Coming off citalopram, Feeling Horrid, advice/reasurance please

[babalon]

Hi all,
Hi been taking citalopram 20mg for a year now, but I've decided The time is right to come of it. For 3 weeks I took 1 tablet every other day and from last sunday I have'nt taken any. Emotionally I feel fine but physically I feel weird to say the least. I keep getting a dizzy wozy feeling and visual disturbances as if I've drank too much.

Does anyone know how long withdrawal symptoms are likely to last? Can I do myself lasting damage coming off them with uncontrolled withdrawal symtoms?
Anything I can do to lessen symptoms, I really feel horrible.

For anyone coming off ADs, this is a helpful book:

The Antidepressant Solution: A Step-by-Step Guide to Safely Overcoming Antidepressant Withdrawal, Dependence, and "Addiction"
By Joseph Glenmullen M.D.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/074326973X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1459163617&sr=1-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=M.D.+Joseph+Glenmullen+M.D.&dpPl=1&dpID=51BIBR5ri7L&ref=plSrch

Hi Everyone,

I'm so glad I came across your posts. For the last few weeks I've really been struggling...

Around 9 months ago I began taking Citlopram (30mg) for anxiety and depression. I started to feel much better so a few weeks ago decided to stop altogether. At the time I was on holiday so in a very relaxed environment and thought this would be the best time for it. Almost immediately I started to experience drunk dizzy feelings, head zaps and hallucinations. As I was skiing in the mountains I thought I was suffering from altitude sickness! I also experienced intense headaches (again I put this down to the altitude). Since being back the dizziness has eased a little but my emotional state has really suffered. I am teary over nothing and I feel so irritable - like I've never felt before. I can't stop sleeping at the wrong times! I'm tired all the time and I can't concentrate on anything.

I now know I shouldn't have stopped suddenly but now I'm three weeks in I really want to see if I can just get through this time without having to go back on a small dose. Being on the drug killed my sex drive and made me gain weight.

Just knowing that these feelings of withdrawal are 'normal' is helping me to feel determined to get through it.

I've cut out drinking and I'm exercising every day to try and stave off the sleepiness (as hard as it is). Does anyone know how long I can expect to feel like this and if cutting out alcohol may help with stablising my emotions while I come off the meds?

I thought I was going mad before I read your posts and I haven't wanted to talk to anyone because I didn't want to sound like a drama queen. I know that sounds ridiculous but part of my initial anxiety and reason I was put on Citalopram in the first place was crippling anxiety over what people think and fear of letting people down. I got myself into a terrible emotional place because I bottled things up after a traumatic relationship and divorce so this is a trait of mine!

Thanks for your help,
Sarahlubella

I'm not sure if this'll still be helpful to anyone but I found this article on the mind website about how to tell the difference between withdrawal and your original symptoms.
www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/antidepressants/withdrawal-effects-of-antidepressants/

I stopped taking mine last week, by chance more than anything because I've found it so difficult previously - I've recently moved Dr, there's been a mix up with my dosage there and then I forgot to order a repeat prescription in time for the bank holiday. I have been feeling much better, mainly because I've been trying to put myself first more often but I'm also on holiday so I don't know what will happen when I go back to work next week.

Hi
Do hope someone can help, I've been on citalopram 40mg for 4 years now and I'm at a really good place in my life where I've decided to come off eventually (hopefully) but reading some on the stories on the internet scares me that I will never be free of them! I've reduced from 40mg to 30mg and I'm currently on 20mg but I'm not sleeping, if I'm lucky 2-3 hours a night 🙁 Is this normal and will it stop? Please help xx

Peclke,
How long are you giving yourself between changes in dose?

I decided the same a few years back.. but reasising it takes about a mont to become effective, I took each stage of reduced dose one month at a time. I can't remember what my initial dose was but in the end I was taking half a tablit every other day...

Taking my time to come off, I had no problems... Although once "clean" the mental health issues started to reappear. I was then given another med, for manic depression.

Ihave been on 20mg for 18 mothers after having breast cancer the a year after got 12polops in my colon stuc to a lumb 8 hot op but got new all clear one an mamagram so what to come of citipame I have been doing cold turner could not get in to see doctor but I am feeling terrible feeling sick headaches need to go bac k to doctor Monday cannot go on like this the worst feeling ever day 8 tomorrow

Need a doctor to sort me out befor xmas

I'm so glad I found this chat online. It has made me feel I have some answers now. I have been on citalopram for 4-5 years and just tried to come off slowly over 2-3 months going from 30mg to 20mg to 10mg and chopping the 10mg in half for 5 and then going alternate days and off. I thought I had come off slowly like I came off them in the past but I have felt horrendous like I'm not functioning, numbness and tingling in arms, feet, lips, face, extremely emotional and on the edge of crying all the time as well as having big bouts of crying. I feel very woozy a lot of the time and generally and unwellness like my heart is not quite right or something. Having read these comments it has now put my mind at rest that in a few weeks all these symptoms could go and I will feel much better. Thank you all for your comments and thank you for understanding.

Did anybody succefully compeltely off??? Any happy endings???

Im Just on the same boat as everybody above. Was feeling great after taking only 10mg for a long time decided to stop. Just want to have more energy, and now i find my self extremely tired, teary, feeling something weird insid of my head... I took the doc advice to take one tablet every other day for 2 weeks, so will try going down to 5 mg every other day...
Pri x

I had been taking 20mg for fours years and was getting sick of being tired and slightly spaced out. The tablets did work to reduce anxiety, though I wanted to come off to see how I coped. As reported by others as soon as I stopped, I felt sick, my head hurt, was going hot and cold. This lasted between 4-6 weeks and I nearly went back on. My anxiety has returned a little but not as bad as before, it’s been around 8 weeks now and everything has settled down, I have also started to take 5-htp which seems to help balance me a little. The side effects will settle down, though it will take time (in my experience).

Following.
I know this is an old thread, but have been on citalopram for 5 years. Was initially on 20mg, then was raised to 40mg to get me through a hideous divorce. I have very recently (a couple of weeks) just put myself back onto 20mg, as the divorce is over.
I am fine at the moment, just very tired, but could be due to moving house; recovery from.divorce.
During my time on citalopram, I had a lot of therapy, so I have made significant changes to my life and relationships.

I do however want to meet a new partner and I suspect citalopram was affecting my libido. So am.going to try & come off the 20mg slowly over a few months. Going to increase exercise too. (Currently zero, but I have been fittish in the past)

I was initially prepared to stay on it for years, but I think the emotional numbing effect which protected me through divorce trauma and working through other issues; is now stopping me from moving forward with my life.

Hi, I'm really stressed out and hoping for some advice. Has anyone taken a SSRI antidepressant and had a bad reaction to them in terms of experiencing hallucinations? My doc is now withdrawing me off them and I'm going through horrible sickness withdrawal. Did switching antidepressants or SSRI cause the same problem or could it be that citalopram is just not for me.

Hope you can help and share any experience/s.

Thank you x

I am so happy for you!

I have been taking Citalopram for 20 years. I have had great success over the years, but I would like to slowly wean myself off of it to get healthier. I have been able to slowly cut my dosage in half without any side effects, but I am feeling terrified of completely going off of it after reading so many horror stories on the internet. I would love some positive words of encouragement.

@Connie1962

I have been taking Citalopram for 20 years. I have had great success over the years, but I would like to slowly wean myself off of it to get healthier. I have been able to slowly cut my dosage in half without any side effects, but I am feeling terrified of completely going off of it after reading so many horror stories on the internet. I would love some positive words of encouragement.

If you would like advice PM me I had horrendous withdrawals and unfortunately the doctors know nothing about this