# coming off citalopram ??



## emmacoco

Hi ya im new here but have been on citalopram for 6 months 20mg me and my partner have decided to try for a baby and i am planning on stopping im worryed as i ve heard about the withdrawal ...,???? also im not sure how l9ng it takes to get out of yourq system i have a 4 year old daughter so just want to make sure i ol be ok for her as well does any one have any info please thanks all emma x x x


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## plutosblue

Hi sweetie :hugs: 

I have been taking citalopram 20mg's for 6 months but now had moved down to 10mg's.

To be honest I was naughty in the respect that my doctor has told me not to come off cold turkey, but I have been so relaxed and forgetful lately I have just been forgetting to take them! I only noticed a week ago that I haven't even been taking them.. As for withdrawals I didn't really have any, I had a day where I felt very anxious and I had about 2 days of spells where I just felt dizzy, I would be walking and would just feel that 'rush'. but it soon subsided and I haven't really had anything since :blush: I just think its a little of mind over matter and as long as I keep thinking positive and relaxed I stay positive and relaxed. 

Always make it a gradual thing as its different for different people. I believe after 6 months if your doctor is happy with your progress you go down to 10mgs and then slowly to nothing, to minimise any withdrawls. I was also told that it comes out your system pretty much straight away and there are really no ill effects after a few weeks. (Just to get you past the withdrawl stage) if you are actively trying for a child. 

Hope this helps.


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## Aidan's Mummy

My doctor told me the other day that most antidepressants are fine during pregnancy its just a case of double checking
xx


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## plutosblue

Aidan's Mummy said:


> My doctor told me the other day that most antidepressants are fine during pregnancy its just a case of double checking
> xx

Just to add to this, I was told there are other antidepressants, that are safe during pregnancy, but I was advised that there aren't enough studies on citalopram to suggest it is harmful/not harmful to baby, therefore if you chose to stay on them they can move you to another type that is proven safe. Its sort of a toss up between being drug free but also being relaxed and stress free as this is probably best for baby :thumbup: Just do what is right for you x


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## Aidan's Mummy

Yeah you might have to switch if you feel ready to be anti depressant free then talk to your doctor if not then look into other options or other anti ds
xx


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## needausername

The best bet would be to talk to your doctor about reducing your dose and weaning yourself off slowly. Even if one person doesn't go through withdrawals it might be different for the next.

I'm on a short course of Effexor Xl for ptsd. The doctor anticipates that I will only be on it for 6weeks in total and I am already nervous about the prospect of withdrawals even though I am only on a tiny dose! I shouldn't be hard hit though. Saying that....I shouldn't even have side effects with such a low dose but I do.


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## bky

My MW had told me citalopram was fine during pg (there is a study on it https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12189365 ) though she did say I would have to taper off in the 3rd trimester. I tapered myself off anyhow before my current pg. It's really about what you and your maternity carer are comfortable with though.


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## bunnyg82

I was on this 3 years ago and when I felt it was the right time to come off it I went to the doc as I assumed I'd have to be "weaned" off it, but the doc said for me to just stop it if I was happy to. However, I would really advise you to double check with your doctor and see what they say.

All the best xx


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## reallytinyamy

Citalopram is not safe during pregnancy...

Before having Chloe I was on 60mg citalopram daily, amongst other things.

I dropped the citalopram 10mg a week until it was all gone, so took about 6 weeks. I started coming off it in the july and conceived in the october. I had a small dose of fluoxetine during pregnancy, which is the safest option in pregnancy I believe. Good luck


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## Linzi

plutosblue said:


> Aidan's Mummy said:
> 
> 
> My doctor told me the other day that most antidepressants are fine during pregnancy its just a case of double checking
> xx
> 
> Just to add to this, I was told there are other antidepressants, that are safe during pregnancy, but I was advised that there aren't enough studies on citalopram to suggest it is harmful/not harmful to baby, therefore if you chose to stay on them they can move you to another type that is proven safe. Its sort of a toss up between being drug free but also being relaxed and stress free as this is probably best for baby :thumbup: Just do what is right for you xClick to expand...

Yeah I was told that too. I didnt have any side effects coming off citalopram, and I had a lot when I went onto it.

:hugs: x


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## Kess

I am coming off citalopram atm. I was on 20mg for 2 years, and am now on 10mg. I came down 2.5mg at a time, since I was having withdrawal symptoms - dizziness, nausea, diarrhoeia. Nothing major though.

Since citalopram isn't proven safe during pregnancy, it is important to me to come off it before TTC. I'll try with no drugs at all, and then if absolutely necessary I'll go and see if the Dr can prescribe something that is proven safe if I need it.

I have seen a few times people saying they had no withdrawal but lots of side effects when they first started. I wonder if there's an inverse correlation between those two things... I had no side effects whatsoever, but did have withdrawal symptoms, and other people have said the opposite, side effects but no withdrawal...


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## tiggerlix

i got pregnant on 20mg citalopram...one doctor told me to come of them so i seeked another opinion.I am now on 10mg,and feel okish..althugh i will go cold turkey a month before baby is due just to prevent possible withdrawels..
xxx


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## plutosblue

Like the others have said I had more side effects going on them rather than coming off, the main thing was just dizziness, walking, standing I would just get that woosh feeling, I had to avoid driving for a little because of it. I was lucky in that I didn't really get much in the way of sickness.. I did have some serious constipation when I was taking them, but that has since subsided :blush: I know TMI but I like to share these things :haha:


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## needausername

plutosblue said:


> Like the others have said I had more side effects going on them rather than coming off, the main thing was just dizziness, walking, standing I would just get that woosh feeling, I had to avoid driving for a little because of it. I was lucky in that I didn't really get much in the way of sickness.. I did have some serious constipation when I was taking them, but that has since subsided :blush: I know TMI but I like to share these things :haha:

hehe! the effexor turned mine really gooey like tar! 

I've been clenching my jaw like crazy, not sure if it was the ptsd or the tablets though. But the effexor gave me horrendous nausea, dry mouth, tiredness and crazy realistic dreams. Hoping my current suffering means I have an easy time coming off them!


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## plutosblue

needausername said:


> plutosblue said:
> 
> 
> Like the others have said I had more side effects going on them rather than coming off, the main thing was just dizziness, walking, standing I would just get that woosh feeling, I had to avoid driving for a little because of it. I was lucky in that I didn't really get much in the way of sickness.. I did have some serious constipation when I was taking them, but that has since subsided :blush: I know TMI but I like to share these things :haha:
> 
> hehe! the effexor turned mine really gooey like tar!
> 
> I've been clenching my jaw like crazy, not sure if it was the ptsd or the tablets though. But the effexor gave me horrendous nausea, dry mouth, tiredness and crazy realistic dreams. Hoping my current suffering means I have an easy time coming off them!Click to expand...

Ohhh yeah I forgot I got really bad jaw clenching!! I ended up going to the dentist since I was grinding my teeth so bad I was in agony with tooth ache :blush: How could I forget that!?

Edit:: and the dreams, they were nuts, im a vivid dreamer anyway but they were so morbid lol


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## needausername

lol! My jaw ached so much at the weekend I had to take painkillers. At times I try make myself sit with my mouth wide open when I am at home alone! It helps a bit though.

Oh gosh the dreams.....but the good dreams.....well all I can say is WOW!! hehehe. Had a very nice dream about a nice handsome young man and itwas ummm great :winkwink:


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## toffee87

I was on citalopram for 19 months, came off about 7 months ago, I didn't experience much other than sporadic dizzy spells. I didn't faint, they were just waves of dizziness, and passed after a few weeks (possibly sooner, can't remember). 

I'm now on fluoxetine (prozac). I'll see how I go really, it's a couple of years before we TTC anyway.


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