Coming off citalopram

[sammy2909]

Hi guys I am new here. I have 2 children 7 and 1. I started suffering with panic attack when my second baby was born and started citalopram in October last year.
It worked fantastically except now I feel like I am ready to come off it. I have put weight on and my energy levels seem so low. I have heard you can't just stop this suddenly? Any one have any experiences coming off this?

Hello! I have done it, but it took two attempts. You have to do it very very slowly over months rather than weeks.
Ideally you need to see your GP about doing it-they can advise the best way.

I've come off citalopram a few times. The time that worked (I've been off it nearly 5 years now) I waited until I'd felt fine for over 6 months. Then I cut down very slowly. I was on 40mg and cut down to 20 mg first. I stayed on that dose for about 6 months. Then I went down to 10mg - can't remember if I went straight to 10mg or did any alternating between 20 and 10mg but stayed on 10mg for a few months. Then I started to take 6 tablets a week, then 5, then 4 etc. Towards the end I spaced them out taking one every other day, then a gap of two days, then three days etc and then I didn't take any more.

It took a long time but this time I didn't find myself needing to go back on them again. I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms and for me it worked.

I did read that it should be done slowly. Some peoples experiences that I have read sound awful. I am about to start trying for another baby so wanted to be off it fairly soon. I'll see what the docs says then. I have already gone from 30mg to 20mg and not noticed anything x

My first reduction was to take 20mg one day then 10mg the next, this worked for me with no side effects but I did it for quite a while before the next reduction.

I saw two GPs and they both had very differing views, with one thinking 10mg was nothing but a placebo.

It's interesting to see what different docs say! I would rather do it quickly but I can see this would be a mistake x