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Hello, I am very grateful to have found this website and the large amount of knowledge which I have been busy reading and learning but I still have many questions. Some background information; I was prescribed citalopram at a dose of 20 mg in 2020 for an adverse reaction to a medication which was misdiagnosed as depression. Soon after I started citalopram I developed what I think was hypomania but this was not linked to the medication and I lived my life spending too much, very impulsive and hyperactive for several years destroying my relationships in the process. I also gained weight and had various physical symptoms e.g. my stomach. Citalopram had no benefit on my mental health and in fact it made me feel worse. It actually seemed that the longer I stayed on citalopram the worse I became. All of these problems were blamed on a mental illness or medical disorder. At one point the dose of citalopram was doubled from 20 mg to 40 mg but after a week or so I became so emotionally disturbed the doctor had to lower it back to 20 mg. In November 2023 I joined the dots, I realised I needed to take action. Long story short I was given a very quick taper over about a week which I could not tolerate. I became acutely paranoid and dangerously agitated and suicidal with strong urges to destroy property and much more. So I saw my psychiatrist as an emergency and he reinstated me on citalopram again for me to taper off. I reinstated to 10 mg which made all of my withdrawal symptoms go away within a matter of hours. Unfortunately at this dose my baseline side effects before withdrawal of feeling hypomanic and extreme compulsive spending came back so I was soon forced to lower the dose to find a happy medium between side effects and withdrawal symptoms. I lowered the dose to where I felt most stable and this dose is 5 mg. In the middle of December I made a bad decision — as I was not fully stable on 5 mg per day (in two divided doses) — and tried reducing my dose to 3.75 mg citalopram but I developed very strong anxiety and after 10 days I was hit by acute severe depression which forced me to increase my dose in small steps to 7.5 mg citalopram around the start of January for 6 weeks to stabilise. I realise with hindsight I was not ready to reduce my dose to 3.75 mg as I still was very irritable, grumpy and had not stabilised. Unfortunately, I was forced a few weeks ago to reduce back to 5 mg due to hypomanic symptoms of feeling high and spending money uncontrollably on 7.5 mg. I have read on this website that after a big reduction in dose or reinstatement it is best to wait perhaps several months to stabilise as much as possible before reducing. I am thinking of waiting another couple of months (or longer?) and then spend 6 months or even longer (listening to my body) to wean off the final 5 mg of citalopram. I am thinking of taking about a year in total (I started my process of reducing, albeit rapidly, in October 2023) to come off citalopram completely but keeping the option of being flexible based on how I respond to reductions — does this sound sensible? I take it twice a day (2.5 mg morning and 2.5 mg at night) as I found I am more sensitive on the lower doses to the drug wearing off. I do feel I am slowly stabilising as time goes on but still have periods of increased anxiety at least once per day, I am eating and sleeping better although a few days ago my appetite and sleep was not good for a couple of days which makes me worry I am going to experienced delayed withdrawal symptoms, hopefully just a bad couple of days. My new psychiatrist supports my decision to come off antidepressants and is allowing me to reduce very slowly at my own rate. She feels antidepressants are unlikely to benefit me as I do not have evidence of major depressive disorder. If I do get hit with delayed withdrawal that is severe I am wondering if I should do a small up dose like by 1.25 mg (an 1/8th of a 10 mg tablet) or even 0.6125 mg (a 1/16 of a 10 mg tablet)? I am still quite worried of any delayed withdrawal symptoms emerging as my brain chemistry tries to sort itself out. I am also concerned about protracted withdrawal symptoms. I am not an expert and I would warmly welcome any advice or constructive criticism of my ideas from this community of volunteers. In addition to my question in the above paragraph I guess my questions are: given the large dose reduction, how long should I stay at this dose before making very small 0.625 mg reductions? Is there any advice that can be given? I have been on 5 mg or lower since November (apart from the up dose to 7.5 mg through most of January and to the middle of Feb. 2024) and I am finally starting to stabilise after dropping back to 5 mg. Although my anxiety is at times worse I am actually doing much better than when I was on 20 mg in many other ways. I am caught between a rock and a hard place. Another question is the rate of reduction. I was thinking I should wait another 10 weeks before considering any further small reductions and then making less than 1 mg reduction every 4 to 6 weeks? Thank you for considering all of this, Jonathan

I hope you are well. I am on Escitalopram 10mg reduced overnight from 20mg. After being on this specific medication for 7 months and having been on Citalopram from the age of 22. Meaning I have been on an SSRI for 22 years. Last year after my breakdown in April (I’m actually thinking it might have been my medication stopping working that caused all this) I was put on Venlafaxine immediately without any tapering off citalopram for 2 weeks (Actually wanted to commit suicide due to that drugs side effects) I was then put on Sertraline without any tapering off Venlafaxine. That caused incredibly unpleasant side effects. In August without tapering again I was put on Escitalopram 10mg then two months later upped to 20mg to “give it a go” by psychiatrists. Not one of these medications have worked and have made me worse. Come more recently I suggested I wanted to wean off Escitalopram because I felt constantly in fight or flight. That was about a month ago. I was then prescribed buspirone 5mg x 3 a day and had my Escitalopram reduced to 10mg overnight, no tapering. A week into that regime I stopped Buspirone of my own accord and am currently on just the 10mg of Escitalopram that hadn’t been working in the first place. I actually think I’ve been withdrawing from all the antidepressants since April in some peculiar way. Since I first started antidepressants in 2002 I haven’t once had a doctor review my medication, not once have they asked me about coming off, the only time things changed is to up my medication or “give another” on a go. Today I have chronic muscle twitches, that don’t stop. My mind is clearer bizarrely and less brain fog but my physical symptoms are another matter, I’m aching considerably, I wake up shaking in the morning, and the cold makes my body shiver uncontrollably. The muscle twitches in my legs are 24 hours a day every minute. I try to go to the gym but it’s hard as my calves cramp. I have contacted a nutritionist as I’ve had dozens of blood tests thinking something must be out of sync, deficient. I’m on a good diet plan of protein and high fibre. And supplements. I currently don't know where to turn or what to do, as I am now on 10mg Escitalopram only, I don't know whether to go up gradually to try and resolve these physical constant muscle spasms/twitches even though the medication itself offered me no relief from anxiety/depression etc and actually made me 100 times worse, or to taper down. Either way I'm stuck. My body is a mess, that was once absolutely fine, it's now all over the place. Something that’s keeping me going is knowing someone is highlighting the daily struggle of these drugs and the complete disregard for the patients that are prescribed them. I hope this email reaches you all in good health.

Hello everyone. I have been on Celexa for over twenty years. Over the past several years I noticed I really wasn't feeling great. I suffered from a lot of headaches and a dizzy off-balance feeling as well as anxiety (which I thought the medication was supposed to control) I decided I wanted to stop taking this. Doctor started a slow taper and took me from 30mg to 5 mg in a little over a month. I completed the taper about a two weeks ago. Iam still feeling the dizziness, but its intensified and I have a low-grade headache daily. My stomach feels weird, and I notice I am either freezing or burning hot all the time. I was sitting at my desk today at work and felt like my world was sideways for a minute. This is so scary, and I fear it will never end. Has anyone had similar discontinuation symptoms? How long did they last? I am really in need of support.

Hi, I started taking Citalopram 20mg tablets in 2015 on recommendation from my GP. I was suffering with anxiety and depression due to a life event. Upon taking citalopram I started to feel better after a few months and continued to take it for around 7 more years. This was accompanied by 6 month check ups with my gp. This was basically a quick phone appointment asking how I felt and whether I wanted to keep to taking the medication. The reason I decided to stop was I felt it was not working anymore and I was feeling emotionally blunted by it taking it everyday. I wanted to be free of the drug. In July 2022 I contacted my GP explained that I wanted to stop taking as I felt I have no need for it any more. He set up a taper plan which was 1 week of 10mg (half my original dose) 1 week of 10mg every other day Then stop. The first week or so after stopping I didn’t feel much different, happier if I am honest. Maybe this was the joy of finally saying no to the meds. But after the second week of 0mg the withdrawal symptoms kicked into swing most notably: headaches pressure in my temple and ears Mood Swings ( extreme highs and lows) Trouble Sleeping Heartburn all day Vivid Dreams Having to use the toilet through the night. Slow digestion/ constipation Feeling of dread Lack of motivation Lack of interest in anything i am now 5 months into withdrawal and I still feel all these symptoms on a daily basis. It’s tough as I work full time , have a wife and young child. I feel like they are missing out as I’m not happy, almost like I’m a zombie. I get my self through work each day because I have no other choice. I just hope on some relief soon as it’s all very exhausting, like an endurance race where their is no end in sight. i look forward to being part of this community, reading things on here has helped a lot as it gives me hope in times I have none. Any advice will be greatly appreciated

I have been on celexa for 7 years. Started after a stressful event, but I’ve always had depression/anxiety issues for most of my life. I had minimal problems taking it- slight weight gain and no sexual interest (to my husband’s dismay). I decided to slowly titrate down and have not had any since August 2. The withdrawals were pretty much what I expected but not horrible. Now I am dealing with a new issue- irritability. Everyone and everything irritates the hell out of me. I also have a brain fog that makes me almost feel like I’m in the beginning stages of dementia! I also feel very disconnected from the world and even my loved ones. I am not sure if it’s my neurological system trying to recover or if I’m having depression again. Not sure what to do about any of it, but would rather not start back on celexa if I can help it! PS - it seems many of my female blood relatives are on celexa. Help.

Hello. As you can see from my update in my signature. Ive increased to 3 mg celexa after feeling relatively stable for a few weeks in the spring and summer but when yo-yo trying to go off, go down to 1 mg back up to 2.5, trying to break pills accurately. Since I tried to reduce from five to quickly, I have suffered insomnia, louder tinnitus, explosive anxiety at times during the day. so I increased back up to 3 mg to see if that would help abate withdrawal symptoms. I am going through some health challenges so pain probably affects anxiety. I increased up to 3 mg 8 days ago with no real improvement in symptoms. should I return to the 5 mg where I felt I got the best relief from withdrawal and then stay there about two months before trying to do the 10% taper per month ? I’m not sure if I put this in the right place or if I added to my signature correctly. Thank you so much for your help and I appreciate patience if I have made any mistakes with protocols and posting.

Hi! I just started to taper and I am in my second week of reducing from 20mg escitalopram. I already cut off 10%. What I find confusing: 1. Does it matter if I just take on ONE randomly chosen day 10% less (which I did already) or do I have to distribute the 10% cut throughout the 2 weeks? I can't see how the latter would be possible, given the infinitesimal amount that needs to be reduced this way, but I thought I will ask anyway :)> 2. Whilst I am aware of the huge variability in individual histories, I wonder if anyone here has been experiencing gradual tapering (as advised per medication here) and had withdrawal effects that were bearable and short-lived? In other words, if one does it right, generally speaking, and assuming that one is only on one antidepressant and all other variables are more or less constant, does it help avoid the worse of withdrawal effects? This is something that I am confused about. It is important for me, if any data, anecdotal or scientific exists in regard to this matter. Where can I look for this kind of information? Many thanks.

Hello! I am a 22 year old woman who was first prescribed 10mg of Celexa in January 2022, then 20mg in March 2022. I had never had any issues with anxiety or depression, but at the time was in the midst of an Adderall addiction that had left me with depressive comedowns to the point of suicidal ideation. I ultimately said goodbye to Adderall in March 2023 and went cold-turkey without any lingering side effects. I continued to take 20mg Celexa daily until the end of April, when I realized that the medication was numbing my emotions and curbing my anxiety to the point that I felt no urgency over anything. My prescriber's instructions for tapering, I have learned, were much too fast – I cut from 20mg to 10mg at the end of April, and held there for a month before cutting from 10mg to 0mg over the course of June/July. My last dose of Celexa was on July 9th. Symptoms of withdrawal were noticeable shortly thereafter, but have really peaked over the past 2 weeks. I had severe gastrointestinal side effects (took laxatives for 10 days straight), feelings of depersonalization and dizziness, difficulty staying asleep, elevated heart rate, and severe episodes of hopelessness and lack of motivation. I decided to reinstate 2.5mg as of Saturday, which resolved my gastrointestinal issues but otherwise has not made a significant difference yet in terms of mental stability. I am not sure where to go from here – I plan to meet with a new psychiatrist this week, but this has been the most difficult thing I have ever encountered. Curious if anyone has had a similar experience, has any recommendations, or even just words of support. I am so desperate for my life back. Thank you so much.

I have been on antidepressants since I was in middle school. I was not informed about withdrawal or tapering until years later, specifically only when I was ill advised to quit cold turkey. I was taking Paroxetine for seven years and stopped around the 16th of March this year. The medicine worked great but I had to gradually increase the dose over time because I felt it was losing effectiveness. At some point, the dose was upped too high, and I experienced a rapid beating heart, weakness, and chest pain. When I went back to the previous dose, the symptoms slowly subsided. I believe this dose was 40mg, although I can't remember for certain, this is just the last pill bottle of Paxil I still have. Since the Paxil was no longer working, my primary physician switched me directly to Celexa 10mg 16th of March). Around the 30th of March, the dose was increased to 20mg. Around the 9th of April, the stomach pain began (constant upper central abdominal pain and full feeling, loss of appetite, early satiety—greasy/fatty foods hurt the most but any food tends to cause discomfort). I assumed the pain came from the increased dose of Celexa, so I went back down to 10mg for a week and then went off of it around the 13th of June and switched to Cymbalta. I only stayed on the Cymbalta for about a week because it had caused my skin to break out with rashes. The stomach pain still persists. I have had several tests that came out normal (endoscopy with biopsies to rule out h.pylori and celiac disease, barium swallow, CT scan, ultrasound). Looking back at the calendar, it was only a little over three weeks of stopping the Paxil did the pain start, so I'm now thinking I am experiencing withdrawals. A lot of members on this site seem to have similar digestive issues. I had been on the Paxil for years and my doctor switched me off of it abruptly. However, I've never experienced brain zaps or other symptoms that I can think of. The only other medication I was on at the time of the stomach issues starting was birth control (Sprintec), however, I do not notice any difference when on the placebo week so I do not think it is the cause. I started it months before the pain began. I tried over the counter nexium for a few weeks but it didn't help. I was then prescribed Famotidine, Pantoprazole, and Sulcralfate which did not help either. I was then prescribed Amitriptyline 25mg. I feel it may have taken the edge off the pain but it didn't do much beyond that. So what I am currently taking now is 40mg Pantoprazole, 25mg Amitriptyline and Sprintec. I would like to stop taking the PPI because I've read that it can make things worse (most people with GERD tend to have low stomach acid) and I don't want to stay on the Amitriptyline because it is another antidepressant I could get dependent on, but I'm afraid of the pain getting beyond unbearable again. I have reinstated 5mg of Paxil starting from the 3rd of this month (July). Although it is hard to say for certain, I believe I may have gotten a tiny bit of relief. I was able to go out for an extended period of time with minimal pain while usually there is constant abdominal pain. The pain can be debilitating and mentally exhausting, causing me to sit around all day when I am not at work. Oddly, the pain is also more noticeable when I am standing rather than sitting. It feels like there's a giant rock weighing down my gut. I will continue to take the 5mg to see if there is any more improvement, and may increase a small amount soon. So far, I haven't gotten any adverse effects from reinstating, but I will remain cautious.

Hi In 2015 i was suffering with mild anxiety and since then I have been on/off, more on than off Citalopram 20mg. I had never heard of this forum until I watched the Panorama TV programme on antidepressants. I have always thought that the withdrawal was the cause of my increased symptoms, but all the doctors said that as I had mild symptoms tapering off by 50% every three months that it was the anxiety causing the relapse and so Back on the Meds again. After three months from stopping the meds I would end up having terrible insomnia (2 hours sleeps a night), this in turn made me feel terrible and anxious and panic attacks. I am hopeful I can taper off with the right advice from this great community. Thank you.

Hi I recently reinstated 25 mg citalopram ( May 2023) after having reduced from 25mg-20mg Dec 2022-May 2022. I started to feel nauseous, couldn’t focus , brain fog . During my reinstatement I was diagnosed with h pylori and am now in triple therapy for that. I am fairly convinced the increase in citalopram also contributed to my stomach symptoms. I am still finding the extra quarter tablet upsets my stomach . Could I reduce down to 22.5 mg at this stage ? I have that dose available from the local compounding pharmacy? Antibiotics finish tomorrow so I could see how my stomach is then , I also find I can’t cry . Very disconcerting. Also feel a bit over medicated so to speak . history : fluoxetine Dec 2001-March 2002 citalopram 20mg March 2002-Sept 2015 citalopram 30 mg Sept 2015-June 2022 citalopram 25 mg June 2022-Dec 2022 citalopram 20mg Dec 2022-May 2023 citalopram 25mg May 2023-present

Hi all. I was on Citalopram 30mg for 13 years and came off them recently. Came off them too quickly and stupidly reduced them over 3 weeks. Went from 30mg daily to 20mg daily the next week, then 10mg then 3rd week did 5mg daily before nothing. Have been off the medication about two months now(meds free from 24th April 2023) and suffered horrendous withdrawals. I could cope with the physical but the mental torture was unbearable and I have a 7 month old baby to look after. So I gave in and re-started on 10mg which I’ve taken for three days now. I really regret this and have to get off this medication. Is it too late? Can I just keep off them even though I’ve taken three lots of 10mg(Citalopram). Now I have found this group and I realise it was withdrawals I want to stay off them and have so much determination to stay off them.

I’m new to this forum and fairly overwhelmed by all the information it has to provide. I’ve been on citalopram now since 2011 and have managed to taper from 40mg to 10mg daily over the past year. I’m now a bit flummoxed as to how I taper off very slowly from 10mg to zero. My doctor is prescribing me liquid citalopram, however he is basically saying to me it’s impossible to bring the dosage down in such tiny increments. He has suggested a taper but I’m worried it may be too much at a time. I have seen one other member who has done it with liquid citalopram, however I don’t understand how it works really with the whole diluting the solution in water and making a suspension. Can anyone point me to any information on the site so I can understand better how it works and how to explain it to my doctor? He sounded perplexed and he even had to ring the clinical pharmacist who was none the wiser! 🫶🫶

Link to intro thread Hey all! Been meaning to write this for a little while now but just haven't had the time. But I knew I was always going to write a 'success story' as those were the ones that kept me going!! I HAVE BEEN OFF MEDS FOR 2 YEARS & 3 MONTHS!! I'm 31, female, I was on SSRI's for a total of 5 years, mostly Fluox, then sertraline, then citalopram before my doctor removed me from meds cold turkey, he said I would have no ill effects from stopping this way either!! So I'm going to list my main withdrawal symptoms, what helped me through withdrawal and any other bits of info like when i felt the worst waves etc! Symptoms: -Daily crying -anxiety -panic -depression -dizziness -skin itching -tremors -muscle weakness -visual issues -heartburn -gut issues -heart palpitations -insomnia -suicidal -weight loss -cramp in legs -full body stabbing/zaps -backache -headaches -TMJ -brain fog -unsteady on feet -lethargy -muscle weakness -hair loss -joint pain Those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head, but there will definitely be more! I noticed my 'windows' were very sparse until I passed the 12 month mark and after that I'd eventually get more and more windows. Before the 12 month mark, my windows were only short and usually on evenings. I had the most severe withdrawal symptoms between months 6-11, which I've read lots of people suffer more at that stage too. I also in this withdrawal period took Cipro, and my symptoms worsened after taking that so I do believe I was 'floxed' too. The things that helped me get through a cold turkey withdrawal: (there aren't many!) -Reading the success stories on this website (constantly!) -Meditation daily -Baylissa's book -The Lovely Grind youtube videos -Drew Linsalata podcast (the anxious truth) -My partner! (most definitely the reason I'm still here and off those meds!) I have been blessed to have a supportive partner throughout this process who fully supported me and believed I would make it out of the other side. He is my absolute angel! Between my sheer grit and determination and his supportive words I have done it! The only issue I've had since stopping the SSRI's is that I'm now in early menopause. I'm only 31 so it is very unusual. The doctors can't work out why I'm in the early menopause, my ovaries 'look' fine so they think it's more to do with my brain producing the hormones and my pituitary gland. So I believe that the medication and my withdrawal has caused my hormones to completely deplete by altering something in my brain. I'm now on HRT and feeling much better since being on it. I was hoping I wouldn't have any long term effects from taking these meds but it seems I do sadly. For anyone reading this, IT CAN BE DONE! I'm now over 2 years CLEAN and I feel SO MUCH BETTER that I don't have to rely on those tablets and have the ongoing side effects from them! KEEP GOING!!! If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask and i'll respond as soon as I can! 🙂 Love Jade x

Hello! A little about me. I was on citalopram 2012-2013 and weaned the ‘GP’ way eg just halved then quartered. It was fairly problem free, aside from brain zaps which went after a fortnight. I was then on Citalopram again 2014-2017 and weaned again fine, just brain zaps (each time for anxiety). Most recently, I’ve been on Sertraline from 2017. I was on 50mg and last September dropped to 25mg. This experience has been wholly different to citalopram. Since dropping to 25mg some 10 months ago, the brain zaps have never left. They make it feel as though my brain is back flipping or levitating, I get vertigo for hours after and it feels like most days are filled with buzzing, shocks and bizarre sensory disturbances (including a strange desire to constantly move my tongue, which sounds bizarre when written down!) Obviously, I react with more anxiety. I tried to drop again, alternating 25mg and 12.5mg in March, but it was a disaster. Sensory disturbances galore. I have a young toddler (2.5) and just can’t afford to be so unsteady and zappy around him. I feel stuck. The brain zaps seem permanent - despite being on this 25mg dose for nearly a year. I panic that the sertraline has permanently damaged my brain and I’m stuck in this hinterland forever. My GP doesn’t get it and I’m stuck with 50mg tablets. I’m aware there’s a wealth of info here to read through, but will need some time when I haven’t a toddler asking me to play with him! Any reassurance would be amazing.

Hi all, I have been meaning to update here for some time now. I was thinking recently about my very early cold-turkey withdrawal and how I would read and re-read recovery stories or hunt for sun symbols within member's journals for hours because I was so desperate for any accounts of improvement and healing. I hope this gives people who are having a very difficult time a bit of hope. I stopped Paroxetine cold-turkey while on holiday in Rome in 2015 - I was feeling fatigued all of the time, having long naps everyday. I felt my emotional responses were blunted but I also had a strange edgy feeling much of the time - something felt 'off' and I had a sense it was the tablets so I naively just stopped taking them. About five days or so later withdrawal symptoms set in and I was very unwell, I ended up in A&E with heart irregularities. Predictably I was prescribed more medications (including diazepam) and I think people around me assumed I was having some kind of breakdown and the symptoms with my heart were the result of panic attacks. I felt conflicted because what I was experiencing - the combination of physical and mental symptoms were so bizarre and far reaching. So I started researching and found myself here - thank goodness for this forum and for the hard work Alto and the moderators put into it. It was such a lifeline. But coming to understand the phenomenon of withdrawal, the uncertainty of a recovery time frame and how dismissive health professionals are was devastating. I spent a great deal of wasted time trying to figure out a way to 'fix it'. I went to see Dr David Healy in Wales and his main advice was to exercise - which I did do and I found it helped me but I know that isn't the case for everyone. I experienced depersonalisation, an impact on my ability to sleep, neuro emotions, intrusive thoughts, physical jerks. heart irregularities, weight loss, issues with my skin and severe brain fog/memory issues. The early part of my withdrawal is somewhat haunting and blurry at the same time, it was incredibly difficult and I felt a need to contain everything because I was so worried people thought I was coconuts. I had graduated from uni a year previously and was having a break because I had been battling with anorexia for years and wanted to focus on overcoming that, so I didn't have a job to get to, I didn't have children to look after. Hats off to anyone who has to navigate these things in the throes of withdrawal. I spent a lot of time reading. It had always been something I retreated to and my mind would race and I would keep forgetting what I had read but I would just keep returning to it, it was almost like a meditative practice. I also tried to do crosswords and codebreakers and exercised, I spent a lot of time with my parent's dogs. Withdrawal pulled me out of my eating disorder. I was already underweight and lost more and more to the point where people stared at me when I went out. Having these symptoms thrust upon me made starving myself seem so ridiculous. Over time symptoms peeled away, withdrawal felt less and less like an enormous shadow looming over me. I had and still have some anxiety about how I am not the same post-withdrawal in various ways and I am not as capable etc etc. I still struggle with brain fog at times and I still have memory issues which at times can be incredibly frustrating and embarrassing. But the whole experience demanded strength and perseverance and patience and it's given me such a sense of resilience. So trust that it gets better, much better. I am hopeful my remaining issues will eventually improve. Hang in there. Sadie.

Brief: 33 y/o female tapered too quickly off Citalopram and Wellbutrin XR (~1 month from 20mg/150mg to 0mg/0mg) after being on that for ~5 years and other drugs for ~15 years. ~6 months since last doses. Functional in daily life but struggling. No more physical symptoms, now experiencing emotional dysregulation in waves. How can I best help my brain/CNS heal? Is "good" stress still good when going though this, or is gentleness and reduced stimulation the way? More context: I apologize in advance for how much drug history I am missing and how vague it is. I have been on psychiatric medication continuously since I was 13 and it felt both normalized and out of my control, I did not keep records and did not think about it much. I took the pills doctors told me to. When they asked me if I felt "better" or "worse" I tried to come up with an answer to be polite, but the truth is I never felt much better or much worse, even when on unusually high doses of these medications (for my age/weight). I was inpatient twice, once at 14 and once at 20. When I tapered off my most recent meds (Citalopram and Wellbutrin) I did not keep a record of dosages or symptoms and the timeline is an estimate. Until this year I have not felt empowered to treat this part of my life with the seriousness and careful attention that it deserves. To be honest I doubt these pills did anything for me, I have been miserable, depressed, and anxious for as long as I can remember and that has been my "normal". As an adult, I have learned that my mood is improved or made worse by the usual non-pharmaceutical factors-- exercise, sunlight, socializing, healthy diet, sense of meaning, achievement in career and hobbies, etc. After reading some material on this website and experiencing my recent taper, I suspect that a lot of my difficulties over the last 20 years have been the result of these medications, their side effects, and how frequently they were changed up with short tapers. I don't think there was ever anything "wrong" with me that justified medical intervention. Nevertheless, my brain chemistry is now what it is because of these meds, and I am going to deal with it. I can remember being prescribed at one point or another all of these, sometimes in cocktails: Zoloft, Lexapro, Effexor, Cymbalta, Abilify, Klonopin, Xanax, Lorazepam, Nortriptyline. For the last ~5 years I have been on Citalopram and Wellbutrin XR. Over a period of years I did reduce that from 40mg to 20mg and 300mg to 150mg respectively, and did not notice any changes. Approximately 6 months ago I decided to taper myself off of both medications with what I had remaining in the bottle-- over about a month's time I halved both doses, then halved again until the pills became too small to cut, then did alternating days--- I did not know that tapering should be done at a much slower rate with much smaller increments, that you should not alternate days, that cutting a Wellbutrin XR destroys the slow release coating, or that you should do one medication at a time.... I did everything you are not supposed to do, and I am surprised that my withdrawal has not been worse. For the first month I experienced extreme irritability, digestive issues, shakes, and visual phenomena similar to ocular migraine aura. That has all passed, I am now experiencing strong waves of emotion and combinations of emotion that are sometimes unrelated to my actual situation, and sometimes just disproportionate to a situation. These are usually combo-packs of negative emotion (shame/fear, anger/sadness/guilt, etc.) but I have also wept many times out of a sense of awe and transcendence. The description on this site of "neuro-emotions" makes me think this is what these are. I have found that using skills from CBT is somewhat (maybe 30%) effective at reducing the intensity of them, so that's what I do, it's better than nothing. I also have a high level of anxiety/activation when driving or being out in public, which I manage through exposure and some CBT tricks. I am experiencing some derealization as well. But other than the "neuro-emotions", these are things I experienced while on the drugs as well. If these emotional waves are indeed an issue of nervous system dysregulation after chemical dependence, and my brain is finding a new equilibrium, I want to make that process as easy as possible for my brain. To that end-- I practice an "extreme sport", rock climbing, which often puts me in a very activated, sometimes fearful, state. I also lift heavy weights. These activities are what keep me from going off the deep end, but they are very taxing on the nervous system. I have scaled back the lifting to try and give my CNS a break, but I know from experience I won't be able to reduce the climbing much without entering a deep depression. After reading the material here I wonder whether I took up these hobbies because they stressed my over-medicated brain in the "right" ways, and I wonder whether withdrawal and the healing process is going to be helped or hindered by them. Am I doing my CNS a disservice by subjecting it to "good" stress? Is it time to switch to yoga? I feel like, at this exact moment, these symptoms are tolerable for me, but barely. If they get any worse I am not sure I can tolerate them and also function in my job. I am willing to reinstate the meds to get some relief, but from what I've read here that could be a bad idea 6 months out. Today, with the information I have found here, I am feeling optimistic that even if recovery is measured in years, it will get gradually easier and the hardest part is over. However, the part I am in right now is really, really hard. Does anyone have experiences to share or insight about the CNS aspect of recovery, particularly if you regularly abuse your CNS with heavy weights or some other strenuous activity? Thank you for your time and especially for the wealth of information contained in this website, it has given me hope that I can get my life back.

Hello- My name is Emily. I'm almost 27 & have been on the Celexa generic, Citalopram for close to 11.5 years. I was originally prescribed the drug as a young teen for major depressive disorder & severe anxiety disorder. Through therapy, time, & the edge the drug took off, I recovered. I have had seasons of depression over the last 10+ years, but never reaching the level of despair I consistently experienced as a teen. Within the last 5 years, I've tried to get off Citalopram twice before (once via tapering with my PCP & once cold turkey on my own) & I've been unsuccessful with both due to the intense withdrawal symptoms (brain zaps, migraines, tiredness, dark thoughts, etc.) when I reached a low dosage (0-20 mg). Through what I've learned about SSRIs, my psychological stability, prolonged time on the drug, & young age, I desire to get off Celexa once at for all, however, I need help. I don't feel that the medical professionals in my life that can support me well through this process given my prior failed attempts. Please help me safely & effectively get off this drug. Summarized Details I'm a 27 year old female & I've been on Citalopram for 11.5 years. I'm only on Citalopram (40 milligrams) & I have currently started the process of tapering & I've been on 30mg for the last 3 weeks. I'm nervous to decline to 20mg. Initially, I tried to jump from 40 to 20mg (I had done this in the past without an issue) & had brain zaps so I cut the pills to take 30mg. Over the past 11.5 years (2012-2023), I've toggled between taking 20 & 40mg. I have used Xanax "as needed" in the past but haven't used it in a long time. The longer I've been on the drug at 40mg, the more difficult it is for me to decrease milligrams. I've really struggled when going down to 20mg Please advise if there is any more info you need.

BavarianPH Started tapering over 6 months ago at 20 mg/ml of escitalopram oral solution. At first at 5% taper, actually 1 ml taper per week with very little withdrawals. At 3 ml it became more difficult, got to 2 ml back to 3 ml, got to 1.75 ml and experience the most intense withdrawals, extreme anxiety, fear, paranoia, close to a mental break. I went back up to 3 ml, then 5 ml, added Benadryl which counteracted withdrawal, but not for long. Was forced to go on .5 mg clonazepam 2x daily which worked but caused irritability, anger, mania, compulsion to talk a lot. So now I try .125 mg clonazepam. Tried to get a hold of my NP psychiatrist, not available until next Monday. I completely tapered off clonazepam 1 year ago and went from 200 mg lamotrigine to 100 mg. I am also on 137 mcg Synthroid, 500 mg Metformin, 300 mg gabapentin. Now I am afraid to taper escitalopram. I don't know at what dose to start, how to taper and for how long a period. This really shocked me. I have to take care of my wife who ended up in hospital 4 times, mostly because of accidental sudden stop of Celexa causing psychosis, then hospital not telling me all the meds they gave her on recovery, then she was put on wrong meds, and then got cold turkeyed on nortriptyline which caused a total breakdown and horrible rage, she was put on antipsychotics and depakote, did not tell me about the depakote and ended in hospital again. Finally, she was put back on escitalopram, rexulti and depakote, she had intense spasms, until I got her on seroquel and off of escitalopram. All this could have been avoided if the hospitals would have told me all the meds given. And if she had gone back on celexa. At that time over 2 years ago I had no knowledge of psychotropics. I studied up to 4 hours or more a day to figure out what happened, and found a totally mismanaged mental health system, unbelievable lack of accurate information and diagnosis. I need a lot of help not just for me but my wife who is so drugged up she can't even think. Please help!

Hello everyone I found this website earlier today whilst feeling particularly despondent about withdrawal symptoms. I've read a few posts and feel like I could have written them. I can't believe so many people are going through the same thing! Bit of history - I'm female, in my 40s, from the UK. Had mental health issues my entire life and began being medicated in my early 20s. I have to say that the drugs did help although nobody could ever really find a reason why I was so depressed and so therapy never really worked. Later in life with A LOT of therapy, I have been able to unlock the Pandora's box of my past and recognised that I experienced some pretty horrible abuse as a child and young adult which is almost certainly at the root of all of this as I never developed a solid sense of self or grounding in the world. I'm currently having therapy to address this which is going slowly but in the right direction. As you can see from my signature I've been on multiple psychotropic medications over the years . Six months ago I finished a taper of opiates I had been prescribed for pain and have been through the most horrific dark night of the soul which I am amazed I made it out the other end of. I am currently tapering my lisdexamfetamine (which I am prescribed for ADHD)as it rapid-cycles my mood and makes me alternate between manic & suicidal all in the same day. Ultimately I'd love to be off all the meds altogether. Right now I am feeling despondent as the lisdex withdrawal is causing hideous hideous brain zaps. I have discovered that lisdex & venlafaxine potentiate eachother so essentially I'm not just withdrawing from one, I'm withdrawing from both and this is what is causing the zaps. Anyone who has experienced them will know just how utterly debilitating they are and make you want to rip your own brain out. I'm actually dubious whether I should have been prescribed both medications together in the first place. I'm not working at the moment due to the withdrawals which is making me feel extreme guilt in addition the the shame at getting myself into this situation. I'm taking various supplements, not sure really if any of them are helping. I do quite a lot of exercise but am also prone to inertia and anhedonia which can make it difficult to find the motivation. Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences and looking forward to being here.

Hi all, I have been monitoring this site for a while and have finally decided to join and seek advice. I have been on Citalopram since August 2020 - (A long undiagnosed testicular cancer diagnosis in 2019/2020 which battered my hormones and low mood during lockdown etc). I initially started on 20mg and over the last 2 years I have reduced (10mg 2021) and somewhat stabilised at around 5mg (half a tablet a day for pretty much the whole of 2022). In December 2022 I decided I’d go one further and make that a quarter of a tablet per day so roughly 2.5mg give or take. I remember feeling groggy for a few weeks but thought it was just the usual Christmas festivities/dark nights etc taking its toll on my body. On February 14th 2023 I decided to take the last dose. Citalopram had somewhat pooped out for me and I felt like the side effects were doing me more harm than good (excessive sleepiness, emotional blunting, zombie like). Withdrawal symptoms hit me hard and fast for roughly 8/9 days. All the usual suspects from what I’ve been reading (Lightheadedness, Headaches, Dry Mouth, Shaking, No Appetite, Heightened Anxiety, Tiredness/Fatigue, Nausea). I was mentally prepared for “two weeks” or so of discomfort so it felt like that was that, I was done, I was finally off Citalopram for good… How wrong was I! Fast forward another two weeks and I remember waking up with a sense of heightened Anxiety for no apparent reason. Since then I have pretty much been in a bad place both mentally and physically. The symptoms I have experienced in the last 2 1/2 - 3 months or so are as followed: Physical: Flu Like Symptoms, Headaches, Lightheadedness/Vertigo, Dry Mouth/Dehydration, Fatique, Nausea, Constipation/Diarrhoea, Body Tremors, Shaking, Restlessness (Mainly Legs), Hot & Cold Flushes, Appetite Changes (Leading to a rough weight loss thus far of 8kg), Throbbing test icle, Tingling sensation of skin, Heart Palpitations, Night Sweats, Vivid Dreams/Nightmares, Waking up in a state of painic, Insomnia. Mental: Heightened Anxiety, Low Mood, Impending Doom, Suicidal Ideology, Irritability, Confusion, Intense Mood Swings, Crying Spells, Depersonalisation. These symptoms come and go at different times at somewhat group up together in different ways. It’s been just over 100 days since my last dose and things are tough. I’d imagine a trip to the G.P. would result in a “relapse” diagnose and just more pills from what I’ve read so I’m hesitant about that and just trying to persevere. Supplement wise I’m not really taking anything at the moment. I spent a few weeks taking ashwaganda and a few CBD gummies very sparingly to try and ease symptoms naturally. I didn’t feel like either were helping and have since decided to try and let the body heal as it’s needs to. With that being said, I have thought about reinstating a small dose to hopefully ease some of the WD symptoms and reconsider a different approach once I feel stable again… Thoughts and advice would go a long way T.I.A

Hello I am from Germany and on 0,6 mg cita from 30 mg and 3 mg Mirta, both since 2019 slowly taper.

Hello all, I’ve found this website incredibly useful so I wanted to share my journey of coming off of venlafaxine (Effexor) with mild withdrawal symptoms so far. Context / About Me I was put on antidepressants in February 2014 at age 18 after I had my first severe depressive episode. Initially, I started on citalopram, then mirtazapine and then venlafaxine (effexor). I have been on venlafaxine for about 8 years continuously with no breaks. I am currently two weeks medication free and I have experienced very minor withdrawal symptoms. My first unsuccessful taper I annoyingly didn’t record my first unsuccessful taper that started in March 2020 but I came off 150mg venlafaxine in 6-8 weeks and had severe withdrawals (brain zaps, nausea and then return of depressive symptoms) resulting in what appeared to be a relapse* (I saw my old psych) and I had my medication reinstated. *From educating myself more on antidepressants, I know now that this was withdrawal from coming off the medication too quickly and not relapse. My (so far) successful taper using pill cutting method Feb 2021: Reduced dose to 112.5mg March 2021: I will have tapered but didn’t record speed, reduced dose to 75mg March 2022: I believe I then decreased further as I recorded going back up to 75mg 13 December 2022: I will have tapered but didn’t record speed but at this point, I reduced my dose to 37.5mg 21 February 2023: Reduced to 28.125mg (ish) 1 April 2023: Reduced to 18.mg (ish) 21 April 2023: Reduced to 9.4mg (ish) 10 May 2023: Took last dose of venlafaxine. I was planned to taper further from 9.4mg but took a shot to see how I felt and so far, so good. I was prepared to take my dose immediately if I felt unwell. Withdrawal symptoms I have experienced very mild withdrawal symptoms, including: - Most noticeable symptom has been that it has triggered an IBS flare up and my bloating is unreal 🤯 - Slightly off balance / dizziness - Fatigue - mild and only for first few days - Slightly irritable Major thing to note is that I’ve had NO brain zaps and no mood-related symptoms or anxiety!!! Resource recommendations Antidepressed by Beverly Thomson May Cause Side Effects by Brooke Siem https://markhorowitz.org (particularly his work on hyberbolic tapering) https://withdrawal.theinnercompass.org I appreciate I am lucky in my experience the second time around as I know many people have to face horrific, permanent withdrawal symptoms. However, I hope this shows that it’s good to go slow and not to rush the process of coming off. Happy to answer any questions and I will continue to update on my progress! A

I am about 4 months postpartum right now. I was having terrible general anxiety and health anxiety. I spoke to my doctor and was prescribed Celexa. I felt comfortable with starting this medication because i had taken it in the past (about 5-6 years ago) with no issues. I started on Celexa 10 mg and immediately felt effects. I felt internal shaking/vibrating feeling. I experienced parasthesia in my upper body, jaw pain, and muscle twitches. I ended up in the ER and was advised to potentially continue the medication but to speak to my GP first. After speaking to my GP, I decided to lower the dose to 5mg Celexa. I was still experiencing so many reactions to the medication. My doctor said that Celexa shouldn’t be causing the internal shaking and vibrations. It made me more anxious. i decided that I wanted to stop the medication and asked my doctor about stopping. Was advised to stop and didn’t need to worry about tapering since on such a low dose. I occasionally feel brain buzzing and sometimes her twitches or internal shaking but has went away for the most part. Doing a low histamine and Whole Foods diet. Taking Vitamin D. Feeling better.

Hello I suffered some anxiety from my surgery complication that occurred on July 7, 2022. I was taking Ativan as needed for the developed anxiety. In September 2022 I experienced three panic attacks and was prescribed more frequent dosages of Ativan. I was trying to return to work but too sleepy due to the Ativan and anxiety was still very high. my surgeon suggested I have my general practitioner prescribe some type of anti-anxiety SSRI to take the place of the Ativan so that I was not so sleepy during the day and could return to work. I was prescribed gabapentin for nerve pain in August after my surgery. At one point I was up to 1200 mg a day. I reduced that dosage slowly down to 300 for several weeks until my doctor recently told me to try to get off that as quickly as possible so I have been reducing that over the past two weeks and taking 100 mg a day as of today . I was Prescribed Celexa 20mg for anxiety in Nov 2022. I have repeatedly Stopped and started Celexa back to 10 mg trying to taper off ever since then. The more I read about celexa the more I didn’t want to be on it right after it was prescribed. It was actually a girlfriend who suggested I ask my doctor for it as she had been taking it. (Also Sometime in January I noticed mild rash on stomach and Doctor said he could barely see it and didn’t think anything about about it). Every taper and episode of reduction has been sanctioned by my general practitioner. I was Told by my doctor a few weeks ago I could take 10 mg every few days and developed debilitating nausea and headaches and insomnia. The last dosage I was taking consistently for a few weeks was 10 mg before I started taking every four days. Seven days ago I reinstated at 5 mg every day per my doctor upon my request. My doctor says that it’s not the Celexa that is causing the side effects it is the re-introduction of anxiety side effects. I explain to him that I never experienced nausea this entire time I’ve had anxiety. Anxiety and nausea and insomnia have improved over the days, however, still experiencing some nausea, some insomnia and periods of just not feeling good. Slight itching here and there still and also tinnitus returned. I was wondering if it’s too late to reinstate at a lower dose as advised on this website? I was not aware to try to return to very small doses, so I just decided to dose down to 5 mg after asking my Dr, he said I could try that dose. No real leader ship from him. I just would like to know if it’s too late to try even a smaller dose as a reinstatement or is seven days into this reinstatement too late?