Coming off Citalopram / Antidepressants

[mugtea]

Hi,

I've just found this site today, I'm hoping to get some insight so if you feel like replying I would appreciate it.

I have been taking citalopram for 6 years and am on 40mg. Finding an antidepressant and dose that worked I remember was a really horrible and difficult time so I fear having to do that again but, I don't know that I need it now or that it's working.

Over the years I have had times of depression which has lead to my dose being increased. I haven't had depression for a long time now but my anxiety over the last 18 months has been worse than ever. I wasn't even that anxious when I started taking it, it was more for depression. The citalopram is supposed to treat anxiety but it isn't for me. It's hard to know if I haven't been depressed as a result of the medication or just because of where I am now. I was 18 when I started taking it and I can't help wondering what I would be like without the medication now, and if I might even feel better without it, or with a different medication just for anxiety instead.

I want to ask how people know when to come off antidepressants? Should we aim to come off them eventually? I know to speak to a doctor and try to come off slowly, but does anyone know much about the withdrawal from citalopram?

I get anxiety around drugs and anything that could alter my mood or feeling so I find the idea of coming off quite scary but I want to get there.

Thanks

[LoveforAll41]

Hi mugtea! I am glad that the depression is better, even if the anxiety remains. I think it is healthy to have some anxiety around drugs, they are a serious business. I still have an attitude of "try everything once". I think that citalopram is intense coming on and off... I was just reading another thread about it. I think that you make your decisions and have the doctors aid you.

I think it is an admirable goal to make it off of drugs, but I also think this is one that would need a lot of work on the therapy side. I think if you are comfortable where you are in your life with the level of anxiety that you have, it may be a sign that you could go on with that. Some anxiety is of course healthy. I always find the drug roller coaster easier to ride when I can realize that my crazy anxiety or nervous sweats are my body adjusting to the drug. I wish you peace and strength.☮️

[mugtea in reply to LoveforAll41]

Thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate it. I have recently started therapy which I am finding really helpful ( I have tried some before that didn't seem to be so helpful for me) and I think this could make me feel a little safer and supported if I am to wean off the medication. Thanks again for your support

[Marsalossa]

Hi Mugtea, I also take citalopram and am considering reducing or coming off it. But like you, I'm worried that I'll feel worse. It's really hard to know whether the meds are actually making me feel better than if I wasn't taking them at all but a big risk coming off them and finding it's worse without - make sense? I don't want to take antidepressants for the rest of my life! Sorry I don't have any advice, I just wanted you to know you're not alone with this problem.

[mugtea in reply to Marsalossa]

Hi thank you for this response, it is comforting knowing people are in the same position, things like this can feel quite lonely. I appreciate you and I will update on here how it goes incase its any use to anyone else.

[Cookie2217]

Hi there. I've been on for Pristiq 100 mg for 18 years and it's not working for me anymore. I then added Abilify 10 mg 2 years ago and I'm going through my worst bout of depression for about 4 years now. These meds are not working and I'm tired of taking them. I actually looked up long-term effects of Pristiq and it can actually cause suicidal ideation, liver and kidney damage as well as lung damage which I probably have got now since I've been on them for 18 years now. It's time for me to come off them right now so I'm safely going to wean myself off and do a more holistic approach with diet, exercise, breathing, yoga, meditation sunlight because why continue to be on and them off all different types of medications to see what one's going to work for you. Nope not going to play the wait and see if this combination works for you nope let's try the next one there's no happy pill out there that suddenly going to make you feel better you know what I mean. I have to put some action and real work into this now. Hoping this new mindset sticks. Look up long-term effects of your medication and skin so you're prepared for do it be a safe way under a doctor's care you know what I mean you're going to be just fine. Try not to stress too much and breathe through it you'll get there.

[mugtea in reply to Cookie2217]

Thank you so much. I am going to start reducing soon and have spoken with a doctor about it. It does seem to be the case that medications like this can become less effective and I'm sorry this is happening for you. I hope you are managing okay. I always try to tell myself that I've gotten better before and I will again, as I know you will. Thank you for your reply, coming off my medication is something I hadn't seriously considered until now and it is something I am a bit nervous to do, I appreciate you sharing.

[PourSomeSugarOnMe]

hi, I was on them for just a year, after 7 months I got terrible vivid dreams and I have PTSD so those dreams didn’t need to get any worse and then although I wasn’t feeling suicidal all the time, I still had the feelings on occasion and I didn’t feel any joy whilst on them either. They done absolutely nothing for my anxiety so with advice from the doctor I tapered off them, I had some cramping in my stomach along with some diarrhoea (sorry tmi!) for a few days and the sudden rush of all my emotions coming back (also diagnosed with BPD) was very hard, I was up and down for a good few weeks. I’m glad I’m finally off them but like you I’m a bit nervous around drugs ect but also would really need some sort of help with my anxiety atm.

[mugtea in reply to PourSomeSugarOnMe]

Thank you for your reply. That sounds difficult but I'm glad you did was right for you. I think its such a tricky thing to take a medication for anxiety when the fact of doing so might trigger more anxiety. I will say though, although at the time I didn't have the same anxiety around drugs, when I first started taking citalopram it did really help me and I didn't feel any negative side effects so I know medication can be really helpful, if you did feel you needed to try something else. Equally I'm hoping to come off this medication and try to manage my anxiety without any medication for now.

[Joseph46]

I can only speak to my experience here of coming off escitalopram after over 10 years just a few months ago. It is very challenging to manage emotions and anxiety while your brain adjusts. I tapered mine over a few months but since I’ve come off the flood of memories and emotions that I suppose I was avoiding have all hit me. I don’t know if there is a right or wrong answer. At times I think I should have stayed on the SSRI because I was feeling pretty good though experiencing some side effects. After focusing on diet, meditation and mindfulness as well as trying to get more exercise daily - it has got easier. But I still experience anxiety and intrusive thoughts. I have learned that avoiding all alcohol is best because it’s just another chemical that messes with our brain biochemistry. Good luck on your journey.

[Marsalossa in reply to Joseph46]

Sending you lots of support Joseph46 🥰

[Kinlay]

It's different for everyone. In my case, as long as it's working and I don't have horrible side effects, I stay on. If I develop bad side effects or a med stops working, I wean off.

While it may help with anxiety, no antidepressant or anxiolytic works for everyone the same way. They all also run the risk of making depression and/or anxiety worse instead of better. And habituation is a definite issue.

The first thing I'd do is talk with your doctor and explain your concerns. S/he may have suggestions about what you should do. They may want to try adding a med specifically for the anxiety. They may want to try switching you to a different med. Or they may agree that simply tapering off to see how you do is the best idea. Listen to their suggestions and then make the choice you are most comfortable with.

Regardless, with ANY med changes, ask to go as low and slow as possible, adding or going down the absolute smallest amount you can (I favor a pill splitter for the smallest dose pills to make smaller adjustments; that would mean cutting the 10 mg tablets in half so you can go down 5 mg at at time instead of the full 10) and insist on waiting at least 4 weeks or until you feel totally settled (no new side effects or worsening symptoms) at that dose before adjusting again. I have actually gone back up when a dose change was too difficult on my system and then waited to try going down again even slower (cutting pills into quarters). The only time I think it's okay to taper more quickly is if you are switching to a similar med, which means you SHOULD have less problem with discontinuation syndrome, but again, listen to your body. Talk about all of this with your doctor as well. In the end, remember that it is your decision.

Good luck - and know you are not alone!

[mugtea in reply to Kinlay]

Hi thank you so much for this advice, everyone's experience is so useful. I have spoken with a doctor who was quick to say it sounded like a good idea to come off. He suggested I half the dose which I wasn't comfortable with so we agreed to reduce by 10mg first. I am nervous to start but its comforting to know I could always up again and reduce slower. I'm also hoping that because the medication might not actually be working now, maybe that means they'll be less side effects. I've made that up myself though that might not be at all how it works. I did want to go even slower at first but I think it will be good to try 10mg down first so that the whole process might not take as long but will see how I go. Thanks again for your response, I hope you're well too

[Kinlay]

Good luck!!! Some people have no problem cutting down faster, so I'm wishing you success and hopeful that you will start feeling better soon.

[Orange31]

I was also on 40 mg citalopram. 18 months ago I decided to reduce to 30 mg. 3 weeks ago I reduced again to 20 mg.

I had a few rough days but I am fine now. I think it's all about will power. You have to want to come off them. If you feel ready then you must speak to a nurse or GP who will help you come up with a plan. A good support system with family and or friends is also helpful. They can help to keep you going on the bad days.

I plan to stay on 20 mg until next year and see how I feel then to drop to 10 mg. My goal is to completely come off them.

[mugtea]

Thanks for everyone's replies and support, I really appreciate it. Just wanted to give an update for anyone else in a similar circumstance. I have been on a reduced dose of 30mg ( 10mg lower) for the last couple of weeks and I'm feeling good. The first few days I had headaches and some pains in my head that I'd seen described before but it was okay and my mood felt stable. Other than the pains I haven't had any other negative effects and I should be going down to 20mg in another couple of weeks.

I felt anxious about it all for the first couple of days but after a few days, knowing I felt okay, I was really happy I'd taken the step and am feeling optimistic about coming off them completely.