Day 8 Off Citalopram And Feel Alive!

[boolifooli]

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.

I'm going to have 40mg again today. I checked my diary and I see the doctor again next week. I wonder what he'll make of me cutting down myself.

I probably ought to see the doctor too, TCM - he's got no idea I've cut down.

I probably shouldn't be here as I'm only just starting but I was looking for any threads re citalopram really..... good luck to you all with cutting down! I'm not so keen to hear about putting on weight & losing sex drive! I don't have much of a sex drive anyway so can't get much worse! Anyway, I'm on day 3 now and felt slightly better yesterday although I definitely feel rather odd and still have nausea in the mornings (ironic as I didn't suffer a bit from morning sickness!) and headaches etc. still working though so that's a good sign. Just out of interest, I know it's not good to drink on these tablets but does anyone have the odd glass of wine?

I certainly have done, Rones - mainly because I hadn't read the leaflet and so missed the bit about avoiding alchohol.

And you are welcome here, if you want to be here!

I drank normally while on the tablets. I would have stopped if I thought they were working against the meds.

Rones, I am a heavy drinker and I have continued to drink heavily while on the tablets. It could be why I needed such a big dose of the meds to have an effect. Unlike Booli, I wouldn't have stopped drinking and would quite happily drink myself into oblivion.
(I was TCM by the way - I fancied a name change)

it's interesting to hear that you have all had alcohol whilst taking the tabs...my doctor didn't say anything specifically about not drinking although it does say on the leaflet not too but then I think most drugs recommend that you don't drink on them...to be honest if I have more than a glass of wine these days I get a hangover (sometimes 2 days!!) and I find it can really bring me down after starting to feel better, as of course it's a depressant in itself.... I'm not going to say I won't drink at all but I think I'm going to try to keep it to a minimum (got a week's holiday coming up too!). Hope you are all OK today....x

Feeling a bit stressed actually - teenage son type stress - the sort you get when the little blighter doesn't do what you've been asking him to do for bloody ages.

But I have been sitting in the conservatory listening to music, and reading - and I think I might not have to kill ds1 now.

This thread prompted me to do some more googling on citalopram. The runny nose thing that has been driving me mad and worrying my vaguely is explained! Apparently it's a very well known symptom. And the weight gain - hmmm.... well consensus seems to be that you need to work harder to keep it off when on these meds. And I didn't really start to put it on until I had to stop running.

The rattiness seems to be fading. I had a majorly stressful few days this week - work and home - but didn't get the panic attacks and racing heart that I would have had this time last year.

Day 12 off the meds - The dizziness is much better, and am hardly noticing those freaky head shock things. Seem to feel normal, normal sense of humour and normal frustrations. Didn't expect it to be this easy actually. Worry that much worse is around the corner!

I've actually achieved stuff today. More than one stuff!! And I've lost the nasty bitter taste that was at the back of my mouth for over a week. I love you guys!! (slight hyperbole alert)

I've done bugger all since Weds, but I am planning to get on top of it all tomorrow, with DH's help. I'd imagine it'll still be about a week before I notice a chance with my lowered dose, if any.
I'm going to open the wine shortly

Hello ladies - this is an interesting thread. I have just tried to cut down from 20mg via 10mg to nothing and it was dismally awful. Even DH who was keen for me to get off them, practically dragged me back to the gp to get some more.

But the main reason I wanted to come off was the 2stone weight gain in a year I mean SERIOUSLY?? But my gp just dismisses it as an uncommon side effect (and therefore non existent clearly.. )

Anyway. One thing is that I am fat, but I am happy, so I think that I have to manage my own weight loss against the depression.

So this is my perfect thread - thank you!!

I have been taking citralopram for around a year, a few months on 20mg and since then 40. My personal life is more stable now and I am desperate to get off. I reduced to 20/40 alternate days, then 20 everyday, and have just started 20/10 alternate days. I have been doing this for about 2 weeks now. I feel dreadful. I am emotional weepy angry and all of this is making life very difficult at home again, including for my boys. I am on two minds - just to stop, get it over and one with and then try and assess whether I am still in need of ADs. Or to keep going slowly.

Like others of you I am drinking way too much and need to address this too. Most of all though I want my life back.

Help! I am bleeding very heavily. My periods are all to cock as it is and have been for years but now I've been bleeding for best part of 2 weeks. I have seen the odd mention of citalopram having an effect on menstruation. ANyone have experience of this?

hello all....tentatively sticking head round the door! I have been on citalopram since last Christmas...initially 20, then 40 for a few months...have recently cut back down to 20, which seemed fine...and have just tried cutting down to 10 (2 days ago) and today I am SOOO grumpy.Feel terrible, and am snapping at everyone, stressed and fed up.... Please tell me this will pass. I so want to get off them (have tried before but went back on due to being so ratty and feeling it wasnt fair on my DC...) but really want to get through this, this time round as I so would like to be off them now.....I really want to get that more alive feeling back....but worry that I wont ever get off them....

Hello everyone
Am complete newbie so still trying to work out abbreviations and stuff. Have been on ADs for over 2 years now after birth of DS2 (is that right?). On 20mg initially but still massive panic attacks and depression. Have been on 40mg for over 18 months and feel quite happy to stay on them. Thought I was fine until this morning when ended up almost sobbing to DS1's p1 teacher and then losing it in front of DS2's childminder. What is going on? However, saved by joining MN and this thread. I am not the only one - hooray. Have done no work today but am feeling so much more positive! Can see bits of myself in every post. Sometimes feel like I help everybody and listen to everyone else's problems and no-one thinks I might need a bit of TLC myself. Always a coper, eh? struggling with DS1 starting school (very reluctant) and DH too busy working. rant rant!!!!!!

Hi Skip

I think if you google net ebbreviations you'll find a list of all the abbreviations explained as they are generic over the whole net.

I have literally missed a period this month! That hasn't happened for so long. I was so worried that I even took a test (which was negative) even when hubby has had a vasectomy! I assume it is to do with the build up of meds or something?

I am now 17 days off the meds and feel okay, just feel normal which is really bizarre actually as I was expecting a long drawn out battle with horrendous dizziness and the like. Don't get me wrong the first 4 days were vile! I was on the sofa under a duvet and hubby had to carry the brunt of everything.

Hoping this is the shape of things to come.

I crashed and burned big time on reduction. Made everyone's life a misery - including my boys but especially my husband. this depression was precipitated by him having an affair and moving out - he is back now and trying really hard but oh boy did I unleash a whole stack of bitterness. Before anyone chips in, he said he deserves it but trust me no one deserves what he was living with!

So have been taking 40 again for a couple of days. Think I will stick to that for a week or so and then do a very slow tail down. I guess I forgot to wait at least two weeks to see if any decrease made things bad before doing the next.

I think the scariest thing of the last few days is that I returned to the total lack of control I had of myself. It was all raw emotion. If anyone has any tips for boys etc that help people learn how to use brakes I would be very interested.

I am starting to find sudden loud noises a problem. I get really jumpy and irritable. I had forgotten how bad that was last year. I had a major meltdown in Tesco in Cardigan on our holiday having just endured a long drive across Wales with an irritable DH and 3 stir-crazy over-excited children. It was as if someone was jabbing at my head with red hot pokers and then there was noise in the shop, DH asking me questions and the children squabbling. Yesterday we took our DC and a friend out for the evening and the noise was doing the same thing to me - nearly got out of the door at the traffic lights TBH. Heart racing, dry mouth.

But hoping it's temporary

Hi Wanna

I wonder if your crash was a bit like the time I quit smoking and found I had to deal with all the horrid feelings I had instead of burying them?

Orm - I found sounds much more vibrant when I came off. I could hear the smallest of sounds and loud music, any sort of music almost brought tears to my eyes, it was very bizarre! It seems to be returning to normal now though. I had the radio on full blast for 7 days straight listening to Kiss and I usually listen to Radio 4! I think the neighbours must have thought I was having a midlfe crisis.

Altogether now - "releeeeeease me, releeeeease my body, I know it's wrong, so why do I keep coming back" lol

Maybe boo - but I have never experienced anything like this when trying (and failing) to give up smoking.

On third day of 40 and feel very down (now taking AD makes me depressed - bit of a paradox there!) but much calmer.

Going to have some no wine days and try a small reduction again at weekend. Very small though, I can't do that again to my family.

Am feeling rather hassled by extended family - I have a 'perfect' sister with a 'perfect' life and she is pretty shitty to me. Self esteem is a big issue for me. Have to see her because she is fab to the boys and they adore her.

I am very interested to know who takes cit in morning and who in eve. I have always done evening. I sleep okish (might tell a different story after a dry night or two!!!!). I study and finishing this PhD is vital both in terms of future work and self confidence. As I am also a full time mum I need to turn my evening back into productive writing time. My brain is slower and short term memory affected by drugs. Oh I am not even sure what I am asking! Guess that sums it up really!!!

PS How do I change nickname - I want to be gonnabehappy...bit of positive thought required here I think!

Hi, thought I might join and tell my story. I was on citalopram for about a year, started a few months after having my baby boy. I was doing really well and happy etc so I thought I would come off them. I hate taking ad's. I know I should have cut down slowly but went cold turkey and now 6 months later I feel my pnd is coming back. Suppose that's my fault for not coming off them properly. Hubby says I should go to doctors and start again, think I agree with him really. I just hate this feeling of being down as had a very long history of depression. But I suppose I just think why does it keep happing to me. Just feels every time I feel good and all's well with life this dark cloud always seems to come back and bite me on my arse.

Hi Ladies, Hope it's ok to join in this thread as I definitely need some support. I've been taking Citalopram for just over 3 years after the death of a loved one. At first I was only on 10mg but this was increased to 20mg around a year and a half ago. I decided to try and come back down to 10mg with sucess over the last few months and then taking 10mg every other day. It's now Day 4 of no AD's and I feel like my head is about to explode. I'm trying to act 'normal' infront of DD as not to worry her so weekends are definitely an effort. Luckily I'm on a career break until Jan 10 so don't have to contend with that. My DH is supportive but can't truly understand what's going inside my head which can be frustrating for both of us at times. I was wondering how soon does it start feeling like there's light at the end of the tunnel, because at the moment all i can see is pure darkness. Sorry for babbling.....

Hi Lu. I think, if you were off them for 6 months and now feel you need them again it is very unlikely to be because you came off them in a certain way. No one wants to be on AD's, but if they worked for you before I personaly would be willing to take them again.

Hi Summer. I felt grotty for a week after my last tablet. Can you bear the idea of waiting a few more days to see if things improve? I think if you're still feeling 'pure darkness' over a week into it, it might be an idea to go bck to 10 mg every other day?