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Original poster

Day 8 Off Citalopram And Feel Alive!

370 replies

boolifooli · 07/09/2009 12:08

The last 4 days have been yuk but I feel great today! I first noticed yesterday that I am feeling things more, I cried while watching a movie yesterday and that hasn't happened for a while. Although the Citalopram capped the anxiety it also capped a lot of the good stuff. Anyways I just wanted to give some hope to people who are thinking of coming off and worried after reading many horror stories.

OP posts:
TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 07/09/2009 19:57

I'm glad you posted, boolifooli. I am thinking of coming off it too. Did you cut down?

Original poster
boolifooli · 07/09/2009 21:46

I was on 20mg for 8 months then have been taking the 20mg tablet every other day or every third day and then just stopped. At some point you have to just stop don't you? The first week is not nice but just plan ahead for the nastiness and you'll be okay

OP posts:
TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 08/09/2009 08:39

Was it the same sort of feelings as when you started? I've been on 60mg for 18months. I was thinking of cutting down to 40mg to start with.

Original poster
boolifooli · 08/09/2009 09:18

It's not the same no. I was very anxious when I started taking them and they made the anxiety much less severe. I did feel spaced out for a few weeks but I don't feel spaced out at all, just vibrant, all my feelings are stronger. I didn't feel that way when I started. Cutting down to 40mg would be worth a try, or even 50mg?

OP posts:
TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 08/09/2009 12:39

I go to the doctor in a couple of weeks, so I will ask him about it. I do want to start coming off them soon.

Stayingsunnygirl · 08/09/2009 13:03

My doctor put me up to 60mg recently, TheChilliMoose, but I've just decided to go back to 40mg, because I was getting too many side-effects. I've been totally lethargic, unable to motivate myself to do anything, tired, stomach upsets, and generally feeling only half-awake all the time - to the extent where I was worried about driving.

I was on 40mg for ages and on 60 for about a fortnight so am hoping for not too many problems coming off. I am also wondering whether to come off altogether - though this summer I did have a bad bout of depression, and it seems a bit rash to go from being that down that the dr ups the antidepressants to coming off them altogether, if you see what I mean.

Maybe we could cut down together, or support eachother as we cut down, TheChilliMoose - and boolifooli, thanks so much for sharing your story and I'm glad that things are going so well for you!

OrmIrian · 08/09/2009 13:07

Good news boolifooli!

I've just cut back to 10mg from 20. I have been very bad-tempered but as I am also in the throes of a 7 day (so far) long heavy period (oh the joys of peri-menopause) I think that might have something to do with it. I have 2 months of 10mg and then all being well I intend to stop.

It was a life saver when I started - I was so grateful for it - but now I need to see if I can function without it (not to mention I am getting fat )

Original poster
boolifooli · 08/09/2009 15:31

I'm the same, I needed it 8 months ago but I think I have come to terms with everything well enough to go it without the Citalopram. Another thing I am noticing is how good music is, (and sex) my hearing is incredible, it seems as if the meds dulled my sense of hearing, not sure if anyone had any similar sensations when coming off?

OP posts:
TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 08/09/2009 21:17

Stayingsunnygirl, did you used to be AutumnRain? There used to be a citalopram thread a long time ago. It would be nice to get one going now.
Orm, sadly I didn't lose any weight when I started the meds. It'll take more than drugs to make me lose my appetite

Stayingsunnygirl · 08/09/2009 21:53

No - I've never been AutumnRain - though it's a nice nickname (and fits rather well with the weather here today ).

A citalopram thread would be good. As I said, I am hoping to come off it as soon as possible - I've got a place on a psychotherapy course, and I'm hoping to get some help there.

TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 08/09/2009 22:59

What does psychotherapy entail? I did a CBT course, which was ok, althoug TBH I found the book 'Cognitive Behaviour for Dummies' more helpful. I'm also looking into Neuro-Linguistic Programming. It's all about changing how you think.

Stayingsunnygirl · 09/09/2009 09:21

To be totally honest, I am not sure what the psychotherapy will entail. It's a therapy group, and I think we are encouraged to look at why we became depressed and understand it, and then I assume we learn to change how we think.

I am going to go and get Cognitive Behavior for Dummies on your recommendation too. Dh already has Anger Management for Dummies (it made him a bit cross when I bought him that - ).

I'm feeling more positive this morning - I've actually managed to do something that needed doing (only a tiny task, but one that would have been filed away at the back of the desk for days, the way I was feeling recently). I'm assuming that this is because I've cut back the citalopram.

How are you doing today?

TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 09/09/2009 12:02

I feel good today thank for asking. I was actualy up before DS, which hardly ever happens! We've been to playgroup and I have come and made a couple of phone calls that I should have done yesterday, so I'm getting on with things too. I haven't had my tablets yet today but I think I might just take 40mg and see how I go. Was it about a week before you felt any difference?

Stayingsunnygirl · 09/09/2009 12:52

Yes - getting on for a week, I think. I'm not entirely sure, because I think I forgot to take my tablets at all at least once over the weekend, so heaven knows what that did to my therapeutic levels!

I am shocking myself today - I have finally taken my MILs advice and got tonight's supper prepared (well, almost) - and tomorrow's! The peppers need stuffing when the filling is cool, but the sauce just needs to simmer for a while; and the potato is mashed for the shepherd's pie, and the filling just needs to simmer for a bit too.

All this activity - is there something wrong with me??? Mind you - tomorrow it will probably be normal service resumed - lol!

TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 09/09/2009 14:49

I'm just sick of putting on a brave face for friends and pretending that everything is ok with me, whilst listening to them whine about their own problems.
I feel like I help and help other people but get nothing back in return.
That really had nothing to do with anything but I just wanted to get it out.

Stayingsunnygirl · 09/09/2009 14:56

What I really want to do now is to give you a big unmumsnetty hug, TCM. I swing between telling people how I am feeling, and then putting a brave face on because I'm afraid they'll get sick of hearing me go on about myself.

I have considered keeping some sort of a journal, where I can write down all the things that I would like to be able to say without boring the pants off my nearest and dearest.

TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 09/09/2009 15:13

Thanks some people don't seem to care about how much they moan, do they? But no-one ever wants to listen.

willtryharder · 09/09/2009 15:36

Thechilli, I have just done the lightening Process, its probably along the same lines of NLP as it does change the way you think.

I have citalopram in the cupboard and I haven't even starting taking it.

I was constantly tired, I have walked 3 times this week and today I did a short jog.

I couldn't drive because I was so anxious and today I drove a little bit down the bypass.

Its not a miracle cure and you have to do the work but I am determined to give it a go.

Good luck everyone.

TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 09/09/2009 16:33

When I started the tablets I didn't drive for three weeks because they made me feel so odd. It was like being drunk all the time.
I've never heard of the lightening process. I shall look it up.

Rones · 09/09/2009 18:10

Hello all - just joining in! I started taking citalopram (20mg) after thinking long and hard about whether to start taking ADs again... I didn't feel great (all symptoms of depression & anxiety) when I went to see my dr on Mon and got the prescription but I started to feel better (mentally) as soon as I picked up the tablets from the pharmacy.... a placebo effect! I seem to suffer really bad bouts of depression and then as soon as I finally make the decision to go on AD's (after always a lot of resistance!), I tend to start feeling better again. It really confuses me! Anyway, I took the first tablet on Monday eve and started to feel the side effects after just one hour! I basically got all the very common side effects as stated on the information leaflet and got them all the next day (Tues) too - not nice at all! I have decided to persist and actually feeling much better today although still a bit out of it, spaced out and like I'm a bit on drugs!! Anyway, it's interesting to hear about your experiences using citalopram as it's my first time....

TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 09/09/2009 18:55

Stick with them, Rones. They really helped me when I was very depressed. The side effects were a bit alarming at times, and I do still grind my teeth and I've been on them over 18 months now.

iliketurquoise · 09/09/2009 19:15

citalopram has helped my anxiety, but it has slowed me down a lot and made me put on lots of weight.
i stopped taking it on 21 august so its been nearly 20 days now (i did stopping gradually).
i felt lighter after i stopped taking it, but feeling depressed for a a while now and slowed down again and feeling spaced out.
i think it has different effects on different people.
i liked it helping my anxiety but depression wise it didnt help me. and weight gain is becoming an uncomfortable issue for me now, so i had to stop taking it.
i am thinking of waiting for a week, than if not getting better i will visit my gp.
when you have dc it is very difficult.

sausagetits · 09/09/2009 19:22

hello, can I join you?

I've been on citalopram for nearly a year, down to 40mg a day now but I'm keen to start weaning myself off.

I feel so knackered all the time and they're definitely affecting my sex drive.

I'm also starting pyschotherapy and psychodrama therapy (well, been in the prep group for several months-starting properly next week) and I really want to be "straight" iyswim.

We have consultations with psychiatrists to discuss this issue so I'm hoping I'll be able to start reducing soon.

Good luck everyone else.

TheChilliMooseisasmadasahatter · 09/09/2009 22:14

ilike, I put on weight too, and I was sorely disappointed as it's more common to lose weight.
Sausage, I know exactly what you mean about the sex drive. That has been non-existent since I have been on the tablets.

Stayingsunnygirl · 09/09/2009 22:27

Mine was pretty much non-existant before I went on citalopram - poor dh has been on very short rations!!

I do feel like I did better today, and am looking forward to tomorrow, which is a novel feeling.

Sausagetits, ilike and Rones - good to see you here, and I hope that we can all help eachother. Blimey - that sounded a bit worthy - I'm not really too bad - honest!