Bassman62 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 You're lucky in the late 70s I was prescribed first Nitrazepam and then Diazepam (Valium) to help me relax and sleep as spondylosis of the neck was causing me sleep problems. I took these prescribed drugs for roughly 5 years, when I stopped using them I had a very rough time as in the very early 80s the medical and drug proffesion were in denial regarding any withdrawal (not withdraweral:hihi:) problems associated with these drugs. With the help of my GP I came through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryRGirl Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I regret taking these from the start, I got moved from another to these ones and I kept passing out randomly, the doctors told me to stay off of them, not even to withdraw from them slowly, just completely stop them and I spend the next year and a half in and out of hospital and I still suffer from it now, don't rush off of them whatever you do! I've had numerous ECG's, heart monitors and allsorts due to these pills and they've left me with a condition that affects me years after all because of the stupid advice to just stop taking them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicD Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Goodness me! That's not good news! I'm hoping it doesn't last too long. Had a nuclear meltdown last night, and woke at 5am totally 'wired' twitchyvarms and legs, mind racing with horrible dreams and thoughts. Desperately wanted to go back on them. Had a cuppa and a blether with my partner ( hard to explain to him how it feels if you've never experienced it yourself) and was much better after an hour or so. Still having wee zaps all day but sticking with it. I agree with the previous post about them doing good and staying on them but Id like to try for a baby and although they're supposedly safe to take during pregnancy Im not prepared to put those chemicals into my babys body for fear of it being born with the dependency of them, and knowing how I feel now as Im coming off them Im not prepared to put it through the withdrawal. Nice to hear other peoples comments! ;0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeleeds Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 OK i tell you what the side effects are as im in the middle of it.... I took 10mg for 39 days i had to stop to to an on going reflux issue which was made worse by these - but head feels better - the issue is mad side effects - come off slowly i could not - spaced out , drunk , brain zaps often...i mean out of bloody body issues...mad - not scary cause im aware they will get better over next 2 or so weeks. the feeling of coming off a round a bout been above your body - sounds mad ,,,,well it is....good luck to you all - remember if you come off them - your ready to be yourself again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donkey lover Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I was on 20mg for ages then dropped down to 10mg for a couple of months. Went on holiday for 2 weeks and forgot to take em with me! After the initial panic I thought 'right, let's just see how it goes' Luckily, no adverse effects and that was me back to "normal" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeleeds Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Id like some pro advice - not doctors but people who are on this stuff. I was taking 10mg for 40 days - i then got complications against my other meds for reflux - so opted silly me but i was in pain to stop - 12 days later chest was good but zapping was mad - too mad - so i started to cut the 10mg in half and take every 2nd day - all seemed fine for a week - but then for no reason i started feeling weired pain in my arm - chest twinges and felt owe like i was gona pass out - in your view could this be because iv just over a week ago stated re taking....prusume its not down to 5mg dose every 2 days.... if you have sim experience or feel you maybe able to help please drop me a line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxiety Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Hello, Just to add my experience with Citalopram. I was having severe panic attacks and depression 3 years ago in October. I was so against going on medication and resisted at first and then succumbed due to not being able to cope any more. As I said I had been on the 20mg Citalopram for 3 years, I attempted to come off them before but noticed I was becoming very snappy and short tempered to decided I wasn't ready. I think one of the points to make is to not put too much pressure on yourself, the way I see it some people attach a stigma to taking anit-depressants however if you were a diabetic you wouldn't think twice about taking insulin, it is a chemical inbalance and nothing to do with your strength of character. 10mg tablets are available however I did not want to see the doctor to reduce my dosage as I wanted to have the option to increase / decrease my dosage depending on how I felt. I decided to break my 20mg tablets in half and have half a tablet a day (10mg equivalent). I did this for about 2 - 3 months and then realised I had been forgetting to take them everyday so came off them completely. I have been off them for about 3 months now and did go through a stage of feeling severely dizzy but persevered and now the dizziness seems to have gone. I still suffer from anxiety, however it is not any worse than when I was on the medication so I have decided to continue. When I started getting panic attacks I went to see a councellor which did not help me in the slightest so decided to take things into my own hands and saw a hypnotherapist which I found really helpful. I seem to find myself at a bit of a plateau now and don't seem to be making any further progress so am considering a trip to the hypnotherapist again to see if that gives me a boost. In the meantime, as much as it scares and phases me, I keep trying to push myself, when you do something that terrifies you, it seems to make other stuff seem not so fearful. I hope this may help some of you. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrayFace Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 ive found this wonderful forum for pepole suffering from anxiety and panic attacks, theres some info on there for depression aswell, theres a host of copeing info and also a chat room for those who need that bit of extra reasurrance and support http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/ and theres also a facebook page(its a closed group and monitord) https://www.facebook.com/groups/72533580743/?ref=ts#!/groups/7078088709/ hope this info helps those with panic attacks, i find the site helpful gf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrayFace Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Hello, Just to add my experience with Citalopram. I was having severe panic attacks and depression 3 years ago in October. I was so against going on medication and resisted at first and then succumbed due to not being able to cope any more. As I said I had been on the 20mg Citalopram for 3 years, I attempted to come off them before but noticed I was becoming very snappy and short tempered to decided I wasn't ready. I think one of the points to make is to not put too much pressure on yourself, the way I see it some people attach a stigma to taking anit-depressants however if you were a diabetic you wouldn't think twice about taking insulin, it is a chemical inbalance and nothing to do with your strength of character. 10mg tablets are available however I did not want to see the doctor to reduce my dosage as I wanted to have the option to increase / decrease my dosage depending on how I felt. I decided to break my 20mg tablets in half and have half a tablet a day (10mg equivalent). I did this for about 2 - 3 months and then realised I had been forgetting to take them everyday so came off them completely. I have been off them for about 3 months now and did go through a stage of feeling severely dizzy but persevered and now the dizziness seems to have gone. I still suffer from anxiety, however it is not any worse than when I was on the medication so I have decided to continue. When I started getting panic attacks I went to see a councellor which did not help me in the slightest so decided to take things into my own hands and saw a hypnotherapist which I found really helpful. I seem to find myself at a bit of a plateau now and don't seem to be making any further progress so am considering a trip to the hypnotherapist again to see if that gives me a boost. In the meantime, as much as it scares and phases me, I keep trying to push myself, when you do something that terrifies you, it seems to make other stuff seem not so fearful. I hope this may help some of you. x anxiety i think you are doing the right thing by pushing yourself and facing the fear, because enough exposure to the fear and saying to it 'c'mon bring it on'! the panic attack gently subsides, this is how CBT works the behavioural therapy, especially now your decideing to be off the tablets what ive told myself whilst haveing a full blown anxiety attack is that nothing ever happens, they fizzle out after your body realises theres no need for no more adrenalin to rush round my body and they dissapate no matter how awful you feel nowt happens, and sometimes after i think what the eff was that???! everyone has a different method of coping and identifying triggers, but the link above to that forum has helped me a great deal, im not on meds or anything, finding ways to cope with the symptons dramatically reduces these attacks for me ps i know depression can cause the anxiety attacks so its well worth taking the tablets for some, some tablets work for people and some dont my gp told me it was a case of finding the right anti d what suits, what worked for me wasnt the new citalopram or fluexitine it was an old trycyclic anti d they used back in the 70s! GF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giddygoat Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Good thread. I have to reduce Citalopram as I'm on 60mg, and have been for years (mild bi-polar) and new guidelines warn against heart irregularities at a high dose, so I have to reduce to 40mg - in a month.. NOT very happy about it. Doctor's orders. They are the meds that suit me best, I've had Valium, Librium, Ativan etc etc over the years. My GP has offered Lithium if 40mg of Citalopram isn't enough.. not a chance! I'd rather have nothing. Has anyone else had to reduce by 20mg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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