Citalopram withdrawal HELP!!

[Clarabumps]

I have been reduced from a 50mg dosage to a 40mg dosage as the guidelines for citalopram have changed and my doctor has told me to only take 40mg. I'm struggling..its been a week and i feel like I could kill someone. Have spells of really foul moods and I'm a shouty mum. Don't know what to do..to persevere or go back to doctors.any advice appreciated.
I feel I have murderous rage and I could easily snap.

It could take your system some time to get used to the lower dose, but if you were all right on the 50mg dose I would certainly tell GP that's what you want. Don't know what he/she means about "guidelines changing" - you could look it up on google to see if there is any mention of this. As you know there are lots of MNs on citalopram and haven't heard this mentioned before. GP might want you to carry on for a couple more weeks with the lower dose, but I would certainly make another appt and ask what these "new guidelines" are and why your meds have been reduced.

So so sorry I know this horrid illness as have it myself and only people who have experience of it can understand how awful it is.

apparently those over 40mg are at significant risk of heart trouble so she has been advised to go down to 40mg for everyone..including those at 60mg(so there are others in this position) I was fine at 50mg and was happy i had found my dose..just really scared to be honest. Feel permanently crabby and no inclination to do anything..
Thanks for the advice..no one seems to understand 10 mg is a LOT when you don't have it.

Could you not go back to 50mg for a few weeks, until February even, then cut down more slowly, 45 mg one day then 50 the next for a few weeks, then 50 mg only every third day then down to 40mg.

I understand your GP's concern, but your heart can't be helped by the added stress you are under. Better slowly than not at all

Good Luck

If it is advice Clara, then you can thank her for it but say you don't want to follow it and prefer the higher dose. There are all sorts of things that are meant to raise the risk to this or that and then years later research tells us something different. HRT was meant to be the answer for all menopausal women and my GP was very annoyed when I refused to take it, saying I would be like one of those bent old women you see (well I'm not - yet anyway) and then there was research telling us that it raised the risk of breast cancer.

Maybe eaglewings suggestion is a good one, to cut down very gradually, rather than 10mg in one go and a good GP should know this. 10mg is a lot to cut down all at once and maybe you are having withdrawal symptoms because the reduction is too big. I don't know anything about reducing the SSRIs as am on old tricyclic, but I find GPs aren't very knowledgeable about reducing meds and seem to "think of a number" - maybe google it or ask others on the thread.

10mg is a big drop in one go. Going back to 50mg and then dropping to 45 for a few weeks and then on to 40mg, may help. Equally, as ever NanaNina has some good common sense advice. All meds are a case of compromise. You have to weigh the pros and cons. Yes, 50mg may have an increased health risk, but 40mg is probably an increased risk over 30mg. The pill has always had associated risks, but millions of women take it. Alcohol, coffee, red meat....all with risk but you have to decide for yourself what you are happy to accept. I personally would rather be a happy, kind, stable Mum with an slightly increased heart risk. Having said that, I am no doctor and it may be that you have other factors increasing your risk. Go back and talk to the doctor. If he or she understands what a huge impact this has had on your life then they may have a different view. Good luck.

Clarabumps - how are you? I get frustrated because I "talk" to people on different threads and then forget who I have posted to and start wondering how they are, but can't find the thread. Anyway would be good to hear from you.

NN - if you go to the top of the thread page you can select threads you are on, or chose ones to watch. Fiddly xx

I'm grand- doing fine. That's me around 10 days after dosage drop and the rage has subsided. Feel normal and it was just the adjustment that was making me jittery. Hurray! I had a wobbly and phoned my gp and asked her to put up my dosage and she asked me to try a few more days- I'm so glad I stuck with it. Feel amazing as it's a hurdle I've been so scared of for such a long time. Thanks for all your support

That's great news :)

SO pleased you are feeling better Clara. Fiddly - I'm still not sure what you mean - I am very limited where IT is concerned! I can see the ones I have been on cus they are coloured. Have recently found the "I started" which has been helpful - ah just thought there is one called "I'm watching" and have never tried that - I'll give it a go.....thanks NNx

Clara - so pleased life is back on an even keel.

NN - at the end of the last message on a thread and above the place to add your own reply, is a section that says, start new thread in this topic, watch this thread, flip this thread, etc, etc. If it is one that interests you, you can click - watch this thread. Then, at the top of the thread page, underneath where it says MUMSNET TALK it says Threads: Active, I'm on, I'm watching. By clicking on I'm on you get any threads up that you have replied to, clicking on I'm watching displays the ones you have selected to watch. It is good as you can also shortcut to threads you started, or ones with no answers so you can give some support. Hope that helps. Fiddly xx

Thanks Fiddly - got it now!