Been on 20mg citalopram for almost 2 years - will I ever be able to come off it?!

[BotBotticelli]

Just that really.

Am feeling relatively stable at the moment: I can feel the uplift to my mood caused by the drug. I enjoy my job, I feel happy ok sunny bright days, I am better able to cope with my kids.

BUT I wouldn’t say my angry outbursts with - or anxiety about - my children was completely “cured” or gone away. I have had two rounds of CBT therapy in the last couple of years and I do try to use the techniques they taught me to stop my anger and anxiety spiralling out of control. But I would say it’s successful maybe 60% of the time.

I definitely think citalopram helps me be a better mother!

But I don’t want to be on this medication forever. I am worried about the long term effects which I don’t think have been studied yet?

How on earth will I KNOW when it’s the right time to start reducing my dose?

Saw my GP back in June and he said I seemed in a good place and he gave me a plan to start very slowly reducing my dose in August but I have not followed it :-(

I just feel quite tied to be good happy feelings I have on this medication and am loathe to give it up.

Wwyd? Anyone else felt like this?

Sorry about typos

Hello,

I've been on Citalopram before when I had stress at work, and am back on it now about 15 years later for OCD while I work on some CBT. I honestly don't think two years is very long to be on it and if you're not ready to start reducing then listen to yourself would be my advice. It can be a bit bumpy coming off them. It sounds to me like you still need the pills to take the edge of while you're learning to manage anxiety and anger - not a quick process in my experience.

Here's what the NHS website says:
"Q: Is it safe to take Citalopram for a long time?
Citalopram is safe to take for a long time. There don’t seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking it for many months and years.

However, taking citalopram for more than a year has been linked to a small increased risk of getting diabetes. But you will be regularly checked for this."
[https://beta.nhs.uk/medicines/citalopram/]

Stick with the CBT - do you still fill out the Thought Records? I find these ones helpful [https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/ThoughtRecordSheet7.pdf]

Good luck,

x

Sorry, messed up the links:
beta.nhs.uk/medicines/citalopram/
www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/ThoughtRecordSheet7.pdf

I was on citalopram 20mg for 4 years. A change of job, the kids getting older and being less stressful and a new found love of running have all contributed to me being able to come off. I went down to one every other day for a month and then every three days for a month etc. The GP said reduce right down to one a week but actually once I was at one every three days I kept forgetting and eventually just stopped taking them. I do have to be very careful with self care, making time for exercise, etc but I am 8 months off them now and it’s going well.

However, I definitely felt it was the right time for me. GP had suggested it a few times but I didn’t want to. When I came off them it was because I felt ready. Same as when I gave up smoking, because I wanted to not because anyone else said it was time or I should do

I've recently come off Citalopram for my anxiety. I was on it about four years ago for a few months. Then I felt quite a bit better but not perfect - as you are describing yourself. Then had a bit of a relapse and took the drug again. After two years, felt completely better and have been OK for about three months now. So my advice would be to stay on a liitle bit longer.