Have to get off citalopram, any advice please

[Bananaketchup]

Hi all, my first post here!

I have had anxiety/panic attacks in varying degrees for about 15 years, have been on citalopram for several years and it's worked well for me.

I reduced from 30 to 20mg about 2 years ago but I wobbled badly and lost my nerve, so went for 25mg and spent several months building my confidence again. I reduced to 25 one day/20 the next in November, then 20 a day in Feb, it's going well and I'm very motivated. I'd like your thoughts on how long you think it might take me to get off it completely given that I've reduced twice in 3 months and feel fine with it?

I have to get off it as I have applied to adopt and they will not look at me until I have been off ADs for a year. I'm and a bit about it as the adoption teams have a very narrow minded view that ADs = can't cope, which they would never say about a person with a physical problem. But it's fine to say it about mental health, even though I have proved I am a fully functioning person with a stressful job etc and no problems with coping with life. My GP was very shocked as she recommended me with a glowing reference. But there's nothing I can do about it so I've just got to accept that and get on with stopping the ADs.

If anyone has managed to read my little rant, any suggestions please?

claire - that's interesting, i've been needed a doze in the afternoon as well.

Liking this thread!

I found that cutting down very slowly worked for me. I went from 40mg and starting to cut down to stopping over about 15 months or so. I found going from 40mg to 20mg relatively ok, although got horrible dreams at the time. As my dose got smaller I cut down more slowly if that makes sense. I took 10mg every day for a couple of months and then cut down to 5 a week for a couple of weeks, then one every other day, then less often until I stopped in Nocember.

Evening Noah, hope you don't mind me asking, but how long had you been taking Citalopram before you starting cutting down the dose?

Hello claire (I love that radio programme by the way )

I'd been taking citalopram for about a year when I started cutting down although had been on ADs before that (had been off them about 6 months before restarting in about September 07). Had been taking sertraline since march 2005 before that.

I had a course of cbt in April to June 2008 which helped me to be more "in control" of the depression I think. Although I don't think that would have helped until I had been taking the ADs for a while.

Noah, thanks for replying. I've been taking Citalopram for a year and a half, I'd been drug free for around 5 years previous to that after years of trying out various ADs without success. It took a lot for me to go back on the meds, but things had really started to get bad again. I'm so pleased I was prescribed Citalopram, it really has made such a huge difference to my life.

(I used to love that programme too )

I think the no ADs rule re adoptions is scandelous! I have now been told that I will be on ADs for the rest of my life and it was explained to me as a chemical inbalance. I have gone through the hell of being taken off them and plunging into the dark pit again 4 times before the GP eventually decided I could have a repeat prescription for a 20mg daily dose. I can function perfectly normally and cope with life's stresses as well as anyone else at that dose. Without it I am a suicidal wreck and no use to anyone.

This ban is ridiculous and surely discriminatory. If someone had a physical illness well controlled by drugs they would not object but a mental health problem? I am livid about this. I can see that an alcoholic or ex drug addict might be asked to be 'clean' for a year. But we are talking here about a readily treatable illness.

OP I hope that your depression is a temporary problem and that you will be able to cut down, stop and remain off ADs for a year but what if you find you NEED medication long term, or even briefly due to the stress of the adoption process?

I also agree that having to have been off ADs for a year for adopting is ridiculous. I was pregnant whilst I took ADs and for the first 18 months of my DD's life.

And although I am glad that I'm not taking them at the moment, I fully accept I might need to in the future and that is fine as well.

Well today the headache seems to have receeded but I'm sleeping badly having bad dreams and grinding my teeth night and day - it's fun isn't it? It sounds like I've got napping in the afternoon to look forward to, yay! Hope everyone is having a good day today.

Thanks for your support re the adoption rules everyone, it is just pure stigma and as you say, wouldn't be applied to someone with a physical illness. Can you imagine if there was a rule that adopters with arthritis have to walk without a cane for a year to be accepted? It took me a long time to feel that there's nothing wrong with taking ADs if I need them, and it feels like that has been thrown back in my face. I've got no choice though so no matter how hard it is, I've got to press on.

BananaKetchup - just a thought, but might be worth keeping any information on here as anonymous as possible, just incase

I'm doing OK at the moment - spring arriving in force, buds on the trees, daffs everywhere, promises of walks in the woods with DS - feeling much more positive.

My GP is a genius - I last spoke to her in Feb, and she suggested the first day of spring to start with the slowdown... she knows me well

Hello all

I still have 'the' headache and I've noticed I'm grinding my teeth a little now, sicky feeling has definitely gone.

BananaKetchup, I feel for you over the adoption rules, DH and I have been TTC for almost a year and I'm sure I sense disapproval from the GP because of the ADs.

JarethTheGoblinKing, it's lovely to read that you are feeling much more postive, the weather has been lovely where I am too

Eeek hope I am not too identifiable

Hope the weather is keeping spirits up, long may it continue!

Wouldn't have thought so Banana - just be careful about revealing too much info on the rest of the site.

Such a good day today, not really getting bad symptoms - the yawning is quite bad and I'm exhausted, but that might be more to do with 6am starts all week

Brilliant day today though, loving this weather

I've often pondered if vitamin D can help with depression? there must be a reason why sunshine physically makes us feel better

How is everybody doing? The sunshine's working it's magic - been out in it as much as possible and feeling positive so far

I am having terrible anxious dreams though and can't let DS stray too far incase he gets snatched

early days still...

Hello Jareth and everyone else.

Nice to hear you are making the most of the sunshine Jareth

I'm doing ok, almost reached the end of week three of the reduction, just put my repeat prescription online order in, so I must be feeling alright!

Head still fuzzy in the morning, teeth grinding about the same. I'm getting obscure dreams, some a little anxious but nothing too bad.

I hope your dreams settle a little for you Jareth.

Hi banana - just wanted to say good luck with the adoption process.

Unfortunately I faced the same issue re. AD's when DH and I applied to adopt 4 years ago. Unfortunately it wasnt practical for me to stop taking them for the full length of time i needed to do it so our adoption journey ended. Shame really as we were already 3/4 of the way through the home assessment and had the full (written) support of my gp etc. Our allocated social worker had already said that we were a perfect family for a child - so it was a shame all round really.

(The charity we went through was slightly more flexible because we are a mixed race couple so they were happy to start the home study - but the rule was very similar. For a child to be placed with us I needed to have been medication free for a number of months and the impression I got was that I would sort of need to 'promise' that I wouldnt need them again - which of course no-one can do - but I would have done just to 'tick the box')

It sounds like you are doing everything right with the reduction in medication . Hope your application goes really smoothly. x

Hi all, hope it's going okay for everyone. I'm doing okay, having anxiousy dreams too but overall not too bad. I've got a GP appointment on Friday to get more 10mgs, hope she is supportive!

Kizzie I'm really sorry to hear about your adoption story, when I think about the blinkered attitude about ADs I feel really cross about it. It sounds like you were a huge loss to adoption and I'm sorry it didn't happen for you

How is everyone doing? Hope the volcano cloud is not lowering your moods, I was liking the sunny days better!

I'm just back from the GP, she was very understanding and has given me an outline timetable to reduce down to 15 then 10 a day then see her again. I'm a bit nervous about moving too fast but it's good that she thinks I can do it. She also recommended St Johns Wort once I'm off, she said there have been studies which found it as good as a low dose of ADs so definitely worth a try.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

just wanted to say that citalopram is also available as drops to mix with water or fruit juice - GPs are sometimes reluctant to prescribe them, either because they don't know about them or because they're a lot more expensive than the tablets. 1 drop = 2.5mg, so it's an easy way of reducing the dose bit by bit if you start struggling with dropping the dose in 5mg or 10mg increments.

good luck to all those trying to come off it

Leonie I am a redhead I don't think I could burn any easier than I already do!

Becksy that's worth knowing thanks, I'm a bit nervous of big cuts of dose as I had a wobble when I tried to cut too drastically last time so could be worth a try.

Hello all

Almost at the end of week four of the reduction (40mg down to 30mg a day) and all going well. Any side effects were felt in week two and three and have now all but gone. I would say that I'm feeling more alert and lively

I plan to stay on this dose for at least six months, then if all well will drop by 10mg again. Good luck all

with the IAPT policy you should be abel to rwquest (espcially under the circumstances and why you need to come off the AD) that you move onto some therapy to help with your anxiety. As far as alternatives go the Bachs Flower remedies (rescue remedies) are excellent for alot of people suffering from anxiety and panic attacks, it is herbal and totally safe for adults AND children.

Claire it sounds like you have done really well, congratulations. I'm in my first week of 15mg per day and am feeling very pleased with myself cos I got a bus today (have a weird claustrophbia about buses). A little thing but it made me happy

twinkerbell unfortunately CBT doesn't work for me and that's the only therapy on offer for anxiety here . I'm also a bit wary as the adoption agency asked when I last went to therapy and I don't want it to against me. I'll have a look at flower remedies thank you, might be just the thing!

Hi, how is everyone today? Managed to drop by 10mg since this threads been going. Thank god for the good weather - it makes such a difference being able to go out in the sun every day..

Jareth well done for cutting down, congratuations. The weather is working for me too I think. I had a mouthguard made today for my teethgrinding so in a silly way I'm hoping it goes on for a bit now to make the £120 I've just shelled out worthwhile!