Why does the last 10 mg of citalopram hit the hardest?

Cutting a citalopram (Celexa) dose in half sounds like it should feel like half the change. It does not. This episode walks through why the last few milligrams carry so much of the drug's effect, and what that means for anyone trying to come off it.

We cover what hyperbolic tapering actually is: proportional reductions that get smaller as the dose gets lower, rather than equal-sized drops down to zero. We look at the practical pieces too — holding each step for about two to four weeks, why a 10 mg tablet cannot make the smallest steps, and the 10 mg/5 mL oral solution that can. We also go through the FDA's dose ceilings for citalopram, which cap it at 40 mg a day for most adults and 20 mg a day for people over 60, and we talk about withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and brain zaps, which often show up two to four days after a reduction and settle within one to two weeks for most people.

Read the full guide: How to Safely Come Off Citalopram (Celexa). To find someone trained in this work, use our directory at mydeprescriber.com/find-a-provider.

The hosts of this episode are AI-generated from our written guide on citalopram.

Educational only, not medical advice. Never stop a medication without your provider. If you are in crisis in the US, call or text 988.