Citalopram side effects?

[mustardseed6]

Have a bit of an headache but I am now panicking about the nasty withdrawal side-effects and the irony of the situation was that I was put on citalopram for panic attacks!!

The emergency doctor seems to think I have plenty in my system to keep going for a week or so...

[eaamesnyc]

I have recently started taking Citalopram 20mg for anxiety (depression also, but mostly anxiety). I delayed starting thr course because I was terrified I would feel constantly nauseated and lose my appetite. I am on my fourth day and I am relieved to find that I have been feeling much better than I anticipated! I am sorry to read that many have had negative experiences. I have been on medication (not anti-dps, this is my first and hopefully last time) that have made me feek horrid and I completely sympathise! So far I have only had a headache, and last night I had trouble sleeping - felt a bit 'out of it' and stomach felt unsettled. I have been taking the tablets at 10.30am, so good. I am interested to read the experience of others. It is good to know I am not alone in this battle. Keep safe everyone.

I, like you, scared myself by reading online forums and all of the horror stories but I was feeling so not in control that I threw in the towel to try citalopram.

Aside from the first 5 days which caused heightened anxiety, I felt much better after a week. It hasn't cured my insomnia but I've been 6 weeks anxiety/panic free with only a few jitters here and there. Luckily I've had no other side effects, not even the weight gain. The decreased libido happened the first 4 weeks but it got better. I consider myself lucky.

[george22.2008]

I have been put back on citalopram having been on cipralex and I hate it. My anxiety is so much worse, total loss of appetite, paranoia. Has anyone had a similar experience when switching back to citalopram?

[Stuart1975]

I been on citalopram for around 12 weeks on 10mg, and still get a relapse now and again, does it really matter that im not taking my meds at the exact time, maybe an hour or so in time difference., or maybe i need to up my dose, really hate feeling rubbish and negative thoughts stuck in my head which i struggle to shake, answers apreciated

[Sparkle1984]

An hour shouldn't make any difference - it doesn't for me anyway. It's probably best to go back to your doctor if you don't see any improvement, they may suggest increasing your dose.

[^Frosty^]

Just a word to maybe help those who have just started taking citalopram, whatever the dose. I've had problems in the past with anxiety and depression, pretty bad, pretty isolating and life destroying.

I've had a relapse after 3 clean years after coming off Cit, taking the medication helped me to get to that stage before, and I'm back on it again now

Alot of what I've read through these posts mention the side effects, I'd forgotten about those.. ! I'm 3 weeks in, I've had the tiredness bit this time round, appetites been ok, little bit of buzzy feeling days 1 -4, lost it a few times too over christmas and the new year, seemed to remember I could still drink alcohol like normal, but no, bottles of wine not a good idea, off that now to give the cit a chance to settle in.

I think varying levels will effect people differently, but while the balance is being worked out chemically, rememebr that what you're doing is very brave, and not everyone is able to sum up the courage to reach out for help and take steps.

For those of you who may be reading this and have yet to ask for help in any way if you're having problems, then I can only say do it, see a gp, see what they think, for some cit is a benifical treatment over time to get you back to where you know you are happy to be. It does take time, as do other ad's, and there will be ups and downs, but long term, cit has helped me before, and I've turned to it again now to help me through this spell. There's no shame in asking for help, and then trying something different, don't be scared of the side effects, if they occur you'll be able to cope, if you feel you can't, speak to who issued you the medication, presumably your gp, they will help you


Good luck to everyone whose going through the transition stages at the moment, it does get better, stick at it, and if things don't end up feeling right after 4 - 6 months (it is worth giving it this long, even though that might seem a ridiculous amount of time, can well imagine it works differently for different people), then see your gp to talk and you can discuss alternatives. Don't give up on it, there's no shame taking it, and it's just a helper to help you find your feet again

Ps. they should be at the bottom of your legs if they're proving hard to locate.


I will be using the site to help me, and am here if anyone wants to ask anything about citalopram experiences, all be it they'll be my reactions or experiences only

Thumbs up to everyone that add's their thoughts, its appreciated

Good luck

[steveo]

I too am on a relapse of anxiety after 10 years being on the tablet I stopped for 4 months.
I forgot what the starting side effects were like. I'm on day 3 and my concentration is close to zero, I want to sleep, got diarrhoea, weird appetite, heightened anxiety, increased depression.
I can barely read alot of these posts as my eyes are fuzzy and my concentration is so bad.

The only thing getting me through this is the fact that in time I know this pill does work for me and gives me my life back. Just not enjoying this but I know it will get better.

Best of luck to everyone. Do stick with it! I'm struggling to want to stick with it right now but I will.

Steven

[Sparkle1984]

Sorry to hear about your relapse Steven. I hope you will start feeling better soon.

[steveo]

Thanks Sparkle.

I've been through the 'washing cycle' once before so round two shouldn't be so bad. Hopefully soon I can get back to where I was when I was on the tablets! Pretty much panic free for years!

[Divan]

When I was first diagnosed with Bi-polar II I was put on citalopram and then a bit later seroquel as well. Citalopram made me feel like a narcoleptic zombie
and my short-term memory got trashed. One day I withdrew R1000(about £80
or $90) from an ATM and just walked away without taking the money and
not surprisingly 30-seconds later when I realised my error...it was gone(meaning the person that took it must have known it was MINE).
Another time two friends and myself drove to the mountains for in my car where we parked next to the mountain pass that is frequented by many people. We went for a hike for about 3 hours and on the way back I realised my car keys were not with me!
Anxiously we kept our eyes open for them(yeah right, like finding them in the
river water and all that). We eventually reached the parking spot to find that
I had just placed they keys on the roof after locking it! It was just my luck
that no one helped themselves to my car...
So I realised that it wasn't working and it also did not work for my anxiety
at all, I went to go see the psychiatrist and he told me "I think in this case
less is more" so I stopped the Citalopram and kept the Seroquel...