Citalopram and tiredness

[mercurius]

I have been on Citalopram for just over 5 months now and it has really helped me with anxiety. I'm on a 30mg a day dose. My problem is that I feel so tired a lot of the time. At weekends, I can easily sleep for 1-2 hours in the afternoons as well as sleeping soundly at night. I feel that I am wasting my free time and I also putting back on all the weight I lost (with such difficulty!) last year - I just don't seem to have the energy to get out and exercise.

I did try and reduce the dose when my doctor was on hols, but felt so rotten, I went back on to the full dose again. My doctor has told me to stay on the full dose until the end of this month and then reduce gradually. So I can't see that I will be off it until end July / beginning of August - by which time we'll almost be back into the SAD season again which is how this all kicked off in Sep/Oct last year.

Have others on Citalopram had the same issue - and if so, have you found a way of dealing with it?

Stay well.

mercurius

[anxiouschick]

I've just upped my dose to 30mg and am feeling shattered. Even on 20mg, I used to spend hours just sleeping. I'm starting to find it really irritating, as I feel so lethargic and spend a lot of the weekend napping. I started on them in January this year, and though this side effect would go away, but it doesn't seem to be.
I'm starting to think that I may be better weaning off them soon, as I don't like feeling like this.

[mlondon]

Totally, I feel exhausted and never thought about putting it down to the meds but it down to the anxiety, i guess it can be both. I have also put on loads of weight on them. I am coming off them, I will be of my the end of August if all goes to plan. I reckon though it will still take a few months to come out of my system, hopefully I won't feel so exhausted.

[nomorepanic]

The doc gave me Citalopram once for sleeping problems but it never helped and made me 10 times worse after a week so I stopped it. I guess it must have a sedative effect.

What time of day are you taking it?

[milly jones]

i have been taking 30mg citalopram in the mornings for 2 months now and am struggling to stay awake. part of the reason i was given them was the night time anxiety, and that has almost stopped. but like u i have very little motivation and feel my emotional mood too has lowered. i dont feel safe to drive too.

i also am always feeling hungry and wanting to eat, praps comfort eating i dont know.

i am getting increasingly disatisfied with the medication as although they have solved some issues others have re emerged.

i intend to discuss this at the hospital at my next visit,

milly xxx

[mercurius]

Nicola,

I'm taking 10mg in the morning and 20mg in the evening.

mercurius

[anxiouschick]

I have dropped down to 20mg again, as I couldn't stand the tiredness and I feel like the fatuge was bringing my mood down as didn't feel motivated to do anything.
I have also started to take the med at night and I have noticed a big difference already. The last few days, I had loads more energy and did not nod off in the afternoon.
Good luck with them!

[anxiouschick]

Also, re feeling hungry and putting on weight. When I came off seroxat last year, I had put on 3 and a half stone in 3 years, and it was only afterwards that I found out that antidepressents mess about with blood sugar level. When you eat, apparently blood sugar rises dramatically, then drops very quickly, hence why some people feel hungry and often put on weight.
I personally don't find Citalopram anywhere near as bad as Seroxat, but meds effect everyone differently. Try eating high GI foods that fill you up for longer, like wholemeal bread, pasta and brown rice and avoid foods that are quite sugary anyway.
Easier said than done, as whilst taking Seroxat, all I craved was junk food!
I have managed to lose a stone this year through sheer hard work and dragging myself to the gym.
Good luck x

[Biddy]

Hiya!!
The tiredness is awful, there are some days I wake up exhausted, days like this I usualy spend most of the time sleeping.
Just like you I don't excercise as much these days. Although I do have tired days I have the occasional day when I'm not too bad.