To stay on 20mg of citalopram for the rest of my life?

[TheCommunalRibena]

Started taking it because of a bereavement. At one point was on 30mg and been on 20mg for about a year.

I want to get down to 10mg and stay there because it helps my severe PMT (PMDD).

I'm currently down to 10mg and feel awful. No withdrawal symptoms, just miserable, snappy, shouty and hateful.

I came down from 10 to 20 very slowly, over the course of a month maybe even longer and I've been on 10mg alone for 2 weeks and I feel fucking awful.

Should I just stop trying to cut down and stay on 20mg forever? I'm sick of feeling like this.

[Lolimax]

I weaned myself of it 6 months ago but have relapsed horribly. Saw GP Thursday and am back on 20mgs citalopram now. I suspect this will be long term.

[JubyLoob]

My life has changed since I started on 20mg fluoxetine. It has taken the edge off my depressive tendencies and pretty much cured my hideous PMT. I have no plans to ever stop!

[T0ddlerSlave]

Absolutely don't feel you have to stop, but it is possible. My DH took a year weaning off his dose, incredibly gradually as his mh improved. He made sure to stay static over autumn winter as he's worse that time of year, and came off in the spring when the weather and vit d was on his side.

[TheCommunalRibena]

Ok. I'm going to stick with it for now. Thanks for making me feel normal about the whole thing. I really thought I'd managed it this time as well. I went from 30mg to 20mg in the blink of an eye but this next 10mg really seems to be difficult.

The thing is we have stressful times ahead (stressful but fun), selling a house, buying a house, and huge change of career. So I kind of felt like this year was the time to come off it and feel stable because any time over the next three years is not going to be a wise time.

[oleoleoleole]

I'm on 40 and can't even begin to think of life without it.

I can't see very well so I wear glasses to correct my vision.

I don't cope with certain aspects of life very well so I take Citalopram.

I look at my mental health like I do my physical health, if treatment can ease or correct the symptoms I'm all for it.

Don't be too hard on yourself, if you have to take 10mg for the rest of your life to feel well it's a small price to pay for being happy. Xx

[MamaMiaBebe]

I'm on 20mg and have been for many many years. I tried to wean and did it gradually for a good long time. But I was miserable. I have no doubt I'll be in it for life. But I'd rather that than have crippling depression.

[witsender]

I take thyroxin for my underactive thyroid. B12 by injection because I can't absorb it through food etc. I see this as no different, my chemical levels need help...I need to be able to cope. Dh notices within days if I start coming off it.

[ElaineVintage]

I've been on regular anti d's for 12 years now. I used to be on 40mg of Citalopram plus 10 mg of anti anxiety. Went off them during both pregnancies, and after trying 20mg with occasional dips, I'm now back to 30 mg. The current dose is keeping my head above the water. I don't think I'll ever be off them.

[Foxysoxy01]

I was on citalopram but had the most horrible side effects and slowest came off them.

I am coping ok at the moment on nothing but always wondered if things would be easier if I had tried another type.

I wouldn't of had any problem being on them indefinitely if they made me feel better! Anything that makes life a little easier is a bonus

If I can sidetrack just a little how do you find they help? As in, with anxiety how do they actually help? I'm just wondering if it would actually be worth me trying to find one suited to me more.

[CremeEggThief]

YANBU. I was on 20 mg for a year, but felt it was much better for my anxiety than depression, so the GP put me on 10 mg. I think I had a werk on 15, but I had no effects going from 20 to 10 quickly. I've been on this dose for over 2 years now and have no intention of coming off.

[NothingIsOK]

FeelingSmurfy that's just not true. Not all meds have reduced effectiveness in long term use.

OP. My GP and I decided to make my 20mg antid prescription a permanent thing after 20 years of stop start. The stop start bits were causing increasingly big problems, whereas continuous use was very stable and effective. What's not to like?

As a poster above said, there would be no hesitation in taking long term meds for all sorts of other conditions, and it's OK to treat long term mental health conditions with the same respect.

[39up]

YANBU.

If that's the dose you need to stay stable, then stick with it.

I'm on 200 mg of Lamotrigine, 20 mg aripiprazole and will be indefinitely. And that's OK. It keeps me pretty solid and stable. You'd not even think twice if we were talking about insulin injections or something like that.

[Mishaps]

Lots of people are well maintained on 20mg - my DD and another friend to name but two. I have been on 75 mg of Dosulepin for the last 2 years and my GP's view is that I should take "whatever gets me through."

[Blobby10]

Like PP I have been on 20mg Citalopram for several years and have no plans to reduce it! It keeps me in check, doesnt make me a zombie ie I still have up days and down days but the difference between the two are less extreme. I still cry but I also laugh! I can also skip a day without having any bad effects so I'm sticking with it

[user1472419718]

You could continue to take the antidepressants for the rest of your life, but I wouldn't think that far ahead. If you need 20mg now, stick with that dosage for now. It doesn't commit you to making any decisions later. You may find later on that you need a lower dose, a higher dose, a different drug, or you may be able to come off it altogether.

One thing to bear in mind is that there are some health risks with citalopram, specifically cardiac rhythm disorders. After I had been on SSRIs (including citalopram) for about 8 years, my GP advised me to have an ECG, to rule out any heart problems. Fortunately, it was negative, but it is something to be aware of. Your GP should know the risks and take adequate precautions (such as ECG monitoring).

www.nhs.uk/news/2013/01January/Pages/SSRI-antidepressants-associated-with-potential-heart-risk.aspx

www.mhra.gov.uk/ssri-learning-module/con146583?usesecondary=&showpage=20

[thewavesofthesea]

I've been on 40mg of Citalopram for years now. I tried to wean down and it was disastrous. I'm on this and lamotrigine and they keep me just about sane. I know I'll be on something for most of my life, and I'm okay with that now.

[TheCommunalRibena]

Thank you so much, I've already taken the other 10 and you're right. I shouldn't think about it as 'forever' rather that it's just not for now.

Thanks again.

[laurzj82]

Another lifer here I think!

[limon]

Yanbu. I take 10 and 20 alternate days. I tried to get down to 10n0ernday but felt low, snappy and irritable.

[SocksRock]

So what do I do about my GP wanting me to come off them? She says it's not right to stay on them and she wants me off them soon. I don't want to but she isn't listening

[stealtheatingtunnocks]

It makes it harder to lose weight? Really?

Bugger. It's really helping my mood. But, I am way too fat...

[NothingIsOK]

Socks rocks, can you get an appt with a different GP within the practice? That would be my first step.

And when you see the alt GP go armed with some reasons why you feel staying on I say good and coming off is bad for you personally. Write them down as lists so you don't get flustered, and can just hand over the list if you want to.

[Boomerwang]

socksrocks when I was 16 I approached my doctor about contraception. It took a lot of courage. He asked if I smoked, which I did. He then said I can't take contraception and wouldn't prescribe the pill. He didn't even bother to mention alternatives. I went down the FPC and was treated much better.

Do you think the doctor gave me good advice? Maybe your doctor is doing the same. I've been on AD's for about 8 years and switched doctors several times due to moving abroad and not one of them has batted an eyelid about my continued use of AD's. There must be a reason for that.

I second what a PP said. Get a second opinion. It sounds to me like your doctor is standing on a soapbox rather than putting your needs first.

[Lilaclily]

Socks rocks I second changing gp
Slightly different situation but a good friend of mine was on ads , had been for 5 years, she was starting a new job and moving house when she went to her gp for a renewal they told her she shouldn't be on them for the rest of her life 'you don't want to be do you' type thing

A few weeks later she went off them , crashed massively with all the stress going on in her life and ended up in hospital for 3 months with her dcs and dh visiting every week
It was awful

[Wolpertinger]

I'm on 20mg and will almost certainly be on it for life, or at least til retirement. Have been on and off most of my adult life and the on periods have been much much better than the off - eventually I got the message

And I've managed to loss a stone since going on it (Blood Sugar Diet) so don't let that put you off either - much easier to lose weight for me when I am happy and stable so can address my secret eating/comfort eating/carb addictions than when I'm miserable.