Ok, so side effects and when do they stop?

[rocklover]

Apologies, I know this has been done to death, but need a little encouragement here. Started on Citalopram 10mg 17 days ago, was upped to 20mg 5 days ago.

Was fine on the 10mg, now with the 20mg I am feeling quite sick, edgey wobbly in the mornings and right up til the afternoon, when it seems to pass off. Now mornings were bad for me before anyway, but the Cit is making them a tad more unpleasant.

Also I have ibs and I have noticed since the upped dose I am getting more tummy upsets as well. I am presuming all this is normal, but I also want to know that this really does pass. Nausea is my main anx symptom anyway, but has been alot worse since taking the 20mg, and I really want to get rid of it. I am getting through this (and will stick it out), but feel incredibley drained and tired. I'm taking these so that I can feel well enough to look for work again.

Just need a little hope and motivation folks.

Sarah

[alias_kev]

Hi. Having the dosage increase after only 12 days was fairly quick although 10 and 20mg is not too big a dose of citalopram. Most information suggests that it takes about a month for the medication to provide a good effect, possibly longer. Some maths I did recently suggests that a dosage change on these types of (daily dose) meds takes about 6 days to stabilise in our blood/brains. Then ofcourse the body has to adapt, then our brains, then our mind, then us! Ofcourse it maybe that your GP has recognised you need a higher dose and it trying to get you on it as fast as possible.

I had Escitalopram, which is a similar med. I recommend taking that after breakfast so there is food and energy to stabilise your system. I also recommend having a snack at bed time so that when you wake up your blood sugar is not too low, which can be an anxiety trigger. This advice may be helpful with citalopram too.

Unusually my GP had me take my Escitalopram dose as 10mg morning and 10mg bedtime. This is not supported by any documentation (!) BUT it may have helped me as the lowest level of the medication in the body would be higher this way. Also the body doesn't get hit with such a high peak dose. It may be worth discussing this option with your GP.

Pychopoet has a major thread of advice for Citalopram.

[NoPoet]

Hi, some people only have side effects for days, some for months. It is very common to experience renewed side effects if you change your dose (up or down). The side effects you have described are all very common and they do get better, even if it doesn't seem like it at first.

Most of my side effects started to fade after 2-3 weeks. The majority of them disappeared after around 6 weeks. I now only get vague nausea and a mild "hungover" feeling some mornings. I still have a few "up and down" blips and am in the middle of one now. Which sucks.

[bluejeans17]

I am starting my 6th week and things are really starting to feel a lot better. I found the mornings awful too - anxious and very hard to get going. The last couple of mornings have improved. I felt really exhausted for the first couple of weeks but I have much more energy now even though I am still not sleeping very well. Most of the early symptoms have decreased but it has taken 5 weeks (first 10 days on 10 mg and 20 mg for the past 3 weeks) I have been getting headaches and neck ache for the past week but I am hoping these will pass too.

Stick with it - you will soon start having more good days than bad.

[kt79]

Hello, I have IBS also and I found Citalopram to make it alot worse at first. I would take it in the morning with your breakfast, i found this immediatly helped with the sickness. I found the sickness passed after about 2 weeks but I started with 20mg.

Alot of people talk about feeling anxious in the morning after taking the tablets. I find with me I get more of a slightly nervous excess energy feeling, so every day when I get this I go for a run or a long walk which really sorts me out. Hope this helps

[bluegirl09]

hiya it took me a good six weeks for the side-effects too pass i was nauseas daily every morning my gp told me too take them at night which i do and sleep off the effects its like a wonder pill now for me im soo calm and relaxed on them i have some side-effects like weird dreams and im eating a lot but i wouldnt be without them im much happier and calmer

[rocklover]

Thanks guys, that is so reassuring, I am ticking with these as I am determined to get well. You have made me feel much better.

[rocklover]

So frustrated today, feel dreadful, really sick and edgey, these symptoms seem to be getting worse. I get nausea as my main anx symptom, but don't usually feel like this, so I am presuming it is the meds.

I almost had a panic in the supermarket as I felt so ill, not done that for a long while. As well as the nausea I had derealisation and although I just about coped and didn't run away, I am really annoyed. I am anxious that the Citalopram is not going to work for me, I know it is early days, but do the side effects get worse before they get better?

Thanks.

Sarah

[NoPoet]

Rocklover, you are discovering the universal truth of medication: side effects suck

Believe me, you will get over them eventually!

[PoppyC]

Hi again Sarah
How long have you been taking the citalopram for and at what amount?
I think how you are feeling will probably be caused by you starting taking the citalopram.
I am on them too and it has been an up and down experience on them for me...however I know you have to carry on with taking them to get to the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. There better be one after all this!!! lol
Do you receive any counselling?
I have had good and bad days on citalopram. I upped my dose to 20mg and I feel terrible - I cant stop crying and feel really exhausted -I feel 'strange' (derealisation) and I am more anxious than usual - I just cannot cope anymore with it all I feel, however there is a little voice within me that says its just the side effects of the medication, keep taking them and eventually it will work for you.
I can tell a big difference in how I was when I wasn't taking them to now - before I would feel terrible nearly every day but now I am getting runs of good days, sometimes longer than others, and then down days and then especially down days like today, but then tomorrow I may feel great again.
Wouldn't it be great if they could work immediately instead of all the ups and downs? I am going to persevere though and if in a few months time they have not worked than I will try something else - at least I will be able to say I gave them a long enough try. A lot of people find citalopram doesn't work for them and a lot do but that's the same with any medication of any kind.
What is it with supermarkets and anxiety! I always feel terrible in them too! I prefer late night shopping and find its much more relaxing