Is it normal to feel so tired all day after a month on 20mg of Citalopram?

Hi everyone,

I am really bothered by how i am feeling, I have been on 20mg of Citalopram now for a month just coming into my 5th week.

I am so tired even after having 9 hours of sleep and a good bedtime routine (i thought by going to bed the same time every night it would help)! I take my tablet at 9am everyday and by 12 i am so tired and weak sometimes i can wake up and feel like this, even if i nap in the day it doesnt help! I have started taking vitamins and trying to exercise its just not helping.
I do tend to pick up a little in the evening.

I am really scared that its not the citalopram making me feel like this and i have some kind of illness, i have still got like a tickling feeling in my stomach aswell which is annoying.

I went to the doctors and he just said it is Citalopram but didnt offer any advice, so i was wondering if anyone on here can help me or reassure me?

Thanks x

Hi Sarah Louise,

Have you thought about taking citalopram at night instead of the mornings? I used to take it at night when I was on it and found I felt o.k during the day.

Do you work?

You have'nt got an illness hun, its just the meds making you feel like that. The tickling feeling sounds like anxiety...it should go in time.

But definately think about taking it at night instead of mornings...it may help.

I hope you feel better soon.

Take care.
Jo.xx

Hi there

I also find that since taking Citalopram (3 months now) I do feel a lot more tired and I have kind of got used to it.

However I am still having trouble sleeping at night, though reading your post it does not seem like you have a problem like this. I take my tablet about lunchtime so start feeling tired a few hours after taking it I find.

Because I wake up during the night I can't compare how I would feel geting a good night sleep every night. I think it could be that Citalopram certainly in the early stages makes you tired no matter how much sleep you get.

It probably is the citalopram. I'm coming into my fifth week and although I've been tired on and off, I have had days where I have been extremely tired. I seem to be over the worst of it now but it works differently for everyone. Might take a little bit longer in your case.

Try a week long experiment of taking it at a different time of the day. I tried taking it at night but found it kept me awake so I currently take it first thing in the morning. I also found 20mg too high dose as I was wired yet blank and confused the whole time, so I spoke to the doctor and moved to a lower dose which has helped me sleep but obviously it may have less beneficial effects too! Having read this forum it does appear to affect people in many different ways.

All the best in finding the right way for you
Rachel

Hi rachel
Its early days for you on Citalopram especially as you have started on 20mg. The side effects can last up to 8 wks so no need to start worrying that you are unwell.

I started on 20mg & found I was sleeping a lot too. My GP's advice was to sleep when I felt I needed to, after all to be on them in the first place means we have been using up a lot of energy & we need time to replace that.

Over the next few weeks you should find that your energy levels increase, but sometimes the tiredness can remain for longer, for me it was about 6mths but I was also having counselling at the time & therapy does require a huge amount of energy.

Good luck on Citalopram, it has made a huge difference to my anxiety I hope it does for you too.
Annette

Thank you for all your posts i feel a lot better reading that it is a common side effect. I feel like i am a stuck record at the moment i just worry about feeling tired never have done befor, anxiety hey who would want it!

Something Positive i have had a good day today not felt half as tired as went to the X Factor Live Auditions in Birmingham today and seen Simon Cowell, Cheryl, Louie, and Natalie Embrulia (if thats how you spell it). Was a good day i use these days to get through the bad days x

Excellent!! Good for you...if only we could bottle these days up eh???

Jo.xx

I am the same, actually I dont sleep a lot at night, maybe 4-5 hours at best, sometimes I dont sleep at all, then I was frightened that I had slept a full day. I called my GP and he said to try sleeping at a regular time every night which is a bit difficult, and not to worry too much about it. I have tried taking my pill at different times, but it makes no difference, maybe you will have more luck! :)

I would try to switch from taking it in the morning to evening, tha's what helped me a lot as i felt exactly the same when i was on 20 mg last time.