Citalopram 20mg to 40mg & strange feelings

I recently had my dose of citalopram upped from 20mg to 40mg, have been taking 40mg for 2 weeks now. For about a week I have been experiencing strange feelings such as:

My legs feel really light and it's as if I am floating when I'm walking. I feel as though my body is a robot and I am controlling the robot when I am walking. I look at my hands and they don't seem like my hands, they seem like someone elses. I feel quite unreal. Though my conscience reminds me that I am real.

When I am walking my legs feel so light, I often feel like they are thin twigs that are going to snap when I bend my knees.

I also go off in daydreams a lot of the time and just zone out. Also getting body jumps when I am sitting down or relaxing.

Are these all normal side effects??

Hi,

To go from 20mg to 40mg is a big jump and I think that you are suffering side effects, I have personally experienced what you describe as body jumps but that has usually been when I have decreased a dose rather than up it. I have also felt I am day dreaming etc. There are lots of others taking citalopram on here so I am sure you will get alot of replies.

Hope it eases for you soon...take care.
Jo.

It sounds like you are having some depersonalization or/and derealization side effects which can happen and should hopefully dissipate with time. PsychoPoet talks about this in the "Citalopram Survival Guide".

Did you experience any of these side-effects when you originally started Citalopram, before the dose change?

Hi there, I increased from 20mg to 40mg about 8 weeks and for the first couple of weeks on the increased dose I felt somewhat unreal and strange, nothing awful but just not right. Now six weeks later I am feeling so much better. Try and stick with it and I am sure you will get through this bad time. My Dr told me that 40mg was the best dosage for anxiety/panic, which is what I suffer with. I can honestly say that I am feeling so much better six months into taking citalopram.

I wish you all the very best.

Jannie x x

To jump from 20 to 40 is a big shock to the system, I phased from 20 to 30 and then onto 40 when I realised I was ok but still had that edge. I suffered no side effects, unlike in the early days so I was really pleased not to go thru the traumatic stages.
I am over a year on Citalopram, on 40mg and I am still doing pretty good, I still get the odd bouts but not as bad!

I stepped up on my own without consulting a gp, which is daft but worked, I would speak to your gp before making any changes to your medication, this way you can be reassured that you are doing the right thing.

Hope you get better!

LK

Hi, as everyone says this does sound like derealisation which in this case is probably just a side effect. Derealisation is not harmful although it can be unpleasant.

Doubling your dose is a big step; I personally went up from 20 to 30 for a month, then from 30 to 40. On 40mg I was so tired I could barely get myself together to stand up so I went back down to 30mg after a few weeks.

The only side effects I got from increasing my dose was the tiredness and lack of motivation. Once I had settled on 30mg the improvement in my mood and positive outlook was dramatic.

Just a question incase I need to up my dose of citalopram. I am currently on 20mg. When the dose is upped e.g. 40mg, does this mean taking both the 20mg tabs together or at different times of the day?

same time, always once a day. going from 20mg to 30mg might be less of a shock to the system than 20mg to 40mg.

My doctor told me to take 20mg in the morning and 20mg at night and so did the pharmacist when I picked up my prescription. Works for me and I've been fine on them. Bit of a strange feeling when increasing dosage but 8 weeks later on increased dosage am doing ok, just the very occasional blip but nothing I can't handle. I increased from 20mg to 40mg about 8 weeks ago and definitely the increase has helped me.

I wish you all the best

Jannie x x

Hi,

We are all different but in my personal experience a jump from 20 to 40 is big...I would definately consider going from 20-30 first and you might actually find that is all you need, but if not then you can go to 40mg. I always took citalopram all at the same time too, I would ask the oppinion of your own GP.

Jo.