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Original poster

Feeling down, coming off Citrolapram- advice please.

58 replies

Bakeoffcake · 04/04/2015 09:06

I've been on it for 18 months and it has helped me so much, I've felt better than I have for many years. (I was prescribed it for anxiety rather than depression, though it did really lift my mood)

I started coming off it 3 and a half weeks ago. I was on 20mgs so Dr told me to take 10 mgs for 3 weeks then reduce to every other day. I've felt absolutely fine for those three weeks but the last few days I've felt so down. I'm sat in bed now absolutely crying my eyes out and I don't know whySad.

Is this a tempory thing which I should just work through or do you think I should go back to taking the 10mgs everyday?

I do have an appt with Dr on Thursday, but wanted to get some advice from other people too.

OP posts:
violator · 10/04/2015 09:48

Just a small word of advice from someone who's been there….

You most likely will "feel crap" when you stop taking this medication. The level of crap and how long it lasts depends on how fast you weaned off them.
Feeling crap isn't necessarily a sign that you need to go back on them.

Withdrawal symptoms are very real and do exist, they shouldn't be confused with a return of the depression or anxiety but unfortunately many doctors do just that which means people are basically on these meds for life. Which is fine, if you're fine with it.

Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 10/04/2015 13:41

Thanks Violator, I agree with you, my dr (who is actually very lovely and caring) instantly said I would need to go back up to 20mgs when I described my symptoms. She didn't seem to understand that it could be just withdrawal symptoms.

I'm feeling so much better today, the exhausted feeling is definitely lifting and no headaches for 2 days Smile

OP posts:
Greengardenpixie · 10/04/2015 14:42

Thats good Bakeoff, my headaches have gone too and feeling more energetic.:) Im on a tablet free day :) Will not take one tomorrow either and see how i go. Might try and do three days between and see how i get on.

Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 10/04/2015 17:55

That's great great Green, hope it continues! Have a lovely weekend.

OP posts:
JamNan · 11/04/2015 07:38

So glad I found this thread. I have a new doctor who suggested stopping Citalopram and Tibolone (a type of hormone therapy).

I have just weaned myself off Cit 20mg over the last 2 months. I took a tab every other day, then every three days then half a tab then stopped 2 weeks ago.

I still feel tired and sometimes weepy but the brain fog is getting better. I had several experiences of suicidal thoughts which lasted for a split second. My life has been traumatic and stressful at times but I seem to be coping.

I have noticed that the awful vivid dreams I had are gone, along with hallucinations on waking imagining I can see spiders on the wall. My sleep patterns is still all over the place - I am worn out by 8pm and then wake very early. I have also lost 3 kilos without trying. I am going to give it another few weeks and see how I go.

Stopping the HT was a big mistake and I spent a month having another menopause with dripping sweats and hot flushes which were quite debilitating. Well sod that! So I am back on the HT!

Greengardenpixie · 11/04/2015 08:19

Well done Jam :) So glad to hear someone has done it similar to they way i am by skipping days. I too am now going to try for three days inbetween. Had a sore head yesterday but have woken up and feel fine. Still feel lethargic though!!!!
Has anyone found that citalopram has affected their period?
Mine have been going crazy but it may be my age!!!!

Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 11/04/2015 09:51

Yes Green my periods have been all over the place since taking it, but I'm 49 so like you had put it down to my age.

Jam, that's great that you've cone off them. I also had very vivid dreams whilst on them and am very happy they've gone.

I'm feeling great today and am going to go out and do some gardening. Hope everyone has a good daySmile

OP posts:
Greengardenpixie · 11/04/2015 20:30

Im not far behind you age wise. Im 47, so not sure for me if its perimenopause tbh. Glad you have had a good day. I was out shopping with my mum. Buying some stuff for my holiday. Got a pair of black patent birkenstocks and got the kids some bits and pieces. We have just put up a hut in our garden so have been trying to rid our house of bits and bobs that can now go in it!! The kids are off as its the Easter hols and they are driving me nuts!!!!

Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 12/04/2015 11:25

Can't you lock them in the new hut Green?Grin

Tell them it's an Easter camp!

OP posts:
Greengardenpixie · 12/04/2015 12:19

ha ha...sadly i cant as we haven't got a lock for the hut yet!! They would happily go in the hut given half the chance. I think my dd thought it was a playhouse for her!!!
Well on day 2 of tablet free. Felt a little low yesterday tbh and feel a little sad in a way about coming off them as i quite like being indifferent to a lot of things that used to annoy me. Does that sound crazy?

GraysAnalogy · 12/04/2015 12:25

I'm on venlafaxine because these stopped working for me. I've now decided that there's no way I'll ever be completely off them. I come off them because I think I'm better, but what we forget is that this is due to the medications. Then I end up in a bad way, or if I do manage to come off them I'm constantly looking for signs that it's coming back and assessing my mood. It isn't worth it for me.

Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 12/04/2015 17:34

No it doesn't sound crazy Green, I think as Grey says we get used to feeling ok on ADs, so it is hard to come off them.
I'm thinking about it constantly at the moment. I feel great that I've reduced my dose to 10mgs but have been thinking it might be easier to stay on that rather than come off them and go back to being anxious about everything.

How long have you been coming off them now Green and are you still on 20mgs?

OP posts:
Greengardenpixie · 12/04/2015 19:13

I dont actually know!!! Thats a good point checks on fridge for my last appointment I went to the doctors on Friday 6th March. I think a week later or so i decided to increase the time between them. I think i have been taking 20mg every couple of days for a while now. Think i will leave it three days this time for sure. I am actually running out of 20mg tablets soon anyway. Meant to be taking the 10mg but just cba to go to the chemist and collect the prescription! So tomorrow i will not take one and then that will be three days without.

Greengardenpixie · 12/04/2015 19:15

I will go and collect my 10mg before they refuse to give them to me cause the prescription is so old probably now

Greengardenpixie · 12/04/2015 19:16

Now, where the hell have i put the goddam prescription!!!?????

Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 13/04/2015 11:10

Did you find it Green? If not, I'm sure if you phone the Drs and tell them you've lost it, I'm sure they'll give you another one.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 13/04/2015 11:19

I would definitely get another prescription before you run out- you've only been coming off then for a month, so if you suddenly just stop you might get bad withdrawal symptoms.

I've done quite a bit of googling and a lot of websites- like The MIND charity, suggest taking at least a few months and to come off them very slowly.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 13/04/2015 11:20

Drs don't seem to know about this advice BT mental health charities, which is a bit rubbish really!

I'll stop posting nowGrin

OP posts:
Arcadia · 13/04/2015 21:06

Hi all, I am struggling with coming off. I went from 20mg down to 10mg over a few months last spring, stuck on 10mg for nearly a year, then cut down to zero over a few weeks just over a month ago. I have been 'clean' for about 5 weeks now and I feel totally rubbish! Not the withdrawal symptoms anymore, just flat and miserable and pissed off. I am also feeling less sociable and enthusiastic, and less positive about my life generally. I am also more anxious about things. I don't really want to be on them forever but don't really like myself or life when I am not on them! Not sure what the answer is.

Greengardenpixie · 13/04/2015 21:57

Arcadia..this is exactly what i dread! I want to be off them but at what cost?

With me, i was on them primarily for the stress i experienced at work. I changed my work to a far better place and now i feel that i should be ready to come off them. It stands to reason that since the thing creating me stress has been removed, i should be 'healed' The thing is though, i have felt calm and moments of real happiness on them. I have caught myself a few times feeling miserable recently - like having a cloud having over me, a feeling of being really down and flat like you have commented on - with no real reason. I dont want to feel that way. I most certainly dont want to feel things getting to me like they used to. Its so hard. I think the answer though lies in making the changes in your life. I think thats the key. The tablets on mask the reality.

Greengardenpixie · 13/04/2015 21:58

Bakeoff, still havent looked for them Blush but day 3 has been fine!!! A bit tired but thats been it. Maybe go for a fourth!!!

ProjectGainsborough · 13/04/2015 22:23

I stopped taking them about this time last year. Weaned myself off them, but still felt pretty weird in the process and experienced the head 'zaps' (hope someone knows what am talking about here Blush have seen them mentioned on other sites - like mini shocks if you move your head too quickly).

Worried that I was always going to feel flat and emotionless, but after time, feelings did start to come back and it's good. I understand what another poster said about stuff 'consuming' you, but actually I hadn't realised how numb I was to the good stuff too.

Anyway, just my experience - good luck all Flowers

Original poster
Bakeoffcake · 13/04/2015 22:49

Arcadia, you say you came down from 10mgs to zero over a few weeks, that's pretty quick and it might just be hitting you now. How long have you been feeling rubbish for?

I went from 20-10mgs in one go, as advised by my Dr, and was absolutely fine for nearly 4 weeks then wham! i was a total mess, crying, feeling down and exhaustion for about 8 days. I then woke up and felt absolutely fine.

OP posts:
ovumahead · 13/04/2015 23:21

There is a great website called Survivingantidepressants.org with loads of advice about weaning off properly. And lots of advice about withdrawal symptoms etc. Definitely worth a read!

violator · 14/04/2015 11:07

Arcadia 10mgs to zero is a huge leap in one go.

I took six months to wean off 10mgs, went to 5mgs for two months, 2.5mgs for two months, crumbs for two months.

I felt great for a few weeks when I stopped completely, and then felt utterly shit. But I knew I could do this and it was just withdrawal.

It passed. Like starting on antidepressants, there were ups and downs and a bit of a roller coaster ride but it did pass.
That was over a year ago and I'm fine.

For me, the best part about being off them is that I can 'feel' again. On medication I was on the same mood level all the time, I felt no downs but also no excitement, no anticipation. It numbed away the sadness when I needed it to but I hated not 'feeling' emotion.

The website ovumahead mentioned above is very helpful.