Sonia009: Citalopram discontinuation/reinstatement

[Sonia009]

13 minutes ago, mariamisery said:

So  horrible. Unbelievable!! Has to stop! For myself I am sorry I took an antidepressant.  With the reinstatement will you avoid the worst part of withdrawal?

@mariamiseryYes it's shocking isn't. The point of the report was that doctors have been told to reduce the numbers of prescriptions for antidepressants for children and are only to be given if  absolutely necessary.

Re reinstatement - that was the general idea Maria, what I was desperate for was to be rid of the vertigo and it worked in that respect. Other symptoms still linger though. The annoying thing is that I never had any of these symptoms before starting antidepressants, I cannot remember having anxiety even, not sure why I went on them years ago, I went to the doctor for something, cannot even remember what and somehow ended up on them.

[BaccatePlayer]

On 4/1/2024 at 7:26 PM, Sonia009 said:

When I do eventually🙏 stabilise I will hold for some time because I need a break from all of this.

Wishing you good luck with that! At least you have an option for some pause in all this. Doctors have so much freedom in prescribing meds, this is very upsetting. I also regret taking drugs especially since psychiatrist kept changing them over and over again and it never did any real difference. The one that wasn't harmful and I had to suggest it myself was working fine, but I wasn't happy with how I was feeling it being used like a recreational drug in my everyday life, it kept enhancing my mood and some experiences, but it wasn't really "curing" anything. Then I made a mistake, the other meds did nothing but kindling and realized my doctor knows nothing about withdrawals. Not many options for me or Maria, but I hope you stabilize soon and hold successfully.

[Sonia009]

2 hours ago, BaccatePlayer said:

Wishing you good luck with that! At least you have an option for some pause in all this. Doctors have so much freedom in prescribing meds, this is very upsetting. I also regret taking drugs especially since psychiatrist kept changing them over and over again and it never did any real difference. The one that wasn't harmful and I had to suggest it myself was working fine, but I wasn't happy with how I was feeling it being used like a recreational drug in my everyday life, it kept enhancing my mood and some experiences, but it wasn't really "curing" anything. Then I made a mistake, the other meds did nothing but kindling and realized my doctor knows nothing about withdrawals. Not many options for me or Maria, but I hope you stabilize soon and hold successfully.

@BaccatePlayer@mariamiseryThank you for your support. I've not been good lately, many symptoms but sticking with my current dose and holding out. 🙏 It's put a lot of pressure on relationships also.

I know you and Maria have been through a lot, I hope you both find relief very soon. You both are very supportive of one another, myself and others here. Thank you.

[mariamisery]

Thanks , it is good to have BaccatePlayer and you all. Hope you are doing better.  I am in a  awful wave on today. Makes me feel hopeless but I know I must stand strong through it.  It is very challenging.  I am not sure if you get windows and waves. 

[Sonia009]

4 minutes ago, mariamisery said:

Thanks , it is good to have BaccatePlayer and you all. Hope you are doing better.  I am in a  awful wave on today. Makes me feel hopeless but I know I must stand strong through it.  It is very challenging.  I am not sure if you get windows and waves. 

@mariamiseryI'm sorry you're in another wave, it's so disheartening and soul destroying. I'm feeling quite low at the moment because of my symptoms. I cannot remember the last time I felt really well. All we can do is take hope from one another, thank goodness we have this site where we can share our experiences. Take care.🙏

[Sonia009]

Hi, I've reinstated 0.5 mg for 13 weeks and there has been no improvement, if anything I feel worse and my anxiety has worsened also. I do less these days than I did before I reinstated. I don't know whether or not to stop all together or I should go up slightly, I just feel I need to try something. Thanks.

[Sonia009]

Hi, How do you cope with a migraine on top of everything else? Just wondering what painkillers everyone is taking to get through it. Thanks.

[BaccatePlayer]

7 minutes ago, Sonia009 said:

Hi, How do you cope with a migraine on top of everything else? Just wondering what painkillers everyone is taking to get through it. Thanks.

Hello Sonia! I know it might sound completely non-sense, but you do manage migraine just like anything else. There's a topic about waves and windows here which links to a blog post that states:

 

"Physical symptoms of a wave are hard to mitigate. There isn’t much you can do about general joint pain, headaches, or dizziness. You can try analgesics like aspirin or ibuprofen, but those aches are fairly resistant to those kinds of pain killers".

 

It's probably better not to divide symptoms into "withdrawal" and "outside withdrawal" though because you're not really "ill", your system is simply sensetized but your experiences are no less real and still happen within your properly functioning body unless an additional problem apppears. Thing is, your system is stuck on certain level of vulnerability at the moment, so it reacts in exaggregated way regardless of the source of trigger. That being said, I'm afraid painkillers may not only not help, but also potentially make things worse. I've tried that in the past and it only worsened an already unbearable evening. As with everything you can try what you feel may help, but after you reported a med and even food could make you feel worse, I just can't see this being too promising. Painkillers work way shorter than antidepressants, but if the symptoms follow the "subconscious health anxiety" pattern then another agent may scare your CNS and make it intensify symptoms. Not sure about all this, but if you want to try, then maybe start with low dose and see how it changes. It's just that I haven't yet encountered anyone who reported to be successful with that idea. The intro here states that antidepressants, antibiotics or other meds can cause further upset, so I believe most simply don't experiment. This may interest you though:

 

 

 

[Sonia009]

2 minutes ago, BaccatePlayer said:

Hello Sonia! I know it might sound completely non-sense, but you do manage migraine just like anything else. There's a topic about waves and windows here which links to a blog post that states:

 

"Physical symptoms of a wave are hard to mitigate. There isn’t much you can do about general joint pain, headaches, or dizziness. You can try analgesics like aspirin or ibuprofen, but those aches are fairly resistant to those kinds of pain killers".

 

It's probably better not to divide symptoms into "withdrawal" and "outside withdrawal" though because you're not really "ill", your system is simply sensetized but your experiences are no less real and still happen within your properly functioning body unless an additional problem apppears. Thing is, your system is stuck on certain level of vulnerability at the moment, so it reacts in exaggregated way regardless of the source of trigger. That being said, I'm afraid painkillers may not only not help, but also potentially make things worse. I've tried that in the past and it only worsened an already unbearable evening. As with everything you can try what you feel may help, but after you reported a med and even food could make you feel worse, I just can't see this being too promising. Painkillers work way shorter than antidepressants, but if the symptoms follow the "subconscious health anxiety" pattern then another agent may scare your CNS and make it intensify symptoms. Not sure about all this, but if you want to try, then maybe start with low dose and see how it changes. It's just that I haven't yet encountered anyone who reported to be successful with that idea. The intro here states that antidepressants, antibiotics or other meds can cause further upset, so I believe most simply don't experiment. This may interest you though:

 

 

 

@BaccatePlayerHi, thanks for explaining all of that, your knowledge is impressive as usual. I've had migraines for years, I've tried otc painkillers but nothing really works. I just wondered if anyone found some relief whilst in withdrawal, somehow. The only thing that sometimes help is a combination of aspirin, paracetamol and caffeine. The caffeine affects withdrawal though and my mind goes haywire. Hope you're doing o.k.. 🙏😊

[KaiLee]

Dear @Sonia009, as much as I recommended using a migrane cap in my own post, I also recommend drinking some hot teas that can help with anxiety, if you haven't already. There are many kinds, but I drink passionflower tea a lot, and it occasionally helps. 

 

But lately, the migrane cap has helped me the most. When nothing else was effective, it always provided at least some relief. I have really suffered a lot with migranes, and I still do, so I understand your pain.

 

Hope this helps.

[Sonia009]

7 minutes ago, KaiLee said:

Dear @Sonia009, as much as I recommended using a migrane cap in my own post, I also recommend drinking some hot teas that can help with anxiety, if you haven't already. There are many kinds, but I drink passionflower tea a lot, and it occasionally helps. 

 

But lately, the migrane cap has helped me the most. When nothing else was effective, it always provided at least some relief. I have really suffered a lot with migranes, and I still do, so I understand your pain.

 

Hope this helps.

@KaiLeeThank you, you've been really helpful. I shall look on Amazon now for them both.😊

[BaccatePlayer]

50 minutes ago, Sonia009 said:

@BaccatePlayerHi, thanks for explaining all of that, your knowledge is impressive as usual. I've had migraines for years, I've tried otc painkillers but nothing really works. I just wondered if anyone found some relief whilst in withdrawal, somehow. The only thing that sometimes help is a combination of aspirin, paracetamol and caffeine. The caffeine affects withdrawal though and my mind goes haywire. Hope you're doing o.k.. 🙏😊

I'm actually struggling with migraines since years as well. Who knows, maybe this is from everpresent anxiety in my case. Hard to tell if I'm OK since across hours I feel symptoms go from 40% to 80% to 30% to 60% to 90% randomly and if someone said "you'll have unbearable panic attack out of nowhere in an hour" I'd believe it as much as hearing "you'll feel great improvement by the evening". Your insight is also valueable, Sonia. You mentioned Shaan Kassan and his breakdown of depersonalization being linked to panic attacks and existential "wierd" thoughts that I complain so much about has helped me to stay composed. The relief from migraines may actually come from the journey of desensetizing your system. As you recover and as you adopt appropriate strategies you may end up being recovered from withdrawal symptoms and pre-WD migraines. Sometimes when I have a symptom that feels completely unrelated to anxiety... anti-anxiety relaxation turns out to actually ease said symtpom. Sending healing vibes, you're doing great!

[Sonia009]

20 minutes ago, BaccatePlayer said:

I'm actually struggling with migraines since years as well. Who knows, maybe this is from everpresent anxiety in my case. Hard to tell if I'm OK since across hours I feel symptoms go from 40% to 80% to 30% to 60% to 90% randomly and if someone said "you'll have unbearable panic attack out of nowhere in an hour" I'd believe it as much as hearing "you'll feel great improvement by the evening". Your insight is also valueable, Sonia. You mentioned Shaan Kassan and his breakdown of depersonalization being linked to panic attacks and existential "wierd" thoughts that I complain so much about has helped me to stay composed. The relief from migraines may actually come from the journey of desensetizing your system. As you recover and as you adopt appropriate strategies you may end up being recovered from withdrawal symptoms and pre-WD migraines. Sometimes when I have a symptom that feels completely unrelated to anxiety... anti-anxiety relaxation turns out to actually ease said symtpom. Sending healing vibes, you're doing great!

@BaccatePlayerHi, sorry you too suffer from migraines. Certain foods trigger mine but this one just seemed to appear from nowhere. I am so stressed and anxious though, something I've never had to deal with before withdrawal. So many symptoms make me worry and this could have started this migraine, it's been three days so far. My weight is another worry, no appetite, losing weight fast. I pick up a little in the evening but I hardly eat during the day. Thank you for your continued support.🙏😊

[BaccatePlayer]

39 minutes ago, Sonia009 said:

@BaccatePlayerHi, sorry you too suffer from migraines. Certain foods trigger mine but this one just seemed to appear from nowhere. I am so stressed and anxious though, something I've never had to deal with before withdrawal. So many symptoms make me worry and this could have started this migraine, it's been three days so far. My weight is another worry, no appetite, losing weight fast. I pick up a little in the evening but I hardly eat during the day. Thank you for your continued support.🙏😊

Love the double "hi"! Not sure if that matters in recovery, some report never being anxious before WD/AR like you, some were on meds exactly because they were anxious whole life like me (anxiety, depression and paranoia were enough reasons to classify me as "fully unable to work and function Independently"), but luckily anyone can heal. I was used to feeling intense anxiety for whole days, but during recovery symptoms like depersonalization or brain burning appeared and are simply another level and that's what I'm afraid, that reaction to meds opened a gate that will make these symptoms accessible for the rest of my life even if they drop in intensity cause they can be experienced even by healthy people. It's just that these sensations don't feel home yet. Anxiety pre-WD and anxiety now is something completely different. It's like watching a yellow wall, but when you're in the darkness you can't tell the wall is yellow or even that there's a wall in front of you in the first place.

 

This sync is quite interesting because I'm having migraine for three days as well and it goes in hand with me falling asleep shortly after midnight and being unable to continue sleeping seven hours later. This exact cycle started after my last wave. I lost lots of weight too which is wierd cause after stopping bupropion it should be the opposite for me. It's not exactly appetite for me, more like activities that I usually view as enjoyable (eating, sex, listening to music, games) make it feel like the suffering is more pronounced and I don't feel like doing these when under symptoms, that's like bringing awareness to how bad it is even more. Digestion works really slow during waves for me. Just like mentality, it hangs onto some thoughts, repeating them slowly like not being able to process them when I'm already two thoughts upfront. It got better lately though.

 

Seems like you identified the exact three obstacles that I usually suggest working on:

 

-worries or rumminations, treating the symptoms seriously and wondering where they're coming from, how to solve them;

 

-panic, anxiety, nervousness or otherwise neurotic reaction to symptoms,

 

-sense of impatience, rejection, misunderstanding and confusion.

 

In this case remember that knowledge breaks down at least some of the worries. As we're discussing the symptoms, they start to seem less threatening, they're not dangerous, abnormal nor linked to a real threat. You already have them registered, so now it's time to try accepting them and focusing on slowing down your thoughts and relaxing your body. Reminding yourself that it will pass a few times and you're on the optimal path to heal. I think you already feel included cause we're supporting each other here, we share the general tips adviced here (they're based on Claire Weekes and from what I learnt Shaan Kassan also borrows from her), so just remember you don't need to hold a grip on it. You are safe and healing regardless. Our minds are not in best condition for heavy thinking yet, so little steps, no drastic decisions and it's best when you're distracted so that something or someone makes it easier to save your thinking and rest. I sometimes mix cottage cheese, honey, banana and flavored yoghurt with blender which is easier to eat or rather drink than sitting in front of sandwiches. There's always something you can try, we're with you!

[Sonia009]

14 minutes ago, BaccatePlayer said:

Love the double "hi"! Not sure if that matters in recovery, some report never being anxious before WD/AR like you, some were on meds exactly because they were anxious whole life like me (anxiety, depression and paranoia were enough reasons to classify me as "fully unable to work and function Independently"), but luckily anyone can heal. I was used to feeling intense anxiety for whole days, but during recovery symptoms like depersonalization or brain burning appeared and are simply another level and that's what I'm afraid, that reaction to meds opened a gate that will make these symptoms accessible for the rest of my life even if they drop in intensity cause they can be experienced even by healthy people. It's just that these sensations don't feel home yet. Anxiety pre-WD and anxiety now is something completely different. It's like watching a yellow wall, but when you're in the darkness you can't tell the wall is yellow or even that there's a wall in front of you in the first place.

 

This sync is quite interesting because I'm having migraine for three days as well and it goes in hand with me falling asleep shortly after midnight and being unable to continue sleeping seven hours later. This exact cycle started after my last wave. I lost lots of weight too which is wierd cause after stopping bupropion it should be the opposite for me. It's not exactly appetite for me, more like activities that I usually view as enjoyable (eating, sex, listening to music, games) make it feel like the suffering is more pronounced and I don't feel like doing these when under symptoms, that's like bringing awareness to how bad it is even more. Digestion works really slow during waves for me. Just like mentality, it hangs onto some thoughts, repeating them slowly like not being able to process them when I'm already two thoughts upfront. It got better lately though.

 

Seems like you identified the exact three obstacles that I usually suggest working on:

 

-worries or rumminations, treating the symptoms seriously and wondering where they're coming from, how to solve them;

 

-panic, anxiety, nervousness or otherwise neurotic reaction to symptoms,

 

-sense of impatience, rejection, misunderstanding and confusion.

 

In this case remember that knowledge breaks down at least some of the worries. As we're discussing the symptoms, they start to seem less threatening, they're not dangerous, abnormal nor linked to a real threat. You already have them registered, so now it's time to try accepting them and focusing on slowing down your thoughts and relaxing your body. Reminding yourself that it will pass a few times and you're on the optimal path to heal. I think you already feel included cause we're supporting each other here, we share the general tips adviced here (they're based on Claire Weekes and from what I learnt Shaan Kassan also borrows from her), so just remember you don't need to hold a grip on it. You are safe and healing regardless. Our minds are not in best condition for heavy thinking yet, so little steps, no drastic decisions and it's best when you're distracted so that something or someone makes it easier to save your thinking and rest. I sometimes mix cottage cheese, honey, banana and flavored yoghurt with blender which is easier to eat or rather drink than sitting in front of sandwiches. There's always something you can try, we're with you!

@BaccatePlayer I am fortunate not to have suffered anxiety like you have, that must be awful. My anxiety is since withdrawal and reinstating which is ironic. I was never anxious at work, I always enjoyed my job, I should never have been put on anxiety meds in the first place. I am so grateful for this site because I realise I am not alone and it reassures me that my symptoms are similar to others, although I realise that there are many worse off than me here. My head is throbbing so I cannot think too clearly at the moment, you say so much in your replies but I cannot take it all in at the moment and give the reply you deserve. I do hope your migraine lifts soon. Thankful you for being here.  Take care.🙏😊

[Sonia009]

Hi everyone, I missed two doses of my 0.5 mg Citalopram last Thursday and Friday, today is the fifth day being back on it. I just wanted to try something because I was not making any progress, it was a mistake. The first day off I was ok, the second day my head was really weird, like it didn't belong to me. The last couple of days since being back on I'm dizzy again, I just hope I haven't set myself back too much. You live and learn (the hard way). Best wishes all.🙏😊

[FireflyFyte]

It is important to stay consistent with your dosing. Missing doses can lead to further instability.

[Sonia009]

13 minutes ago, FireflyFyte said:

It is important to stay consistent with your dosing. Missing doses can lead to further instability.

@FireflyFyteThank you, I now realise that and I'm paying for my mistake. Hope you are doing ok, best wishes.🙏😊

[Sonia009]

Hi to anyone who reads,

For the last few days I have been feeling depressed as soon as waking up in the morning, fear takes over and I dread getting up. I'm tearful a lot, feeling there is no hope, I struggle to carry on normally. My husband is going through withdrawal too but won't accept it or talk about it so I cannot talk to him about the way I feel. He also has insomnia and he paces around all night, in pain, discomfort, I hear his groans. I feel so alone with this, thank God for this site!

Yesterday I thought I'd try knitting again, haven't done so in four months, just needed a distraction. It started off really good but kept at it for too long, at the end of two hours I was nauseous and dizzy which lasted all evening. Not sure if I should try again.

I need to do more for my elderly mother but cannot and I feel really bad about this. I ring her every evening but she doesn't understand how I feel or why, her constant questioning annoys me and I cannot help but feel frustrated by it, I actually dread ringing her but it upsets me to feel this way. If only she could understand, listen and be a friend.

I read others stories here and it upsets me, many worse off than me, I wish I could offer words of comfort to everyone but I feel inadequate to do so a lot of the time.

Sorry for the rant but I'm hoping I can read back on this one day and think "thank God I don't feel like that anymore".

I hope everyone here is getting the support they need from family and friends. Thank you SA.🙏😊

[BaccatePlayer]

Hi Sonia! Yes, we totally understand what you're going through and how it's even too difficult to put it into words for anyone outside who haven't gone through this. You will be healed and in power to do all these things. Now rest, just let everything happen. If you stop worrying, your brain will have one thing less to do and would be able to work on your symptoms. Sorry for your husband and I hope your mom will understand. The minutes are passing and those minutes you no longer have to face again.

[Sonia009]

8 minutes ago, BaccatePlayer said:

Hi Sonia! Yes, we totally understand what you're going through and how it's even too difficult to put it into words for anyone outside who haven't gone through this. You will be healed and in power to do all these things. Now rest, just let everything happen. If you stop worrying, your brain will have one thing less to do and would be able to work on your symptoms. Sorry for your husband and I hope your mom will understand. The minutes are passing and those minutes you no longer have to face again.

@BaccatePlayerThank you so much, it means a lot to me when I know how much suffering you too are going through. What you say always makes sense, I wish I could reason like you.🙏😊

[mstimc]

4 hours ago, Sonia009 said:

read others stories here and it upsets me, many worse off than me, I wish I could offer words of comfort to everyone but I feel inadequate to do so a lot of the time.

The first step in recovery and being able to help others is to be kind and supportive to yourself.  Remember, all these thoughts and feelings aren't who you are--they are the consequence of taking a medication that was supposed to help you, and that you took because you trusted a doctor who was misinformed as well. 

 

Anyone who has not experienced WD has a hard time understanding it, no matter how well-meaning they are.  When there's a lack of empathy, it makes things that much harder, but at least here, you know you'lll get the support you need. 

[Sonia009]

9 minutes ago, mstimc said:

The first step in recovery and being able to help others is to be kind and supportive to yourself.  Remember, all these thoughts and feelings aren't who you are--they are the consequence of taking a medication that was supposed to help you, and that you took because you trusted a doctor who was misinformed as well. 

 

Anyone who has not experienced WD has a hard time understanding it, no matter how well-meaning they are.  When there's a lack of empathy, it makes things that much harder, but at least here, you know you'lll get the support you need. 

@mstimcThank you for your kind and reassuring words. I know I get the support here, I'm truly thankful for it. My husband knows how it feels but refuses to acknowledge it, it's very upsetting. I made the effort in making a pasta meal for my mother, it's her favourite, whether I can face the forty minute journey to take it to her later I don't know. Thank you for your support.🙏😊

[Sonia009]

I've never had depression in my life before but I think I have it to a certain degree now. I've never had  anxiety like this before either. It has to be withdrawal symptoms causing it. I had a head and full body CT scan with contrast dye a month ago and all was ok so I am reassured by that. 🙏😊

[Sonia009]

Hi, my worry now is weight loss. My appetite has been poor for 3-4 months especially when I've been feeling dizzy and not feeling like fetching food for myself. I have eaten more the past two weeks because I'm afraid of how much weight I've lost. My appetite today has been poor though. It doesn't help when my mother tells me I'm too thin and need to eat more, it makes me worry.  Anyone else had this problem? Thanks.🤔

[Dahlia50]

@Sonia009 Hi, lost a little weight but can't walk much and move otherwise would probably have lost more.

Yes, definitely have less appetite and find it difficult to eat. Food doesn't taste as good. I’m eating anyway for WD and resilience. It gets worse when blood sugar drops. You can try to eat less but instead more often. 

[BaccatePlayer]

1 minute ago, Sonia009 said:

Hi, my worry now is weight loss. My appetite has been poor for 3-4 months especially when I've been feeling dizzy and not feeling like fetching food for myself. I have eaten more the past two weeks because I'm afraid of how much weight I've lost. My appetite today has been poor though. It doesn't help when my mother tells me I'm too thin and need to eat more, it m mass me worry.  Anyone else had this problem? Thanks.🤔

Hello Sonia! I've been struggling with this issue and even developed anxiety around weight loss especially since not long ago I lost a few family members and their rapid weight loss was concering, so I naturally started worrying it can be something serious like cancer. I had no appetite and was forcing myself to finish dinner. My mom couldn't understand why I was eating so slow, breathing so loudly and saying "finally" once it was over. Most days I was only able to eat dinner and either two mandarines or an apple at most. Since I'm naturally stocky, everyone noticed that I'm in my thinest. It was a mix of depression and tensed stomach from all the anxiety. Feeling all the wierd sensations in head, nausea throughout the whole digestive system and struggling to leave bed didn't help.

 

It started with feeling dizzy and me somehow figuring out that maybe sweets and carbohydrates mess with sugar levels causing me to feel like about to collapse. I was eating less and less and my stomach got used to that making me feel like I'm full even before I started eating. I was approaching mug of milk resigned because I felt it was not long ago when I was fighting with dinner previous day. The appetite didn't want to come back, so I tried to approach it from different perspective.

 

I started doing progressive muscle relaxation before eating. This is probably similair to breathing issues, but if your body is tense, it will not welcome sudden changes. It will be closed off, slowed down and tense even harder if you try to treat it with anything. I remember many times when I was about to have a panic attack and I was telling my mom that I feel like food is stuck between my throat and stomach and it was causing great discomfort. I felt it was being digested for ages, like the evenings my body registered that I actually swallowed food. For the "mechanical" side, I recommend working on panic and anxiety because this "cloggs" the body and it doesn't want to take food. Less sitting or lying was also helpful because when I spent too much time bent over or curled I felt full from just breathing.

 

If this is more about motivation, I benefited from fighting depression. Eating while watching TV or texting was helpful because my mind was registering it as being focused on the screen and not eating. This also puts your mind away from the symptoms, so you don't feel like eating while dizzy, with headaches, with nausea or whatever else.

 

It's also worth noting that some foods can be prepared in a way that isn't as challenging to eat. If you can blend your dishes (fruit, maybe vegetables, I used cottage cheese, honey and yoghurts), drinking them takes less time and effort than eating a sandwich. Look through what you have and try to figure it out. You can also buy some mass gainers which are basically flavoured milkshakes if you feel like.

 

Ultimately, you can only go down with weight so much. At some point it will stop. You're naturally tired, losing muscles and consistently overwhelmed by symptoms. This isn't helpful but you can't do anything with that. Forcefeeding may also be stressful, so please be gentle with yourself. I haven't overcame this fully and I struggle to stay on my weight, but as long as you're not malnutricioned, it's best not to worry too much. Once your condition improves, you'll be able to make up for your weight.

 

 

[Sonia009]

4 minutes ago, Dahlia50 said:

@Sonia009 Hi, lost a little weight but can't walk much and move otherwise would probably have lost more.

Yes, definitely have less appetite and find it difficult to eat. Food doesn't taste as good. I’m eating anyway for WD and resilience. It gets worse when blood sugar drops. You can try to eat less but instead more often. 

@Dahlia50Sorry to hear you have no appetite and mobility problems. It's all very worrying. I think you're right, perhaps eating smaller amounts more frequently Is the way to go. Even better would be for these horrendous symptoms to disappear for good.🙏😊

[Sonia009]

7 minutes ago, BaccatePlayer said:

Hello Sonia! I've been struggling with this issue and even developed anxiety around weight loss especially since not long ago I lost a few family members and their rapid weight loss was concering, so I naturally started worrying it can be something serious like cancer. I had no appetite and was forcing myself to finish dinner. My mom couldn't understand why I was eating so slow, breathing so loudly and saying "finally" once it was over. Most days I was only able to eat dinner and either two mandarines or an apple at most. Since I'm naturally stocky, everyone noticed that I'm in my thinest. It was a mix of depression and tensed stomach from all the anxiety. Feeling all the wierd sensations in head, nausea throughout the whole digestive system and struggling to leave bed didn't help.

 

It started with feeling dizzy and me somehow figuring out that maybe sweets and carbohydrates mess with sugar levels causing me to feel like about to collapse. I was eating less and less and my stomach got used to that making me feel like I'm full even before I started eating. I was approaching mug of milk resigned because I felt it was not long ago when I was fighting with dinner previous day. The appetite didn't want to come back, so I tried to approach it from different perspective.

 

I started doing progressive muscle relaxation before eating. This is probably similair to breathing issues, but if your body is tense, it will not welcome sudden changes. It will be closed off, slowed down and tense even harder if you try to treat it with anything. I remember many times when I was about to have a panic attack and I was telling my mom that I feel like food is stuck between my throat and stomach and it was causing great discomfort. I felt it was being digested for ages, like the evenings my body registered that I actually swallowed food. For the "mechanical" side, I recommend working on panic and anxiety because this "cloggs" the body and it doesn't want to take food. Less sitting or lying was also helpful because when I spent too much time bent over or curled I felt full from just breathing.

 

If this is more about motivation, I benefited from fighting depression. Eating while watching TV or texting was helpful because my mind was registering it as being focused on the screen and not eating. This also puts your mind away from the symptoms, so you don't feel like eating while dizzy, with headaches, with nausea or whatever else.

 

It's also worth noting that some foods can be prepared in a way that isn't as challenging to eat. If you can blend your dishes (fruit, maybe vegetables, I used cottage cheese, honey and yoghurts), drinking them takes less time and effort than eating a sandwich. Look through what you have and try to figure it out. You can also buy some mass gainers which are basically flavoured milkshakes if you feel like.

 

Ultimately, you can only go down with weight so much. At some point it will stop. You're naturally tired, losing muscles and consistently overwhelmed by symptoms. This isn't helpful but you can't do anything with that. Forcefeeding may also be stressful, so please be gentle with yourself. I haven't overcame this fully and I struggle to stay on my weight, but as long as you're not malnutricioned, it's best not to worry too much. Once your condition improves, you'll be able to make up for your weight.

 

 

@BaccatePlayerHi, it amazes me how you come up with all the answers, your knowledge never ceases to astound me. I think you're right (you always are) it is anxiety related, I've never been this anxious and stressed before in my life and I am not eating sugary foods anymore either. 

I was wondering if there was anything I could take to give me an appetite. When I was a child my mother used to give me Malt (a thick brown syrup substance in a jar) because I was so skinny. Would this be regarded as a supplement I wonder? Thank you.🙏😊

[BaccatePlayer]

49 minutes ago, Sonia009 said:

@BaccatePlayerHi, it amazes me how you come up with all the answers, your knowledge never ceases to astound me. I think you're right (you always are) it is anxiety related, I've never been this anxious and stressed before in my life and I am not eating sugary foods anymore either. 

I was wondering if there was anything I could take to give me an appetite. When I was a child my mother used to give me Malt (a thick brown syrup substance in a jar) because I was so skinny. Would this be regarded as a supplement I wonder? Thank you.🙏😊

Thank you sweetheart! I think I know which one you mean. Doesn't look like it could cause much harm, though unlikely to be a huge game changer either. You can try with a small dose and see what happens. It's just that our symptoms are simply fairly resistant to external solutions because their nature lies in temporary miss-signaling. Just like ibuprofen doesn't solve withdrawal headaches or tums doesn't solve withdrawal nausea, it's hard to address symptoms as physical issues when they're not. Is it possible that you're naturally lacking appetite due to some dietary deficiencies? No? Then I'm afraid you won't be able to stimulate it like that too much. If it has its roots in being tense from anxiety, depression, anhedonia or other withdrawal impact, then there's no way to directly approach it as singular problem. I'm very sorry, but you probably see how complex the "I have no appetite" can be, so try to work on some key factors and see if it gets any more manageable. This issue will probably not go away completely, but you can eliminate some of the obstacles, so it's only as bad as it really needs to be. Healthy diet always helps, but if it's caused by depression or anhedonia then I'm as helpless as when hearing that someone suffers emotional numbness. It needs to psychologically play out naturally and if withdrawal interrupts it, then it's out of our control. I haven't overcame this fully, but at least find it easier to navigate than, for instance insomnia cause unless vomitting is involved, you can always eat the minimum forcefully which cannot be pushed through with, say sleeplessness or ED cases. Wish I was more helpful, but it's a bit complicated issue to be solved with one fix.

[Sonia009]

My dizziness is horrible this morning, an hour after taking citalopram. I am not feeling any better after 14/15 weeks of reinstatement, I think I am worse. I'm getting morning anxiety which I never used to have and this stresses me out. I'm tearful throughout the day, feeling depressed. Should I start withdrawing from my 0.5 mg Citalopram. I tried stopping it for two days about 13 days ago, I was dizzy and had weird head feelings then, having said that, symptoms were no worse than now. It seems I am waiting for something good to happen but it doesn't. I'm supposed to be going on holiday in just over a week and the way I feel now I cannot face the thought. Your advice would be appreciated @FireflyFyte.

[Sonia009]

Another problem is my tinnitus is worse and I am very sensitive to noise. Thank you.

[Onmyway]

Hi @Sonia009@Sonia009, 

Sorry you've been suffering so much with withdrawal and anxiety over the years. I haven't read your whole thread but looked at your signature and see you've made lots of drug changes during that time. Withdrawal causes nervous system disregulation. Changing drugs or doses does the same thing. 

 

It's hard to advise on what to do because we only get a glimpse of your symptoms here and there. Do you keep daily symptoms log? Are your symptoms worse now than they were before reinstatement? I see you have been having dizziness from the beginning. Keeping a log of symptoms is important also because our memory is clouded by our mood. If you feel miserable you may imagine that you've felt this way for the last few weeks X weeks whereas the truth is different. 

 

You need to decide whether the drug causes side effects for you. Usually an effect that happens after you take the drug may be from the drug itself but it could also be related to the time of day - lots of people have worse symptoms in the morning. 

 

You can lower your dose and track your symptoms and see if they get better. 

 

We can't tell what's what. 

 

But in general, you need stability for your symptoms to subside. Going up or down can both cause symptoms. You see why this decision is hard to advise on. 

 

Hope you start feeling better soon 

Omw

 

[Sonia009]

2 hours ago, Onmyway said:

Hi @Sonia009@Sonia009, 

Sorry you've been suffering so much with withdrawal and anxiety over the years. I haven't read your whole thread but looked at your signature and see you've made lots of drug changes during that time. Withdrawal causes nervous system disregulation. Changing drugs or doses does the same thing. 

 

It's hard to advise on what to do because we only get a glimpse of your symptoms here and there. Do you keep daily symptoms log? Are your symptoms worse now than they were before reinstatement? I see you have been having dizziness from the beginning. Keeping a log of symptoms is important also because our memory is clouded by our mood. If you feel miserable you may imagine that you've felt this way for the last few weeks X weeks whereas the truth is different. 

 

You need to decide whether the drug causes side effects for you. Usually an effect that happens after you take the drug may be from the drug itself but it could also be related to the time of day - lots of people have worse symptoms in the morning. 

 

You can lower your dose and track your symptoms and see if they get better. 

 

We can't tell what's what. 

 

But in general, you need stability for your symptoms to subside. Going up or down can both cause symptoms. You see why this decision is hard to advise on. 

 

Hope you start feeling better soon 

Omw

 

@OnmywayThank you for replying.

I first contacted SA in May 2020 after having withdrawal symptoms for 10 months from dropping to 5 mg from 10 mg Citalopram.

By Jan 2022 symptoms had eased, still on 5 mg at this point.

April 2022 my husband had a TIA and other health issues that took it's toll on me also. I was driving at this point, taking him to appointments, caring etc.

Sept 2023 I visited my doctor for migraine relief, that's when problems started. I came off Citalopram cold turkey, tried various meds outlined in my signature. I was ok the first few weeks but then withdrawal symptoms began, probably from everything.

Jan 2023 I reinstated 0.5 mg Citalopram. The past few weeks it's been morning anxiety, crying spells, feeling low, no appetite. I am doing less now than I did before reinstatement.

A visit to A&E just over a month ago (feeling faint and weak) showed bloods ok, little low in iron, CT. Scan of head and body ok. ECG ok. Advised to eat and drink more, stop stressing and look after myself.

There is still stress at home which doesn't help. I do keep a log but symptoms come and go throughout day.

I'm wondering if there are inaccuracies in my doses, I dilute a 10 mg tablet in 20 mls water and draw up 5 mls (0.5 mg). This cannot be perfect each time and I know how a slight variation in doses can make a difference. I cannot get liquid citalopram, I've tried.

I'll continue holding and see what I'm like after my holiday.

I appreciate you taking time to reply and I thank you for your support.🙏😊

[Sonia009]

Today I've had a horrible migraine type headache, probably brought on by crying and stressing too much. I nursed my husband through his TIA, spent sleepless nights with him, went through his mental health issues, but now the tables have turned somewhat I get no empathy from him, just "you've got to make more of an effort" reaction. He is going through withdrawal too but won't even accept it. I realise that I must get well again so that I can reconfigure my future. Sorry to rant but I have no one else to talk to and I just wanted to make the point of how cruel and devastating this whole withdrawal process is and how these drugs ruin lives.

[Dahlia50]

9 minutes ago, Sonia009 said:

just wanted to make the point of how cruel and devastating this whole withdrawal process is and how these drugs ruin lives.

@Sonia009 Yes it is, terrible.

 

Hug to you.