M68. This is what my Dr told me too, it took me couple of weeks to co e off and I feel fine too. Hope yours continue use x
Woo hoo! Thanks DH8! Great to hear you have done it smoothly 
I cut down over about 3 months but for the 2 or 3 months I didn't take it I had scary thoughts (mostly involving knives) and threw stuff a lot - I feel so much better being on the tablets I have no intention of giving up. The only side-effect is tinnitus which actually doesn't bother me much.
I've been on Citalopram for 7 years or so,( 20mg rising to 40mg) I only have to miss a day or 2 of my tablets and i'm anxious and fretful- dreading the day my GP decides to take me off them. Hopefully reading some of your experiences, if positive, will ease my mind.
HI,I was on Citalopram for 17 months and decided to try to get off them-I was told by others taking it how hard it was to get off them-but I have found it quite easy. I started by cutting down to 10mg from 20 mg- I planned to do this gradually over a couple of months, but after about 10 days , with no side effects at all, I realised I was starting to forget to take them , so I decided to just stop and see how I felt-I had plenty if I felt it was terrible and I needed to go back on them. Been off them about 6 weeks or so now , and apart from just 1 day when I felt thunderously moody,irritable and tearful , its been absolutely fine. No dizzines, weird flashes or anything- well just one thing- hot flushes have come back , but nothing major , and I am a 54yr old woman. So for me personally Citalopram was a positive in my life - helped when I needed it , and no problemsgetting off it. I think what helped me get off it was to be so busy I didnt have time to analize my fee.ings , I took the dog out for longer walks , dug out my sewing machine and focused on making something rather than looking for any negative thoughts.My original anxiety problem was so bad I hadnt driven a car since passing my test 24 years ago , didnt trust myself on the road,but 6 weeks ago ,same time as stopping Citalopram, I started go ing just a couple of yards up and down our drive-and now Im driving myself to town and work !!!!!!! And I feel fab !!!!! So my advice would be to anyone else wanting to try life without Citalopram is focus all your thoughts ,black or okish ,and your energy into keeping so busy you dont have time to think, and going for a long walk. A dog helps !!!! Good luck !!!
Hi
I changed from citalopram to sertraline earlier this year and did it in a week with no noticeable effects at all. The citalopram had done nothing for me though so maybe I was immune?
hi i ave been taking citalopram for 4 months.after a major upset.i did without it.but still felt down after 5 yars ,so thought by taking them it might get me up and positive again.it seemed to help.i seemed better most days.but down odd day.i was on 30 mg.after going on holiday drinking i decied nt to take them .this is day 7 .last 2 ays been very tired.not much energy. cold and feeling ok then down,i hope this will go.i am trying to get interested in things .like seeing the grand child.walking when the sun is out.and concerntrating on doing the garden..hoping i can go with out them.i hope if i persevere i will feel better quickly.i am 51.would like to know how other people feel coming off.and how long these withdrawel symptoms last.thanks.
Hi - Have a look at my comments a few months ago (richard240). I came off very gradually but when I was
off them completely I had a couple of fairly bad weeks with black moods. It did pass though, and after that fortnight I gradually found my old self and can now take a really positive view of life again. Take heart because it does get better.
Quite a lot of people seem to regard Citalopram as a horror story. Maybe I was lucky but it worked for me while I needed it, though it needs treating with respect. Good luck and stick with it.
I have been on citalopram for over 10 years,on 40mg daily at the moment,wish i could get off them.When i've tried in the past i visit hell and have to back on them.
Some patients may experience some side effects. About 5% of patients with insomnia, impotence, nausea, constipation, sweating, dry mouth, fatigue, drowsiness. Approximately 2% of patients are headache, upper respiratory tract infection, back pain, pharyngitis, and anxiety. Occasionally been reported to cause mania or hypomania, or hyponatremia. Should be used with caution in patients with a history of seizures.
I was on 40 mg citalopram daily and stopped in one hit, but my medication was replaced with Mirtazpine.
I am going to ask to go back on to the citalopram though and put up with the associated side effects. Citalopram did wonders for my depression but as posted in my thread, caused major sleep problems.
there seems to be good and bad,sleep is important too.i would try things to help to sleep. fresh air lots during day. camaile tea,meditation,going to bedlater ,a read b4 bed. counting sheep may be!
Hey All - its me - Maranda - I started this thread a couple of months ago.
I thought I would give you a quick heads up as to where I am... which is - Off Citalopram!
I cant believe it. I did it cold turkey - I know I know, not the recommended way to do things, but I ran out of pills when my eldest was sick and couldnt get to the docs for a repeat prescription. The first stretch was 6 days between 40mg, and I thought that I would see how long I could last before the next one, and then a week passed before I had a "wobble" so I took another then, and then I had my last one about 2 weeks ago. I feel great with no side effects at all. I think I must have been just ready to come off them... I have so much more energy, everything is sharper and clearer and I am really looking forward to getting my life into gear with no drugs.
Take care everyone - Big love - and thanks again.
M xx
I Looks like I have missed this thread- shame. Anyway if anyone is out there support would be much appreciated. I have been on C for five years.,ran out 3 dyas ago unable to get a repeatt and am just going cold turkey. I know must be mad! I feel like sh**. taking it hour by hour. Its got to get better. Anyone out there?? MW x
Hi, so I just have a getting off of celexa story I wanted to share. I have been on celexa on and off for about 12 years. when i first requested it at 21 due to almost unbearable stress it had nearly an immediate impact on me. made things more bearable. but essentially the underlying fears and anxieties i had i was not able to get rid of and address the root of the issues. i spent alot of my focus on the big things career and school related for a long time. anyway the point is that i went back on celexa after being advised by a psychiatrist in 2011 and was quickly put on 40mg again. over the period of time i was on the pills i was able to finish my degree and begin a good career but i still was dealing with the same demons that kept me in low confidence, insecure, and was really the root of my issues. one time in 2013 i accidentally ran out of pills and the withdrawal at that time was AWFUL. i was nauseous and sick to my stomach and could not focus. very tough. anyway i also began talk therapy with a significant commitment around this time. it helped a bit with the first therapist and she was supportive but we were missing something and although i was improving i hadn't totally addressed my issues. finally during one of our sessions she mentioned a 'behavioral therapist/psychiatrist'. she said it in an offhand way but this is a person that SPECIALIZES in behavioral issues that can induce stress, anxiety, depression, etc. and no joke, i went in with this gentlemen and was fully committed and within weeks my issues and stress seemed to fade significantly away. i reduced myself to 20mg from 40 with no issues. went a few more sessions and was feeling much better. now i keep forgetting to take my pills and i'm sick of them so i haven't taken them in about a week or so. i have no symptoms that i can discern. although i'm not my peak self and still have problems like any person and plenty of scars, i'm still working to keep improving and i have become much more happy with life. so i would suggest this for people to consider. its possible if you're struggling to get off it it may be because you need it more. i would just say that seeing a 'specialist' perhaps a 'behavioral psychiatrist' or other appropriate specialist and being committed to treatment could be the thing thats been needed all along. this may reduce the need for the drugs and ultimately allow the person to feel less symptoms coming off them because the underlying emotional, psychological injury is being treated and not just being covered up. i wish all of you luck on your journeys and i believe that if you stay committed and keep searching and stay positive you'll find the solutions you need! life can hold some suprising and great things for all of us...
Hi I had a comment I made a few days ago and I wanted to take it down but could not. I don't want to create the wrong impression about the effects of stopping an anti depressant. Actually the day or so after I wrote the message I felt some head cloudiness and decided that I'd cut the remaining 20 mg pills i have in half and take one every other day so that I can have a bit of a climbdown in my pill taking and not just stop abruptly. so yeah its tough to do. everybodys situation is different and the representation i gave is just my experience as I understand it currently. Good luck all!
I have stopped 40mg of C as they call it, cold turkey. i get this dizzyness that comes over me very quickly, more so when i get aggitated, but as quick as it comes it goes just as fast. also my sleeping pattern ain't a pattern at all..lol. i just got done sleeping 12 hours with dreams that were in HD 1080p. Also i am teary eyed at the slightest things.
I guess the dizzyness or "wobble" as you call it, isn't unbearable, but i not a fan of it either, i also was on that depakote which i also stopped abruptly months ago with out any side effects as i can tell, just waiting for everything to plane out, so i can get back to my kinda normal and look back at the mess i've made,
Good Luck to ya'll
Blaine
Good luck ya'll
Hello I'm laura user of cit 20mg for 1 year, I decided to wien myself off on my own only been off if fully for 20 days and my emotions are okay but I'm getting a dizzy feelibg / pulsation all throughout my body when I move but I know I quit to quickly so I'm going to say that I haven't had much side affects at all only weend of over 2 weeka , I'm trying to conceive so I did not want to be on this nasty/helpful drug anymore
Hi
I've been on 20 mg Citalopram for just over 2 years since my son committed suicide, but a few months ago I thought I had to get rid of the crutch,
i read up a bit about side affects and withdrawal and decided to do it very slowly I cut the tablets up and took 15 mg for 30 days with no withdrawal or headaches at all and 5 days ago went down to 10 mg and still feel good as if the fog has lifted and I'm getting my self back I'm going to stay on 10mg for 30 days then go down to 5mg for 30 days then 2.5mg for 30days then every other day and see how it goes from there X jan
Hi - I was on 20mg for 5 or 6 years and finally came off last year. Just as you suggest, I cut down very gradually over 3 months. Cutting down to 10mg made no difference, even down to 5mg was ok., but after I'd stopped completely I did have a 2 or 3 times when I could have weakened (dark moods), even 2 or 3 months after I had quit, but IT DOES GET BETTER! I've read posts from people who reckon they can just stop overnight, but I think that is very brave and risky, I strongly suggest you take it gradually.
Good luck with quitting, it can be done.