OK so I was prescribed Citalopram and Proponolol about 2 years ago for Anxiety. It came out of no where! One day I'm ok next day im in hospital having what I thought at the time was a heart attack (I'm only 37).
Anyway 2 years later and I decided to share my story, I've been up and I've been down with these pills.
Overall I would say for me they make me feel worse but that said they did help me get to a point where I could then take over and control my anxiety myself without the pills.
Now here is where the problems started..
First I tried cold turkey.. BIG MISTAKE. About 3-5 days later I was having Brain Zaps.. OMG haha weirdest sensation ever, hard to explain but anyone who has had them will tell you they are freaky.
So anyway I couldnt bear it no more and took a citalopram and within a few hours the zaps disapeared.
Long story short cold turkey doesnt for me work. I also tried dropping from 20mg to 10mg which kinda was ok for a few days but I slowly noticed I was getting paranoid alot about my heart beat lol.
Then I decided to give the pills another chance and so I took 20mg again but weirdest thing ever.. I suddenly realised the citalopram was now making me more anxious than when I stay off them, they was now my biggest issue and getting off them was my new mission.
It's took a few months experamenting but what worked for me was to slow things down gently.
I was on 20mg again so I stuck with them for a week
Then a week of 20mg every other day
Then 20mg every third day
Then once I was happy this routine was working and I felt confident I then dropped to 10mg every 3rd day and maintained this for a few weeks maybe a month or 2 I can't remember.
Finally 10 days ago I stopped altogether and 10 days in and my head is fuzzy and I have moments of weekness (paranoid im gonna have a heart attack lol) but other all I feel awsome like I've finally beat these pills.
I should note I still take the proponolol which I only take when needed when I think my heart is beating loud.
Anyway never give up.. but before you decide to come off make sure your ready. Its took me a few months to realise alot of my fears were in my head and not physical as your body will have you believe.
Yay that you feel awesome even though you are having some withdrawal symptoms. That gives me hope. This is day 2 off completely off them for me. Hoping my headaches and nausea ( and brain fizzes ) improve.
Citolopram was NOT for me definitely. On it for 7wks an worse an worse. Bad thoughts at end. Stopped next day on Effexor. No brain zaps but dizzy spells occasionally an a headache. Insomnia a tad 37.5mg Effexor. Im looking into therapy lights rt now. May get one. You stay under it 30 min twice day. Suppose to help.
I find Im more aware of the brain fuzz later in the day, maybe cause I'm tired by then but I definately seem to get it more later in the day than in the mornings.
I've lost track but I think I'm on day 12 of being completely without them. I've had a few moments of weakness where I feel like something is coming.. but it passes if I keep myself busy. Today was a good example.. hadnt noticed allday but as soon as i left work i noticed I was feeling the brain fuss, I hadnt noticed until now so I think keeping busy had helped. Like i said i felt a bit funny and decided to take a proponolol which helped.
guess it all depends how long you was taking them and how soon you quit them. I tried cold turkey but found i could only ever last a few days before giving in to the brain fuzz.
If you get to a point where you need one I would suggest taking just half (snap the tablet in half) I did this and then managed another few days without any and continued to only take half of one when i felt the fuzz coming. THEN after a few months of this I finally stopped. (12 days ago)
I still get fuzz in my head but it isnt as bad as the zaps i originally use to get, infact I can pretty much ignore this fuzz as it comes and goes and I try and stay busy or go chill and have a nice bath ect.