Citalopram to Sertraline

Mental health
1

Hi, first time poster.

I’ve just been prescribed sertraline 50mg to replace the citalopram 40mg I’ve been taking for a few years. I’ve been experiencing increased depression and anxiety over the last month or so, so I’m hoping the change will help in getting back to normal.

The doctor recommended that I stop taking the citalopram altogether and start taking the sertraline. I was just wanting to know if this is the best way for switching between these particular tablets? Especially as the citalopram is at the highest dose? From research online, it seems that people usually gradually reduce the citalopram before starting on sertraline.

Does anyone have any experience on switching who could advise? Thanks.

2

Please slowly taper yourself off the first drug while slowly introducing the new drug into your system. Otherwise you will end up with withdrawal symptoms or a relapse down the road and those side effects are not pretty!
Meanwhile, do you have access to any type of benzodiazepine to take when/if you feel super anxious ? like clonazepam or ativan?