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Thread: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

  1. #1

    Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    Hi,

    I'm new to the forum. Am a 25-year old woman living and working in London and have suffered from depression on and off all my life.

    I started taking Citalopram (20mg) about a year and a half ago. It has been an absolute life-saver for me. I feel that I know what it's like to be a 'normal', 'happy' person - something I only experienced in flashes before.

    The only things that worry me are (a) the fact that I have become someone who is reasonably happy, secure in herself etc. etc., but that this 'new' person is the product of a drug (b) reduced libido.

    I voiced these concerns to my doctor and she put me on a reduced dose (10mg). Now, after two weeks on the lesser dose, I'm starting to feel the way I did before I ever took Citalopram. I have a sense of doom and defeatism, I feel extremely anxious and my emotions are all over the place. I don't want to go back to being unhappy!

    Has anyone experienced this when reducing their dosage? Also, is it possible to take Citalopram for many years? I think I need to take Citalopram forever if I want to enjoy life! Sorry for the dramatism.

    Would be very interested to hear from others with similar experiences and advice.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    Perfectly nomal when coming off a drug and unless you put other coping strategies in place whilst on the meds you could be just as bad once coming off them.

    Have you had any counselling/CBT?
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  3. #3

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    I was on Seroxat for 10 years and it gave me my life back, I came off it in June 2010 and have never felt as bad, I feel I have rolled back the years to the bad old days.
    My advice would be to stick with it at 20mg for now and maybe get some therapy alongside so you can stay happy without medication, then when you feel do strong enough to quit, do it VERY slowly. Just my opinion.
    __________________
    Never look outside yourself or around you to define what is "normal", you are not required to fit in with the masses, you are only required to fit in with yourself and know that it is a perfect match. There is a lot of sleepwalking going on, choose to stay awake.

  4. #4

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    Just to add, I came off it cold turkey thanks to my Dr, it is something I would NEVER advise anyone to do.
    __________________
    Never look outside yourself or around you to define what is "normal", you are not required to fit in with the masses, you are only required to fit in with yourself and know that it is a perfect match. There is a lot of sleepwalking going on, choose to stay awake.

  5. #5

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    Thank you for your reply

    What do you mean by 'coping strategies'?

    I've heard that CBT is very good in changing the way a person thinks when they're depressed and that is a big part of the problem. My thought processes seem to trigger episodes of depression.

    The thought of coming off Citalopram scares me a bit, I have to say! I think it doesn't help that I'm in a state of flux at the moment as well - relatively new job, not in a relationship etc. I feel I can cope with life's ups and downs a lot better when I'm on Citalopram because my emotions are stable.

  6. #6

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    Thanks Paul.

    Maybe I'll stick with 20mg for bit longer then.

    Did you have any therapies or take any other medication when you were going through cold turkey?

  7. #7

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    I'm waiting for CBT at the moment. I'm seriously considering going on to citalopram myself, I don't really fancy the idea of being on a drug for life, but at the moment anything seems an attractive option. At least you have seen the person you can be on citalopram, happy and confident, the same that I was on Seroxat. I think that getting some sort of therapy before you quit would definatley be a good idea, ask your Dr for a referal, there should be lots of good therapists in London. I was put on mirtazapine but thusfar I don't think it has really helped, that and coming off Seroxat cold turkey has been a disaster.
    Last edited by paul75; 08-01-11 at 01:24. Reason: Missed something out
    __________________
    Never look outside yourself or around you to define what is "normal", you are not required to fit in with the masses, you are only required to fit in with yourself and know that it is a perfect match. There is a lot of sleepwalking going on, choose to stay awake.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    94

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    Quote Originally Posted by Swingsandroundabouts View Post
    Hi,

    I'm new to the forum. Am a 25-year old woman living and working in London and have suffered from depression on and off all my life.

    I started taking Citalopram (20mg) about a year and a half ago. It has been an absolute life-saver for me. I feel that I know what it's like to be a 'normal', 'happy' person - something I only experienced in flashes before.

    The only things that worry me are (a) the fact that I have become someone who is reasonably happy, secure in herself etc. etc., but that this 'new' person is the product of a drug (b) reduced libido.

    I voiced these concerns to my doctor and she put me on a reduced dose (10mg). Now, after two weeks on the lesser dose, I'm starting to feel the way I did before I ever took Citalopram. I have a sense of doom and defeatism, I feel extremely anxious and my emotions are all over the place. I don't want to go back to being unhappy!

    Has anyone experienced this when reducing their dosage? Also, is it possible to take Citalopram for many years? I think I need to take Citalopram forever if I want to enjoy life! Sorry for the dramatism.

    Would be very interested to hear from others with similar experiences and advice.

    Thanks.
    hi swings, i know exactly how you feel as that is the same for me too.
    i've had anxiety/depression for a number of years and have been taking citalopram for the last couple; recently tried to reduce my dose and within days was back to being a complete mess, have now gone back to 40mg and am going to drop a note to my gp to let her know as i was so sure i was going to cope with a lower dosage, think i was kidding myself!
    my gp did say when i last saw her about reducing the dose that the only way to know if it is working is how we feel when the dose is reduced, and said i could go back to 30mg [i've been on 40mg for the last 9 months or so, was on 20mg before that] if i needed to...unfortunately i've had to go back up to 40mg and i do feel more stable on that, i am still worrying about things, i just woke up now and started worrying about a work scenario!
    anyway will stay at 40mg for now and will see gp if i'm no better in a week or so
    hope you feel better soon, i dont think there's any harm in staying on them if you feel better, however, i'm not sure how long you can stay on them for, hopefully someone will answer that for us on here! i will ask my gp next time i see her

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    1,717

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    Hi Swings to NMP. My husband has been on cit for about 12 years and I've been on ADs for the best part of 16. It's not an ideal situation but we have come to no harm x
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  10. #10

    Re: Citalopram - withdrawal due to lower dosage

    So reassuring to hear from others with similar experiences / advice. Have started taking two 10mg tablets instead of one, so have basically put myself back on the original 20mg dosage. Still feeling shakey, but am seeing a doctor next week, so hopefully will have some more concrete plans in place re. dosage, therapies etc.

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