Help! Citalopram withdrawal

[baggies]

I have been on 20mg of citalopram for many years for anxiety issues. A year ago I went up to 30mg following a very stressful and anxious time at work. I have since retired and went back down to 20mg in August with no problems. I have made the decision to come off my tablets completely, partly because I am feeling better and partly because they don’t actually eliminate my specific anxiety. My doctor advised a month at 10mg then 2 weeks at every other day, followed by twice a week for 2 weeks. I am 3 weeks into this and have now lost the dizzy feeling I was getting, but feel anxious, extremely irritable, have a feeling that everything is pointless. I have been to a doctor twice about a physical worry that I thought was sinister and each time I mentioned my tablets and withdrawal she never asked me how I was feeling, just said take the 10mg for another month before reducing.
Please can anyone telll me that these feelings will pass eventually. I feel totally unsupported by the GP and wonder whether I should just go back up to 20mg and stay on them forever.

Sorry op no advice but I’m 3 months down the line from you and I’ve just gone back to 20mg as I’m suffering with anxiety, worse depression than I started with and panic attacks. I know a lot of people who have come off it successfully, but I don’t know if I ever will.

I’ve been off them since June, which in hindsight was a stupid idea. I need to go back on something but can’t face the idea of the awful side effects. I take propanol on an adhoc basis which helps when I’m feeling really anxious have you tried them? If not you can take them with citalopram and might help the transition.

Dd came off very gradually. She got a pill cutter off amazon and cut the pills into quarters and cut down by a quarter a week.

It took over a month but she said that she didn't notice any withdrawal at all.

Obviously it doesn't work for capsules. She was on Sertaline, some of the quarters were a bit ragged and crumbly but it did the trick.

I tried and felt the same as you. I don’t think I have much in the way of side effects - possible weight gain but that could be just my love of wine and chocolate. I am resigned to just keep taking it.

I get what your saying, we have this things that just because are med is an anti depressant we some how can’t get seem to accept it and want off.i think it’s a name thing MH.

Yet if we were told we needed med for say asthma we wouldn’t blink an eye lid and just take it.

I totally feel the same I’m on venlafaxine and just upped it, I still get anxiety and depression but think if I didn’t take it I’d be worse.
I just can’t handle the sensations and the black hole .

I’d say if it’s working, stay with it.

I have been on citalopram for years, sometimes increased it when I've had bad periods then reduced back down to 20.

When I've reduced the anxiety and depression come back, I have all the old feelings return and I can't bear it so stay on my 20mg.

I would say the feelings you get when reducing are not side effects of reduction but more your anxiety returning because you still need the medication.

I'm not worrying about my meds anymore, I just don't want my anxiety and depression back.

I tapered off citalopram (although hadn't been on it as long) and went much more slowly, cutting pills as I went. I think PPs are correct in suggesting it's ok to keep taking them if you need to. On that occasion I should have stayed on them longer.

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. I’ve decided to go back up to 20mg and told my doctor so! I say ‘my’ but actually I see a different doctor every time. This time it was only a phone appt. doctor says I should talk to someone as he’s a great advocate of
‘Talking’. I’ll look into it as never done this.
Reading everyone’s comments and other threads under mental health it seems a very common thread how many of us are/have struggled to come off antidepressants. Doesn’t seem to be much in the way of support though.
Anyway, thanks again everyone, appreciate your support.