Two weeks on after going cold turkey

[LizzieM]

I had been taking 10mg for around 7 months then increased to 20 for around 6 weeks. But I have put over half a stone on and was totally numb and not bothered about everything around me. I wanted no affection from my husband or family and felt very detached from everything. But I was calm. Which helped in my stressful full time job and running round after the kids etc when husbands away with a work.
But It didn't feel good being numb and I decided to stop taking them just over two weeks ago. At first i suffered mild dizziness and fuzzy head, bad dreams but I felt a greater awareness of everything around me, I feel awake. I've started the gym, and I've been doing stuff around the house when usually I can't be bothered. Everything's ok apart from the up and down of my mood. I go from calm and ok to being another person, shouting at my family , over reacting to situations and paranoid. Even at work which is not good.
I'm now back at the stage thinking do I need to go back on them or will these feelings settle down. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

[NoPoet]

Hi, you're going through exactly what I went through on the two occasions I tried going cold turkey. (Not something I will ever try again by the way. If you're reading this and thinking about doing it, DON'T.)

It's well-known that going cold turkey from an antidepressant has a very counter-productive effect. Citalopram is no better or worse for this than most medications. Venlafaxine is the worst by a long margin. IIRC, I think Fluoxetine is the only one without withdrawal symptoms but don't quote me.

As a rule of thumb, if the symptoms come on strongly within a few days, it's withdrawal. If the symptoms occur gradually, over time, probably after days or weeks of being ok, and the symptoms get stronger and stronger until you can't cope, it's a relapse.

It sounds like you're experiencing normal withdrawal effects. If you remember your coping strategies and continue to work towards self-betterment, there is no reason to fear a relapse. If the effects become intolerable though, you do need to consider going back on the cit and tapering off a few months later, after you've stabilised.

It is worth bearing in mind that someone who has resolved their problems has little to fear from a relapse.

[LizzieM]

Thanks very much for your advice. I'm going to see how it goes. But if things do get worse and unbearable I will probably go back on my tablets at 10mg
I have been on other tablets over the last ten years including Seroxat and fluoxetine. I tried coming straight off the Seroxat with disastrous consequences. Fluoxetine I was weaned off slowly and that was fine. So really I should know better than to just stop taking them.

[steveo]

Totally off topic.... can I ask what it was like coming off Seroxat?

[LizzieM]

It was a long time ago (around 10 years ago) , I remember is that it wasn't agreeing with me but it was the first medication like that I had been on so I didn't know that they all have different side effects and eventually decided in my wisdom (or rather not) to come off it. Within a week or so I had bad headaches, terrible mood swings, thoughts that I really didn't want to be around anymore and I even cut off around 6 inches of my hair while I was on holiday in sheer temper one day while having a major mood swing. (Then had to look for a hairdressers that was open on a Sunday!) Sounds really silly when I look back but I literally just lost it, most likely over something silly. Scarey though .But that was because I just stopped taking it and didn't cut down the doses gradually. Although I am not feeling any where near as bad as that coming off citalopram. But remembering all of that is making me realise how silly I am just stopping my tablets this time !