Coming off Citalopram /Celexa

Hi,
I've been taking Citalopram (20mg) for 12 weeks now and feel much better. I have been able to identify the causes of my stress which in turn, I believe led to depression. I am now working on removing the stress from my life, or working around them!

However I really hate taking medication and want to come off. I know my doctor recommended I stay on for at least six months, but I don't want to! Has anyone got any advice? Thanks.

In the SSRI trials there were clear withdrawal syndromes after 4-6 weeks of use.

Get Glenmullen's book on antidepressant withdrawal 'The Antidepressant Solution', and consider the 20-10-5-0mg citalopram (p93) timetable, with 3-5 weeks at each stage.

That's quite fast, many now look at a 10% max drop at any one point (i.e. 20mg-18mg-16.2mg-14.6mg...), but you may be okay given your relatively short exposure.

Make sure you have a list of the withdrawal effects before you start, and do your reading homework in advance. That way you'll only have wasted a few hours if you sail through the whole process, but if you do hit a few bumps, then you'll know how to handle them. Citalopram IS available in liquid format, so if you do have moderate-severe withdrawal, it should be relatively easy to switch to the liquid and do a much gentler, slower taper.

Don't miss out days as a method of reducing the dose.

Citalopram statistics: half-life 35 hours, 90% eliminated 7.3 days. typical onset of withdrawal 3-6 days after each drop in dose.

Until you get Glenmullen, here's Healy's 'halting SSRIs' protocol..

http://www.ssri-uksupport.com/files/haltingSS...

Ezin wrote:

In the SSRI trials there were clear withdrawal syndromes after 4-6 weeks of use.
Get Glenmullen's book on antidepressant withdrawal 'The Antidepressant Solution', and consider the 20-10-5-0mg citalopram (p93) timetable, with 3-5 weeks at each stage.
That's quite fast, many now look at a 10% max drop at any one point (i.e. 20mg-18mg-16.2mg-14.6mg...), but you may be okay given your relatively short exposure.
Make sure you have a list of the withdrawal effects before you start, and do your reading homework in advance. That way you'll only have wasted a few hours if you sail through the whole process, but if you do hit a few bumps, then you'll know how to handle them. Citalopram IS available in liquid format, so if you do have moderate-severe withdrawal, it should be relatively easy to switch to the liquid and do a much gentler, slower taper.
Don't miss out days as a method of reducing the dose.
Citalopram statistics: half-life 35 hours, 90% eliminated 7.3 days. typical onset of withdrawal 3-6 days after each drop in dose.
Until you get Glenmullen, here's Healy's 'halting SSRIs' protocol..
http://www.ssri-uksupport.com/files/haltingSS...

Thanks for that. I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow, I really want to come off the medication as soon as possible. Do you think I should stay on them for six months as doctor originally suggested? I really do feel better now and have identified my problems/ stresses. Also she did tell me initially that when I come off them I should miss days as withdrawal method so your info very useful.

1. The six months issue has got to be one for you and your doctor.

Glenmullen gives the following as one of the two main criteria for evaluating whether a patient is ready to wean off (paraphrased): Original condition has improved substantially - generally means on at least 6 months, BUT some patients feel 'in retrospect that they were prescribed antidepressants needlessly for the stresses and strains of everyday life rather than legitimate psychiatric conditions, When this is the case, the patient may have only had mild symptoms to begin with'.

The SSRIs struggle to prove efficacy over placebo.

2. Your doctor wants you to do the miss out days approach? And then (probably) extend the time between doses? This is virtually standard (to psychiatrists and GPs alike) and sadly tells you your doctor knows little about either antidepressant withdrawal or the basic statistics of the drugs involved. You MAY be okay, since citalopram has the second longest half-life (some post that they have done it with no apparent ill effects), for others it is a trip to the dead zone, followed by re-instatement on drug due to the severity of their 'disease' re-emerging. Which is actually rampant withdrawal due to the instability of drug levels in the body.

Both Healy and Glenmullen are independent experts on this subject, who reported patient findings which were at odds with the Pharmaceutical Companies' party line, but tied in with suppressed industry reports of which your doc will be unaware. Both testified at the FDA Hearings.

Glenmullen states (p.97):

"Q. Can antidepressants be taken every other day as part of tapering off them?

A. None of the short acting antidepressants should be taken every other day as a way of tapering them. Because of their short half-lives, the every other day schedule can result in roller coaster levels of the drugs and roller coaster levels of withdrawal symptoms. This is true for Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa (citalopram), Lexapro, Luvox, Effexor, Cymbalta, Serzone, Remeron, and Wellbutrin. Since Prozac is long-acting, it is the one antidepressant that can be taken every other day as part of tapering the drug. Because of Prozac's long half-life, patients on every other day schedules typically do not notice the difference between the days when they take the dose and the days when they do not. Because Prozac lingers so long in the body, the fluctuation in the level of the drug are typically not great enough to produce withdrawal symptoms. For most patients, taking 20mg of Prozac every other day is equivalent to taking 10mg a day. Occasionally patients taking Prozac every other day will notice the difference and then one can return to daily dosing. But with all the other antidepressants, every other day dosing should be avoided"

Note that there is no missing-out-days in the Healy document, either!

Prozac half-life = 4-6 DAYS
citalopram half-life = 35 hours

90% eliminated: Prozac 25 days; citalopram 7.3 days

Typical Onset of Withdrawal: Prozac 2-3 weeks; citalopram Day 3-6

Bottom line? 20mg citalopram every other day does not equate to 10mg/day, but it will start the drug levels wafting about, when the aim of withdrawal is to keep them as stable as possible....

Ask your doctor to consider following an expert's schedule. Read the citalopram drug insert leaflet and look at the relevant info which will probably say something like, you should take this drug every day, do not miss out doses... which explains why you currently take 20mg every day, and not 40mg every other day - and then balance this up with the half-life of the drug and the Glenmullen explanation of why you should not miss out days as a method of reduction.

Common sense.

But it is a rare doctor who notices the anomaly of: emphasis on NOT missing days on-drug as part of treatment, followed by emphasis on MISSING OUT days as part their withdrawal timetable.

Hi -- I posted earlier on "Emotional Blunting" about my experience on and coming off of citalopram too, if you're interested. I also mentioned Glenmullen's book(s), but didn't get into such good detail.

hi can prozac help my citalopram with drawal symptoms
i am changing meds and am feeling awful, soooooooooo angry im worried what i will do

I have been on Citalopram for three years and have decided thaat is long enough. I now take one 20mg every third day and have done so for the last two weeks without any adverse effects. Hopefully I am doing the right thing.

I do not know if this is the correct thing to do.

Has anyone haa similar experience?

does anyone know the side effects of coming of cipramil as i have been on it for 4 years and my doctor wants to start me on a different tablet

I have been on Citalopram for nearly two years and several months ago decided to come off them. Mine was largely due to severe PMT which was sometimes every other month but would feel like several days each month. I decided to go on them after cutting myself with a knife and banging my head against a kitchen table several times because I couldn't get to sleep. I have torn parts of nails off after a rampage, broken things, had complete paddies and anger rages so strong that my body would shake. However, two years on I am a different person. The terrible anger has subsided and I now can manage things much better. But they do level you while you are on them and the things that I have found hard to manage is little things not getting me down, work getting to me, relationships with others and a general big lack of confidence. However, very slowly I am getting there and now far more able to read the signs in myself and know the stressors that used to fly me into a rage. It really does get better and the other thing to remember you are so not alone, although you might feel like it, there are so many people with varying stresses in their lives. It is a huge strength to admit you have a problem and do something about it. If you need to be on them for the rest of your life either to cope, do what is best for you. I chose to come off mine but don't listen to anyone else, only the quiet voice inside you which you sometimes don't give enough credit to. Be good to yourself, and don't surround yourself with people who drain you or make you feel like shit while you either take them or come off them. Try and see the funny side in life, my sense of humour (crap though it is and strange at the best of times) has helped me through a lot and the love of course of my immediate family who have taken the brunt of all the shit. Good luck to everyone out there either on medication, coming off or in between.

Seeing brilliant Cognative therapsit, but with severe depression for 1st time in life I have been on Citralopan for nearly three weeks 10 mil now to 20 mil. I don't want to feel this horrible and wish I had never gone on. I have read comments about slowly lowering the dose and feel I should go back to trying to cope without these tablets. I have seen people who have been on for years who regretted it. But others it can get through a difficult period? Not sure what to think. Doctors just seems to supply it after you have told them your probelms just to get you out the surgery; unless you happen to find one that cares. Truth is the pharmacutical companmies are making millions out of something they purport to know everything about. If you read the bloody contenst and side effects inside the package with the get out of jail clauses they number, you realise they may know how it works medically with so much study, but what about the side effects both long and short term to people?

Depression is a terrible illness and cognative therapy seems to help, but prayer and faith are important in working with a therapist, beause God does not want us to feel like this.

I have just finished taking Citalapram after 2yrs. I found the medication helped me through Post Natal depression. Coming of the tablets was easy for me with no side affects. Do trust what the doctor says don't just stopp taking the medication.

I feel for you Rodney because i had those thoughts too. Hang in there you have got to give yourself time. If you have a good friend you and talk too speak to them talking really does help.

Anita wrote:

I have just finished taking Citalapram after 2yrs. I found the medication helped me through Post Natal depression. Coming of the tablets was easy for me with no side affects. Do trust what the doctor says don't just stopp taking the medication.

I have been on celexa for 8 years and last week decided to quit taking my 10 mg pilll a day. Iam having light headiness and Im dizzy as hec, so what ever u do make sure u consult your doctor before coming off. I almost can hardly funtion.

consult a doctor before coming off the pilss. do not do it cold turkey, it dont work.

Anita wrote:

I feel for you Rodney because i had those thoughts too. Hang in there you have got to give yourself time. If you have a good friend you and talk too speak to them talking really does help.

Hi Anita, What do you mean, hang in there; are you saying to keep taking the Citralopram? Have been told to go up from 20 mil to 30 mil after 4 weeks, but suffering with serious family issues / break up/ other, I have never had depression like this before, feel like a zombie and my life is being ruined. Wander round like a mad man in love with someone who doesn't care anymore. Trying to trust in God, but am going through a living hell. O can only say to God ... not my will but thy will be done because God cannot want righteous people to go through such pain. Perhaps I am contradicting my own faith here and that I do have to hang on in there because God allowed his own son to be murdered in order for him to live and for all of us to be free from sin.
Acceptance. I am trying.... "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the tings I can and the wisdom to know the difference. The drug may be helping, I don't really know and I don't really think that many doctors do either. There is so much conflicting advice on it. Acceptance and being strong - I still am in a total dilemma after four weeks whether or not to ween off or stay on. Prayer.

After about 6 years on celexa liquid, I was forced to quit cold turkey when my insurance ran out. I feel horrible. But my question is:
Will there be a time when I feel better? I cannot eat much (before I was a hoover and ate everything and anything not pinned down), now I get severe stomach pains when I eat too much or the wrong things. In fact, besides the weird dizziness and electric shock feelings, I get hot flashes, cold flashes, very tired, not much energy and cry at the drop of a hat. Anyone out there; can you give me hope and/or something I can do to take that is natural that may help me?

Hi Renee, I wish you the best. I am trying to get off Celexa.I have been taking it for 7 months. I too have crying bouts which start very easily--hardly ever cried while on Celexa. But I developed severe pain in my right fingers and hand and left thigh and now I want off this drug. Doctor told me to go down to 10 mgs. I will talk to him tomorrow about going down to 5 mgs then stopping. Really the only thing that really helps is walking,praying, exercising, taking up a hobby. And eating healthy. I wish there was an alternative medicine or a companion medicine that could make the withdrawl sysmtoms easier to bear.

Getting ready to get off of celexa after about 7 years.. No more insurance, and I am on here trying to figure out what the best approach will be- those withdrawl symptoms are just awful, and I am really hoping to avoid them- I tend to get dizzy in withdrawls, and I feel like I am 20 feet off of the ground, and about to fall over-
Also nausea is no bueno.. I only have 2 weeks of pills to make it, and I wish I would have planned better.. Here we go-