Citalopram. Yes or no?

[Melon1]

Hi. I am still in a right mess. Been diagnosed with UTI, antibiotics not working so really frightened it's cancer. I have been here before with these fears and am so fed up with the constant fear and dread. I feel the same panic rise every morning. I need to break this cycle. It is having a big impact on my family and I am so miserable.

Does anyone take citalopram? I am considering it but scared of what it might do to me. I am so paranoid about getting I'll that I try to live the healthiest lifestyle possible and the thought of any drugs bringing on any illness scares me silly. Are there any side effects and how easy is it to come off them? What do they do to your mind? Will my personality change?! All these questions.

I really hope someone can help.

Thanks x

---------- Post added at 09:12 ---------- Previous post was at 08:11 ----------

Can anyone help? Please x

[purplesky]

Well, I took Citalopram for 4 years. For me, it was a godsend and probably changed my life. I was self medicating with alcohol and in a bad place.

I held onto the pack of Citalopram in fear of taking it for about 5 days. I took it one day about 4pm, and within the hour I felt relaxed and warm.

That's my story, the only side effects I had were bit of a dry mouth to start, and itchy skin after a while, with the usual SSRI 'male' side effects, but it was nothing I couldn't live with, and on balance taking the med was FAR better than not taking it. It balanced me, made me less irritable, and was good for the time I took it.

I changed because it was becoming less effective, and my sleep pattern was getting worse (due to illness not Citalopram).

So, I would recommend it. Others will have their own story. All I would say is, if/when you take it, try and relax and forget you have taken it, rather than concentrate on any changes or side effects. Easier said than done, but worth it, because its easy to become hyper sensitive when taking a med for the first time. Try and believe it will be good for you, and is being given to help, which it is.

Good luck :)

[oneofus]

Citalopram does have side effects, but in the vast majority of cases they are mild. The posts you read on here do not necessarily reflect the real situation. Most people who take the drug have no problem with it and do not post to forums such as this.

It takes around a month for Citalopram to kick in, and for the vast majority of people it is very effective. As for changes to personality well anxiety is part of your personality and part which you might wish to be rid of. So in that sense the answer to that question is yes, but Citalopram will not turn your you into a "zombie" (I hate the word but I can't think of any better one) devoid of any emotion.

My children certainly preferred me when I took it, daddy's happy pill as it became. I'm not too sure I suddenly started thinking I ought to do things like washing the car, carrying out DIY instead of collapsing and watch the TV all the time :-) If you can, pick up a decent book on depression and anxiety, read about what treatments are available and how other people have handled their problems. Above all talk to someone else about how you're feeling. NoMorePanic is a proxy for such and very good, but if you can talk to someone face to face.

one of us

[krisdeancooper]

Day 7 of Citalopram for me today and so far I haven't really benefitted. For the first 4 days I had pretty harsh side effects. I was more anxious and had a couple of panic attacks but I pushed through it and now I just take the tablet and nothing happens. I know this stuff takes a while to activate so I'm just sitting on it until I feel the benefits.

All in all mate I would say it's definitely worth giving a go. I feel no worse which is a definite positive and I know that I'll feel better in time to enjoy some of the summer!!

[scrog80]

all these anti depressants take emotion away in my opinion and I have tried most of them. citralopram does cause some anxiety in the first week or 2 but then after that it is good at stopping panic even in the most serious situations where I would usually have a full on panic attack it just seams to simmer below it and i calm down allot quicker after id say have a go give it 2 months at least and if it does not agree with you try something else but the side effects are mild to say the least compared to some others for any one having trouble sleeping matazapine is good for knocking you out @purplesky.

[purplesky]

Yeah cheers Scrog, I just started on that about 3 weeks ago. There's a thread somewhere..it certainly does help me sleep. :)

Citalopram is pretty well tolerated and effective across the board, thats why it is popular with the NHS, but it is good. I certainly have it to thank for changing my life, and so do others.

:)

[oneofus]

all these anti depressants take emotion away in my opinion and I have tried most of them. citralopram does cause some anxiety in the first week or 2 but then after that it is good at stopping panic even in the most serious situations where I would usually have a full on panic attack it just seams to simmer below it and i calm down allot quicker after id say have a go give it 2 months at least and if it does not agree with you try something else but the side effects are mild to say the least compared to some others for any one having trouble sleeping matazapine is good for knocking you out @purplesky.

Your experience with Citalopram is exactly that your experience, many other people tolerate it and other medication with few if any significant side effects. It does not cause the symptoms you describe in everyone.

[messianictalmud]

all these anti depressants take emotion away in my opinion and I have tried most of them. citralopram does cause some anxiety in the first week or 2 but then after that it is good at stopping panic even in the most serious situations where I would usually have a full on panic attack it just seams to simmer below it and i calm down allot quicker after id say have a go give it 2 months at least and if it does not agree with you try something else but the side effects are mild to say the least compared to some others for any one having trouble sleeping matazapine is good for knocking you out @purplesky.

100% agree but then quite alot of anti-depressants seem to bring on what your being treated for at first.

How do you mean they take your emotions away ?

[Worried_Male]

Changed my life. No exaggeration.

Been taking it for about 9 months now and my life is almost as good as it was before the anxiety and depression.

9 months ago i was in a really bad place, a place i never ever want to go again. Sleep was the only escape and i dreaded the mornings. Slowly but surely Citalopram has given me my life back.

If you were in a bad place like i was than i strongly suggest you start taking it, the changes won't happen overnight, but you eventually start to see a light at the end of the tunnel that begins to shine brighter and brighter.

Never had any side effects, except maybe a little tiredness.

[cattia]

Yes, I would definitely give it a go. I was on prozac before for depression and anxiety and although I found the side effects terrible for the first few weeks, it lifted my symptoms like you would not believe. We are thinking about trying for another child in the next year or so, if it wasn't for that, I would be on citalopram like a shot tbh as I have head so many good things about it. You have nothing to lose, if you take it and you don't like it, you can easily stop.

[almoststew1990]

My own experience was fairly good. It takes a while (a month maybe) to kick in, which is long enough for my brain to not 'invent' feelings of the drugs working/not working. Their benifit sort of snuck up on me without me noticing. I realised I hadn't panicked for a week and felt confident and not worried. I was on 10 and then 20mg a day, I think.

When I was taken off it 5 months later (20 -> 10 -> 0mg) I got mild headaches every day at about 5pm for a week, after a week of being off it, which I got anxious about, but the side effects were well explained in the leaflet and by my doctor which was some comfort, and the headaches only lasted a week. I would go for citalopram.