Reducing citalopram - or maybe not, I feel awful, any advice welcome

[OuchyCyst]

Just need some friendly words as haven’t told anyone irl I have reduced. Have been on citalopram since 2010. Have tried probably half a dozen times to come off, including tapering v slowly with the liquid. Have never been able to, as being a single parent I have never felt I can fight through the withdrawal symptoms without becoming a poor parent. Growing up I had a parent with very poor mental health and I don’t want that for them. So I’ve stuck on 20mg. However, recently I got so fed up with excessive sweating from the head, which I have concluded must be to do with the citalopram. Like sweating profusely even when 6-7 degrees with any exertion (eg dog walk) or at all times over about 15 degrees. I am also overweight but often see ladies my size or bigger wearing coats/jumpers/scarves when I am sweating in a t-shirt, so think it must be more than that. So about a week ago I reduced to 10mg. I feel awful, very low, tearful (to be fair I have a lot going on and not much support), bad tempered. It almost feels like a physical pain, I feel so distressed.
I’m going to have to go back on it I think. I am being ok with the kids but they can tell something is wrong, even when I’m not crying, I think they can sense my despair!
Not sure why I’m posting. I really want to come off. I don’t like the sweating, I constantly fear the Gp refusing to prescribe it, I put a load of weight on when I started on it so maybe that would come off, plus I fear it may be linked or dementia in later life. But I don’t think I can continue like this for much longer. Does anyone think this is withdrawal and it will pass in a week or so? Has anyone had the sweating thing? Thanks for any thoughts x

My husband takes 40mg per day and is intending to take it forever. It has changed his life and he never wants to come off of it. If it works for you there’s no need to stop it. The sweating may not actually be related - my husband doesn’t have anything like that. Could it be menopause related instead??

Thank you so much for your reply, and I think that’s what I needed to hear. I suspect maybe I do just need to be on it forever. I did speak to a clinical pharmacist about it once (part of the GP’s attempt to get me off it) and she said it is rare, but some people do seem to need it to maintain their levels. And there is a family history of depression unfortunately.
I am def starting to get some meno symptoms, but I’ve had the sweating for 4 or so years I’d say. Only on the past few months have I started getting it at night, like a hot flush. But maybe I should look into HRT. Thanks again for replying to my anguished stream of consciousness on a Sunday night!

Hi, i am also on Citalopram and also sweat excessively from the head, no matter what the weather! It's awful but I will take that over how I feel without the meds. Apart from the sweats, I haven't felt more like myself. I have been on 40mg for about 4 years now. X

I also think I could be peri menopausal so haven't ruled out that being a cause for the head sweats!

Just for comparison- I am not on citalopram and the head sweat thing was definitely a sign of menopause for me. I went on to HRT and it completely stopped them for me, so definitely worth looking into.

Oh really? That gives me a little hope, thank you.

It’s so awful isn’t it. Really embarrassing, and it stops me doing stuff which would help with the weight, like walk to work. I just can’t as I would be drenched on arrival and take all day to try out! But I am glad to hear you feel well in it otherwise and maybe we should both try out some HRT!

I get head sweats and I wondered if it was Citalopram or the menopause…

Im coming off them (been on 20mg for 5 years) but I AM getting full support from my GP. I can’t say it’s been easy and I’m basically on 10mg a day now. I’m not in any hurry to decrease it any further for the time being.

My GP said to take it REALLY slow… and I will…

I need to change my GP I think. When I’ve discussed it with him before he said it is fine to do it over a couple of weeks. I mentioned to him about an article I read about how hard it is and the need to taper in tiny increments as you get down low and he basically laughed. So pleased you are getting support from yours. Could I ask what support they have given/suggested?

A few of us with citalopram and head sweats then… what we need is someone who is def not menopausal to say if they get them!

I've been on it for 25 years and have no intention of coming off. With it, I lead a normal, happy life and wouldn't want to change anything. You aren't ready to reduce the dose at the moment so stick with it, the sweats can't be pleasant but aren't they preferable to the depression/anxiety?

I guess my hope is that I am ‘better’ and this is withdrawal rather than a resurgence of depression, and if I could only stick out a few weeks of withdrawal I would then be ok. If I didn’t have kids, and could take 4 weeks off work to really focus on myself, then maybe I could test this out. But that’s not reality (and probably I need it anyway after this long on it).
Can I ask, do you come under pressure from your GP to come off it at all? Also, have you found it has lost effectiveness over time? Thank you for sharing, it does make me feel better

The whole time I've been taking it I've never felt the despair I used to live with on a daily basis. Could I live without it? I don't know and don't really want to find out. My dose is low, it keeps me on an even keel which is perfect. I learnt early on not to mix it with alcohol so if I have a few drinks I will not have a dose that night. There's enough in my system to not notice a missed dose for a day or two!
I have a yearly phone review. They always ask if I want to reduce the dose and I always say I prefer not to and reiterate how good I'm feeling. There may have been a couple of times when it's been suggested I try counselling or some therapy but I firmly say that doesn't work for me.

@OuchyCyst - I’m a bit reluctant to post the info from the GP on this board, but drop me a PM if you want to know what my GP said.
Id hate to think of people dropping their meds on account of what I’ve just written. Some dark shit could happen…

I think the tapering off is based on you, your dosage and how long you’ve been on them.

Thanks @Ohyeahwaitaminute , I have messaged you

I am on citalopram 40mg and have had a horribly failed attempt to stop. I felt so unwell and was crying so I just went back on. I will likely stay on it forever too. I don't see how I can ever take time off to give it a proper attempt.
Recent evidence shows that the longer you are on citalopram the longer you need to wean off, a report I read suggested months is usual once you have been on citalopram over 6 months.
Citalopram is known to be one of the most difficult to come off and now GP's need to warn patients how hard it is to come off of these drugs. I had no such advice and sadly am now on a second anti-depressant.

Interesting comments about head sweating though as I get this and just put it down to being slightly overweight/unfit and peri.

Can't help with the head sweating

But citalopram is incredibly hard to come off, taper down slowly, much more slowly than the doc says, I think.

I thought I'd be on ADs for life about 20 years ago but now trying to do without. i'd not have had a career without them though - very grateful to have had them.

I was trying a third one this summer after a breakdown, and side effects blew up, plus I believe it has a large part to play in weight problems for me.

There are some studies showing occasional use helps but the NHS is still stuck on "you take them or you don't" from what I can see. I have taken two fluoxetine this week (after stopping in November). Not sure if there's any point in trying citalopram that way but it might help to look into it.