Slow withdrawal from Citalopram (Cipramil / Celexa) with minimal side effects?

Hi

I recently heard advice from doctors on several ways to come of SSRI's and in particular Citalopram. Many people who suffer from anxiety or depression or both have been put on Citalopram and it has certainly benefited a great many people. Although SSRI's are controversial, there is sufficient peer-reviewed evidence that they are effective in many patients, and I have personally benefited in my time.

That said, it is always important to remember a few things: Nothing works for everyone. Not everyone is suitable for SSRI's, and you should always speak to your doctor and have them prescribed by a doctor. Do not be tempted to self-medicate using online pharmacies: they are more expensive and you need correct, impartial medical advice with this kind of medication.

Although some people stay on Celexa and other similar drugs for ever, almost everyone comes off them at some point. Ideally people come off at a time when they have dealt with the cause of their anxiety and depression to some extent be it through therapy or a change in life circumstances.

The big question always is: How do you come off Celexa?

Well, the good news is that this type of drug is not addictive. Your body has no physical dependence and you are not likely to experience cravings as if you were giving up smoking. You are, on the other hand, likely to experience withdrawal symptoms as your body adjusts.

Unless specifically advised by a doctor you should never go cold turkey and stop taking your medication suddenly. The easiest way to come off is slowly and two main methods have been suggested.

Method one: Tapered withdrawal.

As the name suggests, you reduce your dose gradually, say a couple of milligrams at a time.

The pros are that this is most likely to be the smoothest transition with potentially only very minor side effects if you take it very slowly, over say a few months or more.

The cons are that tablets like Celexa are often only available in two sizes, so accurately reducing dose can be difficult. Other tablets come in liquid form and are much easier to measure.

Method Two

You lower your dosage on alternate days, taking say a full dose one day and a half dose the next.

Pros: I don't see any

Cons: you could find your mood yo-yo's.

Doctors often suggest the latter method, I must admit I don't know why!

Tags: anxiety, celexa, cprimil, citalopram, ssri, withdrawal, symptoms, coming, off, side, effects, depression, doctor, length

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