Stopping citalopram

[WouldYouLikeSomeTea]

I've been taking 10mg for eight or nine months. I feel ready to come off it now. I felt ready since about March but I had an operation coming up and my GP thought it best I stayed on it until I was better.

How long did it take you to adjust to coming off it? That's assuming you were well, which I believe I am.

I've just suddenly realised that if I want to stop before school holidays that I had probably better start on Monday, if I can get a GP appointment. Is two weeks long enough to get over withdrawal and start adjusting? I have made plenty of plans for children for the first week of holidays that involve me as a taxi and not a lot else! So three weeks would possibly be OK. Longer wouldn't be.

I don't think 2 weeks is enough. When I tried to come off them quickly I got quite ill - horrible head rushes, shiver and anxiety. You need to cut down first - reduce the dose - and then when you are stable on that dose reduce again. You need the GP on board. Sorry.

Thanks. So I'm on through the summer? or need to feel brave! I will absolutely talk properly to GP. I just wanted to have a user's perspective before asking her, in case she says "oh yes, no problem, you'll be fine in a week".

I'm on quite a high dose and forgot to take mine for about 4 days recently. By the fourth day I felt awful, dizzy and light headed and really spaced out. Fortunately it only took one dose to get me back to normal but I would really recommend talking to your GP about the best way to come off them. I'm on a higher dose than you so it's likely that my withdrawal would be more extreme but it might be worth planning a few days of not having to do much if that's at all possible.

I have had several courses of citalopram and have had varying withdrawal effects. From no effects coming off 20mg to 4 weeks of nausea, headaches and irritability coming off 10mg. My withdrawal effects have worsened with each subsequent course.
If you don't feel well with your planned course of action there is nothing stopping you from restarting and trying to cut down more slowly after a few weeks.
I would suggest seeing your GP so you have plenty tablets in case you need to restart. If you have problems your GP may suggest changing to fluoxetine liquid which allows even smaller dose increments.

I've gone from 30mg to 20mg to now 10mg citalopram over about 6 months.

I occasionally forget to take it these days (I'm planning on coming off it completely) I would suggest starting which whole tablet one day, half tablet the next, and continuing this for at least a fortnight.
After that switch down to half a tablet a day and try it for a week. At this point you may find that the low dose may be continuing your symptoms, rather than reducing them so you may want to stop entirely depending on how you feel.

If you feel fine, go down to half a tab a day for 1-2 weeks and see how you go. Extend it if you need to, but by this point you should barely be getting any benefit from it.

Your pharmacy should have something they can sell you to split your tablets - just ask them

Good luck, and hope this helps.

I went cold turkey and it was hell. Far better to cut down really slowly and even better if GP knows you are doing it as they can support you.

Thanks again. I'm going to try to see her tomorrow.

Hi 10mg isn't a high dose at all, but Citalopram is best reduced slowly, whatever the dose. Cut your tablet in half, and take 5mg for about a month. You may feel a bit wobbly after about 4 days, but that should pass by day 10. Then take 5mg for alternate days for another month. Then stop. You should be okay withdrawing like this. I work in Mental Health and have seen lots of patients suffer from abrupt withdrawal,so many GPs tell their patients that it is non-addictive so you can just stop. However, the brain needs to rewire, and that is what causes the brain shakes, dizziness and weird sensations - your brain is trying to get back to normal, not craving the drug. Although to get it into perspective, when I was on 20mg for pnd years ago, I just stopped, and had no problems whatsoever. So some people sail through stopping whilst others struggle. So I would advise you to cut down.

I did it by doing while tablet then half tablet for a week then quarter tablet for a week. By that point the doc said the dose was so low I might as well stop and I did without any trouble.