hi all, I am due to taper off my citalopram tomorrow, my phsyciatric nurse and phsyciatrist are adamant they want me to go from 30 to 20mg, stay at 20mg for 2 weeks, then down to 10mg for 2 weeks, then nothing… has anyone done this and been fine? the meds are actually making me depressed and anxious which I wasnt before taking them, I want to follow their advice as I want off these meds asap so I can go back to work after 6 months of being off and have my life back… anyone done it this way after 6 months and been fine? please dont comment telling me not to taper this way becuase I need to.
Hi,
I haven’t done this nor indeed taken Citalopram, but it’s common practice to taper slowly, to avoid any withdrawal symptoms.
Follow the experts advice and I am sure you will be fine, IF it does start to get a bit crazy, just let them know and they will probably say taper more slowly, but all should be fine.
Get ready to enjoy your life again!
Take care
everyone is so different. I think the only way you are gonna know for sure is giving it a go. if it’s too much then you can always slow down. if the meds are making things horrible for you then maybe the sooner you come off the better. look at it that way. 
when I was on mirtazipine I heard so many stories about how bad they were to come off and I was terrified. i started feeling better pretty quickly after stopping them tbh x
Be interested hear how you get on, I’m desperate get off them as well as made me feel whole lot worse, finding it tough coming off 10mg have read can be hard stopping once you get on lower doses. Have you read any Katiecogs posts on weaning off she’s had lot experience, . Everyone seems different I totally get wanting to get off them asap, but I’m playing safe doing it fairly gradually but not too long, it’s difficult call as everyone reacts differently. Keep posting how you get on however you decide to do it and good luck.
which ever way you decide just be aware there might be withdraws.but for me without this med i would not be enjoying my life.this med save my life.take care
hi all, I’ve dropped down to 20 this morning, I really need to hear from people who have already came off this way and been fine xx
There is a site called surviving anti depressants has lot horror stories but got section on success stories. Think most people on here are struggling with withdrawal those coming off no problems tend not to post. Good luck anyway hope things improve for you. I’m finding is bit trial and error best way to taper off we’re all different.
How are you doing . I’ve dropped down to 2.5mg from 10mg just over 4 weeks ago, last couple days slight improvement so hoping will continue. Hope you are doing OK.
hi Lemanna, Its been 5 days since I dropped from 30mg to 20mg and so far I’ve had no withdrawal what so ever, sort of seems to good to be true xx
Thats good to hear hope it continues for you. Everyone seems different I’ll stay on 2.5mg for bit longer then hopefully stop. Just pleased be coming off them good to hear you arent getting any withdrawal symptoms.
Are you still on any other meds. I tried get diazapam to help with zopiclone withdrawal but gp refused give me any.
have you had any withdrawals? if so how long after you reduced did they kick in? as feels to good to he true and I’m worried I’ll get delayed withdrawal, I’m also weaning off quetiapine 50mg, I dropped 25mg of that 4 days ago and I’m fine, that’s an antipsychotic that was stupidly given to me as a mild sedative, it has a much much shorter half life than citalopram
Yes hasnt been great coming off it but I’m still in withdrawal from zopiclone think generally drugs with shorter half life harder to come off. I have friends just stopped citalopram no problem everyone seems different. I’m doing it slowly as had such awful problems with zopiclone. Could be the other drug is helping any withdrawal problems have they told you to stop them both at the same time? Hopefully you will continue to feel OK everyone seems to have different experience had read it can be harder once get to very low doses don’t know if it’s true?
getting quite alot of anxious thiughts today such as “what if coming off meds dont work, what if I get worse” etc, but I’m going to continue coming off, becuase i go badly downhill every 4 weeks as they think citalopram is exaggerating everything especially my hormones, I’m always worried about going downhill as it’s awful and disabling when I do, so I just have to pray coming off the meds works
Think you have take on board just because others have bad withdrawal doesnt mean everyone’s is. going to.I have different perspective have been so much worse with additional symptoms since starting them am hopeful once off them things will improve. If you took them for anxiety can understand being fearful but wasnt case fir me. If you can manage it maybe taper a bit slower as does seem make difference. I was on 7.5 for 3 weeks then alternated between 5 and 2.5 and although not so great today last couple days on 2.5 better than i have been in months. Also accept it’s normally non linear so you will be up and down.
Katiecogs & Lois have lot experience of withdrawal hopefully they could advise if symptoms can be delayed. Mine kicked in straight away but don’t know what the norm is.Good luck anyway x
yeah I’m just scared I’ll end up just being like this forever, like the meds have permanently damaged me you know?
I know how you feel I have been worried the awful zopiclone gave me permanent brain damage. Having done lot research seems to take long time to recover from both AD and sleeping pills. I’m glad I’m coming off them as even though not great not as bad as I have been last few months. Keep trying tell myself it’s just the drug withdrawal making me feel like this and everyone says we will all eventually recover. Doctors hand out these meds too readily I think hope you soon improve x
how long were you on citalopram can I ask? I’ve only been on it 6 months, just over 3 months at 30mg xx
I was on it 2 months swapped to sertraline for 2 months as it was affecting my hair but that gave me the OCD so swapped back to citalopram. So about 6 months on meds in total didnt have any improvement at all and gave me worse symptoms. Funny I was worried if it had worked all symptoms would come back if I stopped it as didnt want to stay on it long term. I would agree with others bit longer taper would helpful. Been tapering off nearly 5 weeks and about 4 days on the 2.5mg. The OCD definitely improving a tiny bit and do feel bit more hopeful, just felt I would never improve on the meds, so coming off definitely helping in my case. Glad I tried but do think they may have hindered the recovery from zopiclone a bit just know not to take them in future in my case x