Coming off citalopram

[ruby7]

Hi

Does anyone have any experience of tapering off citalopram. I'm now on 5mg every 3 days and going really slowly, but feeling very anxious. Have had loads of therapy and was feeling tip top and now not, and was wondering if it could be withdrawal, even though I'm on such a tiny dose? I've gone from 20 to 10 to 5 and then every other day and now every 3, over 6 months.

Anyone got any thoughts?

(obviously unable to sleep....)

Sorry you're having a bad time, Ruby, bumping in the hope that someone who's been there will be about at the moment.

Feeling anxious is a common withdrawl symptom of citalopram. The anxiety does wear off as you get more used to being off them. tbh you really are pretty much off them - 5mg every 3 days is nothing really - my psych doesn't recommend having doses every other day or every few days as it can cause more imbalance than necessary but if it works for you carry on!

I came off very quickly and had very bad withdrawl symptoms. From my experience this is the last withdrawl bit before your body accepts you are off them.

hth

Thanks ladies. big Bad Mouse, I've heard that taking them every few days is almost like starting again as there's so little in your body you're just getting the side effects. Is that what he means do you think?

I think the problem with taking Citalopram every other day is that it does break down quite quickly so yes, it can be like starting them up again without you getting the benefit.

It takes a while for you to feel the effect of being on them, you need them in your system for a while before you get the benefit. At some point, when you come off them gradually, you haven't got enough in your system to keep you going through a day of missed medication so when you take another tablet the next day you are getting a bigger relative increase in dose than you are used to and that can make things worse.

I hope that makes sense - not sure it does

btw - the anxiety part of the withdrawl symptoms was the most drawn out of them all for me. You can turn it to your advantage though and use it as a means of practicing overcoming the attacks while you know they aren't being caused by anything too sinister.

Good luck

Thanks Mouse - will keep that in mind! X

Hope it all works out well for you