citalopram 20mg

[rianne23]

hi guys i am new to this site,
basically i have suffered from panic attacks since last yr (2006)in jan when i was pregnant with my second child. i had counselling and tried to deal with them on there own, but i became a bit low and went to the drs on friday last week after i convinced myself it must be post natal depression. luckily it isnt full PND but i have it a little bit with a mixture of normal depression. she put me on Citalopram 20mg which i took straight away that day. i then took it the next day at 10am and everything was fine. until i woke up at 3am having the most scariest panic attack ever in my life. i had to wake my fiance up telling him to call an ambulance. luckily he just rang emergency drs instead who said it was just a side effect of the meds. he said to keep taking them, but i will have to put up with these attacks for the next 2 weeks, if i want to be cured of panic attacks well, i didn't continue with them. i have not taken them since and yesterday i felt terrible, today i feel a bit better but now i am convincing myself i am going mental and will have to go in a home. i was bathing my children today when i suddenly got the "this isnt really happening" feeling like i wasnt really there...ikt was really strange and of course, it bought on a panic attack.
i have had blurry eyes most of today and yesterday, feel dizzy and very tired, have sweat sessions and shake. please tell me this is just an after effect of stopping the tablet so suddenly (i only had 2 doses??) and that i will be feeling fine in a couple of days. i just want to be me again. i wish i had never bothered with the r in the first place these are the most awful drugs in the world and i am convinced my life is over and i will end up in a mental institue whilst someone else marries my fiance and acts like a mother to my babies....HELP ME PLEASE I AM ONLY 23 :(

[happyone]

Oh rianne hunny.
Firstly, I will say that I have had PND twice and the way it manifested itself was panic. Pure and unadulterated panic. With my first I panicked she'd die, I'd die, etc etc with my second it was that I couldn't look after her, I would be certified and out in an institution, my oldest daughter would lose me, my husband would find someone else to be a mum to my children (this ringing any bells?) and I have to say, with my second, it started before pregnancy, I was actually receiving counselling up until the point i became pregnant when I decided I 'shouldn't' need it any more. I have to say, I was put on Fluoxetine which did ABSOLUTE WONDERS for me!
Now, (I did get better) however I am now on Citalopram. The panics may well increase in the first two weeks. It would be helpful if you could get someone to be with you supporting you for those two weeks. I don't think your symptoms are because of stopping after two pills, but I do think your GP could have started you on 10 mg with a view to increasing. Increase in panics is common on Citalopram which is why GP's often prescribe low, then increase to 20, or 30 sometimes even 40.
if you can, it might be worth sticking it out, or reconsidering the effect of PND and askng for fluoxetine.
Let us know how you go.
happyone
xx

[Dying_Swan]

Hey Rianne.

Sorry to hear you've been having such a rough time. And Welcome

I've been on 20mg Citalopram for nearly 2 years now, but they aren't for everyone. I reckon I'll be on them for the rest of my life!

I changed to Citalopram after responding badly to Prozac (Fluoxetine - also an SSRI). I couldn't eat, sleep or really do anything. But, Citalopram isn't effective for some people and I've certainly read of others on here who haven't got on well with it at all. If you have decided for sure that you don't want to take them, maybe you could discuss changing to something different with your Doctor?

I don't know about stopping them so soon after taking them....maybe others could help more here. Talk to your GP if you are still worried about it though.

Sorry for rambling. I hope you're feeling a bit better xxx

[nomorepanic]

Welcome aboard!

I tried them for a week and had to give them up as the panic was far worse when I was on them than before.

Have a good read of the website pages here on the left for other help and advice and support.

Meds don't suit all people and certainly made me feel worse but they do work for some.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[rianne23]

aww thanks for the replys guys, i am not sure why i feel like i do then but i do feel about a fraction better today (at least it is something!) i just can't help thinking that if had never gone to the drs then i could have plodded along without them and been me still
well i managed to sleep in my bed last night....did have a moment at 3am where i felt like my heart was pounding, so i read my pulse and surprise surprise my heart was normal! so all in my head! i just want these to stop now!
i havent eaten anything since 6pm last night and i feel still quite sick
i have lost a stone now since friday so it is a bit of a even though i needed to lose weight anyway i just cant eat!!

i am not going back on them tablets they scared me so much that night i can't, i won't do it i am soo scared. but, however, i have been on fluoxitine before i had either of my children but it did make me overdose on them
i was in a bad place back then anyway. i like to think my son saved me as i fell pregnant shortly after then just stopped all meds straight away

i just keep telling myself i will be better tomorrow, each day, here's hoping i am as i am not going back on them tabs

[rianne23]

hi just got off the phone to my dr and she has told me it sounds like the side effects from the tablets but also my depression has also increased my anxiety since taking the tablets if that makes any sense ! well anyway she has told me they are not going to put me on meds again until after my counselling session in 2weeks time...i cant get seen any quicker as the man is very busy so i guess i am going to have to try an conquer this awful feeling myself. i am going to try and go for a walk with my finace and the children at about 3pm just to see how it goes bit scary but i am not going to let this illness take over my life like it is trying to...i can't for my childrens sake.

fingers crossed i get back to normality soon enough. the dr also said once i have had my counselling session she will decide if i need medication oh great!!!

also i said to her how i have been scaring myself by thinking that i may need to go in a mental health hospital...hoping she would say "oh don't be silly" but she just paused not exactly the answer i was searching for

xx

[Dave777]

Hi, I have taken citalopram and it didn't cause PA's, sorry to hear it did for you.
I have come off citalopram and seroxat at will without any probs.

I expect these meds., affect us all differently, I've no expert knowledge to pass on except see your Doctor asap.

best wishes
Dave

[happyone]

Hi Rianne,
try not to look too deeply into what your doc says, he'she was probably just a little stunned at how deeply you felt and was unsure what to say.
Docs aren't always great communicators.
Glad you are feeling a bit better today!
Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Happyone

[Two heads]

Hi there!
I have been on citalopram for just over a year and they have made me feel normal again.My panic attacks were terrible as with feeling on edge all of the time.
The frist two weeks were hell,i was having major panic and phoned my doc up nearly every day.
I did start on 10mg after being told to start on 20mg,but i took that for two days and felt bad.I just lowed the dose and upped it over a period of three months.
Im nearly off them now,im down to2.5mg.And touchwood no panic,apart from the odd day of being on edge.But everybody gets that!!
I do find if i havet eaten for hours my panic trys to come back,so keep your tummy well stocked up.
Please try and give them ago,i known its hard but i have found its worth it.xxx