citalopram withdrawal

[harrifam]

Hi, i too am coming of Citalopram and feel crap, hopefully things will improve, think its the woozy head thats the worst, feel like everytime i move my head it takes a few seconds for the brain to catch up. Am taking herbal Kalms as and when just to try to keep the anxiety under control.
Its so nice, not really nice, just to see that others are going through the same and understand

Sharon

[Frannywill]

Hi guys

I feel a bit rough and I'm wondering if it's because I've come off Citalopram. In the last year I've gone all the way up to 60mg and back down to 20mg again.
A few weeks ago I realised id forgotten about 3 days of pills, so in my wisdom I thought sod it I'll just come off. I felt fine… far better than I was when I started them. But last week I started to feel groggy. Amazingly tired, achy, nausious etc. and it's not going awaŷ.
But because it started at least 7days after my last pill, I am not sure if it's just an odd bug or if it is the pills.
I'm sitting with the left over pills beside me wondering if I should restart it. But the side effects when I first started were awful, so I don't want to double my nausious feelings if I'm wrong

Any thoughts?

---------- Post added at 18:35 ---------- Previous post was at 18:13 ----------

hey people i was wondering if anyone can help me, i stopped taking citalipram a week ago, (this is day 9) er...i did gradually stop them....i was on 60mg, then 40mg, then20 then went down to 10mg then 10 every other day, then one day on 2days off and now nothing up until day 6 i was fine but i seem to be feeling really wierd, at first i though maybe im just run down/tierd, i have been working radiculously hard at work latley, er day 6 i started to get these head whooshy things, feeling dizzy and like i couldnt walk in a straight line, now im in bed with flu like symptoms, feeling like im hungover but with no drink involved, my head feels really tight and my jaw is acheing, my vision seems to be very judderery like sumthing is vibrating my eye ballls but only last's a second then it goes away but then comes back agin, is this a withdraral thing or am i ill........its a bit scarey.....help!!! x

Actually, that's pretty much how I feel! Eek

[Endure]

Hi, just registered after 'Googlin' withdrawal symptoms for Citalopram.
I'm one of those who forgot to take them for a couple of days and then thought 'sod it ! How hard can it be.....' It's been seven days so far and I'm starting to think that at least I'm not going to feel any worse than I did initially.
I was on 40mg for about 2 years. I stopped suddenly - no reduced dosages.
I felt tired and groggy and experienced the "Body Zaps" that someone has mentioned on here. I decided that if I could kick the citalopram then why not "Detox" for a while. So I'm off alcohol, anti-inflammatories and codeine, the lot!!
I'm trying for a whole month.
However about three times now I've experienced a really itchy burning sensation on the soles of my feet, palms of my hands and my tongue! Not a skin surface itch but a really prickly painful sensation which comes and goes similar to the "Body Zaps". After waking the wife and standing in a cold shower for 5 minutes I succumbed to a Piriton - which worked.
I've had the sensation during the early hours 3am / 4am in the night and have always been asleep. After about an hour the feelings subside and become less irritating but then I get pains in my chest - not heart attack pains but shooting pains in my diaphragm area followed by indigestion. This lasts for about another hour. Then nothing - next morning fine - bizzare!!
Anyone tell me how long it takes for the lightheadedness and body zaps to stop?

[Sparkle1984]

Endure - It's not a good idea to suddenly stop taking anti-depressants, especially if you're on 40mg. It's recommended to taper off gradually over a period of weeks, to minimise withdrawal effects.

It is best if you speak to your doctor to discuss a withdrawal plan. It says on the citalopram survival guide "If you reduce your dose by more than 5mg in two weeks, you may be at risk from withdrawal effects. Therefore to safely reduce your dose to zero, you must decrease it by NO MORE than 5mg every 2 weeks. Some people will find it takes MUCH longer to successfully come off SSRIs. There is nothing wrong with you if this is the case!"

[Endure]

Sparkle 1984, Fingers crossed.
Today is day 11.
I have my prescription should I need it but I'm doing my best to ignore it.
I have since read a lot more posts and other sites about the symptoms some people experience and a common thread seems to be the symptoms should NOT physically harm you.
I also recognized a few other withdrawal sympyoms mentioned; flu like symptoms and tiredness for a couple of days,and for me a strange one - tender testicles. Which was initially a worry and very uncomfortable but subsided after about three to four days.
I have changed my diet to exclude coffee and alcohol where possible, ( one SMALL one now and then is OK), chocolate and sugary foods. I have lowered my intake of bread and similar foods in exchange for fresh fruit and fish - I went fishing after having declined to invite for months and caught my supper!! I now go on my own and enjoy the achievement. I drink much more water and have a pint of water with a squeeze of lemon juice each morning when I wake.
I now, whenever possible, walk to work and bloody well walk home too - about an hour each way. Yes it does make my day longer but public transport takes 45 minutes per journey so it's only 15 mins each way.
I have started a gentle routine of gym work, rowing and weights.
At the moment I sleep so much better - no more night sweats!! no more waking early and staying awake worrying, no more waking in the morning feeling like I've only just shut my eyes to go to sleep! I know that if I feel tired during the day it's because I AM tired - not because I feel sluggish and whoozy !
I still have to make an effort to think positively and to pause and think about my reactions to certain situations.
The body Zaps have now become few and far between and the light headedness is a lot less pronounced. I do occasionally feel whoozy and lightheaded but the feeling doesn't last as long.
The only persistent symptom at the moment is a mild headache or stuffiness - like having a cold.
SO - At the moment I am fully confident that I can kick 'Cit' into touch.
I lay in bed at night and say aloud ten positive things about my day.
Yes I know it "Not a good idea to stop" but I couldn't see any option after missing seven days - I hated the start-up side effects and I honestly don't think the withdrawal synonyms , for me anyway, have been that much worse - Thankfully.
I do consider myself extremely lucky at the moment and I'm determined to stay on that high.
For anyone thinking about stopping Cit - listen to the advise, listen to the Doctors have a very long think about it and good luck.
I hope to post more about the symptoms and how I'm doing - hopefully it will be positive. Sparkle thanks for reading and offering.
It's sites like these that are a real help.

[Sparkle1984]

Hi Endure,

I'm glad you're OK. It was just that I got a bit worried when you said about dropping straight from 40mg to zero as it seemed rather drastic. Personally I don't think I'd be able to cope with that, but everyone is different.
It'll be good to see how you get on.

[brokenmp3]

in a bit of a pickle.

only been on these for three weeks and have a weeks supply left to go. when i started doc told me to come back in a few weeks so went yesterday but it was closed, tried again today but the receptionship said they we're no available appointments now or the following week. so just left the place and thought well that's that then. i may as well take what i have left but after that no idea :/

[Sparkle1984]

Hi brokenmp3,

Didn't your doctor give you a repeat prescription for the following month? Mine did. I think what you need to do is explain the situation to the receptionist and they should let you see the doctor earlier - they have emergency appointments available for this purpose. Good luck!

[Don't Panic 1988]

I hate being on it and I hate being off it.
I was on 20mg (occasionally up to 40mg) Citalopram for about 10 years. I stopped taking it 4 months ago. I had typical withdrawal symptoms and it was manageable, although I was highly irritable. Now, I am feeling more anxious every day. I am at the point where I know that if I don't start taking Citalopram again, I will start to have panic attacks.
My major concern lies in the long term side effects of the drug.

[diggory]

Stopped two weeks ago (cold turkey) from 40mg per day for two years. First week ok-ish. The odd firework wooosh in my head and salt cellar shaking in my head, rather strange but mildly amusing. Quite light headed feeling most of the time, my yoga was very interesting ! Started feeling a bit crap yesterday, on edge a little and very short tempered with myself and PC ! Going to be very stubborn and persist as one side effect has been weight gain (two stone in two years despite exercise ). Started picking St John's Wart flowers on my walk this evening just in case. Used to grow my own for SAD in the winter ! Seem to have got away lightly with my ill judged decision (without my Doctors initial approval). Only time will tell. Citalopram did work in helping me get better (as well as talking therapy) from a very dire withdrawal, breakdown, depression all in one melt down from 2007 onward. I am a case in action and will try to update my ongoing condition. Feel free to comment and all advice will be greatly appreciated, going to hang in there to see if things level out, try to keep busy and exercise. I probably came from a strong position when I made this decision, I should add that I do meditate for an hour or so a day, which I thing has greatly helped over the last couple of years to clear the crap from my head and has made me mindful of my on going situation.