This is my last day on 5mg, feeling uneasy and on edge, is anxiety coming back?

[Sparkle1984]

From August last year up until last month, I was on 10mg citalopram. With my doctor's support, I have been weaning off for the last 4 weeks as I felt that my anxiety was no longer affecting my day to day life and I had learnt lots of coping techniques. For the last 4 weeks I have been on 5mg a day. For the first 2 weeks on this dose, I felt lethargic/fatigued and sometimes a bit emotional. Last week I felt pretty good.

However, for the last few days I've been feeling on edge and uneasy - I'm not sure if this could be withdrawal effects (although it has been 4 weeks since I dropped down to 5mg), or whether it's just because it's on my mind that I'll be coming off completely within the next few days. Sometimes my muscles (particularly my thighs and neck muscles) feel a bit tense too. In the back of my mind I think I'm a bit scared that I might go back to how I was in July/August last year, although what I'm going through now is nothing compared to that. I've also got my period due in the next few days too, which doesn't help as I'm already getting cramps.

Tonight will be my last 5mg dose. Then from tomorrow I drop down to 2.5mg, probably for a week, before coming off completely.

Most of the time I feel positive, but there are times when I think to myself "I hope I've made the right decision. I hope this is going to be worth it." Part of the reason I wanted to come off was to find out whether my anxiety was caused by temporary stress or by a chemical imbalance. If I'm still feeling good once I've been off the meds for a few weeks, I'll know that my anxiety episode last year was caused by stress and that it was a temporary thing. If, on the other hand, my anxiety comes back, I'll know that it's caused by a chemical imbalance. That would be more worrying as it could well be a long-term problem.

Once I've been completely off for a month, the doctor wants me to go back for another review, to see how I'm getting on. So at least if this turns out to be a total disaster, I'll be able to go back on them again if necessary.

What I'm wondering is, how do you know if these feelings are withdrawal effects or whether they're part of your own underlying anxiety?

[Hopefor2013]

Just wanted to say hang in there, trust that you made the right decision and also let you know that "Your things that are helping my anxiety" has been a tremendous help to me

[lashes]

when i came off them a few years back i was feeling the same to be honest i was a wreck coming off them so emotional and anxious but once i came off them altogether it settled down. i sometimes think its because you know that your not on them anymore so you feel anxious but at least you can try come off them and go back on them if you feel you need to x

[Laura1989]

Don't worry about it...the more you worry the worse you could feel!

I have now been off citalopram for 3/4 weeks, and feel so much better! Feel more like my old self again!!

Keep us all posted Sparkle, think positive!!
X x

[steveo]

I hope it works out for you.

It didn't for me and I had to come back on the meds. But most people do seem to come off the meds without any problems!
Best of luck. We are all here to support you x

[Sparkle1984]

Thanks for your support. I'm trying not to think about it too much. I still do my mindfulness exercises and I find them very helpful - in fact I'll probably carry on doing them forever, as I find they help to quieten my mind and take my mind off negative thoughts, especially at night time.

It's hard to describe exactly how I'm feeling - in addition to what I mentioned in my post above, I also feel a bit flat, as if I'm not looking forward to things as much as I did a week ago. But I've got loads of happy events to look forward to in 2013! Oh well, it's the weekend soon, so hopefully I'll feel better then. I don't feel quite as bad now as I did earlier this evening.

[Rachy-Rach]

Hullo!!

Congrats on getting to the point where you feel like you can come off them! I'm in my third week of being citalopram free. I tapered my 30mg down to 10 every other day and then just forgot and figured I'd just stop. The 14 days after stopping for me were much like you describe but a lot worse. However, now my body is righting itself I feel so much better! I'd give it 3 weeks without any meds before you can see where you stand without them. You tend to feel at your worst in the second week and then things gradually get better thoughout the third. Hope that helps.

[Sunshine77]

Hi Sparkle, I don't have any answers but just wanted to wish you well for your medication-free life - it's an inspiration to me a few weeks into this journey to know that there is an end in sight for others.

Whatever happens you have obviously come a very long way

[Sparkle1984]

I had a good weekend, but now I'm hiding in the toilets at work panicking because my manager is off on a training course and the director has set me and a colleague a task with a really strict deadline (Thursday) which isn't even possible with our current IT systems. It would probably take us weeks to do what he's expecting. And as our manager isn't here to back me up, I'm scared!!!

[Rachy-Rach]

Hey,

I'm just getting ready for work myself. Slowly breathe in and out for 3 minutes. Count to 7 breathing in and 11 breathing out. Compose yourself and do all that you can - you can't do more than that. Discuss how you will tackle it with the other person - they may be feeling just like you. Good luck x