If you stop taking AD's - how long do side effects last?

[TinyGang]

I took citalopram for about 15mths, but in all honesty can't say I felt amazingly different, even on 40mg. I'm not sure quite what I was expecting though, never having taken ad's before. It took me long enough to ask the doctor for them in the first place.

Aaanyway..things have improved in life somewhat, so I just decided to stop taking them (I know -not quite what you should do) and thought I'd go it alone. I know it's not really recommended, just to stop, but I'm terrible at taking medicine long term - I do forget - and because they didn't make much difference anyway, I suppose I just gave up on them.

I wouldn't say I'm the life and soul of the party now, but I seem to be ok. However, I feel a bit weird. Head rush, tingly hands and slightly light-headed. Does this go? It's been about 8/10 weeks since I took any.

i know when i stopped taking mine suddenly i felt shaky etc within a month.....i would have expected by 8-10 weeks you'd be totally 'AD free'...but hopefully someone on here will know for sure

your symptoms remind me of how i feel when i am anxious...(particularily panic attacks give me tingly hands,light headed- apparently due to breathing too fast/shallow...this affects circulation....so please be careful that you are not getting poorly again- you may not notice. Ofcourse you may be lightheaded from being hungry....so hows the eating? are you 'forgeting' to eat etc

are your symptoms constant- do they come and go...are you irritable...tired....

What you are describing is called 'Discontinuation Syndrome', the symptoms of which are as a result of your stopping the anti-depressant medication too quickly. This is why anti-depressants need to be reduced slowly. Withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, panic and flu like feelings. I'd recommend you seek advice from your GP about reducing them slowly.

Good luck.

Just looked back here - thank you both so much for your kind replies.

I don't feel especially anxious, but I can still feel quite angry about little things, which I bottle up. Not as badly as I did though. I've never been sure if this was depression or PMT which I seem to have developed at a later stage in life along with heavy periods...oh joy.

MissesF - no unfortunately I don't ever forget to eat - could probably do with forgetting now and then though!

The feeling is most odd - not too awful or something that's driven me to the doctor, but odd nonetheless and there most days. I shouldn't have stopped taking them so abruptly, that seems to be the cause.

do you have anyone around you who knows you well, and you can trust to talk to?
sometimes, even though i am on prozac (been on anti-d's for 10 years) ...i forget to take them for several days at worst... sometimes it takes someone noticing my increased anxiety or obsessive behaviours..i don't always see them.

i am lucky... i have a mental health social worker who visits me on fridays...she keeps an eye on my moods...and even how i'm coping at home with day to day living....

even though i am married...and have family close by...even my mum doesn't notice the subtle changes in my moods....and my husband is not a great communicator...so i feel quite lonely most of the time.
i have 3 sons...but they don't 'understand' ...so why i asked you if you have anyone ..is....if it weren't for my friday visits from that S/W....i'd have noone...and thats when i hit rock bottom.

so if you need to just chat on here...i'll keep popping back to chat....

i feel its too late for you to worry about whether you should or shouldn't have stopped takng them suddenly.... you are too many weeks drug free...but what you must do is have a chat with someone at your doctors...if you have a young child...you can even call the Healthvisitor to chat....