Renee18: Taper after 4 weeks use of Citalopram

[Renee18]

Hi,

I would be very grateful for some advice. I have been taking citalopram for 4 weeks. I tend to be sensitive to medication so I took 2.5 mg for two weeks and 5 mg for two weeks. I have had lots of side effects and after reading about long term effects and withdrawals I want to stop and look into other methods. Would it be safe to stop after being on low doses for a short time or do I need to do a 10% taper? Thank you. 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Renee.

 

Are you taking 5mg citalopram now? What are the side effects?

 

If you've been taking 5mg for only 2 weeks, you can decrease back to 2.5mg. Please let us know how you feel when you do this.

 

You may need to taper from 2.5mg.

[Renee18]

Thank you for taking the time to advise me. I have reduced to 2.5 mg for the second day and so far so good. 

[Renee18]

Hello again,

I have now been on 2.5 mg for a week. Would the advice be to go to 1.25 mg since I have been okay so far?

Thank you in advance. 

[Renee18]

Hi,

 

I posted this question in another section which I think was the wrong place- if so please delete. 

 

I have been on citalopram for over 5 weeks. 2 weeks at 2.5 mg and 2 weeks at 5 mg. I decided against continuing with this medication and following advice from a kind member dropped to 2.5 mg for over a week. I have not had any negative effects so far and would appreciate advice on whether I should drop to 1.25 mg now or if I should just stop? Thank you. 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Renee,

 

Welcome aboard. 

I moved your last post here to your home page/introduction/journal page.

12 hours ago, Renee18 said:

I have been on citalopram for over 5 weeks. 2 weeks at 2.5 mg and 2 weeks at 5 mg. I decided against continuing with this medication and following advice from a kind member dropped to 2.5 mg for over a week. I have not had any negative effects so far and would appreciate advice on whether I should drop to 1.25 mg now or if I should just stop? Thank you. 

 

I think that kind member you mention ^ was the site administrator and founder.    We have other administrators, moderators, and members.

 

Now that you've got your introduction/journal page started.........We need you to create a signature.

 

Please put your medication and tapering history in your signature -- that's the information you see at the bottom of someone's post. This will help people understand your situation no matter where you post on the site. See instructions in this topic:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

•    Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses.
•    A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
•    Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
•    Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago)
•    Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016.

 

At Surviving Antidepressants, it is recommended that a person taper by no more than 10% of their current dose with at least a four week hold in-between decreases.  The 10% taper recommendation is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.  Some people may have to taper at a more conservative rate as they are sensitive to even the smallest drops.

 

On 4/29/2018 at 6:28 PM, Renee18 said:

I tend to be sensitive to medication

 

The reasons for this will be clearer to us when your signature is completed.  If you have previously been on ADs or other psychoactive medication that can happen.  If you don't have a history of psychiatric medications, you may do okay with another 50% decrease, and then a nice long, slow, harmfree reduction from a lower dose.  However, If you have some history we may need to go slower for a smoother, safer transition to off.  As you will see from some of the links below.......W/D symptoms can often arise weeks to months off.  Our protocols are a bit different from what we have found most prescribers adhere to.  So......we will do our best to advise you and educate you as well, so that YOU can make the best decisions.  It's empowering. 

 

While we are waiting for you to complete your withdrawal history signature, and to get you familiarized with the protocols followed by SA, I am linking a few topics below so that you have a better understanding of what is recommended.  Please let us know if you have any questions or need any clarification.

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

Before you begin tapering what you need to know
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2023-tips-for-tapering-off-celexa-citalopram/?tab=comments#comment-19887

 

All for now.

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by manymoretodays
elaboration

[Renee18]

Thank you for your help Manymoretodays.

 

Yes it was Altostrata that welcomed and helped me out with my original question. I didn't realise she was the founder of the site. I'm honoured 😆 

 

Thanks for the links you provided. I have read them and I can see why the 10% taper is important. Maybe I should do that? But then I will end up on citalopram alot longer than ive been on it. However, I definitely don't want to get withdrawal symptoms so perhaps that is the way to go. I have never taken any psychiatric meds before. I tend to be sensitive to antihistamines, antibiotics etc.  I will go ahead and create my signature.

[manymoretodays]

Hi Renee,

 

On 5/12/2018 at 6:58 PM, Renee18 said:

Thanks for the links you provided. I have read them and I can see why the 10% taper is important. Maybe I should do that? But then I will end up on citalopram alot longer than ive been on it. However, I definitely don't want to get withdrawal symptoms so perhaps that is the way to go. I have never taken any psychiatric meds before. I tend to be sensitive to antihistamines, antibiotics etc.  I will go ahead and create my signature.

 

Unfortunately we/you can't tell if you will be one of the people who will do just fine with a faster taper.  Where you have already gone 50% down, it may be best to wait just a few more weeks to see how you do.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/300-important-topics-in-the-tapering-forum-and-faq/

 

Can I go any faster than 10% reduction per month?

 

It's best to go slowly to find out how you tolerate a reduction. Once you damage your nervous system with withdrawal symptoms, it can take a very long time to feel good again.

 

But -- many people do fine with a faster taper. Are you one of them? You can't tell. We advocate a harm reduction approach to tapering:

 

 

• Initially, make a 10% reduction and hold there for a MONTH. It can take several weeks for withdrawal symptoms to emerge. Do that again the second month.
• If you have very minor or no symptoms from these 2 reductions, you can try reducing by 10% every 3 weeks. Do that twice. If no problems, reduce by 10% every 2 weeks. Do that twice.
• If no problems after 4.5 months of very gradual reduction, you may be able to reduce by 10% every week.
• If significant withdrawal symptoms appear, make smaller cuts or go slower. Listen to your body.

 

 

Here's what Alto suggested so far......as well as some questions asked.  Please answer the questions.

On 4/30/2018 at 1:43 PM, Altostrata said:

What are the side effects?

On 4/30/2018 at 1:43 PM, Altostrata said:

If you've been taking 5mg for only 2 weeks, you can decrease back to 2.5mg. Please let us know how you feel when you do this.

 

You may need to taper from 2.5mg.

 

It looks like you have been on the 2.5 mg since April 30, which will be 2 weeks tomorrow.  I wouldn't do any further decreases just yet.  Get the questions answered and I can confer at that point.  Try and note the start date April 30 instead of 10 days next to your most recent reduction.  I think you may do it 30 April in Ireland?  I'm not sure. 

 

Okay.  Thank you.

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

 

 

 

[Renee18]

I will follow your advice Manymoretodays and remain at 2.5 mg for another while. The side effects I got since starting the drug were dizziness, sleeplessness and a really tight sore jaw. I haven't felt any differently since reducing the dose to 2.5 mg - the side effects are still with me. However, I haven't had any new symptoms which could be withdrawal symptoms so that's good. Thanks again. Would it be okay to check in again in a couple of weeks if I'm still doing ok to get advice regarding my next reduction?

[manymoretodays]

Oh yes.  Of course.  I'll put you in for conferring right now. 

Let us know if you are NOT doing okay as well.

I'm glad I caught your reply.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays

[Altostrata]

Renee, your side effects didn't change at all when you reduced the dosage?

[Renee18]

Hi Altostrata,

The side effects are still the same. I'm still getting dizzy and not sleeping well at all plus I think I must be clenching my jaw as it is sore and tight a lot. I thought maybe these effects wouldn't go until I was off the drug. Maybe it's because I've haven't really been on a steady dose or something. I do tend to get side effects with medications though and they usually go away once I've finished the course. Hopefully that will happen this time too. 

[Altostrata]

Please let us know of any change in your symptom pattern.

[manymoretodays]

Renee18,

 

You are good to go now.......... with a more gradual reduction from 2.5 mg of Citalopram.

 

I am linking a few topics again below so that you have a better understanding of what is recommended.  Please let us know if you have any questions or need any clarification.

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

Before you begin tapering what you need to know
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2023-tips-for-tapering-off-celexa-citalopram/?tab=comments#comment-19887

 

Keep in mind that we are talking about 10% off of each dose.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/9167-how-to-calculate-dosages-and-dilutions-spreadsheets-and-calculators/

 

Any change in your symptom pattern?

Are there any symptoms thus far that you can attribute to withdrawal(W/D) versus side effects? 

 

This is a good list of all of the many varieties of symptoms that MAY occur with W/D.

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2390-dr-joseph-glenmullens-withdrawal-symptom-checklist/

 

 

Love, peace, and all the rest of the best........

 

mmt

[Renee18]

Hi Manymoretodays,

 

Thank you for your message  I had been planning to drop to 1.25 mg but after reading the links you gave me I should probably invest in a scale and drop 10% instead. I haven't had any withdrawals symptoms so far and thankfully the side effects I had are pretty much gone. 

 

Thanks again 😀

[ChessieCat]

1 minute ago, Renee18 said:

I haven't had any withdrawals symptoms so far and thankfully the side effects I had are pretty much gone. 

 

 

That's good news.  Going slowly from now on will hopefully keep withdrawal to a minimum.

 

During tapering you may experience times of discomfort.  It is important not to panic when this happens.  SA suggests learning and using Non-drug techniques to cope 

 

You may also experience Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization  

 

These topics may be helpful:

 

Stabilising After a Reduction - What Does That Mean?

Withdrawal Normal Description 

[Renee18]

Thank you for these Chessiecat ☺

[Carmie]

Hi Renee, 

 

How are you doing?💚