PVCS and CITALOPRAM

[doctorjohn]

hi folks
at the tail end of last year, out of the blue, I was having episodes of ectopic beats, sometimes lasting for hours at a time.

I had all the hospital tests including echo's and x-rays and bloods and so on and all was well with my heart, thank God. Benign.

these periods of beats were nevertheless causing me a great deal of stress even although I had been given the "all clear"

so off I went the my GP who prescribed CITALOPRAM for me to help me cope and calm down a little.
as the weeks went by I started to get worse, much worse with depression and anxiety and on line research had revealed to me than CITALOPRAM can sometimes have this affect on patients at first, so I stuck with them.

the sudden onset of PVCs I endured for 10 weeks BEFORE starting the CITALOPRAM program, by the time I was on the CITALOPRAM for 5 weeks I was a total nervous wreck, couldn't eat or get out of bed ,crying, even in my sleep, I guess I had some sort of total meltdown, a nervous breakdown perhaps. That was almost 6 months ago.

I had to have an emergency Doctor visit me at home and she stopped the CITALOPRAM, gave me MIRTAZAPINE 15mg at night and some DIAZEPAM 5s and I started to pick up within 2 days.

thing is whenever I get the odd PVC now (they more or less are normal now, a dozen a day perhaps, rather than the 6 or 8 a minute I suffered from some months ago) I associate it with getting very sick, I think I am on that same rocky road to bed and depression and anxiety

some days I struggle when I have even a handful of ectopic beats. when I got to thinking perhaps it was NOT the ectopic beats that broke me down ,perhaps it was the CITALOPRAM....after all week by week, whilst on these, tabs I got worse and worse, soon as I stopped them, BINGO! a recovery.

can CITALOPRAM be THAT devastating to some folk?
I am just trying to see my illness in a different light I guess.

I was referred to a psychiatrist who said I was suffering from "low mood" and sent me down the corridor to a psychologist.

I have seen the psychologist for 3 or 4 weeks now and have not been impressed. She says we will talk for a few weeks and THEN formulate a plan of action...I desperately need some "tools" to enable me to cope WITHOUT the need of DIAZEPAM

I have a feeling these sessions are gonna be worthless

sorry for the ramble folk but it's been a very hard time for me of late. I'm John, 58, and never had anxiety issues in my life but many episodes, over the years, of manageable depression

is COG therapy any good, and any stories of CITALOPRAM making your life intolerable?

good health to you all

John

[doctorjohn]

bump

[dumbles1990]

i cant really say its making my life intolerable. it is making my mood better. but it is actually making me feel ill and zoned out.
I went back to the doctors because i was taking flouroxetine for a year and was still getting long episodes of ectopics.
The doctors prescribed me with Citalopram to lower my anxiety which would also help improve my missed beats.
However, im still getting hundreds of these ectopics. so i will be going back.

[doctorjohn]

have you been checked at the hospital for your ectopics to see if they are "benign"?

[healthanxietygirl]

hi i used to take citalopram and hated it made me feel zoned/spaced out, when i took the tablet i felt worried sick due to side effects, my heart rate went crazy soon as i took a tablet and id feel very lifeless and just sleepy.

not good
im taking now amtripoline

[Tufty]

I've had adverse reactions to Citalopram, Escitalopram and Sertraline each making me feel more depressed, physically unwell and at times more anxious. steveo on the forum had a really bad time on Citalopram and wrote about it on here. I get ectopic beats when I take Imipramine or Lofepramine but not with the SSRI's. I started Mirtazapine 2 weeks ago and am finding it OK, much easier than the SSRI's so far.
As for your question I don't know about COG but have my first appointment with a psychologist on Monday so I'll keep you posted on my progress with her.
Sam

[shaunnajadelle]

Citalopram hasn't particularly made me feel worse but it hasn't made me feel better either, I have a lot of chest fluttering and pains at the minute which I'm told is due to anxiety but it's ongoing for weeks now and no better. I currently have cognitive behavioural therapy for health anxiety but it hasn't helped so far, not really a big fan of cog therapy, and I have a degree in psych, I think it's helpful to some and not to others x

[50shadesofmessedup]

Hello, citalopram is the only thing that works for me , and I have less ectopics on the whole. But I find sertraline makes me way worse and I have hundreds of palps ! I think everyone is different, and apparently my go said if u work well with citalopram, other pills may make u bad so I'm guessing it works vice versa take care and hope u find a balance soon. 50 x

[Ingenious]

I was on Citalopram for months and had no heart rhythm issues. Then I changed to Mirtazapine and after about a year started with some which came and went over a period of a month or so. The thing is, they've come back even though I have been medication free for 8 months. So I am not sure in my case the medication was a factor.

[doctorjohn]

I was on Citalopram for months and had no heart rhythm issues. Then I changed to Mirtazapine and after about a year started with some which came and went over a period of a month or so. The thing is, they've come back even though I have been medication free for 8 months. So I am not sure in my case the medication was a factor.

not really saying folks that the CITALOPRAM was responsible for the PVCS.........what I am asking is; could the CITALOPRAM be responsible for making my ANXIETY/DEPRESSION worse, MUCH worse?