hate taking citalopram

[cathycrumble]

I must be the only one but I hate taking citalopram! Dont like the side affects and i been on them 12 weeks now the jaw pain and the joint ach and the low sex drive just drives me bonkers I am on 40mg but I am defo going to reduce slowly and try and get better with just CBT. I am starting tomorrow

Cathy xx

[kibbutz83]

Hey Cathy, you're not the only one... I hate ad's too. Been on and off them since I had pnd after giving birth 18 years ago :( Just started on venlafaxine AGAIN, cos my anxiety/sleeplessness are so bad... Good luck with the cbt :)

[MikeyJon]

I can't say that I've had any trouble with the side effects of citalopram (been on for abt 2 years) but I can say that I don't think it's done much of anything for me. I'm seeing my Doc to discuss a change the end of this week. Best of luck with the cbt!

[cathycrumble]

hi

I had pnd 29 years ago and got through without ad i did get counciling. I am sure I can get thru this time but my prob is how do i get off them i tried last march wirh disastras results thats why i am back on them.

Cathy xx

[Justin1973]

As you know Cathy, I'm not a fan either. However, this time I'm curious as to how citalopram is behaivng with me this time around. I don't seem to have as many of the side effects that I did the first time around.

The only major side effects I'm having is periods of hightened anxiety, pounding chest intermittent with total drowseiness. God, I've never felt so stoned in all my life!!! Today was the worst for drowsiness. I couldnt' do a thing. It's the mornings and lunchtimes I' really drowsey. I'm anxious i nthe afternoon and calm down during and after tea time. I get a litle down and depressed at times too.

I just keep thinking on how they started to work for me after 8 weeks and how cbt finished the job off. Just a shame of came of the AD's abruptly and went alcohol mad. No wonder i ha scarey panic attack that sent me back to square one. I've learnt my lesson well here.

I'd definitely talk to ur doctor Cathy. get 'em to either reduce ur dose of put you on another AD.

Cheers,

Justin

[cathycrumble]

Yes sounds like you did the same as me game off cold turkey and yes acohol plays a big part but I dont want to change to another ad I just dont want to take them full stop xx doctor's dish themm out far to easily xx

Cathy

[kibbutz83]

Cathy I totally agree with you, doctor's do dish them out too easily. I wish they'd never been invented, then we wouldn't have the "fallback" option, and maybe there would be more practical support for people with mental health problems. Good luck with the withdrawal :)

[cathycrumble]

Thanks kibbuzs83

And thanks for your surport Why should we be in this middle comatosed state i need to feel myself warts and all xx

cathy xx

[Anxious_gal]

I was on them for two days and they messed with my head big time, was very paranoid and scared and felt like someone had drugged me up and I was trapped in some horrible nightmare.
They are what made me med phobic now :(
I have had other side effects from other meds , including feeling like I had the flu, shakes, funny head and even visual hallucinations but nothing scared me like Cit did!

I never mention this because I don't want to scare people.

[hyg]

Hi cathycrumble,
Ive been on here a few times with you and you supported me at a point I was gonna throw the towel in. Im now in week 6 and still have crap days but I dont want to go back to where I was-sort of between a rock and a hard place ! I suppose what you,ve gotta ask yourself is do you feel mentally better overall-because you ,ve had good days have nt you ? Maybe you should reduce your dose-You could go see your GP see what they suggest. The thing is with meds is that they reduced clarity of thought. When I had bad days I would think-right thats it Im doing it alone then the nx day I would feel o.k and think cit was wonderful. I get jaw ache too but think its jaw clenching in my sleep as its worse in the mornings- when does yours ache ? Im ranting on now but just wanted to help xx

[cathycrumble]

Hi Hgy

No you're not ranting on you are spot on with what you have just said. I have bad days like today and I say right i dont need these drugs and then when i have a good day I think oh well thy must be doing me good. but more often than not I can't accept taking them. my jaw, face and neck ach and it is first thing in the morning i sooo hate it it can go on through the day i take paracitamol for the pain I also get joint pain and missed heart beats. I am defo reducing them but doing it the right way (slowly) .

Cathy xx

[Justin1973]

I agree with several people here, including Cath that doctors do prescribe ADs to easy. Trouble is

1. mental health services in the country aren't great. you to wait a long time to get therapy. Therapy is most effective treatment. It takes so long to get.

2. Doctor's get paid to write out prescriptions for all sorts. they don't get paid to referre anyone to therapy, excercise gym etc.

I think reducing your dose is the right thing for you to do now Cath. See how that works for you.

I must admit, this time around my problem is lack of sleep and major drowsiness during mornings and lunchtimes.

[cathycrumble]

I agree with several people here, including Cath that doctors do prescribe ADs to easy. Trouble is

1. mental health services in the country aren't great. you to wait a long time to get therapy. Therapy is most effective treatment. It takes so long to get.

2. Doctor's get paid to write out prescriptions for all sorts. they don't get paid to referre anyone to therapy, excercise gym etc.

I think reducing your dose is the right thing for you to do now Cath. See how that works for you.

I must admit, this time around my problem is lack of sleep and major drowsiness during mornings and lunchtimes.

I have reduced to 20mg and I feel better for it not lolling around not as sick I don't feel as if I am in a space bubble anymore and libedo coming back :winks: so all good so far.

Cathy xx

[kirstynic]

Hi cathy what was your joint pain, I have been on Cipromil/citrolapram for 10 days and have a constant ache in my left knee wondering if I can blame the med or if it's something sinister

[cathycrumble]

my elbow my neck and shoulders and when I came off it the pains went. And I took a 10mg on 28th which was last wednesday because I thought I would go back on them as was feeling they would help me as I came off cold turkey last time. Any how I woke up the next morning and my elbows and neck felt stif and painful and oh my god my tummy was so bad I felt sick and still do today so i didnt take anymore. just got to get this sick feeling gone.

Cathy xx

[NoPoet]

Hi, see citalopram (or any medication) as a support tool to help you do the hard work of dealing with the issues that keep you trapped in anxiety. 40mg was quite a high dose and you may find therapy helps you to stick with a lower dose (but not straight away - you may find anxiety rises slightly to start with, so try to bear in mind this is normal and won't be forever).

The face, neck etc aching are classic symptoms of muscular tension and are probably caused by you clenching your jaws, a known and rather annoying side effect of citalopram. You will definitely notice a difference in your energy and motivation levels having stepped down from 40mg to 20mg. Bear in mind that if your anxiety seems to increase, you are having therapy, so the anxiety will decrease again in the medium to long term.

You are now aware you can ring Anxiety UK on Mon-Fri during office hours and I have consistently found their service brilliant, much superior to the Samaritans for anxiety sufferers, as the Samaritans are there to listen to you but Anxiety UK is staffed by trained and experienced anxiety sufferers.