switching from mirtazapine to citalopram, horrendous side effects

Treatment and medication
1

hello folks,

i just joined this forum to ask if anyone has experienced something similar to what im going through. i went off mirtazapin (very low dose of 7,5 mg, but for about 2 years) because i understand its not optimal for the anxiety issues im dealing with and started taking citalopram (10 mg, i am on my 6th day atm) and i know side effects are to be expected but ive been having this outerwordly derealization/personalisation experiences, like completely disconnected (and horrified) from my own body and sensory experiences, which has made my feel like never before that im positively going mad. I'm really hoping the citalopram will alleviate these feelings once it starts kicking in... I'm just not sure if it could be a side effect of either withdrawal from mirtazapine of from getting used to citalopram (i sincerely hope it is, and nothing i will have to learn to live with, because its truly terrifying...) if anyone has had any similar experience, i would love to hear about it, and also any suggestions on how to best handle it. right now im just scared im losing my mind...

thanks, kristin

2

I don't know if I'll be any help. But 5 yrs ago I was put on mirtazipine for anxiety and it was horrific for me.  I ended up putting a stone in weight on in a month and cutting myself because I felt so bad with how angry I was getting at my daughter.  Even though I'd only been on it a short time the doctors wouldn't let me stop because of withdrawal.  They cut it down but it didn't help, so they put me on citalopram. I was to cut down the mirtazipine and take the cit at the same time.  I did it over a few weeks if I remember which the doctor later told me I was wrong to.  Should have done it over a few days.  But I felt better almost immediately.... A lot calmer.  Been ok and have just stopped taking the citalopram after cutting down over the last 9 mths.  

It's not clear from your post whether you stopped the mirtazipine before you started the cit.  it could be withdrawal from one and side effects from the other. Sounds more like withdrawal to me. You'll have to give it another week or so to see if it improves. But keep going to gp if you're not right. Try and get them to refer you to someone who actually knows what's happening in your situ.  Most gps don't know what happens in these situs but keep seeing different ones if you can. Someone should be able to help...  

3

Hi Aniara,

I am not familiar with mirtazipan. But, it does seem to me that you are possibly going through some type of withdrawal from it.

I was on Citalopram twice.  The first time for a couple of years and then the second time for about 10 years.

I just recently stopped taking the  Citalopram and have been doing a lot of reading and researching regarding the effects of withdrawal.

The symptoms that you are describing (de realization, sensory issues) are very common when coming off of an antidepressant.

To my knowledge, and in my own personal experience, these symptoms were not present when starting Citolopram.

When I first started the Citalopram (Celexa) I had jaw clenching, insomnia, excessive yawning....and a few other effects....but no depersonalization issues.

I was on 40 mg of Celexa (Citalopram) before weaning and stopping completely a few months ago.

It has been difficult and uncomfortable...but getting better.

I hope that others will chime in and express their experience with coming off the mirtazipan and starting Citalopram.

Incidentally, I have suffered a lot of withdrawal effects stopping the Citalopram....horrible neuro-emotions, headaches, nausea, waterlogged feeling in my head, moodiness, irritability, bad dreams, and so much more....but not the depersonalization.  I hear and have read that it can be quite disturbing to experience and I do hope that you get better.

There is still a chance that I will have a delayed response and late onset of this de realization.

Good luck to you and I really hope that you can figure out and pinpoint what is causing your distress right now.

4

I would call your Dr. ASAP. I was put on Buspar and felt that way. My Dr told me It was a severe side effect/reaction and then put me on CIT...

It maybe that you are reacting to the Cit. Or to coming off the other med. Either way your Dr. Should help you through this.

5

Hi ness, thanks a lot for your post. i agree that mirtazapine doesnt do much if anything for anxiety, and glad to hear you felt better without it. i stopped taking mirtazapine just before starting taking cit as i read they're not really compatible... hope it's withdrawal effects because i took citalopram long ago and while i had bad side effects getting used to it, ive never experienced anything like this before! again thanks for your help!

6

Hi Karen, thanks for your post. I'm glad to hear this may be a common side effect from coming off an antidepressant (as it really makes me feel like i might be losing my senses...) i took citalopram years ago and somehow came off it with mostly nausea, but i probably did it much more slowly, so had no major problems. i doubt you'll experience derealization (fingers crossed) - it might be a mirtazapine thing, or just stopping too quicky. glad to hear you feel good enough to go off the cit and thanks a lot for your help!

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Hi Gigachick, I've never heard of Buspar, but I'm guessing the derealization went away when you started taking cit instead? The last GP I consulted was far from an expert on anxiety/depression meds or their side effects so I'm thinking of getting in touch with a psychiatrist who really knows this stuff...

Thanks for your answer. Such helpful people here! x

8

Definitely see a psychiatrist Aniara, they are far more knowledgeable about anxiety meds.

Sounds to me that you possibly came off the first Med too quickly. Citalopram has been a life saver for me but everyone is different. Having said that I had bad side effects the second time on cit and thought I'd never be better. I have gained weight but small price to pay for being anxiety free.

definitely time for you to see an expert, I agree with the others G P s do not know fully about these drugs and so have little empathy.

hope things settle down soon and just talk to us when you feel awful ,everyone here will help you x

9

Kristin - I was on 10 mg for 8 years of Paxil , it quit being effective so my doc increased me to 20mg and I had the exact feelings you are describing - I also was withdrawing from Paxil as I increased my dose - it took 3 mos for my brain to settle down - but the feelings were really horrifying - to the point that I became suicidal- I stuck it out and now things are getting back to normal- the meds will mess with you but your description of feelings sound just like mine, so much that I feel comfortable saying it will go away - sometimes you have to give it time - I got so bad my emotions and body went numb and I no longer had a sense of time - it's like I always forgot wat time or day it was - I also had the dp/dr - but the worst was just this strange alien like feeling of just feeing so strange and weird - I thought I would lose my mind or have a seizure or something - it was truly like living in a nightmare - but I stuck it out and things are starting to normalize - good luck to you!

10

Hi Aniara, 

If you took cit before then it's definitely not that! Withdrawal is so scary. I've just hit 5 wks from stopping cit and I'm grumpy as hell.  But I went through the disassociation bit about a week ago.  It was really scary driving.  I'd do something like change music and it's like I'd forget I was driving, I'd look up and be in the gutter!  That scared me.  Luckily it didn't last long and I made myself concentrate really hard.  There's just me and my daughter so I couldn't not drive. 

Try and stick with it, I was only on it 2 -3 months, so I didn't really experience withdrawal that I can remember and I was taking both at same time. Mirt at night and cit in morning.  The only thing that I liked about mirt was that I slept really well. But I was like a zombie when I was awake. 

It will get better but will take time.

 Keep seeing GP if you feel bad, it can feel so isolating.  I find I can cope better when I know what it is.  If I said to myself that 'I feel weird...it's withdrawal' I stopped feeling so anxious because I knew it wouldn't be forever.  

Take care, you'll get there! 

Ness x

11

Hey Karen, r u still having the withdrawals after a few months? I've been off 2-3 months(forgot to write down when stopped) and still get slight itching, and like a headache comes and goes in spurts sometimes,overall feel like I got hit by a bus. It makes one wonder if it's withdrawals or something else going on. U said you researched it, so just wondering if u found how long this stuff could last? I know everyone is different, but Doc. said it wasn't the Cita. Thanks 💐

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Hi! Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your experience, the symptoms sound very similar to what I'm going through, I think being in a strange nightmare really sums it up. I'm glad to hear it eventually passed for you - I'm really clinging to the hope that it will, because living like this is quite unbearable, as you say... I'm taking my citalopram and just hope eventually these feelings will subside and I'll return to somewhat normal reality. Thanks for writing and giving me some hope this might just be a passing phase...