Plan for coming off 40mg citalopram

[Turquoise]

Hi all, after 9 months I feel ready to wean myself of Citalopram. It's been great - I'm much better (had PND). I'm doing this in full consultation with GP and have cut down to 30mg for past week with no ill-effects. Anyone with advice about timescale to get off completely? Is 6 weeks in-between each reduction the way to go?

[no_name]

6 weeks would be definitely ok. It is a long period, but i would make it that way too, just to be sure everything goes right. Good luck!

[Turquoise]

Hi all, just thought I'd check in to let you know how I'm doing with my reduction. All good, I had a week or so of increased palpatations, anxiety and headaches that began a few days after reduction, but then I stablised. Been on 30mg for 4 weeks now and am going to reduce to 20mg today. Having tried (and failed) to reduce once before (did it in one 20mg jump) my big safety net is that I know I can stabilise quickly by reverting to my full dose, but I'm confident that won't be necessary this time. Good luck in your recovery everyone.

[rainbow76]

Hi turquoise

Its good to hear that things are going well, i have just registered here on advice from someone. I too have been suffering from PND and have been on citalopram, my highest dose was 30mg, i played with the dose a lot to get it right (obviously with my GP) and like you tried to reduce my dose, i went from 30 to 20 to 10, i crashed again when i hit 10 and realised that all was not as good as i had thought, so went back to 20 and then 30. I then went for therapy which really helped and was then reduced to 20 and am now on 10. All i would say is dont be in a hurry to reduce this dose too quickly. Sadly i crashed again at the weekend and now have no idea what to do? Take your time and really think about whether you are ready or not, there is no shame in reducing slowly. i think my GP adviced 6 - 8 wks between reductions, and only if you feel ok then you can reduce it further.

Good luck, thinking of you

[Turquoise]

so, it seems I got off lightly with my first reduction. Day 6 of 2nd reduction from 30 to 20mg and feel horrendously light-headed. Heart racing too. Mood is still good though. Any clue as too how long this will last? I'm sure I read somewhere that if it goes on more than 2 weeks then reduction may have been too much, too soon. Keen to ride it out for time being, hope I'm strong enough.

Thanks for your post Rainbow, keen to hear more about your experience - what made you increase dose again - did it just become obvious that the unpleasant things you were experiencing were more fundamental then withdrawal symptoms?

[Flora_UK]

so, it seems I got off lightly with my first reduction. Day 6 of 2nd reduction from 30 to 20mg and feel horrendously light-headed. Heart racing too. Mood is still good though. Any clue as too how long this will last?

Hey, I hope you are doing ok. I am reading your posts with interest. I am in a similar situation although I went cold turkey!! I am now back on 10mg of cit and have stabilised the withdrawal.

How are you feeling? Are the withdrawals subsiding?

I went cold turkey from 40mg to two days of 20mg then nothing. I lasted nearly 2 weeks whilst I was on leave from work. I thought the side affects would have reduced enough for me to return to work level headed. This was not the case as I return to work today and have been back on cit for the last 2 days, including sleeping tablets.

Do let me know how you are doing?

flora

[Turquoise]

Hi Flora, great to hear from you. SO much better today - no light-headedness so am hoping what I experienced in last few days were withdrawal effects rather than underlying depression / anxiety. Will keep posting here... hope you are feeling better today.

[Flora_UK]

Sounds like you are really managing well. That's really promising - keep going and don't give up. I think a good diet will help too. Regular small meals seems to be working for me.

I am taking 10mg in the mornings just before I go to work despite previously taking 40mg before bed. It seems to be working and I really do feel fine. I have had a couple of tearful days but nothing I can't handle.

Keep on keeping on has to be the way forward.

I want to kick citalopram out of my system before winter comes - not long but I feel I need a goal.

Flora

[Turquoise]

Just a quick update - 2 weeks into reduction to 20mg and feel absolutely normal. Just try and stick with it through the side effects, you are not still depressed and they do subside - in my experience in days not weeks. Good luck everyone.