reducing Citalopram

[caramac4]

Hi,
This is my first time so sorry if I 'rattle on' a bit lol
I've been on 40mg of Citalopram for over a year now ( having previously being on 60mg for 2 yrs) Things are so much better so with gp's support decided to lower my dose to 20mg....have taken alternate days of 40..20 & last 4 days 20mg. Been feeling awful... Headaches, dizziness, vivid dreams, nauseous and now today being sick!
I've rang dr but got told could be coincidence and that could have a 'bug' but if symptoms persist will increase back upto 40mg. If these are withdrawal signs I don't want to increase I want to get off the drug! Anyone else had withdrawal symptoms like this?

I have been on 40mg for about 15 months now. I tried to reduce last year, going down to 20mg. I experienced the same sort of symptoms you described and felt awful, so I went back to 40mg, and left it for a while. I'm now trying again, but have reduced to 30mg and have felt fine. The only drawback is having to take 2 tablets, as it's only made on 20 or 10 mg tablets! I've been at the reduced dose for about 6 weeks now, reviewing it in two weeks and hope to try going down to 20. Maybe it's too much of a drop for you and it might be better to go more gradually? Good luck anyway, and hope you feel better soon.

That's way too fast. Bloody GPs when will they learn

No wonder you are feeling this way.

Best thing may be to go back to 40 then stabilise, the reduce to 30 or even 35 (get a cheap pill cutter from the pharmacy) and keep reducing slowly, not reducing further each time until fully stabilised. 4 weeks or so between reductions.

And take the same dose every day. No every other day madness.

Tell your GP off from me.

I take Citalopram sometimes (when in the depressive bit of my manic depression) and always feel really peculiar when reducing. Slowly does it!

Yes Madmouse is right, way way too fast and the alternate day thing is terrible, doctors will never learn because they themselves are not given the correct information from MRHA and drug companies. I have posted lots of helpful links on another thread on here about this very subject:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed/1450852-Coming-off-citalopram

I've been there and worn the t shirt. If you can get Citalopram in liquid form and taper that way it will be so much gentler for you.

Thanks for replying :)
Sent my hubby for a pill cutter and trying 30 today and so far kept my brekkie down :o.
Madmouse will pass ur MSG onto dr wen I next see her in 3 months! I thought halving was a lot but as usual though doc was rite.....my hubby spoke to pharmacist and he was shocked at dosage!
Strawberry17 I will read ur link and let u know how it goes. So good to know I'm not on my own xxxxx

What the hell?!
Just been told by my gp (over the fone) that I'm not having withdrawal symptoms & that there are "lots of bugs going around""
She's looked up & liquid form isnt available??! Don't worry go back up to 40 ARGHHH!!! SO BLOODY ANGRY

Trust your instincts here, it's terrible how little doctors know. Long story short, I was on Sertraline and had the same problems, no liquid, and the tablets wouldn't cut less than 50% without shattering into lots of bits, in the end, I switched to an equivalent dose of liquid Prozac, stabilized on it, and tapering that way (still tapering now).
The other thing I found, is that pharmacists are sometimes a lot more knowledgable about what can be obtained than doctors, so I woudn't just rely on your doctor, double check with a big pharmacy somewhere if there is a liquid citalopram.

Symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal taken from "Coming off Antidepressants" by Dr Joseph Glenmullen