Withdrawal from Citalopram/Cipralex(confusing)

[Lilica-Demetier]

Hello, I hope someone can reassure me with this-
I have panic disorder and social phobia and just general anxiety about anything.

I took Citalopram 10mg for a year and a half(didn't get to 20mg because I was worried about feeling tired cos my mum's on anti-depressants and she's always asleep). Anyways, I had a kind of breakdown..lost about a stone and was quite underweight due to anxiety( I think, though my co-worker said citalopram could cause me to lose weight), started getting obsessed with strange things(anything really). I went to the doctor and he told me to Relax(hah), and put some weight on...which was easier said than done because I was so fired up inside.

I went back to the doctor a while later..I was suffering with an upset stomach, like feelings of constantly wanting to go to the toilet and generally didn't feel well, he did all the tests and they came back fine. He said I was very anxious and didn't realise it and so put me on Cipralex 10mg instead of citalopram.

I started taking them and OMG...it was awful, I felt paralysed and like I was in another world. It was such a strange feeling. I felt very anxious, more than ever before and that's when I started to get stomach cramps and indigestion(which I'd never suffered from before) and started to think I was dying everytime I had a pain in my leg or arm.

I decided to stop taking them(after being on them for 4 weeks)...though I did it slowly..5mg, then 2.5 mg. The reason I did this was because I'm waiting to see a psychiatrist and was hoping to be able to tell them how I really feel without all the side effects of the medication.

Have had strange withdrawals- like sudden thumping of the heart, off balance, stomach cramps, bloating, feelings of fullness all the time, tightness in chest, sharp pains in head occasionally and anxiety attacks.

I've been off all medication now for 2 weeks. The problems most concerning me are the stomach cramps and chest tightness. I feel better mentally, happier and more optimistic except the stomach problems are getting me down.

Does anyone know if stomach problems and tight chest are withdrawal symptoms of coming off citalopram(because effectively that's what I have come off of since I was only on cipralex for 4 weeks). ?

I know this is a little confusing but I hope someone can help me.

[suzy-sue]

It can cause stomache probs .You also seem anxious about these feelings ,which im afraid is making it worse .They will go eventually ,just try to relax by using a relaxation tape ,anything that usually works for you .Drink plenty of water and youll soon be feeling ok .All the best Sue x

[Lilica-Demetier]

Thanks for replying. I guess it's just nice to have some reassurance about it. the stomach pains have eased but I'm still feeling really weird like I'm going to fall over sometimes.
but yeh..I'll get through it, eventually... hehe