
I have to say, it is really hard.
Got really bad withdrawal symptoms (dizziness, nausea, cant focus, lack of concentration) and feeling very emotional : (
I'm so determined to get through this but feeling ill and emotional all the time is really taking its toll on me.
Does anyone have any advise on coping with the withdrawal symptoms or how long they last for??
I'm lucky in that I do have a lot of support from my partner and my family/friends but it is hard when none of them have been through this.
hi - if you can truly accept the symptoms without adding panic/anxiety to them then i would say 14 days to 2 weeks - i once cold turkey'd off lustral and it was 2 weeks of heart racing and everything seeming really bright and loud and then it passed. I am currently down to 7.5mg but i have really taken my time. I came down from 20mg to 10mg over 6-7 months and am now on 7.5mg and have been for last 3 weeks - am going to do another week or so of this and then drop down to 5mg.
i am sure you will start to feel better soon x
all dizziness is nearly gone now, I reckon about another week and there should be no side effects left at all. Even went to the party and got drunk on sat.. good times!!! :yesyes:
By the way I went cold turkey for the past two weeks, I was on cital for 9 months.. And just decided id been on them far to long, the head shocks and dizziness were very bad but if you stick with it, it will pass for anyone else trying to come off..
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