Thelonggame: Tapering Citalopram

[Thelonggame]

Hello

 

After intense low mood I was offered Citalopram in 2017. Since then I tried to reduce it but the tapering advice I received was on a short timescale of around 6 weeks and I couldn't manage the lowness. In 2022-2023 I managed a reduction myself to 10mg and everything was fine. I am hoping to reduce to zero, although recent experience has shown me that my own methods aren't failsafe! I tried taking 10mg on alternating days over the Summer which was fine until I stretched to 10mg every 4 days. Anxiety was getting very difficult, more teary etc. Finding this site showed me that an on/off approach is not sensible...

So I have gone back to 7.5mg daily (not precise-- I just break the tablets myself) and things are fine. I really didn't want to go straight back to 10mg per day - it would have felt like an anxious few months wasted!

 

I went to doctor to ask for advice for reducing (a different doctor in the practice than last time). She was not able to order the tapering strips I had found online based in the Netherlands. Instead she was willing to provide liquid citalopram but said the tapering schedule should be a reduction every 4-6 weeks starting with 8mg liquid, -> 4mg liquid, -> 2mg liquid,-> 1mg liquid. According to your site, that seems too quick. I think I need to handle this process myself and would value the insight of this group to advise me on the best way of either continuing with tablets or moving to liquid.

 

Personally, I think I would find tablet reductions easier to manage, with a decent set of scales. I have read some of the pages on this site about different tapering methods and the calculations seem a bit of a headache with the liquid! I think I have had a fairly good tolerance for reductions but I want to know that I have done the best I can to mitigate anxiety and difficult upsets in mood.

 

Meanwhile talking therapy has been very helpful and the therapist is very supportive of me moving off medication and is well aware of the limits of their use long term..

 

Many thanks

 

 

Thelonggame

2017 started Citalopram 20mg for low mood
2019 tried tapering off but schedule suggested by doctor was too fast, went back to 20mg after a few months
Feb 2023 reduced to 10mg myself.

July 2023 forgot to take 10mg on holiday for a week. Mood ok but teary by the end!

August 2023 Tried taking 10mg on alternating days to see if I could manage the existing withdrawal and reduce a bit at the same time. Ended up trying 10mg every 3 days for 5 weeks. Increased anxiety.

September 2023 returned to 7.5mg daily (breaking tablets myself- not precise) and feeling fine.

Looking for advice how to sensibly reduce eventually to zero.

Doctor offered liquid citalopram but suggested reducing each month starting with 8mg liquid, then 4mg liquid, then 2mg liquid, then 1mg liquid. According to your site, that seems too quick. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by FireflyFyte
Updated title

[FireflyFyte]

Hello,

 

You can find specific information regarding tapering Citalopram at Tips for tapering off Celexa (citalopram).

 

Your doctor's recommendation of 50% drops is much higher than we recommend. Our standard guideline is to drop no more than 10% of the previous dose per month. You can read more about this guideline at Why taper by 10% of my dosage?. Following this guideline, your first drop would be from 7.5mg to 6.75mg. If you decide to go the weigh and measure method, would encourage you read Using a scale to weigh and measure doses.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly