Citalopram - How long can it take?

I've been on 10mg of Citalopram for 2 weeks and 4 days and although I am a little better than I was when I started taking them (I was a mess) I am no-where near back to my old self, or better.

I feel OK on the drugs, the first week was hell, but it's got better with time.

I know they can take a few weeks to settle in, but how long is long enough?
I'm thinking that if I can't feel any change after taking 4 weeks worth that I will go back to my Doctors and see what he says.

Is 4 weeks long enough?

Hi

I started taking citalopram 5 days ago and it's been hell. I'm feeling better now, but still have a fuzzy head and my appetite has gone down hill aswell. I'm not sure on how long these take to work because i've heard so many different time scales (a few days- 8 weeks). Sorry I can't be of more help.

Vicky x

Hi,

I have been taking Citalopram since April. Started on 10mg and was 'off my rocker' for 2 weeks.!buzzing around the house, cleaning my windows at 10pm, full of anxious energy. I laughed more than I had in ages ( although it was usually inappropriately!! ). Then there came a change, a sense actually of not being on medication at all. My anxiety and panics came back just as bad. I waited until I had been on citalopram for 6 weeks then with advice of CMHT increased to 20mg. I eventually increased again to 40mg in August and I have to admit that the panic and anxiety is improved (although I now successfully avoid most of my panic triggers - not good I know.)

I would advise to definately consider waiting until you have been on the medication for four weeks before contemplating a change. Are you getting any other support or relying solely on the tablets?

Good luck with the medication, I didn't mean to be negative with my posting and please remember that everyone responds to tablets differently. I do not know your history but if it is anxiety, panic or depression it may take a while to "feel back to your old-self again"

Take care of yourself,
Louisa

That seems to be how I feel at the moment.

I have just taken todays dose, which brings me up to 3 weeks in total. The first week was hell, then things improved during the second, but I haven't seen any improvement since then. To a certain extent I'd say I'm slightly worse. I just feel constantly anxious and my stomach is always unsettled.

I'm due to go back to work on Tuesday, but the way I feel at the moment, I can't even survive a trip to the supermarket without having a episode, I wont be fit for work. I'll be visiting my Doctors tomorrow to see if he can sign me off and I'll ask him if I should be feeling better yet.

My doctor told me to give each med I was on up to 6 months for any real effect with regard to the symptoms I had.

Sometimes, however, if the side-effects don't subside after 4 weeks then maybe you are not suited to that particular one and there will be others they can try.

Good luck with it.

Nicola

I'm not getting any side efffects like nausea or dizzyness, but I'm not feeling the effects of the medication either.

Ok well at least you don't get the side-effects.

With regard to helping then I think they say it can be up to 6 months, but there is also the possibility that they won't help atall.

I was on Dothiepin and Prozac and never touched the panic attacks and anxiety but did help with the depression.

I chose not to take them anymore as like you I couldn't see any improvement and you may find this as well.

That is why it is even more important to make other changes in your life that will help improve things far more than the meds ever will.

Nicola

Arclite

I was on 20mg for weeks and weeks before I felt any benefit at all. However, I had been switched from Seroxat to this med and that may have had something to do with it. I am now on 60mg of Citalapram because the psychiatrist wanted to see if it would work for me with a higher dosage.

I think you must tell your doctor that you don't feel any effects.I think the doctor will probably increase the dosage at this stage.

I personally have not found Citalapram to be a particularly good antidepressant. At first my anxiety seemed much worse, I was incredibly tired and lifeless and it didn't seem to help the depression much. This medication is very pure in chemical terms in comparison to other SSRI's so maybe that is why it is not so effective. However, I must add that I did have an incredibly bad withdrawal from Seroxat last year and that is maybe why I did not respond to this med that well.

Anyway, see your doctor and let us know how you get on.

Yvonne


Y Goble

I'm now 4 weeks in and I still don't really feel much different.

I supposed I have progressed alittle. When i do get stomach problems I cope alot better than I used to. I eat ALOT more than I used to and my weight is increasing. I just don't feel very confident about going out of the house or eating fancy food. I'm still taking it very easy.

I have been signed off work until the 13th so I have four days to get myself ready. I don't feel ready, but I can't take anymore time off :(

I'm hoping I have progressed enough...

Hi , i am on 20mg of citalopram and have been so for five months. It took me about 10 weeks before i started feeling better and not anxious ALL of the time.
My advice would be to stick out for another month or so and see how your feeling.
Take care

Robbo

Robbo, did you take any time off work, and if so how long was it befor eyou felt able to return?

Hi arclite , sorry its taken me so long to reply i have only just seen your question.[8)]
With me, my panic attacks started when i was on holiday in lanzarote in july and i was in one of their hospitals for about five days. When i got home i had the rest of the week off work but went back on the following monday. I had a few more panic attacks and then i developed what i think is GAD with all the horrible symptoms like dizziness, Nausea , headaches , insomnia etc. After about 5 weeks i went on to citalopram and the odd diazepam. The panic attacks stopped but the anxiety symptoms continued And they do ease over time. Im at my worst in the mornings. But as for time off work, i did continue to go but do have the odd day off but make sure im back again the next day. I suppose ive had about 3 weeks off in total if you add all the days up.
My advise would be to try and go to work, i know its hard but we dont need the extra worrying about losing our jobs etc.
At work i listen to one of Megs anxiety cd`s at least twice a day and i also do abdominal breathing throughout the the day at various times and just think of nice things to do when you get home in the evening.
It is hard especially when the alarm goes off in the morning but it is getting easier and somehow the day is never as bad as you anticipate it is going to be.
If you can then try and go, and good luck:)

Take care
Robbo

just wanted to share my citalopram experiences with everyone - been taking them since new years day and altho the first week was still quite bad -with lots of PA's, they;re now beginning to settle me and i do feel less anxious..still get a lot of the physical symptoms associated with PA's but feel more confident i can bring myself down as it were before they fully take hold of me...

bit worried about coming off them (as i only have 28 day supply) and am about to start new job as lost my last one thru PA's so may ask for an extension on them to get me into a new routine.

still got some diazepam for emergencies but find i havent taken one in 6 days now ...

Hi everyone,

Arclite, glad you are feeling a little better than when you started the tablets.

Darren 76, I guess you'd be better seing the doctor again because usually I think that antidepressants are continued for at least 3months after your symptoms have gone or become managable, or longer depending on you circumstances. Obviously everyone is different and for all I know your GP may have only prescribed them for the month with no further prescriptions in mind. Usually the GP needs to know how you are responding to medication before repeating the prescription that would be why you only got 28 days worth initially.

If I were you I'd see about getting more, especially with the new job coming up.

Good luck with the job

Louisa

hi there,
i started on 20 mg in june, then in november went up to 30mg then last week went up to 40mg. i'm not too sure if they are working. when i first started them my doctor told me i should give it at least 6 months for them to work. i think this is going to be a drawn out process for me. maybe talk to your doctor about how long he or she thinks you are going to be on them.
2 steps back 1 step foward, that how it goes isn't it. just let yourself takes its own time.

good luck

Baby Steps...that's all you have to remember.

If I look at my progress on a daily basis since I started taking these then it wouldn't look like I've got very far. But when you think that five weeks ago I was 6 stone 1 lbs, bed ridden and unable to eat, then it's clear I've come along way.

Personally, I felt the medication kick in around the 4 week mark. I still get the panic attack symptoms, but they are not out of control as much and I deal with them alot better than i did before. When I'm feeling good, I am alot happier than I was before the medication, to the point where I'm alittle hypoactive.

Darren76, as already mentioned, I'd go back to your doctors, Citalopram isn't a quick fix drug and it will take afew weeks to have full effect.