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I saw my pdoc yesterday, and he looked at the ECG that I had done when I was IP. I'm on a relatively high dose of citalopram (Celexa) and it's messing up my heart rhythm. I'm reluctant to go off it, because it's working for me, without side effects. But he said there's now a health Canada warning against the dose I'm on, so he wants to cut it. But he's not doing a slow taper. He wants me to go immediately from 40 mg, down to 20 mg.

I'm a bit worried about withdrawal effects. Has anyone done a similar drop on this med, and did you have problems.

Thanks.
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[Mike R]

I had some problems in just going from 10 to 5 then off. Sleep, lethargy, a bit of confusion and this thing called brain zaps. I tapered too fast, which I don't recommend at all. Do it slowly

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I'm in a world of hurt. Brain zaps, headache, dizziness, nausea, and feeling like my ears are blocked.

Hope this doesn't last too long.

[DechanDawa]

I don't have any advice. I just wanted to send best wishes and hugs.

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ok - now I want to rant. Pdocs put us on these med combos without really understanding all the interactions, or negative side effects. I was originally on 60 mg of citalopram, until 2013, when I went IP, and my IP pdoc, said there was a black box warning against 60 mg, for liver toxicity. So I dropped to 40 mg, with minimal withdrawal symptoms. Now they tell me the dose I'm on can cause a sudden adverse cardiac event AKA heart attack, and I have to reduce immediately no taper.

I've gone through some pretty awful alcohol withdrawals in the past, and this is by far worse than anything I experienced them, and as the day has progressed, I've just started feeling sicker and sicker. I've had to cancel all my weekend plans, because I don't think I'll be well enough to do them. I seriously think I'm looking at spending the weekend in bed.

Not impressed.

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