I thought I would start a new discussion to share experiences of reducing on Citaploram,I was put on them after a relationship break up and put on a repeat prescription which I just didn't stop,so this summer I want my feelings back instead of numbness. I have been on 20mg for the last 4 years and tried to stop before but felt terrible, this attempt so far is sort of going ok, I have done 20mg - 10mg every other day for 2 months and now and been great , for the last 3 days I have been on 10mg which I plan to do for 2 months before reducing again.The doctor basically said I can come off them at my own speed, I want to make it as easy as possible.
For the last 2 days I have noticed I have alot more energy on the positive side , but also like a angry energy which is a bit scary, soi far managed to recognise this is withdrawal and be careful not to snap. I aslo feel some anxiery creeping in and wake up in the night for an hour or so, my thinking is foggy, I would liken it to gving up smoking except not as hard at all, so far some people have said they have nopticed a change in me, Im more edgy, I would say im reasonably happy overall though and want to continue and see if this levels out. Be good if anyone else wants to share their experience, will update to see how it goes,thanks RIch.
I stopped Citolopram also. My problem is every time I get past 5wks or 6wks. (Like its in my system all the way) I have very bad almost horrible side effects physically and sometimes mentally. Citolopram was medication #7 for me. I took it for 6 wks. Suicidal thoughts started after 4 wks then severe lethargy. Didn't want to do anything. I felt aweful. Called Psychiatrist an she immediately told me to stop Celexa 20mg an start straight on Effexor xr 37.5mg . Took it for 5 wks. Yet again difference in symptoms. I have fibromyalgia an began to have severe all over body pain. Joints hurt bad. I didnt want to even get up in mornings. It was terrible. Mentally numb. Iv stopped myself. On day 9 of no Effexor. I feel aweful of coarse. Muscle aches, crying, bowel issues, anxiety has slowly crept back in. I have GAD an Depression. Effexor was med #8. So I dont know what to do now. Discouraged. Goodluck on your tapering. Sounds right to me. Slowly.
I've come off these twice - first time halved each time and took around 6 months to stop. Still had withdrawal effects. Sadly after a pill free year I had to restart and second time I withdrew I did it by 5mg each time and did 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 / 2.5 / 1.25 spending 1-2 months on each. I did it with a pill cutter and the last 2 doses I crushed. Took a year. I had no withdrawal at all that time.
Some people do alternate days which is good, but I always felt nauseous if I missed a dose.
Since I've been off (last August) I've taken 5-HTP bought over the counter (completely natural) and I feel great still. There's no side effects or withdrawal on these and can start / stop anytime. Good to take if you feel not right when you've stopped the prescription meds (can't take both together).
Hi Rich. After reading your post I felt a little better knowing other people where trying to come off Cit. I have only been on it for seven weeks. I spoke to !U doctor today and she said just come off them,this I found odd,so I asked her if I should just cut them down! Until gone. She said yes, so I am going to take one every other day then cut them in half.a
Good luck Pat, withdrawals are certainly real but nothing to be scared of, for me they have been pretty managable, just need to watch my temper.
I have reduced to 10mg for a week now and feel a little better.,why don't you do 20mg and 10 mg every other day rather than 20 mg 0 mg, not telling you what to do but its not a race and Im sure your gp will hapily give you another prescription after if your still reducing, its not an expensive mediacaltion at all.
Thanks I will look into 5-htp,my main reason for stoipping citaloram is the nubbing, I cannot feel that spiritual sort of feeling on a summers day in the coutryside or get happy about much, I noticed this as soon as I started them that I would get a thought like oh its my birthday next week, or the f1 is on later and then wait for that happy emotion and nothing came, so anything natural would be great,thank
Hmm it is certainly tricky, I used to think is it an imbalance or do I need therapy, IU live with someone much worst than me and am convinced meds and therapy together are good, I do know a few people who have been on one med and the doctor changed them to another and they literally go downhill fast , I think because they were not taopered off and just stopped, maybe its a case of taking on emed that works a bit and saying ok this is as good as I can feal with meds , what else is there, I did therapy for 2 years 4 days a week , took my childhood apart and worked through the hurt and pain , has taken 5 years to get a good balance emotionally but been progressive, I hope you find your way
Yes know that flat dull feeling, though it didn't affect me that way when I was on them - only when starting them up. Not nice losing that 'warm' feeling I know.
Yes 5-HTP has been good for me - good that these don't need to be weaned on or off of.
Thanks rich, I have bought some 5 HTP so I will give them a whirl. Over the week end I have only had one tablet 20m
.I was just so surprised that the GP told me to just come off them she said I had not been on them that omg 7 wks. I will just try and cut down . But I want to start taking the other. Thanks
Just wanted to say that you can't take 5-HTP it you're still taking prescription SSRI's. They do the same job, so you can't mix the two. You need to have stopped Citalopram first.
Hi Katecogs. I have been on Cit for 18 months and have now almost completed my "taper off" and as you once said, I am feeling a bit like a drug dealer now and crushing the "grains" lol. !! I'm wondering how long should I leave in before trying 5HTP, and also did you have any side effects when on it ? That would freak me out cos I never really got rid of a lot of the side effects of Cit, they just didn't want to leave me !!! Thanks Kate; Take care, Lily x
I was on these for 7 years they were great ..stick with them worse thing I did was come off ..i started having panicks again .I'm going to go back on them for good
Keen to know how people are getting on with this now. I've reduced from 30mg to 20 over 4 weeks and as side effects had evened out I started reducing to 10mg a few days ago. I feel pretty crap today- having crazy dreams, my head is all over the place and got a bit of a sore stomach which I hope isnt ibs returning or I'll be going straight back to 20mg.
Sounds like side effects from dosage reduction. When I dropped from 15 to 10 over the course of 4 days, I had a dull headache/slight dizziness that went away after a few days on 10mg.
Hi. I am seeking a few answers for a friend of mine who has been on 20mg Citalopram for 2/3 months, I think. I am supporting him in his crisis, let's say, which has been ongoing for 7 years, but maybe only recently started to catch up with him as a PTSD. It is impossible to predict how he will feel when he wakes up each morning. He has lots of ideas for moving forward, and has a very definite project in mind, but even though this project is very close to his heart, and we have discussed it for the last few days, today he has woken up with that awful suicidal hopeless feeling. He is a VERY strong character - and goodness only knows how he has kept going this long - but I am wondering whether being on 20mg now is too high a dose now as he certainly seems to have "come a long way out of himself" in the last 6 weeks or so that I have known him. Could it be that the Citalopram is dominating and that less would get him closer to the feelings he wants to have and that he had yesterday and the day before?
Iv been on and off this medication for a few years now and has been great if he’s only on 20 mg that’s not a strong dose I wouldn’t suggest coming off so soon it takes at least 6 months to regulate the serotonin get him to try CBD to it will help too x
Thank you Karen. Funnily enough an article and video about CBD Oil came up on my feed today, so I have passed it on to him. Are you suggesting CBD oil as well as the SSRI? Presumably the serotonin value in CBD is the main focus? How gradually would you introduce the CBD oil?
I’m still on 10mg of citalopram and take 5 drops of oil every morning and again at 4ish the higher strength is better as you need less I’m on a 500 strength atm but will increase wherever he buys from they will give him a guide on dosage to, good luck I’m happy to help if I can x
My friend halved his dose from 20mg to 10mg about 3 days ago. It is early days yet, but was wondering what sort of side effects you experienced when you reduced. And what would you have welcomed a friend doing for you to help you through?
As to CBD oil, no doubt one would have to be very sure of the quality of the product.