Slownumbers81: Beginning to taper of Citalopram... any advice?

[slownumbers81]

Hi everyone! I'm new here. I've been taking 20mg of Citalopram for the last two years, and made the decision to taper off and eventually go completely off the medicine in the next few months. Does this seem like a good tapering plan? Here is what I was thinking:

 

From 20mg down to...

- 15mg for 1 week

- 10mg for 1 week

- 5mg for 1 week

- 2.5mg for 1 week

- End

 

Is this a good or bad plan? Should I change each dosage to longer than just 1 week, like 2 or 3? So far I've been on the 15mg for about 4 days now and I have mild but manageable side effects: dizzy, very mild occasional headache... other than that I've been fine. Interested in hearing others experiences and recommendations

 

Background story: The reason I initially started taking them two years ago was because of a series of very stressful events that happened in a very short time period and I just felt like I couldn't deal with it. Two years later, I feel like I am in a much better place and I do admit the medicine as helpful. I've also found other ways of increasing my happiness and well being such as mindfulness meditation, exercise, etc. I am ready to give the med-free life a try and feel like I have found a lot of good ways to cope with my stress when it does come up.

[Jemima]

Slownumbers81,

 

Your tapering plan is a very bad idea, in my opinion.  Taper off that fast and I can almost guarantee that you will suffer prolonged antidepressant withdrawal syndrome.

 

Please read these topics before proceeding:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2023-tips-for-tapering-off-celexa-citalopram/?hl=citalopram

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

You might want to read through some of the 'Introductions and updates' to understand what happens when a person tapers too quickly.  There's a link to mine in my signature area with the drug history if you care to start there.  I tapered off Lexapro over three and a half months, ending December 14, 2011, and I am not quite back to normal yet.  The first five to six months were absolute hell.

 

Welcome to the forum.  You'll find lots of solid information and friendly support here.

[Rhiannon]

Agree with Jemima.  Don't make any more cuts until you've had a chance to read through the tapering advice and tips on this forum. We recommend cuts of no more than 10% of your current dosage at one time, and to start with, holding for three or four weeks between cuts.

 

It's best to start slow and see how your body responds. Withdrawal reactions unfold over a period of weeks and months, so you can't really tell by your immediate response how well you're doing. If you go more slowly you will become familiar with how your own body reacts to cuts as the process unfolds over time. Once you see how it goes, if you find you're recovering quickly, you can then speed up.

 

Some, a few, people do okay with quick tapers. But when people don't do okay, they do so very badly and suffer so much, and risk such great losses, that we feel here it's better to start slow and risk going slower than you maybe could for a while, and then speed up if you can, rather than start fast and then end up sorry and suffering for a year or more.

[Nikki]

Hi and welcome

 

I am on Citalopram and Imipramine.  I made two cuts very far apart at 5mgs.  I think because of the Imipramine the first two drops in dose which were quite far apart were unevenful.

 

When I attempted the third reduction of anothr 5mgs.  it was rough.  Alot of WD symptoms, particularly anxiety (for me it's a biggy).

I stopped the taper at that point in time.

 

This method which was larger cuts in dose, very far apart is counterproductive for me.

 

The plan you selected is way too much, too soon.  Not trying to scare you, just letting you know weekly drops can bring on extreme symptoms.  Chances are if this happened you would end up reinstating and stabilizing for a spell and then trying again.

 

Don't mean to sound like a 'know it all' or tell you what to do.  I have other experiences with tapering other ssri's. 

 

You should be hearing from some other members shortly.

[MaryKA]

Hi slownumbers 81

 

I'd definitely go slower, reduce by less, 10% less at the most, and wait longer between each reduction. When go faster when failure is more likely, go through alot of distress and maybe be affected for ever? And there's a probability that if you fail, reinstate and then try to reduce again, the w/d symptoms happen sooner.

 

There's lots of info on this forum. You've come to the right place. How are you now after over a week?