I want to reduce my citalopram from 20mg to 10mg. How best to do this?

[NoOneLikesACrispyTowel]

I've tried twice and failed miserably. Literally.

The first time a doctor told me to take one less tablet one week day first then on two week days the second week, then 3 weeks days the third week etc etc until is reduced.

It was FAR to fast and it didn't work. It was fine for a while then I delved into a very dark low depression.

I tried again and did it over a couple months this time and all seemed fine until I'd been on 10mg for a couple of weeks and bam! the depression hit.

I never actually took it for depression, I took it because my friend was dying and I needed to look after her with a clear head and not constantly crying. Citalopram gave me the much needed strength to do so.

When I come off the citalopram the depression isn't my 'true state' underneath it. It's a reaction from coming off it.

I want to reduce to 10mg successfully this time, how shall I do it?

Help please, or experience?

[NolongerAnxiousCarer]

Sorry no personal experience, bumping for you. The GP or pharmacist would probably be the best people to ask.

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

I have just gone from 20mg a day to 10mg in the last few days. I can feel the difference but I'm also in a place now where I can recognise it is the drugs (or lack thereof) causing me to feel this way. Ive been using my mindfulness practices, that I learnt through work as a way of them supporting me through my depression diagnosis, to help me get through any times I start to feel myself floundering. Did you have any other techniques given to you that you can draw upon to help you cope with the lower dosage?

[EBearhug]

I cut down slowly by cutting tablets in half (though I was initially coming down from 40mg.) This probably isn't the best way, but it worked for me, because I felt like I had control. I could take it slowly, over several weeks, and if I felt I wasn't coping, I stopped reducing for a while.

[Itisnoteasybeingdifferent]

I was given Citralopram because the quacks diagnosed recurrent depressive disorder. It could be that you have a tendency to depression which may keep coming back to bite you.

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

I started off on 40mg too. When I was coming off I bought a pill cutter and alternated 35/40 for a month, then stayed at 35 for a month & so on. Eventually I was on 2.5 and then off.

I could feel the shifts happening in my brain, even going that slowly.