Hi guys, what a great site, easy to use, fast and helpful responses. I thought I’d join in, if thats ok.
I am slowly coming off citalopram after being on it for 10 years. I decided I didn’t want to be on it all my life and am feeling in a much better place right now. It helped but it has given me tinnitus and restless legs, whether that will go away I’m not sure.
In those 10 years I’ve had ups and downs, mostly when I’ve had to take antibiotics, it seems the two don’t mix for me. I am prone to gum infections a lot so I take painkillers too. I always seem to get some sort of interaction.
Anyway, I’m down to 5 mg now for about 5 months and I haven’t settled yet. Still getting insomnia, cloudy head, dizziness, tiredness, hot/cold feelings, twitching, nausea etc, but not all at the same time and not every day.
I can get a great day and I think this is it, it’s over, but the next day I feel out of sorts again.
Anyway, thought I’d share because it seems that many of you are going through the same and that’s very reassuring.
Good luck guys!
Nice to hear that you are coping though Sonia, I’m at the same stage, living not too bad on 5mg.
hi sonia, im down to 6mg and have every symptoms going grrrr x
Thanks both for your replies, it’s not easy that’s f or sure. Feeling a bit dizzy tonight. Going to have an early one 
.
I was on Celexa for 2 years… tough to get off it… I had to go VERY slow… and in tiny amounts… I took some melatonin… seemed to help withdrawals… still… I am afraid my baseline is low to moderate anxiety and depression… so am considering trying again… Lexapro this time… but so many posts here complain about bad anxiety from Celexa or Lex… scares me… not many options unfortunately… depression is a major bummer… anxiety, IMO, is worse…
If you were doing so well… why get off it? My Doc has been on Lexapro for 20 years… he loves it… and says he probably will be on it for life… scary… but better than being depressed and anxious, eh?
GL to you… I’d try going back up to 7.5 and going down SLOOOOOOWWW!!
Hi 3Archbay
Why did you come off Celexa? I explained in my previous posts my reasons.
I am still on 5mg and trying to stabilize but it’s not been easy. I get some good days and some not so good. Right now I feel like I have a virus, aching all over, ears feel full so I’m not sure what all that is about. I am not increasing, the only think giving me anxiety is the withdrawal effects. I don’t know if I will ever come off entirely, I believe I have to stabilize before reducing even more, at least that’s what I’ve read on here. If I do stabilize, I think the temptation to feel good will outweigh the desire to come off it.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do but I’m afraid you can probably expect to get start up effects again.
I sort of got bored with it… yes, it did moderate my anxiety/panic attacks… which was great… they came from a '97 meltdown from mixing booze, grass, ephedra and SSERZONE… I have never been the same… the Serzone (and maybe combo with ephedra) changed my brain… both were banned shortly after…
Time went by… and Celexa didn’t do much for my low-grade depression… since anxiety was my main problem… perhaps I should have used Klonapin or Librium instead… however… I was on a low dose and maybe should have just increased the dose… that works for many… I felt a little dull… but that was better than panic attacks… which were very bad for a long time…
Are you using anything for the anxiety? If not, I’d highly recommend you get something… I recommend Ativan or Klonapin… not Xanax… Xanax works GREAT… but is more dangerous and harder to get off of if you are on it for long… really hard I read… if nothing else, try some Melatonin at night…
If you were feeling so good… why not stick with it? Or try Lexapro, a close cousin?? Maybe your “normal” or “baseline” is a certain level of anxiety or depression… which is why you got on it in the first place… right? I am pretty sure MY baseline is low grade/moderate depression and anxiety… bummer… but it is what it is…
GL to you!
Hey,
Thanks for the advice but I don’t plan on taking anything else. My aim is to come off it eventually and I don’t want to start something else and go through the whole start up/withdrawal process again of another drug.
Once I stabilize I think I will cope. It’s just the withdrawal effects that are so frustrating. Sometimes they give me doubts but I try to remain focussed. It’s good to be able to chat on here sharing experiences.
Sounds like you’ve had a rough time of it. I’ve never done recreational drugs so I cannot comment on that. You say celexa didn’t do much for you before, I agree, maybe all you needed was a dose adjustment. Might be worth discussing options with your doctor for a clearer understanding of these meds.
Good luck!
Thanks, you take care… hope we both are well and happy very soon…
I’ll drink to that. Let us know how it works out for you, whatever you decide to do.
Hi, just an update… after being off everything but an occasional Xanax… I decided to start lexapro (escitalopram)… beginning with 5mg… I was tired of feeling crappy so often… low grade anxiety, low grade depression… after 8 days, I could feel the minor side effects (uneasiness, a little queasiness, a little hard getting to sleep, a small increase in BP)… going away and leaving me feeling much calmer, more balanced, more positive, more focused, a bit more energy/motivation)… not nearly as “zoned out” as when on citalopram. I think I will stay on 5mg, which is a low dose… for a week or two longer at least… maybe even long term. I am very happy with it so far!
I also recently found out my free testosterone is very low… so that might be another huge benefit to go on hormone replacement therapy.
Women need testosterone too.. you might ask for a blood test.
Hope you are feeling much better now… take care!
Hey 3Archbay, good to hear from you.
Sounds like your slowly getting back on track.
I wish I could say the same but Christmas has taken its toll. I’m hoping to settle on 5 mg, no plans to reduce any further, not after what I’ve been through. Maybe I’ll have to consider switching to something else in the future if it doesn’t work for me but I’m a bit wary of experimenting right now, I’ve done too much of that in the past with messing around with my dose.
Thanks for the tip re HRT, it’s something to think about.
I hope you continue to improve, it all sounds positive for you. Thanks for getting back to me.
Best wishes for a happier new year!
Thanks,
Sorry to her you are still having difficulties… and I understand your being fed up with them… I wish you the best, whatever you decide… but I will say this… Lexapro is very different than Celexa… even though closely related as drugs… I feel much different now, compared to when I was on Celexa… not nearly as “zoned out”… much more pleasant.
I have read that switching from Celexa to Lexapro, since they are so chemically similar… is very easy and generally has few, if any, side effects… might be worth considering…
Yes, HRT is very interesting… most good places offer low cost or free consultations… and blood testing is very important to making a decision…
Hope this year is far better for you than '19… my '19 was pretty darned lousy too… amongst other problems, my brother passed away a few days after his 64th birthday… on 2/1/19… I am 63, but not genetically related… as we were both adopted… life is hard sometimes… eh?
take care… you WILL feel better!
Hi again
So sorry you’ve had a tough year, especially with your brother passing, that didn’t help you for sure.
You sound really positive about the Lexapro, my understanding is that it is a little more expensive than citalopram, probably why it’s not a first choice for doctors to prescribe in the UK. I’ll do some reading on it.
Keep in touch, will be interested to hear how you are getting on with lexapro as too will others.
Hopefully, this time next year all will be sorted for us
.
Ah… didn’t know you were in the UK… I am lucky to have decent insurance… which covers 100% of most drugs…
You might check on the price difference… IMO, it would be a good idea to try the switch if not too expensive. I have heard several people agree that Lexapro is much different than Celexa… wouldn’t it be great if you felt MUCH better!
Hope it all works out for you!
Hi 3Archbay
It’s good that you’ve got insurance, fortunately over here we have the NHS.
Yes, it would be good to feel “MUCH better” lol (sounds like a sales pitch), but I’m not switching yet. It’s good if it works for you but there’s no guarantee it will work for me though.
Hope all is going well for you.
we have the nhs for now!!! x
Toria,
“The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with faith to fight for it”
Aneurin Bevan
hope so! how you doing? x