Citalopram - how long should you stay in it?

[Elkay_1954]

Hi All! Citalopram was definitely the right way for my son to go, in the early days of depresssion following his TBI. But how do you know when to stop it?

X

[Kirk5w7]

Hi Elkay,

How long is a piece of string!. I found i just knew, or i thought i did. First time i came off them then 3 months later was back on them for another 12 months approx.

Id be back on them now but im taking a sifferent medication that i cant take with other anti depressants.

If hes doing well, why stop them? His brain may no longer be making sufficient serotonin now by itself and he may need the tablets indefinitely. Stopping them may set him back to how he was before but you will only know that when you do it. What has his GP/ Consultant said, take their advice on this.

Janet x

[cat3]

Elkay, for me personally there's been no question of stopping my SSRi. I've taken the same one for 30 years and I wouldn't want to go back to my former life (without it).

It's just my opinion, but I believe that some of us need our brain chemistry tweaking permanently unless our distress is due to a temporary situation which would be resolved with time anyway.

If your son's improvement coincides with starting the Citalopram then it seems his brain and the drug are working in harmony and, the way our brains struggle after a BI, I'd be inclined to leave well alone.

So good to hear your son's improving m'dear. Love Cat x

[Elkay_1954]

Thanks Cat and Janet - that’s really interesting because I didn’t expect you to say that! Definitely made me think... The ‘stoppage’ is being driven mostly by my son who wants to cut his dose at the very least. We’ll listen to what the Doc says too. As you say, It’s difficult to judge how he would be without them- unless you do it.

[lcd8]

Hi Elkay. I take Citalopram and have been on them since April 2016. Like your son I have been wondering if I should stop taking them. I once asked on here but everyone gave me a 'why stop if you're okay on them' answer. So I carried on. I figured my GP would stop prescribing them if she wasn't happy with me taking them.

[Elkay_1954 in reply to lcd8]

He’s going to chat it over with his doc - watch this space... x

[Elkay_1954 in reply to Elkay_1954]

...now been to the docs and son has halved his dose of citalopram. He is very pleased because it was HIS decision to reduce.