[Nynaeve]

Hello! This is my first post here and I was hoping to get some advice and maybe some reassurance.

I was on 20mg of citalopram for about a year. At first they seemed to work - they didn't get rid of the feelings of anxiety completely, but I was able to function fairly normally. Then, about four months ago, I started getting worse - like I was before I started taking them, so, rather than up the dose, I decided to come off of them completely and use relaxation exercises and other self-help methods.

I reduced from 20mg to 10mg for two weeks (with no side effects), then came off them completely.

For the first couple of weeks, I had the dizzy spells and the "zapping", but it wasn't that bad, and by the end of the second week, I was okay again.

Now I'm coming up to four weeks of being off of them. and for the last few days, I've been swinging from really angry to really tearful. Is this normal after nearly a month of being off my meds? I'm beginning to get a little worried...

Thanks!

[314159pi]

most americans call citalopram by the name celexa. that might help you get more responses. and you can search celexa posts on this site--there is a recent thread about it.
getting back to your problem...in my opinion your current symptoms were not caused by celexa. i think these problems you are having are the result of your illness not meds. problems don't go away because we decide not to treat them and find the side-effects of our meds disgusting--which they are.
when you quit a med you tend to feel better for a little while because there are fewer side-effects and some med is still in your system helping you (because these meds have half-lifes of a few days.)
i took celexa for a long time. now i am on its smarter brother, lexapro--which is probably called escitalopram where you live. lexapro has fewer side-effects and costs more. one side effect i suffered from on citalopram was the dizziness you spoke about. it is due to low blood pressure as a result of the anti-depressant. one way to deal with it is to drink beverages that have some salt--electrolytes really-- like gatorade. bananas in your diet can also help restore you potassium levels as does apricots.
my low blood pressure was addressed partly by learning how to get out of chairs more slowly. stuff like that. low blood pressure leads to dizzyness in the form of when you change your body position like getting up to fast to walk. it's called postural-hypotension. **that's a phrase you can google**
best regards
-pi

[yutzman]

Originally Posted by Nynaeve

Hello! This is my first post here and I was hoping to get some advice and maybe some reassurance.

I was on 20mg of citalopram for about a year. At first they seemed to work - they didn't get rid of the feelings of anxiety completely, but I was able to function fairly normally. Then, about four months ago, I started getting worse - like I was before I started taking them, so, rather than up the dose, I decided to come off of them completely and use relaxation exercises and other self-help methods.

I reduced from 20mg to 10mg for two weeks (with no side effects), then came off them completely.

For the first couple of weeks, I had the dizzy spells and the "zapping", but it wasn't that bad, and by the end of the second week, I was okay again.

Now I'm coming up to four weeks of being off of them. and for the last few days, I've been swinging from really angry to really tearful. Is this normal after nearly a month of being off my meds? I'm beginning to get a little worried...

Thanks!

Your depressed again. Meds can help you. They are designed to stabilize your moods. If you feel OK and don't feel they are 'working' anymore, that is what they are supposed to do. If you've come off and a month later you are crying again, talk to your psych, maybe try something else. Change is good, and meds can help...........
Be well and good luck.........yutzman