Citalopram

[Seraphina56]

Hello. I'm new in this community and I'm hoping I'm in the right place to get some advice for my 93 year old Mother-in-law. She's been on Citalopram 20 mg a day at 8am for about a year for depression. However, she didn't live near us at that time and I suspect the 'depression ' was the withdrawal symptoms of stopping Gapapentin which she took for restless legs to no effect. Since she moved to a care home in our town in September and we took over her care she has been in great distress about feeling foggy and being unable to concentrate which she says started with the antidepressants. She has no dementia and is usually mentally very sound. She often sobs on the phone to us (of course we can't see her at present) about it. She says she'd feel fine if she can only get rid of this horrible feeling. It often gets better as the day goes on and evening is best.

She also takes Mirtazipine 15mg at night and Zopiclone 3.75mg at night for resless legs which she gets very badly.

Her new GPs decided to stop the Citalopram in March to help her. They said she was on the lowest dose so it was okay to just stop it. I persuaded them to at least do alternate days for a week. Anyway she felt awful, very bad with hard to describe symptoms. ' just terrible!' As lockdown was starting it was decided to just restart the citalopram. She got back to her usual state of foggy upsetting distress. I think she had withdrawal symptoms and they stopped it too fast. Now i think we should try again with a very very slow taper. I am used to these with Tramadol, and Prednisone. E.g dead slow and nearly stop. My question is: Is it the Citalopram causing this? do you think I'm right in thinking she had withdrawal symptoms? And is there a slow tapering regime for Citalopram?

Sorry to be so long winded but I want to be fully armed before I tackle her GP. Thank you so much. Its such a shame for her final years to be wrecked by this.

[Agora1]

Hi Seraphina, unfortunately since we are not doctors, we aren't allowed to get

into medication issues. I feel so sorry for your mother-in-law. It sounds like she

is doing well for her age except for this fogginess. I can only tell you my experience

with my own mother when she was in assisted living. Sometimes our elders are

given more medication than they need making them feel fuzzy headed and/or

sleep away the day. I learned by doing my own research that elderly people

metabolize medication at a slower rate then the average patient. It is important

more than ever for the medication itself as well as the dosage to be addressed for

adverse reaction because of age.

I'd tend to believe your mother-in-law in that it's the medication causing her

fogginess. After all, she is on 2 antidepressants. I'd talk with the doctor about

her needing 2 SSRIs. Your mother-in-law is fortunate to have you oversee

her mental health issues. She deserves to enjoy each and every day. xx