SSRI Withdrawal

[Hip Priest]

I know a few on here have experienced mental health issues, so I was hoping for some advice.

I was put on Seroxat about 10 years ago after developing panic disorder. However, thanks in large part to cycling, I'm now in tip-top mental shape, so I decided to come off the tablets.

My doctor suggested I drop by 5mg every couple of weeks, in order to avoid unpleasant withdrawal effects. I initially dropped from 20mg to 15mg, and felt alright, bar a little bit of a fuzzy head.

Then two weeks later I dropped from 15mg to 10mg and all of a sudden I entered my own personal twilight zone. I felt like I was on another planet, and was on the verge of tears at all times.

So yesterday I went back up to 15mg, and I'm right as rain once again.

Is this to be expected? Do I need to withdraw more slowly? Has anyone else done this?

 

[fossyant]

I would say do it slowly so give it a while then drop a bit more. Don't forget you initially dropped a quarter of your dose, then another third (or half your original dose). You've been on them a long time so drop slowly.

I went cold turkey on some nerve pain drugs I'd only been taking 4 months, but I was sick as a pig within 48 hours of stopping the dose. Went back on them, then reduced slowly over the next few weeks. It may take a while after 10 years.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I was pulled off Citalopram immediately. Dizziness, nausea, loss of balance (I fell off a chair!) and changes to my eyesight followed.
After that week I'd definitely recommend steady decreases.

 

[mydodgyfeet]

Slow withdrawal every time.

That's both from experience as a "user" and as someone who's worked with people with mental health issues. Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[coffeejo]

It were me, I'd give it another couple of weeks on 15mg and then try again. You could even cut a tablet in half to take it down to 12.5mg and then try for 10mg.

 

[Martyn H]

It took me ages to come off Citalopram. I was prescribed a reducing dose over a period of three months. During that period there were a couple of scary moments when I wanted to argue with everyone, and also became very tearful, just bursting into tears at the slightest thing however, I came through it with the support of my doctor. Just recently after a period of four years without medication I have been given a further prescription to help me get back on top of things. I was reluctant to accept the medication this time around as I had been quite well for a while without anything. I was also reminded that it was no weakness to admit to a further period of depression and that it is ok to ask for help. Am now looking forward to a better Summer and being out on the bike again.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I too have had issues. Slow reduction did the job the first time, something like a month-6weeks a time.

I can't fully remember details.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

Different drug but I dropped from 30mg of mirtazapine to 15mg about 2 weeks ago. I had crippling headaches for about a week and could hardly function at work. I am determined to get off that crap totally, but I am going to stick to 15mg for a few weeks before I go to 7.5mg. Good luck

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Good Luck to everyone both on the pills, and facing a new future without them. You are never alone

 

[the_mikey]

I've been on and off fluoxetine and citalopram numerous times, and coming off them slowly seem to be the way. Some medicines have their own unique effects when coming off them, citalopram causes weird electric shock like sensations when coming off them, not unpleasant but they can be distracting. The biggest downside of citalopram for me was the demotivating effect it has on my head, it made cycling seem like an unpleasant struggle.

 

[coffeejo]

I inadvisedly took myself off citalopram a couple of years ago. Was too much of a wreck to notice any side effects of the withdrawel but had to go through the painful process of going back on them once my GP twigged.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Former pal of Seroxat here too, I'd echo the advice to come off them slowly and in small increments. After a couple of years on them it took several months to wean down, firstly and incrementally to a low daily dose then taking it every other day then a couple of days gap then just kept letting the gaps get longer, the latest gap is 4 years and counting.

 

[chernij]

Hope you're okay getting off them. I find that going for around a month on the lower dose before changing can help. It takes a while for the body to get used to the lower dose.

 

[Andrew_P]

I have bad memories of mine, like some sort of electrical storm in my brain, full on electric shocks. I was on Citropalm took me 8 weeks to get off them but I still suffered some re-bound effects. I didn't cycle way back then but they do say exercise helps with Serotonin levels so hit the Gym quite hard as well during the tapering.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Citalopram is a truly horrid drug. Gp's should be ashamed of themselves for prescribing it when they know full well of the horrendous side effects it can have and withdrawel issues . It's dished out like smarties and those who have not taken the wretched stuff can never know how it feels to lose your 'self' to this shoot...yet how many GPs have ever taken this poison?