I started taking citalopram 10 years ago following the sudden death of my husband, I'd never suffered with depression before. I am now 61 years old.10 years later I'm now trying to wean myself off. I treid to stop taking them 5 years ago, and did it gradually, but because of other life pressures - work, money - I went into an even deeper depression.
I am now in a much better place in my life and have reduced my dose from 30, to 20, to 10, to 5. In about a week's time I should have stopped taking it altogether.
However I am having some side effects. I don't feel at all depressed - I must stress that - but I'm having stomach upsets, headaches, memory loss and a fuzzy feeling in my head. I don't know if this is normal.
Sounds like you are having the same side effects as going on the tablets !! Perhaps the feelings you are getting are just temporary, like starting them. It sounds like you are doing really well!
Hi Judith. Well Done for managing to reduce down so much. The symptoms you are describing are classic withdrawal symptoms. I suffer the same just from missing a dose. I have tried reducing but get so fuzzy headed/minded that I go back to taking the full dose just to relieve the withdrawals. I think if you stick with it, the symptoms will eventually disappear. Good Luck & well done! You are a braver person than me.
My husband was taking citalopram (celexa) for 9 years and took himself off of it cold turkey about 6 months ago. He has moments of uncontrollable rage and it looks as though he is being electrocuted when that happens . It is a LIVING NIGHTMARE. We are treating him holistically but we have a very long road ahead. Everything you are feeling is normal. I wish on a way he had gone off it gradually but I just want it out of him. The damage that has been done terrifies me. What is even more terrifying is that every single day more and more people are put in meds like these and they are destroying cells and organ function. It is a slow process but it is detrimental. I know some of you HAVE to take something and have been helped, I do not judge or think anything is wrong about your decision, it is purely the fact that the medical professionals of this world have such little knowledge about the synthetic drugs they are prescribing to people . So often the root cause is ignored completely. We have to cure people from a cellular level. We have to heal tissues and organs and get to the REAL cause of our ailments. It is all relative you know. I wish you luck and will send you all good vibes. If you are reading this and are questioning whether to take this medication or get off of it, PLEASE do your research on your condition and learn everything you can about WHY illness happens. Do not mask it, face it head on with plants and flowers and herbs and energy work. We are beings composed of energy. Plain and simple. We are NOT made up of synthetic drugs and our bodies are unable to process such drugs. Please please please research naturopathy and seek out those who have such knowledge. Think about it, all the time. Pray to whoever or whatever. Visualize healing. I do this almost constantly every single day multiple times a day. You are not alone. You will be better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I believe it. Belief and intention are powerful. We are powerful being that need to take charge of our health if we want to make it in this world....
Hi Suz, your husband is do brave coming off Citalopram like has, especially knowing the consequences! I have only been on it for 5 weeks, 20mg, and regret it already!!
It's the feeling dick all the time, even after the awful acid reflux has gone. It is terrible that we are given something to take that makes you feel worse, for longer, than your reason for taking them! My doctor asked me to get stool and blood tests done, the stool one showed my ferritin levels were slightly raised , but no concerns, the doctor wants to see me. I read up on it and could be anaemic, due to me not eating properly over the last six to eight weeks. The don't say oh , it is probably side effects, they get you to have these tests that worry you even more !!! I see my doctor tonight, after a sleepless night last night, and gone off my food again!!! I have lost about a stone, which I needed to, I still weigh. 12 stones, so not exactly skinny!
I admire you helping your husband, like you are .
I might add that I was put on the tablets for anxiety , not depression, and often wonder if I would have over it by now without the tablets ! I had many changes this year which all contributed to my anxiety !
The terrible spelling mistakes!!! That was supposed to be SICK!!!! Not the other word! I'm so sorry!!! My fingers are bigger than the squares on my iPhone !!!
28 days later and I am completely free of the drug! At first I didn't think I was going to be able to cope, as the fuzzy head feeling was making me feel miserable. I couldn't think straight, and when my partner spoke to me I couldn't even talk properly to answer him. One evening when we were due to go out, I just exploded. That was the worst day! Now I feel absolutely fine - no fuzzy head and no other side effects! I'm so glad I have managed to come off the tablets, but I don't think I could have done it without my partner's support. My advice to anyone is to wean yourself off very slowly. If you feel ok after several weeks of dropping a dose, then reduce the amount again, and so on until you are taking just half a tablet evry other night. That's what I did and it worked.
Have a lookat the forum on Coming off Citalopram Usually very active forum. What you are experiencing is very common - I went through the muzzy heads and dizziness for 2/3 weeks.
It's been a very rocky road, without medication but, hopefully, I am getting better and that is 6/7 months later.
To feel better, I realised my life had to be better and no pill would masque bad thoughts.