yoshi4844

[Altostrata]

20 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

take the same dose of citalopram at the same dose each day, and after a month of stable symptom pattern, consider Tips for tapering off citalopram (Celexa)

 

[yoshi4844]

I will do so.

Please don’t say that I am not serious about this or getting off of citalopram again.  

Thank you for your help

[yoshi4844]

Small update:

talked to my main doctor who was supportive of me getting off the AD's and holding for a month to stabilize. (hoping we will work together to follow this website's taper plan) Been having issues urinating, either too much or too little. To be honest, I can deal with any symptoms and I just want off.

 

On 3/16/2023 at 1:49 PM, Altostrata said:

You could not have had withdrawal from citalopram because January through March 1, you had never been on citalopram long enough to adapt to it. You might have had a series of adverse drug reactions.

@AltostrataThis stuck with me for these past few days, I am not sure if I wrote it in my main introduction but I CT'd citalopram on feb 17 and on I think feb 20, I had gone out with my friends the whole day. Once I returned at midnight, I had extreme dizziness and my watch detected me above 100+ HR for 10 hours straight (HR of 100-150). As I knew sleep was what regulated my heart rate, I took my first doze of trazodone that night. Once I fell asleep, at noon the next day, I took my first dose of sertraline.

 

Because of this detail, I do not believe it was adverse drug reaction, unless it was because of the short term citalopram use (which at the time I didn't think was bad). Or the sudden CT.

Don't know if this changes anything, I would like to know if a fast taper is an option I could take? I know patience is key but I'd like to make the most informed choice I can now. My greatest worry is that holding is just prolonging my progress but that could be my anxiety talking.

 

If not I will be back on April 15ish

Thank you for your time.

[yoshi4844]

@AltostrataThank you for tolerating my anxious posting and rambling, I apologize for my hard-headedness. I am considering a faster taper than the 10% reduction, since I have only been on citalopram for a short while. Is this stupid? I do not mind doing the 10% reduction but I would like to get off as soon as I can as well.

 

I will be communicating with my doctor in person very soon and hopefully I can move forward with my doctor's support to have a proper taper and little withdrawal as possible.

 

Thank you.

[yoshi4844]

Stopping antidepressants | Royal College of Psychiatrists (rcpsych.ac.uk) 

In the section "How should I gradually reduce my dose?", it said I could do a 25% or 50% and see how it goes. (If anything I would do 25%) since it has only been a few weeks.

However, my cold turkey and previous medicine changes could be preventing me from being able to do something like this.

[yoshi4844]

Sorry for typing a lot but here my tapering plans whether or not my doctor supports me (based on my research please correct me!) 

 

Preferable Plan A:

Fast Taper on Pill (split visually probably greater than 10% cuts goal to be clean in 3-6 months (quicker to 5mg then slowly until close to 0mg) (most risky but easier)

 

Plan B: 10% taper monthly on pill (would hate to take years to get off but such is life)

 

Plan C-Take one week to cross taper into liquid citalopram. then titrate? 10% monthly depending on symptoms (plan b but liquid) (least risky but harder)

 

Emergency plan: Worst case scenario probably when I am in the lowest dosages where I might be sensitive to changes is to prozac bridge and pray.

 

Please let me know what potential issues could occur that I am not aware of. I have always wanted to be free of substances and this includes AD's. 

 

Some context that may impact:

I am from a low-income family with medical state insurance. I am 19 years old male who has stayed mostly clean from caffeine, alcohol, and other substances. Never really had experience with AD's. Had a cold turkey from citalopram but reinstated. Adverse reaction from trazadone which I dropped.

Dealing with GAD? but finally have long term therapy. I do have support from my family thank god. Withdrew from university this semester and lost my job.

Doing daily walks, yoga, meditation. Strict sleep schedule (10:30 pm-9am, can't stay asleep longer than 3 hours sets but I don't feel tired once I am up). Avoiding anything that raises my heart rate greater than 130. Focusing on being hopeful and positive mindset.

 

I currently have anxiety symptoms and light sleep issues but I know now that I should tell my doctor rather than post it here lol.

 

Nothing else I have posted here matters because I would type here panicked, its kind of embarrassing I apologize. 

[yoshi4844]

@Altostrata actual tapering advice needed ^

[yoshi4844]

Talked to my doctor and went exactly as expected according to this website. I will not try to convince him only will see if he can prescribe me liquid citalopram with my insurance. I will do the 10% reduction every month starting off at least and see how much I can get away with. Most of my symptoms since the cold turkey have gone away but a few have lingered and I doubt I will get rid of them anytime soon.

 

I plan to hold 10 mg until May unless @Altostrataor anyone else says otherwise. Then I will cross taper into liquid if I can get my hands on it. If not I will try to make a liquid solution myself. I plan on watching my own symptoms and reporting them to my doctor as he said he will listen to me about that. Hopefully, everything goes well but it seems like it is up to me and this website has all the help. 

 

Thank you guys for all of your help.

[Altostrata]

3 hours ago, yoshi4844 said:

Most of my symptoms since the cold turkey have gone away but a few have lingered and I doubt I will get rid of them anytime soon.

 

You have been taking 10mg citalopram consistently only since February 27, correct? You've been making drug changes almost every day up until March 15. Suggest you wait at least another month to allow your nervous system to settle down before making any more dosage changes.

[yoshi4844]

I’ll wait until May before thinking about tapering down.

My doctors plan was to taper me down 10 to five then 2.5 then 2.5 every other day lol. 

[Altostrata]

13 minutes ago, yoshi4844 said:

I’ll wait until May before thinking about tapering down.

My doctors plan was to taper me down 10 to five then 2.5 then 2.5 every other day lol. 

 

Not a surprise. How did the conversation go about prescribing the liquid instead?

[yoshi4844]

We kinda skimmed over it because tapering wasnt the only thing discussed, I also asked about other issues I was dealing with (other than this). I will mention it the next time I visit at the end of april.

[yoshi4844]

I could also send him an online message too

[yoshi4844]

I have a new psychiatrist appointment on Thursday, I will see and ask about liquid prescription (I was talking to my GP today). Hopefully all goes well

[yoshi4844]

@AltostrataWould it be better if I made the switch to liquid citalopram may rather than april?

[Altostrata]

23 hours ago, Altostrata said:

You have been taking 10mg citalopram consistently only since February 27, correct? You've been making drug changes almost every day up until March 15. Suggest you wait at least another month to allow your nervous system to settle down before making any more dosage changes.

 

This includes experimenting with liquid drug.

[yoshi4844]

@AltostrataI got the prescription for liquid citalopram 10 mg. I have a month & 2 week supply of pills left on me right now so I'll get the liquid in the future.

[Altostrata]

Suggest you stick with 10mg citalopram tablets for a month (March 15-April 15). Let us know how you're feeling then, before making any more drug changes, including experimenting with liquid.

[yoshi4844]

Just would like to say that I've been improving everyday. Somedays I'll get slight burning again in my hands but I just ignore it (lasts only like 10 minutes). I had some sleep issues this weekend (wave?) probably because I've been dealing with cleaning up my school plans (stressful). I get random symptoms when I am half asleep rarely but they go away and I am usually fine. Only issue is that I constantly wake up to urinate at 2:30am but I can go back to sleep easily. I have also had eyebags that don't go away but it is what it is.

 

I won't make any changes until april 15th but thought I would just drop an update.

 

Also, I shouldn't touch alcohol, weed, or anything right?

 

Would allergy meds have an affect on this whole process? according to my online research citalopram has antihistamine properties but I am getting my normal allergy season issues. I usually would take 10mg loratadine but now that I am undertaking this journey I have been toughing it out.

 

@Altostratawould it be ok to take loratadine (antihistamine) 10mg for allergies? I can tough it out if not. Thank you.

 

 

[Altostrata]

Good to hear you're doing better.

 

39 minutes ago, yoshi4844 said:

Also, I shouldn't touch alcohol, weed, or anything right?

 

None of these!

 

You can take your usual allergy pills. Best to take them as far apart from the psychiatric drugs as you can schedule them.

[yoshi4844]

@AltostrataJust received my oral solution of citalopram. 240 mL total and it is 10mg/5mL.

I also have a syringe which takes up to 5mL that came with it, might have to switch to a more accurate one once I get to a lower dose. 

 

How do I go about transitioning into liquid and then taper?

 

[LostInCanada]

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/25691-cross-over-changing-form-eg-tablet-to-liquid-of-drug-or-changing-brand-of-same-drug/

Hope this link helps

[LostInCanada]

From that previous page:

Our general recommendation for a crossover, whether from new brand to old brand generic or tablet to liquid is:

 

3/4 old, 1/4 new for 3 to 7 days 

1/2 old, 1/2 new for 3 to 7 days

1/4 old, 3/4 new for 3 to 7 days

all new thereafter

 

Stay at the same dose during the crossover period.

 

[yoshi4844]

@LostInCanada Thank you for the help

[yoshi4844]

@Altostrata Hey I cannot cut the 10mg pills evenly. Any advice on how to do it? Or does it not matter as much. I have just been taking the normal pill so far.

[yoshi4844]

The cleanest cut I could do was like a third and all the balances I have at home only measure grams

[LostInCanada]

 

[LostInCanada]

Accuracy is important. Many on here have bought the Gemini scale from Amazon. 👍

[yoshi4844]

@LostInCanadaAmazon.com: AWS - Gemini 20 - Portable Precision Digital Milligram Scale 20g x 0.001g (Silver) : Office Products this one right?

[LostInCanada]

@yoshi4844 that's the one. 👍

[yoshi4844]

My process so far has been calculating the total weight of a pill (~65 mg) and reducing it by 25% (~48 total mg) and then taking the 25% in liquid (1.25 out of 5ml).

I hope this process is correct enough.

[LostInCanada]

@yoshi4844 this sounds right if your pill is the 10mg size...then 75% of total pill weight gives you 7.5 mg of actual drug. 10 mg is in 5ml so 25%/1.25 ml liquid will give 2.5 mg of actual drug.

[LostInCanada]

@yoshi4844 I had to contact my generic drug company to find the intended weight of the 10 mg pill I was using as the weight of each pill varied alot. Ofc the company Apotex was not willing to help but would only tell my doctor or pharmacist. My pharmacist called them and got the info. So now I am doing more accurate cuts.

[LostInCanada]

@yoshi4844 you are doing great. Be consistent, same time each day, no missed doses. 👍

[yoshi4844]

@LostInCanada thank you, luckily my generic pills are all constantly around the same weight. Hopefully all goes well

[LostInCanada]

@yoshi4844 good thing... that's how it should be. Flunky big pharma in Canada lol. Keep track of any symptoms so you know if the change to liquid presents any issues. It is good to keep a daily journal of symptoms etc anyway for reference.