Citalopram first day & not a good omg !!!

[Smiffy3594]

Oh my god :ohmy: !!!! took first 20mg citalopram this morning around 7am and since then been having to rush to the loo numerous times (and i mean numerous) with extremely watery stools :blush: (sorry people not pleasant I know) anyone else experience this with citalopram - should i stop taking it & go back to doctors - know its only first day on it but in my mind am thinking its not initially helping social phobia when i have panic attack urgency for the toilet is one of my symptoms !!! How am I supposed to do the things that I can do when I can't move very far away from the toilet !!!! :shrug:

[debbsi]

I felt awful within 30mins of taking my first tablet - i was having to hold back being sick as i drove home from work, i had diarrhoea a couple of days later too, along with a lot of other symptoms. I'm afraid i could only cope for a couple of days of taking it and as i really couldnt take time off work at the moment i stopped taking them - and for me i feel that was the right thing to do.
HOWEVER - apparantly the side effects do subside so i'm sure lots of people on here will tell you their experiences and how much benefits they got from the drug too.It just wasnt for me xx

[LAURA48]

Hi - sorry you are having a rough time on the start of Citalopram - those symptoms are quite normal and should wear off (side effects) I am on Week 4 - my main side effects have been headaches and tiredness of this med and have been unable to go to work. Have been on 40mg for one week and have really noticed a bump up in the side effects - off to bed in a minute - should wear off though. Was on Prozac many years ago and the side effects on those were terrible - heightened anxiety - these seem more mild!

Good luck and hope you feel better soon x

[Smiffy3594]

Second day taking citalopram decided to try taking pill with food and thank god today no running to the loo :yesyes: so tmrw gonna do same & hopefully won't have a repeat of day one !

[theharvestmouse]

I was on Citalopram for 6 months, I came off it a month ago because I found it was draining my energy from me and the suicidal thoughts were constant. Since coming off it I have felt much better.

I changed things in my life and that had more effect that medication, I am very anti medication.

I'm not saying its wrong for everyone but just a word of warning that its not a great way to live being on medication.

[GwenBix]

I was put on Citalopram a few weeks back and the first week was terrible with sickness/upset stomach/tiredness/terrible anxiety etc. Thankfully that has now stopped but I will admit I'm not comfortable being on them I look to natural therapy which helps me alot more but I can no longer afford it so I felt this was something I had to do. Headaches I still have daily from them I'm on week 3 now and I'm sorry to hear you are having these side effects and I hope you feel better soon! Take care x

[purplesky]

I'm not saying its wrong for everyone but just a word of warning that its not a great way to live being on medication.

I do respect you not wanting to take medication. All I would say is that for some people medication is literally a life saver. I don't like the fact I take it, but am having to accept that I cannot function properly without its assistance. Believe me, I have tried, maybe not as much as some, but we are all built differently.

When I take medication, it allows me to think more clearly (without anxious thoughts constantly taking over) it slows me down (because I am naturally hypomanic) and it gives me respite from drinking alcohol to cope with living life (which I did for over a decade).

I'm not trying to make you feel wrong, but I think words are powerful, and saying its not a great way to live might be your experience, but its not everyone's. Once again, if you can live without medication, all credit to you, but i would just say that it can be a life saver for those in desperate circumstances, just as it can be the wrong thing for someone else. I don't believe it's good or bad, its just different for everyone at different times. :)

[erin31]

I could not agree with you more purplesky. For me antidepressants have been a life saver yet when I started to take them many people suggested I should not.
I was constantly told to try natural remedies, exercise or diet and one quote I constantly heard was that antidepressants only 'mask the symptoms and do not cure the problem'. The last quote I find the strangest of all because is that not what most medications do? Pain killers only work while you take them, a diabetic is not cured by taking insulin but has to take it constantly, epilepsy drugs don't cure epilepsy and I know numberous people who are on medication for life as it only helps while they actually take it. It is the same for natural products, diet and exercise. They may help but only if you continue with them.
My father-in-law has to take a cocktail of medication for a heart problem and these drugs cause numberous horrible side effects (including skin cancer) for which he has to take yet more medication yet no one would dare to suggest he should not take his medication. I know people will say that his drugs are life saving but for many so are antidepressants. Why do people think it is so wrong to take them if they help?
It may not be great to live on medication of any kind but millions of people have to and personally I would rather live on medication than be dead. :)

[purplesky]

It may not be great to live on medication of any kind but millions of people have to and personally I would rather live on medication than be dead. :)

I think that's it really, and sorry for taking this a little off topic..

I've had arguments with people who are vehemently against medication and believe they can get through life with other coping strategies. The reality seems to be that some can and some clearly are not, but convince themselves they are. Some people would literally either not be alive, or living a hugely chaotic life with a bleak future if they didn't take meds. Some people are living chaotic lives but think they are coping better without meds. That is arguable, but what is not arguable for me, is the right to choose.

That's why I said I respect people who choose not to, but some people after much agonising have come to the conclusion that they have to. And yes, medication can bring some semblance of normality into lives that are chaotic without it. I just believe strongly in that choice.