Really bad Withdrawal symptoms

 Hi guys sorry that I have not updated the blog for a few weeks, but I have been really sick. I stupidly decided to take myself off my anti depression and was so sick I had to go into hospital.

To be fair to myself, I have wanted to come off the tablet for a few weeks, so when I got a tooth abscess (and was too ill to take the tablet) I decided that day I wanted to try coming off of them, especially as I’m only taking a 10mg dose. For the first few days I was fine, still a little bit anxious but nothing too serious. Then after day four I started vomiting and having really bad dizziness and stomach aches. After a few days of not getting better, I went into hospital, got put on an IV and anti-sickness medicine and they kept me over night. At the time I didn’t put my sickness down to me coming off the tablet, I thought it was due to me taking a strong dose of antibiotics for the abscess.  

After I was discharged from hospital, I was ok for a few days, then the sickness came back and it was even worse the last time. I phoned my doctor who said I needed to go to A&E ASAP, as this was the second time I had been ill. So I was back in hospital vomiting badly and the doctors phoned a neurologist ,who advised that I once again be kept in overnight and be booked in for an out patients   MRI, and an appointment to meet with him. I stayed in hospital overnight and was pumped with fluid and anti-sickness and in the morning I felt better. I was starting to worry that maybe there was something wrong with my head, so when I got home I started looking online and I accidently stumbled on a post where someone had put that there sickness had been due to withdrawal symptoms, due to coming off citalopram. I then found that there were loads of websites and chat rooms that mentioned the withdrawal symptoms and that it was really common to get them if you suddenly stop the medication. So on one hand I feel better to know it’s not a head problem but I also feel like a complete idiot for (1 stopping the medication suddenly and then (2 not thinking it would affect my body.

I have decided that I do not want to go back on the medication as I want to try and beat my anxiety issues without them. I do not know how successful this will be though. I am doing CBT so hopefully this will help.

So my advice to anyone taking this medication is…. DO NOT think about just stopping the medication, go to the doctor and discuss it with him because trust me; you do not want to spend 4 nights in hospital like me.