So I've decided to ween myself of Citolpram 20mg as soon as I talk to my doctor... personally I don't want to be dependent on medication to make me feel better,I wanna do it myself..
This is my story
I'm original from Dublin,Ireland and emigtarted to Canada in September 2013 with my boyfriend also from Dublin.
In September/October 2014 I had a nervous breakdown.. I think home sickness over took me as I have no family here in Canada (all back in Ireland) anyways I was having panic attacks,server headache,full blown anxiety which I've never experianced before.I felt alone scared as I didn't no what was happening to me and why.. It was a very scary time for me as I felt I didn't have much support as people were saying it's all in your head mind over matter etc which didn't help me....
So its been almost a year since I started taking Citolpram 10mg from October till January and then 20mg from January till now... I'm not gonna lie it was very hard to deal with side effects an I thought I'd never get better but I'm better then I was an do have good anews bad days.
So I want to come off an Ive read I'm gonna get really sick again but does anyone no for how long roughly??
I've been on 20mg of cit since November last year. I hated the idea of being on an antidepressent but I had hit rock bottom and couldn't see another way out. The Doctor told me at the time I would have to be on it for at least six months. That six months is up and I have started to reduce the medication with the blessing of my Doctor. Unfortunately it wasnt the same Doctor I saw at the start and his advice was to literally cut down to 10mg for two weeks and then stop altogether. Since reading this brilliant forum I decided that was too quick. Three weeks ago I cut down to 15mg by cutting my 20mg tablets in half with a sharp knife and my 10mg in half also creating a 15mg dose. I stayed on this for two weeks and then on Saturday cut down to 10mg. I'm really surprised but I haven't had a single side effect (I had a lot of side effects when I started the medication). I'm feeling great and am going to continue on 10mg for a two weeks period and then cut down to 5mg for the same amount of time and then stop altogether. I hope that helps, I'll be looking out for your progress.
Hi there .also on the same med over the same time. I know how you feel.regarding meds. I agree some time you need meds as we maybe lacking in something. And some times we have to sort out our stuff.I went and paid private and seen a hypnosis guy who cured my stammer.so thought he could help me with my issues. And he did. meds are only a plaster over a wound.depends how big the wound is ,its going to leave a scare.unless you deal with it and get it stitches. Be careful the meds helped you there is no disgrace taking meds if they help.have a good clear out ,take every thing off your stress table/problems.and only put back on the table one problem at a time deal with it and put another on and do on .good luck
Ideally it's best to stay on meds a year from when you started feeling better, not from when you started them. This gives you a better chance of the symptoms recurring.
This medication is not additive by the way, so you can stay on them for life if you needed to. People have to take life medications for all ailments ie epilepsy, diabetes, heart problems, so depression/anxiety is no different. It's an illness like any other. Some people can't deal with this illness by themselves, and if medication is there to help, then why not take it.
Anyway, if you're wanting to wean yourself off, it's best to talk to your doctor first. Don't do it quickly, and don't set yourself a time limit. Take as long as you need to. With each reduction, your body needs to adjust to it before reducing again. Weaning off them is best as slow as possible to avoid withdrawal effects.
Firstly buy yourself a pill cutter. Then cut the pill into 1/4's which means each one is 5mg. Start by taking 15mg and see how you feel. You may feel a little heady, maybe slight nauseous, but with this small reduction probably nothing. Stay on 15mg for 2-4 weeks before reducing to 10mg, or if you have some side effects, wait until they've settled before reducing again. Repeat until you're down to 5mg. When you've been on 5mg for 2-4 weeks, start taking it every other day and do this for 2-4 weeks. After that take it every 2 days and so on until you can stop altogether.
I restarted meds again last year and have already reduced from 20mg to 5mg like this and have absolutely no withdrawal effects except for the occasional feeling of nausea which is hardly noticeable.
Doesn't matter how long you take. It's not a race to come off them.
Good god, what is wrong with some doctors! That is so dangerous to stop within 2 weeks. Think that doctor needs to be re educated.
Why do people hate the idea of being on anti depressants? They're there for a reason and often people try and cope alone, getting into more of a mess before succumbing to medication. Nobody would try and cope with diabetes alone.
I've posted this a few times for people coming off meds, and it may help you too:
When you're off Citalopram try a natural SSRI called 5-HTP which needs to be taken with l-tyrosine. Both can be bought from Holland & Barrett (if you're in the UK) and you need to take them both. Read a book called 5-HTP The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity by Michael T Murray ........ it's a really interesting read.
You need to be off SSRI's completely before starting 5-HTP as they mustn't be taken together.
Yeah I'm weaning too but I think maybe a little too fast seeing I feel somewhat tired almost everday. Maybe do it your way, for two to 4 weeks on my 5mg than every other day than every 2 days but my doctor would have to get me more pills if I did it this way the rest of my weaning off time, so guess I'll have to see how it goes. Thank you though for the info on your weaning without side effects, hate feeling so tired, that's when my anxiety kicks in when I feel so darn tired like doing nothing and I like to stay active. Cindy
The meds do make you feel tired, and it really does pay to do it slowly. When I weaned down to 10mg my doctor wanted to prescribe me 10mg pills, but I said no I wanted 20mg as cut in half they'd last longer lol.
Reducing and staying on the dose for 2-4 weeks is good, but stay on longer if you feel you need to.
Dont forget to try 5-HTP and l-tyrosine in my post above. They really do help and there's no side effects :-)
Yes you should give yourself a 4 week break before starting 5-HTP etc. Make sure the meds are out of your system. 5-HTP takes around 2 weeks to start taking effect.
Sometimes there is absolutely no reason for someone to be depressed or anxious, and often it may have been stress that started it which has long since passed, and then you're still left with depression and anxiety which does it's best to cling on no matter what. Often you get into this cycle of depression / anxiety / negative thoughts / depression etc and it can be hard to break. The meds help by eventually breaking that cycle, alleviating the anxiety, lifting the depression, and once your body starts behaving in a positive manner it will continue like that when you stop the meds.
I love the explanation with plasters and wounds :-)
Meds aren't for everyone, and they're pretty tough at the beginning. I've read loads on 5-HTP and took it for a year too (will start it again next year) and in comparison to SSRI's, 5-HTP has been shown to be equivalently beneficial for depression, but with significantly fewer side effects.
Hi Cheryl, yes its pretty scaring anxiety,depression and having sudden attacks i was the same after years of drug abuse, god punishing me for being bad lol but seriously the withdrawals differ so much that there isnt a standard period or level of severity 'hey you may only have very minor given only 10mg' we just dont know! If you could come thru those attacks and anxiety then nothing cvan stop you feel positive take on the illness and tell it you are going to beat the SOB hang in there if your really stressed about weaning off talk to teh great folk on the forum they can help they are the main reason I'm still surviving!
Thanks for that. There is another way to look at it. Your mind is so complex,we get brain washed every day ,and we take on board maney problems and let horrible thoughts in. So you have to trick you brain by looking after it just like a garden.
With a garden you may want flowers to grow and be nice and pretty .if you Dont look after it weeds will grow. Just like you unconscious mind you think crap all day you get weeds .you tell your self nice things even so trivial tap your self on the back and say well done .maybe flowers will grow.the strongest words you can tell your self is I AM after that sticks so beware!!!!!!
Some beautifully put analogies there guys really cool! they really put into perspective this illness as well great way to explain to people what we go thru xx
Hi I've been taking 20mg of citalopram for just over a year to help me go through a difficult and stressful period in my life. Last week I made the decision that I felt strong enough to come off the pills I tried to make an appointment with my doctor to discuss this but the earliest appointment I could get was over 2 weeks away. I'm like you don't like taking medication so looked at some of the comments on here, I started taking half a tablet 9 days ago and touch wood have had no side effects yet I'm going to carry on taking the half tablet until I see the doctor and try and get the lowest dose for a further 6 weeks if I still feel ok. Hope this helps you
Thank you so much for your kind words much appreciated as always ☺
When I started taking the meds I came across this site an it was a saviour.. All you lovely people helped me get thru the side effects...
I'm hoping to book an appointment for next week so I can start coming off gradually as I feel it's time I learn to deal with this without meds... its gonna be a long road but I no ill get there eventually plus I feel I can control my anxiety...
I no some people have a very hard time coming off in regards to side effects so fingers crossed It won't be so harsh on me 😊
It's hard at times trying to deal with homesickness I think it's more of missing my parents and not being there for them and I no there obviously still upset because of where I am an the breakdown I had last year... I think I need to come to terms with it all
