These things help me, so I thought I would do one too.

Background: Was on prozac for 5 years for GAD and depression, then came off it (slowly) - 6 months later had a couple of panic attacks (a very rare occurrence for me) and tried to go back on. Unfortunately (after having had no side effects at all when I went on it the first time) I reacted badly to it and, after 3 weeks, was stopped cold turkey by the doc. Then went on to citalopram. About 6 weeks on 10mg, then about 6 or 7 weeks on 20mg. Sadly the side effects were also brutal and just seemed to be getting worse (insomnia, diarrhoea, increased anxiety, groggyness, jittering, internal trembles etc). So doctor and I decided to come off.

Was on 15mg for a week, then 10mg for 2 weeks, 5mg for 2 weeks and 2.5mg for one week. Just took my last 2.5 (though it was a very small quarter so more like 1.5-2mg) this morning.

Tapering has been a real up and down affair so far. Particularly because, until I got below 10mg, I will still being hit by the side effects as well.

After 2 days on 5mg I started sleeping through the night (until about 6.45/7am) for the first time in months. Still had some morning anxiety and headaches and things, but not too bad. The drop to 2.5mg was ok, but the last two days (when I took very small quarters which were probably closer to 1.5mg or so) I have struggled with insomnia again, increased anxiety, headaches etc. I woke up at 3am this morning, drenched in sweat, with a tight chest and lots of panic.

Have also noticed very vivid dreams the last couple of weeks, as well as the odd auditory hallucination and that weird sloshy feeling in my head (like my brain is water in a bowl and if I move my head from side to side quickly it sloshes around). I have also had the occasional strange rush of anxiety that feels like it starts in my stomach and then tingles up through my body to the top of my brain. Oh and tight feeling in my head too - not quite a headache, just a tightness.

It certainly does not help that work is very busy and stressful at the moment, and I am sure some of the anxiety relates to that. It is just hard to tell what is what.

I just have to grit my teeth and get through today, and then we will see what tomorrow brings...