anti-depressents and weight loss issue

I have been on citalapram for about two years and now my doctor says I can taper off of them. I followed the instructions to taper off and now feel like crap. My head is spinning constantly and I find it hard to focus. I don't know if anyone has had the same experience, but this sucks. I don't feel depressed, just sick to my stomach. I don't want to be on them any more so I am going to try to stick it out.

That being said, according to the scale today I have lost 64 pounds. It's hard to get excited about it feeling so crappy. I guess the good side is feeling sick I don't want to eat as much, but the last two days I definately didn't eat enough.

Part of my depression back then was about my weight and general health. I feel good about myself and my life now, and definately want to get off of these pills. I just hate the way it feels now and wonder if that will ever go away. Is this what withdrawl feels like to a drug addict? If so, I really feel bad for them because this sucks.

Hey Cozonie,

I have no experience with antidepressants. But the spinning in your head and feeling sick sound like side effects (duh!) but I think it probably is also the beggining and the way of your body getting rid of the remnants of Citalapram.

But stay strong and stick it out, you know it's better for you overall to be done with the meds.

And congrats on loosing 64 pounds, that's a fab accomplishment.

You can do it! Stay strong!

I am sure it will go away, your head wasn't spinning constantly before you took the meds so there's no reason for it to start being like that now.

She's right. I have been on and off many anti-depressants over the years, and they all have different withdrawl symptoms. Like they say with smoking, if you can stick it out for 2 weeks, it will be completely out of your system. When I stopped taking paxil I got chills and all sorts of nutty things. It helps to drink a lot of water and tea. Tea always makes my tummy feel better. Good luck, and congrats on your amazing loss.

Thanks...that's what I thought and needed to hear. Really nice knowing people are out there who have been through what I'm going through.

When I weaned off of Zoloft I had these weird 'electrical shocks' in my head and hands.  Really disturbing!  It took about 3 weeks for them to lessen and then finally go away for good.  I know it sucks but with time it should go away.

That is exactly what I am feeling! Holy crap! Nice to know it goes away...thanks!

Same weird withdraw symptoms here. I got off Celexa slowly by weening off and I got the electric shocks, overly emotional, dizzy....and yes I dropped pounds automatically. When I would sit completely still the shocks would usually be fine, but any brisk movement like turning my head would shock me. 

Cozonie, just stick it out. You don't want to be on these meds for life and there's only one way to get off them and it kind of sucks. Just hang in there! Mine lasted about a month after the tapering ended. Everyone's body is slightly different, but know this is normal for what you're doing.

It's too bad the drug companies don't make this info easier to find. People think they're going to have to get back on the meds because they're scared of what's happening to them.