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So to cut a long story short the doctor put me on a low dose when my better half was having a rough patch a couple of months ago-she has terminal cancer but has kept fighting fir over 2 years more than expected so my little head issue is minor!
Alongside this they gave me some Omazmeprol for stomach issues after gallbladder removal.
This week I forgot to take both for a couple of days and stomach and mood have been the best in ages which could be linked to getting our first dog as I have resisted. I got it as partly a therapy dog for the kids for the hard times ahead but maybe it is working for me.
any experience on would be appreciated as speaking to a doctor is always a challenge and getting given anti depressants over the phone always worried me!
Generally, if you’ve stopped citalopram for a couple of days and you feel ok, then you’re likely not going to have a withdrawal syndrome.
If you do get a withdrawal syndrome it will feel like a return of your anxiety symptoms.
If you feel better off it, and are coping ok, and don’t have a history of psychotic episodes then generally you’re ok to stop it.
If you’re taking omeprazole purely for symptom control, and it’s better now that you’ve stopped the citalopram, then you’re probably ok to stop that too.
I’d drop your practice pharmacist or GP a note or e-consultation to let them know what you’ve done.
Cheers Kramer. Brilliant reassurance of what I thought I had worked out!
You’re welcome.
Alongside this they gave me some Omazmeprol for stomach issues after gallbladder removal.
Try drinking a glass of cold milk as a spot cure for acid issues, and adjust your diet... it's quite worrying that people on here seem to neck Omazmeprol on a regular basis, it's just to stop very harsh stomach acid reflux, and shouldn't be seen as a long term thing.
You should speak to your GP again...
Mattyfez I had the same worries and spoke to the GP about long term use and said was fine.
Interested if the Citilipran had an impact on the stomach as as soon as I stopped taking it stomach was mist settled in ages
Speak to your GP you’ll get dodgy advice on here. However, yes a dog can seriously help my Oscar was bought for that reason. He’s a massive help for a tiny dog.
Omeprazole is a PPI. They’re very good at controlling stomach symptoms, however they’ve only been around for ~30 years, so we don’t know about side effects from long term use.
There is some suggestion that long term use may be associated with osteoporosis, and possibly a tiny increase in incidence of gastric cancer.
We can say that they’re likely to be relatively uncommon, because if they were more frequent we’d probably have more data on them by now.
The problem is that the alternatives are a) less effective at controlling symptoms and b) quite hard to get hold of since there was a problem in production a few years ago.
As stopping them, in some cases, can lead to bleeding stomach ulcers, there is a balance of risks.
Then general advice is to minimise dose and duration guided by symptoms, unless you’re taking them for gastro-protective reasons (preventing gastric bleeding as above).
In practice this means reviewing them on a yearly basis and seeing whether you may be able to manage on a lower dose.
Unfortunately annual reviews may not be happening due to a lack of resources, meaning that they’re prioritised on higher risk meds such as opiates etc.
Not a dr. But from experience of low dose and you feel ok go to Drs and have a meds review. Same for the omeprazole. It’s meant to be short to medium term from memory not long.
I found getting a dog helped lift my mood. But part of that is the walking etc.
I was expecting to read that the dog had taken your Citalopram,but never mind.
Funnily enough when I went to pick up my latest prescription from tbe chemist there was a dog in there letting everyone fuss him, and I felt calmer from that than I do after 18 months if Citalopram.
Sparksmcduff the dog has lifted the mood as he is a puppy and not allowed for walks until 3 weeks time. It has been a particularly difficult week as the better half has been to hospital more than usual and he has provided distraction for me and made me stop. Can’t wait for the walks though!
I had been on Citilipran for 6 months and a week without a feeling way better. Dog has also given me a focus beside my wife’s illness.
Hopefully be able to get back outside for exercising this week!!