Citalopram and intense hunger

[DoogieJ]

I just wanted to write about my experiences with intense hunger. I have now been on Citalopram for 4 weeks, and in the last to weeks I have really struggled with having to eat often, I can't make it through from breakfast to lunch or lunch to dinner without having to eat something inbetween.

The hunger is so intense that I get cold, dizzy and clammy. I have had 2 blood tests for diabetes and both came back within normal range.

Is this normal for people on Citalopram? Does it go away?

[pinkdove]

yes i am taking citalopram too, at first i could'nt eat at all .


however now i have an intense feeling of hunger but it is during the evening, and have put on weight since taking them, i don't know if it is because i feel better or the meds, but definately eat more now

i would say that most ad's rev up your appetite, but i would rather that than be the way i was, it will settle take care x

[DoogieJ]

Are you taking your daily dose in the evening or in the morning? I take mine first thing in the morning so i need to eat at like 9am, 11am, midday, 2pm, 4pm...that gets me through the workday and then I eat when I get home...I had these hunger pangs occasionally when I was having anxiety attacks, but since I've been on Citalopram it's pretty much every day. It's almost hypoglycemic, hence the diabetes tests.

[robinbrum]

I also had these hunger pangs on Citalopram and I gained a lot of weight while taking it, about 10 pounds. It's one of the reasons I stopped taking it, weighed up against the fact that I no longer felt any benefit from it.

[DoogieJ]

I'm trying to stagger my standard food intake through the day rather than add extra calories to my diet, it seems to be working in my weight hasn't changed.

It's just like a switch goes in my body, there's no gradual feeling, just suddenly i feel hungry, and if i don't eat, after about 20-30 minutes I get shakes, feel weak and dizzy, then I have to eat something, be it 1 sandwich, a cereal bar or a packet of crisps. Trying to avoid sugar as that is a quick release and I need more slow release. Hating it.

[tomewer]

Citalopram didn't affect me in that way at all. I had some light side effects when starting (nausea, dizziness, the usual suspects). But it was much worse when tapering off - I was having wild mood swings and felt really depressed at times. That went on for a couple of weeks. If you're going off Citalopram any time soon, please taper slowly!

[DoogieJ]

Went to the doctor today about it, going to try two things, lower my dose to 10mg for a week, and try to take it in the evenings, to see if it helps.

[DoogieJ]

An update on this. It does feel like it's made a difference taking a lower dose at night. My appetite feels like it's normal again.