Another Citalopram thread

[fortifiedwithtea]

I've been on Citalopram for many years. Average dose 20mg. 30mg when things are bad. 10mg when things are not so bad. I did manage one lovely six month period AD free, where I felt my true self again but something happened and I feel apart again.

Not sure what originally triggered my anxiety. Could have been adjusting to becoming epileptic or side effects of the medication or how badly my family, parents in particular reacted/coped with my diagnosis. Then other things went tits up in my life. I lost my job because of epilepsy, DF got diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, DH job re-located, DD2 was constantly having hospital apts. In the end I said I couldn't move and DH had to change job.

So now life is pretty settled and I've seen GP. He's agreed I can reduce dose from 20mg to 10mg and go back and see him in a month. I've been on the lower dose for a week now and having a bad time adjusting even though I've gone down to 10mg before I don't remember this.

My sleep pattern was bad before I started reducing but now its really stupid. Some nights I'm not getting to my own bed at all. I drop off on the sofa woke up at about 3.00am. Go to bed if I'm lucky at about 5.30. I then have to be up at 7.00am to get DC ready for school.

Trouble is I just can't sleep when I go to bed. I feel like my heart is racing. I don't know whether its down to exhaustion or tablet withdrawal.

I feel so tired I can't function. I can just about do the basis load washing machine dishwasher, care for the guinea pigs and that's it.

Has anyone else experience similar?

Sorry for long post.

Bump

I heart pounding isn't as bad as it was but now I've got nausea as well.

On the positive side the family, particularly DH are noticing a change in my. I'm not such a zombie and have been able to cook some dinners.

Would be nice to hear from others reducing dosage. I'm feeling very alone on this thread.

Hi there, hugs (why is there no icon for hugs?!)
I'm coming off citalopram too, went from 20mg to 10mg and feeling ok, but in the past when I've gone from 20mg to nothing (eg when I forgot to get a repeat prescription and ran out) I had pretty bad side effects.
The doctor told me I could cut the pills in half and take 15mg if needed.. Or alternate (20mg/10mg). Maybe you could try taking 15mg to see if that takes the edge off your withdrawal symptoms?
I know it's the weekend now but you could try and get a phone appt with your GP on Monday?
Also have you had any counselling or CBT to help you cope with anxiety / depression etc? I'm doing counselling atm which is helping me feel better about coming off the citalopram.
Anyway hope that helps, at the very least you're not alone!!

Hi op. I'm in the process of reducing. In fact I haven't taken anything for over two weeks so, touch wood, I'm off them.

I agree with pp that maybe you should reduce to 15, not 10mg. Try that for a month or two then go down to 10

Sorry posted too soon.

What worked for me was to reduce really really slowly.

Choose a reduction plan that works for you. What I did was

20mg daily reduced to 20mg every 36 hours

then 10mg every day

Then 10mg every 36 hours
Then 10mg every 48 hours

Then 5mg every day
Then 5mg every 36 hours
Then 5mg every 48 hours
Then 5mg only if I get annoying side effects which I'd the stage I'm at now but haven't needed it for over two weeks

I told my gp what I was doing but did it myself

Best of luck op

I'm just starting to reduce and my doctor had advised at least 4 months to come of 20mg. So I'm doing
1 month of 20mg five days a week and 10mg the other 2 days
1 month of alternate days 20/10mg
1 month of 10/5mg, 5 and 2 days

And so on until I'm off, I'm only two weeks into month one now. Good luck

Today I'm on day 2 of one of my 3 day headaches, so still not dressed. But I am fully awake. Also I have cooked for the last 4 days running, can't remember last time I did that.

GP said if I didn't noticed any difference after a month -- I think he meant in a negative way I could try taking 10mg every other day. I'm not doing that! Once past the side effects I know I need steady time on 10mg before cutting out completely.

Houseoftheholy your way looks a much better way of doing it.

Thanks for the support everyone and good luck with your reductions too