11 years on citalopram. am i alone? scared!

[Stig]

Hello all, i have been on various strengths of citalopram for 11 years now (started on seroxat at 19 then switched to citalopram). I am scared because i think i am the only one as reading the posts here, people seem to be on low doses (10-20mg) and can come on and off it.
is anyone else out there like me? i am usually on 40mg, though sometimes i can go down to 20mg but no less.
I feel like i am the only one and i'm looking for someone to let me know they are in the same boat. am i a freak?! help me please x

[JaneC]

Hi Stig, I don't think you should worry, I'm sure there are lots of people on here who have been on ADs at least as long as you. My husband has been on cit for the same length of time as you have with no breaks. He does only take 20mg but sometimes I think he could do with a higher dose. Cit doesn't agree with me but I've been on other ADs for more than 15 years, constantly except for the duration of one pregnancy. You maybe should try counselling and/or cbt if you haven't already. In an ideal world, I'm sure we'd all like to manage without meds but I've come to feel that some of us might always need them. I've never resigned myself to thinking I'll be on them for the rest of my life, but I long ago stopped worrying about being on them long-term x

[KK77]

I know how you feel Stig but there's no shame or anything wrong with being on meds long-term as long as they're helping in some way. I've been on ADs for over 10 years and I'm on a moderate dose of sertraline now (100mg). There are members here that are on much higher doses.

I would agree with Jane that you should perhaps look at talking therapies too (if you haven't been down that route) because although meds may help many of us, I don't believe they ever solve our problems.

[tonystalloney]

i been on & off meds for nearly 20 years

been on citalopram from 2005 20mg and now its gone up to 30mg

i dont care if i am on it for life, as long as it helps

people worry too much about taking drugs, well what about all the stuff in foods and drinks???

exactly !

[Vixxy]

Ive been taking antidepressants for about 4 years. Before that I was on and off them, only because I thought I was better and then would get ill again. This time Im tempted to just stay on them as long as I need to without coming off as I feel better. I wouldnt worry about being on them so long.

[pollyanna]

Hi

i have been taking dosulepin (AD) for over 18 years continually, and now also citalopram, i dread to think what my life would be like without it, as someone else said in an ideal world i would rather i didnt have to, but i do, and i have come to accept it, and my quality of life is better for taking it. a lot of people get hung up on taking medication, but you have to weigh it all up and see the benefits and make a realastic choice. everyone is different,
i know lots of people who have been taking meds for similar lengths of time, so you are definately not alone with this one.

Best wishes

[Jannie2948]

Hi there
I've only been on citalopram for just over 8 months but my Dr has told me that I can be on them as long as I like, they are not addictive and if they are making me feel better, which they are, I can stay on them. I started on 20mg after 3 months increased to 40mg, which the Dr says is the best dosage for anxiety/panic. I wouldn't want to go back to feeling as bad as I did before the meds or before I found this fantastic site :-)

All the very best to you
Jannie x x

[Ronster]

Jannie X question for you or anyone else. I have gone frm 20 to 30 to 40mg's of Cit. It's been 8 weeks since I started this trip. Just increased to 40 about two weeks ago. I thought I understood from others on this site that ususally an increase only takes up to a week to make a difference if it's the right dosage of course. On the other hand my GP tells me it will take up to 4 weeks for the increased dosage to work again of course if it's the right dosage?

I've been told to not quit on the Citalopram by many members that it will eventually work. Don't know if I can waite any longer thinking of weining myself off and trying other meds.

This sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ron

[Stig]

Thank you all so much for getting back to me. I really do feel much better knowing i am not alone in my long term drug use! I'd also like to thank everyone as i have only recently found this site and had spent 11 years thinking i was the only one like me and thinking i was a freak! Sending my love to everyone x

[Jannie2948]

Jannie X question for you or anyone else. I have gone frm 20 to 30 to 40mg's of Cit. It's been 8 weeks since I started this trip. Just increased to 40 about two weeks ago. I thought I understood from others on this site that ususally an increase only takes up to a week to make a difference if it's the right dosage of course. On the other hand my GP tells me it will take up to 4 weeks for the increased dosage to work again of course if it's the right dosage?

I've been told to not quit on the Citalopram by many members that it will eventually work. Don't know if I can waite any longer thinking of weining myself off and trying other meds.

This sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ron

It took about 6 weeks for me to feel any better on the 20mg but then after 3 months I still felt quite anxious so my Dr increased dosage to 40mg and it took at least another few weeks to fully feel the benefit of the increased dosage. I now feel so much better, still have the odd blip now and then but nothing awful, thankfully!! My Dr still gives me 2mg of diazepam for the times when I do feel shaky but only take them if and when I need them. I also had therapy/hypnosis/relaxation which helped. My Dr said that I can be on the citalopram as long as I like, he says they are not addictive and people have been on them for years. So I will see how I go on them, if I have to stay on them so be it.

I wish you well in whatever decision you make, and hope you start to feel better soon.

Jannie x x