Coming off Citalopram /Celexa

[Heather]

Lisa wrote:

<quoted text>
I was wondering how you got on with this? I am in much the same situation, anxiety and depression caused by external events which I think I am now copiing with. I have gone down to 10 and plan to stay on this for a few more weeks before coming down to 5 and then off. There are so many horror stories about coming off and after effects and I really just think after a few stressful bad months I can get back to living again and was wondering how you were feeling now?
Thanks

Don't worry about the coming odd side effects. Going from experience of a few people I know who have been on this drug for a short time, they have not noticed much of a withdrawal. It tends to be those who have been on it for more than a year. Good luck.

[Heather]

Mary wrote:

Hey All,
Figured I'd update you.. After being completely off of cit. for a little over a month, my anxiety kicked in really badly (thanks to classes). I talked to my doctor and am on 5mg Lexapro now (1/2 pill). Its been about a week and half and I feel much more relaxed and able to get through the day.. I am going to speak with a therapist, as well, to figure out how to deal with my OCD and anxiety issues. I don't like the idea of having to go back on medicine, but I just wasn't myself. I was really unhappy and would snap (my boyfriend noticed). I did tell the dr. I didn't want to go back on cit. and deal with the weening again so he put me on Lexapro which is a cleaner (brand name), similar drug. Hopefully, the weening process off of Lexapro won't be nearly as bad.
Hope every one else is doing well!

Hi Mary
Sorry to hear you're still struggling. I think you need more therapy and less drugs. OCD is very treatable especially if you are young. Good luck

[Lisa]

Thank you so much Helen, its really lovely to hear someone say something optimistic. I think the fear of side effects, or of coming of AD's is sometimes worse than the effects of coming off itself.
Thank you, i really appreciate it.
Lisa

[azntenshi]

for people taking Celexa and when they go in withdrawl, it is really common for severe symptoms of withdrawl? including brain zaps? is there anything to help? Thanks

[Mary]

Hey all!

Missi, thank you for your thoughts and your encouraging words!:D

Heather, unfortunately its not only OCD. I do have anxiety and depression that run in my family and right now the anxiety is hitting me hard (because of the stressors of school). As soon as I have some time I will contact a therapist :) Thanks for your advice.

Azntenshi, I was on cit. for a couple years (Lexapro for a few years before that), so my withdraw symptoms were pretty severe--most likely because my body was so used to being on this medication. I did experience brain zaps, among other side effects, but they did go away. I have to say, it probably took about a month to feel completely normal again. However, the brain zaps get a lot easier to handle (and less intense) within a week or two. Good luck!

[mary synnot]

I have been on citalopram for 3 years - 20 mg. Tried to cut down to 10mg but all the symptoms returened. At the moment am trting ot take tablets on alternative days and seems to be working.
Have put a lot of weight on.My doctor has never suggesed cutting down.
How have others managed?

[Mary]

It seems the slower the better when trying to ween off of this medication. I took 20mg and switched to 10mg for about 7-9 days then stopped completely. Unfortunately, I had to deal with a lot of side effects and withdraw symptoms. If you'd like, read back some of the comments to see the way others have weened and their side effects.

Definitely talk to your doctor at every point along the way!

Best of luck!

[Susan]

Hi, I've been on Citalopram (Generic Celexa) for a couple of months now and I must say it has helped me EXCESSIVELY with the anger bouts, aggravation, and PMS I was having, which was mainly a lot of irritability and aggravation. I only take 10 mg and it has helped me mellow out a lot. I lived a VERY awful life for about 10 years with my now ex-husband and learned I have "adjustment disorder" just trying to come back to a normal and calm life. WHO KNEW!!! I love my life and it gets better every day and I am not going to put myself down for taking this medication because with my insurance it is $8 a month and I cannot believe that is all it took to make me feel almost 100% better! I take no other medications and this one I truly call my "HAPPY PILL" and the nausea only lasted a week or so and is gone! I am very happy with this medication but am not sure how long to stay on it? I don't want to crash by quitting in six months to a year!!! Any suggestions from someone who has had a GOOD experience on this medication???

[Heather]

Susan wrote:

Hi, I've been on Citalopram (Generic Celexa) for a couple of months now and I must say it has helped me EXCESSIVELY with the anger bouts, aggravation, and PMS I was having, which was mainly a lot of irritability and aggravation. I only take 10 mg and it has helped me mellow out a lot. I lived a VERY awful life for about 10 years with my now ex-husband and learned I have "adjustment disorder" just trying to come back to a normal and calm life. WHO KNEW!!! I love my life and it gets better every day and I am not going to put myself down for taking this medication because with my insurance it is $8 a month and I cannot believe that is all it took to make me feel almost 100% better! I take no other medications and this one I truly call my "HAPPY PILL" and the nausea only lasted a week or so and is gone! I am very happy with this medication but am not sure how long to stay on it? I don't want to crash by quitting in six months to a year!!! Any suggestions from someone who has had a GOOD experience on this medication???

Hi
10mg is a small dose and you are only using it for a crutch to help you readjust. Seeing as your husband has gone and you are getting your life back in order in a very positive way, you sound as if you wont need it for long. Maybe 6 months will be enough if you have no other underlying mental health issues. Withdrawal from 10 mg for 6 months should be straigtforward.
Good luck

[Gareth UK]

Susan wrote:

Hi, I've been on Citalopram (Generic Celexa) for a couple of months now and I must say it has helped me EXCESSIVELY with the anger bouts, aggravation, and PMS I was having, which was mainly a lot of irritability and aggravation. I only take 10 mg and it has helped me mellow out a lot. I lived a VERY awful life for about 10 years with my now ex-husband and learned I have "adjustment disorder" just trying to come back to a normal and calm life. WHO KNEW!!! I love my life and it gets better every day and I am not going to put myself down for taking this medication because with my insurance it is $8 a month and I cannot believe that is all it took to make me feel almost 100% better! I take no other medications and this one I truly call my "HAPPY PILL" and the nausea only lasted a week or so and is gone! I am very happy with this medication but am not sure how long to stay on it? I don't want to crash by quitting in six months to a year!!! Any suggestions from someone who has had a GOOD experience on this medication???

I have been on this for between 18 months and maybe nearly two years now. I started on 20mg which helped a lot, but upped it to 40 which has allowed me to carry on with a normal life and get over a lot of the issues I was dealing with.
I am now getting on with life again and not finding every day a dreaded chore.
If it helps you - you are right, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Stay on it as long as you need it, don't try to come off just because you don't want to be on it. I was recommended to stay on for at least 3-6 months after feeling ok again. Strangely I had side effects on the 20, but haven't had these since being on the 40mg.
Do take professional guidance though, we can help sharing our experienced but I am certainly not a qualified professional (some on here maybe though, I don't know).

I am very glad you feel it is helping, I was so reluctant to start on them, there are so many horror stories, but so far none have applied to me. I haven't come off though, so can't comment on that, and had the first few weeks of being tired etc until they settled, but since then I've been not a new person, but more back to my real self again.

best of luck in you continued success, I'm sure we all wish you the best.

[john in manchester]

Hello everyone, I was put on citalopram 20mg for the past 10 months for depression/anxiety/panic attacks, I decided to see a councellor via the doctor and come off citalopram at the same time, I had a few panic attackes, no more than I usually get, and let me tell you people, I feel more alive now ive come off them than ever, I halved my dosage for a week, then came off them all together and used "aspen" drops to help in case of panic,

[Missi]

Good for you, John! You have had the easiest coming off I've seen. Glad you were seeing 2 professionals for help, too. It is not something you want to do yourself. It won't help me now, but for some of the rest of the group, what are "aspen" drops? I'm not familiar with them. Maybe it's a UK thing?:)

[A Needham]

I have decided again to come of my citralopen medication without the consent of my doctor I was taking 60mg then weened it down to 40mg then 20mg then stopped taking them. I am having severe dizziness fluttering senstation in my head whenever I move and hot flushes as well as severe mood swings, I just dont want to spend the rest of my life taking anti d's but have suffered depression from aroung 18 years old im now 34. I just want to be normal!! I did not experience these symtons after taking my anti ds prior as they were different ones. I am anxious to know how long the side effects will last as Im determined to stay clear for now anyway. Can anyone shed some light on how long they will last please Ive been off them around two weeks now.

[john in manchester]

The Aspen drops are from Bachs, if you google them you simply fillin the symptoms list and they reccomend a pipette bottle that suits your moods, I take mine everywhere with me still, just in case. After reading my orgignal comments I realise that it may come across that I had an easy time coming off Citalopram, I too had the hot flushes and some dizziness, altho I do think that the counsellor and Aspen drops helped, Im not totally out of the woods yet and stil get the odd anxiety attack and tearful day, but I can cope with that knowing Im not going back on those tablets, good luck everyone, its hard, but its worth it!

[john in manchester]

A Needham, I think its different for everyone, and you should not punish yourself for having some withdrawal symptoms, please try this great website I have used to also help me come off the tablets, its called Mood Gym, the sympstoms you describe will go eventually, maybe four weeks before you feel back to yourself, your body has to ween itself off the Serotinin enhancing properties of Citalpram bit by bit. Good luck x

[A Needham]

john in manchester wrote:

A Needham, I think its different for everyone, and you should not punish yourself for having some withdrawal symptoms, please try this great website I have used to also help me come off the tablets, its called Mood Gym, the sympstoms you describe will go eventually, maybe four weeks before you feel back to yourself, your body has to ween itself off the Serotinin enhancing properties of Citalpram bit by bit. Good luck x

Thank you you have really helped, I am determined to ride it out its been 2 weeks and hopefully another couple of weeks the side effects will have subsided. I will definetly be looking at the Mood Gym site and also try the drops by bachs. x

[john in manchester]

You are more than welcome, just stick at it, the side effects, I promise you, WILL go, another thing I did was carry around with me a strip of Citalopram on purpose, so when I had anxiety attacks or side effects, I knew they were as a safety net, but the fact you actually ride out the feelings and do not take one gives you a boost!

[laura lee]

I'm going to wean from "celexa" and I have a 3 month schedule. Has anyone tried the natural anti-depressant drug called deprex?

[john in manchester]

I have tried the natural anti depressant called 5-HTP which has Hydroxytrytophan in it, this works very well.