Citalopram side effects?

[suzy1984]

Hi
Hope i'm not repeating anybody elses post but I couldnt find an answer to my question. My doctor has prescribed me Citalopran (20mg) and I took one the other night and about an hour later I started to feel sick, dizzy, spaced out and shakey, it was nothing like a panic attack iv ever had and I was just wondering if it was a panic attack because I was expecting to get side effects or whether they were genuine side effects? Im too scared to take anymore incase it happens again.
Thanks for any advice
Suzy xx

[Two heads]

Hi suzy!I have been on them 8weeks and have had a great night out tonight so stick with them if you want to feel half normal again hun!"

The side affects are horrible in the frist few weeks but they do get alot better.I only had one and had the same affects, and hit total heightened anxiety for at least aweek.Give them a chance they will take time to work.Maybe do what i did and cut back to 10mg for the frist month also!That is what is recomended if you look at the leaflet with out of course looking at the sideaffects,because that will make you ten times worse hun.
Make sure you eat well because i believe this helps and dont drink for a few weeks entil you have settled with the meds.I also took beta blockers the frist 3weeks with taking these to take the edge off.Please dont be scared of taking them they may help!!xxx

[horlicks]

I have just started taking citalopram four days ago. My doctor prescribed 20mg but I think this is too high, as I feel sick and have stomach pains. I wont be able to see my doctor for a few days now, as I work awkward hours, but I wonder if it is o.k. to cut a tablet in two and take half to see if this is better.

[Deebee020]

Hey all!

I've been on Citalopram from 10 days now. It's going ok. The first night was hard, I couldn't sleep and the headache was unbearable. But then after that it just went very suddenly (I still get headaches but not so bad). Then I hit nausea and heavy heavy tiredness along with feeling very spaced out. The nausea and spaced-out-ness passed after about day 5. I did feel some mild anxiety increase but nothing unbearable. For the last three days I have suffered and upset stomach but today it is not so bad. I can't say I am completly anxiety free, but I have been told it can take up to two or three weeks for the medication to take full effect.

I find that I sleep very restlessly now and often wake up-the go back to sleep- the wake - then sleep again. As well as tossing and turning a lot and having vivid dreams. I used to be a very still quiet sleeper so this is new for me. Although I am not lacking in sleep, and I do feel rested, it's just a different sleep pattern.

The worst thing is the tiredness and lethargy. I love running, the gym etc but I am finding it very hard to get motiviated to do it and when I do go I have a very poor work out performance - my joints and muscles just hurt so much. Study-wise I've been focusing better though. Likewise, I've been coping well with London's packed morning transport system.

I was so scared to take this drug (see posts above) but it's no way near as bad as the leaflets make out, and I even started on 20 mg. It's just a matter of riding it out if you fall within the normal range of side effects.

So don't let side-effects put you off this medication.

D
xox

[Shone]

this thread has been very interesting, like most on here i was prescribed Citalopram, i was wary at first and didnt take it for 3 days after reading about all the side effects and the people that had suffered badly on it, but i decided i had gone to the doctor this time because i couldnt cope any more with the anxiety attacks and she would not give me something that would not help so i started them, this was just over 5 weeks ago. yes the side effects the first couple of weeks were hard, i even considered stopping taking them but i kept telling myself it was just the meds and i was fine, now i am so glad i am on them at the moment, i am sleeping well for the first time in ages, even if i do wake a few times a night sometimes, but the best benefit is the fact that i actually feel like me again. I guess they work for some and maybe not for others, but keep trying or go back to the GP, dont suffer. I admire all the people that have managed to 'pull themselves together' or cope withour meds, they are very strong people and some day i hope that will be me again, but for now, the meds are helping me cope.

[honeybee3939]

Hi Suzy,


I am taking Citalopran too,maybe it would be a good idea to start with 10mg for a week and then up them to 20mg, i had side affects with 10mg, dizzy, feeling sick and my anxiety seemed alot worse, but after the first week it all seemed to settle down so i increased them to 20 mg, i have been on them for 5 weeks now and feeling alot better. Stick with them suzy its worth it in the end !!


Hope that helps,

Love Andrea
xxx

[mandie]

Hi Suzy

I felt terrible for the first couple of weeks on these and that was with 10mg.

I have been on these meds for 7 months now and i am feeling like my old self again.

I agree with what Bong said about eating.

Stick with it and dont feel scared. I think most of felt like that when we first started them, and things will get better.

Take care

love mandie x

[Two heads]

Well i have upped them at long last!Will let you known how i feel in a few days.
I hate all this.xxxx

[elizabetty]

Im on this med for second time
forgot how bad side effects were.
Doc put meon 20mg and i felt awful so i reduced to 10mg for first 2weeks and then increaced to 20mg.
Feel a lot better for that,hope you feel better soon.


Betty x

[ericaruth]

hi, i have also started with citalopram for the second time. thought i could do without but cant.... i NOW remember me saying to myself....never stop as its hell to start again, I FORGOT how nasty the side effects were. the nausea is awful at times,i have 9 days behind me and the anxiety is getting better..so, please continue as i remember that they suddenly work and you will feel so much like your old self.....good luck and as they say" KEEP TAKIN THE TABLETS lol..

Im on this med for second time
forgot how bad side effects were.
Doc put meon 20mg and i felt awful so i reduced to 10mg for first 2weeks and then increaced to 20mg.
Feel a lot better for that,hope you feel better soon.


Betty x