Coming off Citalopram

[Candyce262017]

I was on citalopram for 9 months before I decided to come off. I was on 20mg and reduced by 5mg over 2 months. With minimal side effects. I was on 5mg for a month and decided to stop on 1st Jan.
first week was fine. I’m now having horrendous withdrawal symptoms. Feel dizzy constantly. Even when I’m sitting down so it’s now starting to make me feel sick. I get really hot in the evenings. Heart palpitations. Lips tingling. My moods are all over the place. I feel like I’m going crazy sometimes just don’t feel myself. My poor 3 year old son. I am determined to push through as I never want to go through this again!

Any tips on when this will get better? Xx

3/4 weeks usually

Thank you IBCS! 2 more weeks 🤞🏼

It was a few weeks for me too. Got the dizziness, hot flashes, everything you describe really, and I came off it gradually over the course of 8 months! Sending hugs, hope you feel more yourself soon.

Hi cirrusminor thank you 💜 how are you feeling now? Was it worth it?

Probably not useful at this stage, but I'd have gone for alternating 5mg/nothing for a few days first. I've come off twice, and both times the withdrawal has lasted more than a month, although the symptoms weren't unbearable - a bit of tinnitus and general strangeness. Hope yours lifts soon.

Oh, and the weird electric sensation through the brain! Odd, but only a millisecond at a time...

Can I ask why you want to come off it ?
My DH was told that he should take it for the rest of his life, that there was no reason to come off it.

Sounds pretty normal but might be wise to check with your GP....
You are braver than I am to come off it in January.....especially this January!!
Good luck!

LaMadrilena Thankfully I have not had the weird brain zap feeling so many people seem to have. Now I do think I should have done the 5mg on off thing but yes too late now! I refuse to go back on them after the withdrawal has been so bad. Thank you I pray this does not last longer than a month x

floss1 GP have said it’s all normal and to hang on in there! That’s weird my doctor said it’s fine to come off and 10 months was more than enough time on them. But everyone is different and it depends on if you can cope without them. I am praying that I can as I just found they made me feel foggy and not as on point as I usually am. This effected me at work and being a mum. But they saved my life so nothing wrong at all if someone feels they need them long term.

I have done spiritual healing this last year and learned a lot about meditation and mindfulness so it has made me feel strong enough to do it alone.

I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and told it was a life long condition I just refused to let it rule me x

You will get past it! Mine was ages ago but I went cold turkey and was properly ill for a few days then ok. Not recommended but it does come out if your system eventually. Also I realise this might seem very flippant but I have found excercise a literal lifesaver i highly recommend strenuous cardio on a regular basis.

I cut 5mg in half to do it, and then quarters- not very accurate but I tried stopping at 5mg and couldn't take the withdrawal. It took me about 6 months to go from 5 to 0. I was never on more than 10.

Good luck with it. I would never take them again.

@Candyce262017 I'm in a much better place now, thank you. I don't regret going on it, it was there for me when I needed it but going on and coming off I felt so awful each time (and I did what PPs said and cut pills in halves, quarters, spaced out taking them etc) that I vowed to try and not let myself get there again. Really hope it's the same for you!

Coming off Citalopram was awful. I was really bloated and I alternated between crying at everything and wanting to murder someone.

My doctor switched me onto the liquid form so I could reduce by 1 or 2mg at a time - I'd go from 20mg every day to 18mg every other day and 20mg the others, then 18mg every day, then 16mg every other day and 18mg the others...so on and so forth until I was down to nothing. Took bloody ages (10 days at each stage IIRC) but it was worth it not to have the horrific withdrawal effects.

@Regretsy not flippant at all. My worst night I done a cardio work out in the middle of the night and it helped as my heart was racing due to the exercise and not for no reason! So it seemed to helped my mind cope with that

@ Listener2021 yes I want to avoid going on them again as this is so scary. But tbh I think I was so bad when I had the breakdown I had no choice so I just hope I never experience that again x

@ cirrusminor glad to hear your doing better. It’s hearing this that gives me hope x

@ BrightYellowDaffodil I’ve read about the liquid form but I didn’t know if we could get that in the U.K. wish I would have asked. I’m so jealous of those that come off with no symptoms at all! I’m just trying not to think too far ahead and take each day at a time. It’s crazy how the mood swings can come and go so quickly! Like I say my poor son bless him x

Candy I really would recommend you trying coming off in smaller amounts. Towards the end I ended up grinding up tablets, shaking powder in water to get a suspension (it didn't dissolve) and making up to 50ml and then using a fraction of that. I couldn't do it any other way.

I asked gp for it in solution and he said it cost far too much to prescribe and since I had worked out how to make small amounts to go ahead as I was doing.

@Listener2021 I tapered for 3 months down to 5mg and I stopped 11 days ago so I really don’t want to start taking it again even if it is small doses. Obviously if I couldn’t bear it I would consider but I have started now so start as you mean to go on all that 😊

Oh, sorry, thought you were just beginning. Well done, hope you are completely better soon.

I had these exact symptoms coming off duloxetine some years ago. It was absolutely hideous.
But I did come off them - they didn't suit me at all. Didn't take too long. I'm on citalopram for life now.

The liquid form is definitely available in the UK, or it was a few years back. You can also get pill cutters in a chemist that allow you to chop tablets up accurately (i.e. not ending up with a big bit and a teeny tiny fragment that you promptly drop on the floor and can't find...)

I've been on Citalopram 20mg for ten years - came off them once, no side effects, but had to go back on a few months later as all my depression symptoms came back. Tried to come off them end of 2019 and was successfully down to 10mg every other day. Then my mum had a massive stroke and Covid happened! Now back on 20mg a day 5 days a week - hoping to wean myself back off them again but tbh I feel fine on them so wonder if I may as well accept that its for life.

@Listener2021thank you. Dizziness is horrendous today but positive thoughts 😊 x