Citalopram side effects?

[ND]

eliteness,

your story is very interesting i am happy to hear you are doing great.

My story is about the same with the difference that my attacks and panic disorder started 2 months ago. I am 42 years old athlete all my life and i really dont know what happened to me. You see for me i had no choice i have 2 kids 5 and 7 to feed so it was a question of survival. So i took the med 11 days ago, the first 3 i was about to die and wanted to stop, then i push myself and read these posts here and others about 10 times each and suddenly on the fourth day i started to feel better, from then each day is better and better i will go to 20mg tomorrow. I did the right thing, see i am about to go for a soccer game this afternoon....

One think is sure that this med can not kill you, it can just help so give it a try and you will see the result. In this world of mysery consider yourselves lucky just to have to go throw this problem.

thanks

[kuripot]

Im currently taking 40mg daily due to a depression. I just want to warn others from the effects of mixing high doses of citalopram with alcohol. I've been a heavy drinker most of my adult life, and I usually manage to control myself and my actions when under influence. Last night I consumed some alcohol with friends and totally lost control of myself, actions such as: Stripping naked in front of neigbours, crushing furniture in my apartment and making a complete fool out of myself was the sad result. Im quite sure that this was a result of mixing alcohol with the citalopram, as I never experienced doing something like this before. Im now stuck in my apartment after cleaning up all the mess from last night. Did not even dare to open my door and look outside Just a friendly warning, be extremly cautious when drinking while on this medicine!!

[ND]

was nt it cold in norway to striip outside?? just a joke.

i know i drunk 2 wine glass last time and i could not at all shaking

good luck

[dysthymia]

Over the decades I've suffered with depression/anxiety,I've lost count of the different anti-depressants I've been on.The last 3 years I've been on Citalopram,and am just emerging from a very dark episode,which involved the worst anxiety I've had in years;really disabling.I am currently on 60mg Citalopram,as well as 45mg Mirtazapine,and 150mg Trazodone(the last one I take if I feel the need)
Is anyone else on as high a dose as this?I have read the posts on here,and how people are suffering horrible side effects---I have been very lucky,and have no negative side effects at all,and I have a drink occasionally too,with no problems.
It just shows---everyone's biochemistry is different.If anyone is experiencing continual side effects,please don't suffer in silence;I was on Prozac for a short time,and felt APPALLING,sick,restless,terrified--others found it really turned their lives around.There's no one-size-fits-all in medication terms.There are so many different anti-depressants available now,there's no need to put up with horrible side effects.And I rate Citalopram very highly---I still get ill,but episodes don't last as long.O.K. for me,but it's such an individual thing.

[Heathera]

Hi there,

I've been reading this thread with interest and just wondered if anyone could help. I was wondering if anyone who had used both Fluoxetine and Citalopram had suffered similar side effects.

A few months ago I was prescribed 20mg Fluoxetine and suffered the most horrific side effects imaginable. I was vomitting up to 20 times a day , suffered abdominal pain like never before, crushing head pain that made me think I was dying as well as a million and one other problems. I literally couldn't keep my eyes open - it wasn't like tiredness, it was like being barely conscious. I had pains in my legs that shot through me when I stood up and reduced me to tears instantly. When I did sleep I had the most terrifying hallucinations which lead to my doc thinking I was either using illegal drugs (never have done) or I was schizophrenic. My GP said that the effects couldn't possibly be down to the Fluoxetine so stupidly I believed her. I was referred for brain scans as it was thought there was something seriously wrong, I was referred to Gastro specialists and goodness knows who else. This went on for 3 months and then I forgot to take my meds one day. I felt better than I had done in months!!! I took my meds the next day and everything came back. It was a couple of days before I could see a doctor so I reduced my dose to every second day until I could see someone. I saw a different doctor in my practice who was horrified that I'd been allowed to suffer so much and she made me stop the Fluoxetine immediately as she believed I was having a horrendous allergic reaction to it and has marked my file accordingly that I should never be given it again.

She prescribed me 20mg Citalopram instead and told me to wait a week before starting it. 8 weeks later, the pills are still in my bathroom cabinet as I'm petrified of having similar effects. I have two small children to look after, one who is severely disabled and there's no way I can be of any benefit to them when I'm so ill. My anxiety is worsening by the day so I saw another doctor in my practice last week who has prescribed me 14 days worth of 10mg to start me off before I then take the 20mg. She advised that I take it at night so that I hopefully sleep through any horrible effects.

I'm still so scared to start them as I can't possibly go through even a day of feeling like that again. I know that I'm likely to have side effects for the first couple of weeks but it's just if it goes beyond that like before.

I really just want to know if anyone has had bad effects on Fluoxetine but managed to make the switch to Citalopram without suffering so badly.

Sorry this has been long but I know I need something to help me but just need to find the courage to start them.

[mark b]

Hello. I've been on 20mg of citalopram for 12 days and am really hoping that what i'm feeling is caused by this medication, and not something else. Day 2,3,4 i had no sleep at all. I can sleep reasonably well at the moment. About day 6 started to feel weak and shaky. It comes and goes but it's been constant today. I'm considering stopping them already as i don't feel well at all.

[Sillyblondegirl]

I have been on it for a few months now. The first week or so was touch and go. I felt odd, shakey, detatched and spacey. I felt amost stoned. After the initial week it started to make a difference for the better. I began to feel more energetic then I had in months and even began exercising and lost some weight! The panic attacks became fewer. That effect wore off some since then. My Doc thought she would increase my dose to 40mg a few weeks ago. I was famished and wanted to eat whatever I could find. Needless to say I have cut back to the original 20mgs. My doc said th at sometimes the med can "re-wire" the brain to produce seratonin on its own and after a year of being on it some people can wean off and keep the same effects. Lets hope!

[ND]

Hi there,

I've been reading this thread with interest and just wondered if anyone could help. I was wondering if anyone who had used both Fluoxetine and Citalopram had suffered similar side effects.

A few months ago I was prescribed 20mg Fluoxetine and suffered the most horrific side effects imaginable. I was vomitting up to 20 times a day , suffered abdominal pain like never before, crushing head pain that made me think I was dying as well as a million and one other problems. I literally couldn't keep my eyes open - it wasn't like tiredness, it was like being barely conscious. I had pains in my legs that shot through me when I stood up and reduced me to tears instantly. When I did sleep I had the most terrifying hallucinations which lead to my doc thinking I was either using illegal drugs (never have done) or I was schizophrenic. My GP said that the effects couldn't possibly be down to the Fluoxetine so stupidly I believed her. I was referred for brain scans as it was thought there was something seriously wrong, I was referred to Gastro specialists and goodness knows who else. This went on for 3 months and then I forgot to take my meds one day. I felt better than I had done in months!!! I took my meds the next day and everything came back. It was a couple of days before I could see a doctor so I reduced my dose to every second day until I could see someone. I saw a different doctor in my practice who was horrified that I'd been allowed to suffer so much and she made me stop the Fluoxetine immediately as she believed I was having a horrendous allergic reaction to it and has marked my file accordingly that I should never be given it again.

She prescribed me 20mg Citalopram instead and told me to wait a week before starting it. 8 weeks later, the pills are still in my bathroom cabinet as I'm petrified of having similar effects. I have two small children to look after, one who is severely disabled and there's no way I can be of any benefit to them when I'm so ill. My anxiety is worsening by the day so I saw another doctor in my practice last week who has prescribed me 14 days worth of 10mg to start me off before I then take the 20mg. She advised that I take it at night so that I hopefully sleep through any horrible effects.

I'm still so scared to start them as I can't possibly go through even a day of feeling like that again. I know that I'm likely to have side effects for the first couple of weeks but it's just if it goes beyond that like before.

I really just want to know if anyone has had bad effects on Fluoxetine but managed to make the switch to Citalopram without suffering so badly.

Sorry this has been long but I know I need something to help me but just need to find the courage to start them.

hi cant help you with the change between the drugs. but what i can tell you is that citalopram is very common and well tolerated compared to others. Iam on day 11 ( first 4 days horrible) i feel better now and hope to continue. Look give it a try if you want i will be checking this post to help you if you want the first days on your questions. if you work take of 3 to 4 days if possible, start with 10 just before go to bed. drink plenty of water, try to eat well.

hope i can help

[Heathera]

hi cant help you with the change between the drugs. but what i can tell you is that citalopram is very common and well tolerated compared to others. Iam on day 11 ( first 4 days horrible) i feel better now and hope to continue. Look give it a try if you want i will be checking this post to help you if you want the first days on your questions. if you work take of 3 to 4 days if possible, start with 10 just before go to bed. drink plenty of water, try to eat well.

hope i can help

Thanks very much, ND, I really appreciate it. I don't work as I'm a full time carer to my disabled son so I suppose my main concern at the moment is being well enough to look after him whilst being able to get my younger son to nursery etc. My husband had to take so much time off work when I was ill on the Fluoxetine that he has no more time off available.

I'll try to build up the courage to start them tonight as I don't think I can cope with the anxiety much longer so I know I do need something.

Thanks again!

[Katie27jt]

Ive been on 40mg for almost two years now and it is by far the best ive been on, fewer side effects than seroxat, prozac and fluoxetine.
the side effects clear however im not convinced it isnt addictive as if i miss a day i can tell and am unable to sleep, any one else had this?