Antidepressant Withdrawral? Help?

Question

Hi, I am looking for answers from people who have gone through horrible Antidepressant Withdrawral Symptoms. I recently decided to start tapering of Citalopram, I was on 10MG and 6 weeks ago went down to 7.5MG after 2 weeks I went down to 5MG. I have been on 5MG for 4 weeks now due to Withdrawral Symtoms. Can anybody advise if they expirenced the same. Please Serious Answers, as this is Serious, and Yes my Symptoms are withdrawral not relapse, as know this as my symptoms are classic withdrawral signs, Dizzy, Nausea, Increased Anxiety, Increased Depression, Negative thought & Thinking Styles.

Answer 1

Citalopram is a benzodiazapene, (see www.drugs.com & www.rxlist.com) not an antidepressant, and weaning off them can take many months; sometimes over a year.

See WITHDRAWING SAFELY - WITHDRAWING FROM PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATIONS &

   MEDICATIONS - DIFFICULTY STOPPING PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS, in section 1, (and other relevant parts of section 1) and DEPRESSION PAGE Z.22 TAPERING OFF DRUGS: DETAILED METHOD  in section 2 of my website, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris then page R, and the rest.

In section 6, on anxiety, view page N first. Also check out http://crazymeds.us & www.askapatient.com

Answer 2

i had the same thing it doesnt usually last long but i took st johns wort,it helped alot and kept me "up" aswell.

Answer 3

Talk to your doctor as soon as you can.!

Its not something you want to be dealing with for even a short period of time, especially by yourself.

One of my closest friends committed suicide because of her withdraws from her antidepressants. Only Four days after she was taken off of them..

It was one of the hardest times of my life trying to get past it..

Please. Don't wait any longer.

You dont want to risk your life..

Answer 4

Go back on your meds for now and start over under a doctors supervision.

There are different meds to help with withdrawal issues.

Best of luck to you.

Peace

Answer 5

I experienced the same too and it was a really rubbish time, but just stick with it and it will pass. It's great that you're coming off them, i improved a lot when i came off citalopram after the withdrawal. i've made my mind up that medication is not for me - it's only ever given me nasty side effects and i can't say it has ever helped a great deal, but obviously it's different for others. cognitive behaviour therapy has helped me the most and i strongly believe is the way forward for many depression / anxiety sufferers. only you have to keep at it and make it a way of living, you can't forget about what you learn or you just fall back into your old routines and way of thinking. hope things look up for you soon.

Answer 6

Yes anti-depressants can and do cause withdrawals when you decrease the dose but please don't worry it should go away.  Speak to the Dr about it.  I recommend St.Johns Wort -its the best thing for depression and is natural to.  My sister has recently come off years worth of anti-depressants and was taking St.Johns Wort for the first time whilst and just before she reduced the meds.  Now she feels better than ever and isn't going to go on another sort of anti-depressant that she was going to go on before as she doesn't feel the need.  I think Dr.s are unfortunately all too willing to prescribe these anti-depressants which in a lot of cases don't help. Unfortunetly the pharmaceutical companies who make these pills are money motivated and make billions of pounds each year therfore goverment makes lots to from tax etc. St.Johns Wort is prescribed 10 times more than anti-depressants in Germany as they have researched and realise its value and its got less side effects and not addictive

Answer 7

These are classic withdrawal symptoms and will be short lasting. If you are at all concerned then best advise is to go and speak to your GP.

Have a look here for info on medications...

http://emc.medicines.org.uk/