Tried to stop Citalopram - now loosing the plot!

[bobblypop]

so, having been on citalopram for about a year I decided a few weeks ago to come off it. I reduced gradually and have been off it for about 2-3 weeks now. I feel better in lots of ways. Everything seems sort of more vivid, I have more motivation and more libido(!)
Trouble is I have turned into a horrible monster. I am so fed up with everything. The mess of the house, how selfish and lazy my kids are. The mess they make, the endless fighting etc...I have NO patience. I am yelling and ranting at everyone and being such a horrible mother. I am going to re-start it tomorrow. It helps me cope, but I think it does that by slightly dulling everything and making me care less about stuff.
But I cant help but think that I'm not really depressed but just totally overwhelmed and fed up of being taken for granted and I feel a bit annoyed really that I have to take tablets just to help me cope with my situation, although not sure what else I can do really.
Can anyone else relate?

Yes, I was a lot calmer on citalopram but hated the lack of sex drive and the flatness I felt. I take beta blockers as and when need be now and the occasional diazapam.
I get irritable rather than depressed so I know how you feel!

ashtray yes, that sounds like me. I am SO irritable right now. I was, on reflection, a MUCH nicer person on citalopram. Everything is just SO overwhleming right now, but I just don't know if that is in fact the reality of my situation or because I am depressed and my perceptions and reactions to things are altered

Could you try a lower dose maybe and see if you can get the balance?
I've had times recently where I can't cope, but a lot of mine is a situation that I have no control over - so I find taking meds as and when is the best option for me right now.
I do feel for you, shit isn't it

When I stopped taking citalopram and it worked (had a few unsuccessful attempts first) it took me about 18 months. I think you have stopped taking it much too quickly.

How long have you been feeling "all right" taking the citalopram? I remember being advised to not start cutting down at all until I had felt fine for at least 6 months.

You need to come off antidepressants slowly, really, ridiculously slowly. I mean over months, not weeks.
GPs are notoriously clueless about weaning off them and tend to tell people to stop a lot quicker than they should.

Medication might help you cope, but would you rather not feel overwhelmed than medicate to stop the feeling?
Is there anything you can do to lessen the stress? Avail of any help, maybe try counselling to learn a few tips and tricks to handle things?

I'm currently coming off meds but started coming off 10mgs 7 months ago. So slow, so very very slow, I've had no withdrawal symptoms barring a bit of nausea so far.
But most of all, I therapied the hell out of myself, learned an awful lot about what makes me tick, what I 'think' I can handle and what I can't, how to avoid stress and how to deal with unavoidable stress.

hmmm... yes have no doubt done it too quickly - my fault really! Therapy probably a good idea, have done cbt type stuff but probably need to explore deeper...
In reality there is a lot about y current situation that is overwhelming but not something I can change at the moment. I suppose I am medicating to cope, but may have to just accept that is how it has to be...

I came off 20mg over 3 months. WAY too fast! I stuck with it and after about 2 1/2 months I evened out and now (7 months after starting to come off) the citalopram and CBT have done their stuff and I feel like me again.
However I was a complete bitch and very emotional while coming off and for those first couple of months afterwards.
If I had to do it again I'd go back to my Dr's and work put a better way of coming off.

I am coming off Citalopram. I was on 20mg. I was told to take 20mg/10mg on alternate days for 2 months then see GP again for next step. I am 3 weeks in, and so far so good.

YY to doing it frustratingly slowly.

I dropped dosage back in April one 20mg every other day only recently have I dropped down to next level 10mg 2 days on one off it has to be slow or it will not be good in most people.

Also are you doing it under medical advice or not, would not advise to do it without help really.

If you are still having trouble coping I'd strongly suggest going back to the GP and asking for another CBT course and restarting antidepressants. No point in suffering, better to protect yourself long term.

Throughout my time on meds I realised (eventually!) that the aim of them is to calm you down, help you think straight so you can tackle what it is that's caused you to crash in the first place.
Obviously nobody is completely stressfree and there are external stressors in life we just can't control.... but we can control how we react to them.

Maybe going back on meds, getting clear in your head, tackling the issues and then after 6 months of being really well starting to wean down might be an idea?

thanks all. yes I am doing it with medical aavice, but pushed to do it more quickly really...
Think I will re-start tomorrow, get myself back to a sensible state then rethink the whole situation with a view to maybe coming off much more slowly in the future. better to be a bit flat and to cope than to totally unravel!

have re-started this morning. I've realised that I feel awful. /just so fed up and just terrible, and life was definitely better on the medication even if there were down sides.
Feeling hideous this morning, hardly slept at all and feel just so low and can't stop crying. Hope the meds kick back in soon.