Citalopram diary - Day 15 - Here we go!

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi everyone hope your all well.

I thought it would be good to make a diary of how my journey on Citalopram is progressing. Always good to have something to look back on so I can hopefully see the gradual improvements in myself. Feel free to comment and post. Hopefully some of you relate to my story.

I suffer mainly from health anxiety but also Generalized anxiety disorder and ive been slowly getting depressed as all the stress of the non stop anxiety have been getting me down. I havnt left the house apart from visiting the doctor in about 4 weeks.

So just a breif idea of how ive been feeling on the Citalopram so far. Im on 20mg a day, today is day 15 on Citalopram and up untill about day 11 i didnt have many side effects, I just felt a bit groggy, had brain fog and was dizzy now and then, the anxiety levels were relatively low, it was at a level could deal with anyway.

Day 12
I woke up feeling ill, I was very dizzy and felt unsteady on my feet, my anxiety was still not to bad but as the day progressed so did the anxiety. I gradually felt light headed confused and disorientated, i also noticed my right pupil was bigger than my left, along with feeling like my legs were not attached to me and having to actualy think how do i move my legs before they would actually move. These symptoms sent my anxiety sky high, i was sure there was something wrong with my brain. I was on the verge of going to hospital but my mum managed to calm me down and convince me I was ok.

Day 13
Felt similar to the day before, high anxiety levels, foggy head, dizzy, light headed, dream world.

Day 14
Felt slightly better still, feel foggy, dream like. right eye pupil seems to still be bigger than the left. Anxious but not as much as day 12 and 13.

Day 15 today
Woke feeling really strange, had numbness in both hands and lower arms for a few minutes. Whole body felt really weak and tingly, it felt all floppy thats the only way i can describe it. Got up to go to the bathroom legs were like jelly i stumbled but luckily the wall was there to hold me up. Felt really light headed, really bad foggy head, felt like my brain was going to shut down. Was going to go hospital again, was waiting for my mum to give me a lift but i gradually started to feel a little bit better. The foggy head is still there and im still nearly always in a dream world state, feel so disorientated. The light headedness has calmed down. To be honest I dont feel much anxiety today, I just feel like crap, weak and not all there in the head.

This scares me as I still dont fully believe all my symptoms are anxiety, i havnt had a brain scan or any sort or checks on my brain. I also dont think the symptoms are down to the Citalopram as ive had most of them before taking it. But maybe the Cit is just increasing my symptoms and making me feel weak and ill at the same time.

I will post my progress from today onwards. Really hope i start to feel better soon.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Feel free to post if you relate and if you have any advice for me that would be great!

---------- Post added at 17:34 ---------- Previous post was at 15:37 ----------

This dream world i feel like im in is just so horrible, i feel like i cant even do normal thing like speak to members of my family because it freaks me out as none of it feels real.

[Sparkle1984]

Interesting diary; thanks for sharing your experiences. You're 5 days ahead of me (I'm currently on Day 10), but it's still early days yet so you will still get side effects and that's perfectly normal. My advice would be to try and stay optimistic that things will get better (although I know it's hard at the moment).

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks sparkle. How have you been feeling on them.

Ive also noticed my memory, mainly short term memory is completely useless now. I will be doing something and then completely lose my train of thought. Not liking all these symptoms.

---------- Post added at 19:33 ---------- Previous post was at 18:18 ----------

Also my left foot and toes have been twitching all day, very odd.

[Sparkle1984]

I've got a diary on here as well so you can read that and hopefully you will find it helpful. I did have bad side effects for the first 4 or 5 days - mostly loss of appetite and insomnia. I've been feeling better since Monday evening though - still not 100% but much better than I was before I started taking them.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 16
Managed to get a decent nights sleep and only think I woke up once or twice in the middle of the night which is better than usual. Woken up and my anxiety levels are not to bad they are bareable but its the other symptoms that are getting frustrating now. I wake up in a foggy daze, feeling a bit dizzy and light headed, it does lift slightly as the day goes on but the fog is always there. Legs feel like jelly. My right pupil is bigger than my left again (cant stop looking at that now). Ive only been up for a couple of hours so I will updat this as the day goes on.

Anyone else feel like there in a permanent fog?

---------- Post added at 16:09 ---------- Previous post was at 13:07 ----------

update:
Just went out to walk the dog as i thought it was about time i tried to get out the house. It wasnt a very plesant experience, I felt dizzy and my vision seemed a bit blurry which sent my anxiety back up. Sitting at home watching tv now feel like crap, in a daze. Going to go to the doctor soon about all my symptoms and ask if I can be refered to see a Neurologist, as I had most of these symptoms before the medication and I still feel somethings rong.

[holly1]

I am also on 20mg Citalopram and I have definitely found that my short term memory has become rubbish. I will start a sentence and then completely forget where it was going. I have to keep apologising to people!
I am sure it must be a side effect of the drug and it seems like a lot of people have similar experiences.
:)

[mrbenn]

Hi, I have just read through your post and thought id share some of my experiances. Im about 3 weeks in on 20mg of Cit, but started for the first two weeks on 10mg. I have many similar side effects to yourself... My anxieties are also health related but in my stomach, so anything that sets my stomach off makes my anxiety go through the roof. I have also woken up with numb/tingly fingers and hands and also have the weird one pupil larger than the other. I have good days and bad days at the moment so its swings up and down - there is no pattern other than most mornings are harder to deal with than the afternoon/evenings when i generally feel a little more robust.

I guess we just hold on in there until the cit starts working ... My doc has said that the benefits can take anywhere from 4 - 8 weeks, so we still have some time to go.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Mrbenn, yea still a way to go for us but hopefully we see some benefits soon.

Also Just an update on how the day is going for the diary. Still feeling foggy and hazey, i have twitching left toes and foot which has been there for two days non stop now. My legs feel restless and like jelly. Anxiety is on the medium level id say. Been feeling a little bit nauseas today aswell which is an effect from anxiety or meds that I havnt suffered before.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:
In bed watching tv, not feeling to bad, but its up and down. Not feeling to anxious just have a slight headache and feel a bit groggy. Hopeing to feel some improvements tomorrow.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 17

Been up and awake for about an hour, my sleep pattern is all messed up, i sleep from about 5:30am untill about 12 or 1 in the afternoon. So i am getting around 7 hours sleep with a couple of breif wake ups which isnt to bad at all.

Feel slightly better today, anxiety levels are quite low but still have the brain fog and im in a bit of a daze, with a mild hedache. But its a new day so lets think positive and I will keep this updated as the day goes on.

[Dizzzie]

hey there just started on citalopram yesterday it has well and truely kicked in , feeling lifeless very dizzy and sick dont have an appetite which is odd for me as i love my food , have started shaking alittle and tingly feeling can still feel anxiety underneath all of this and im still grinding my teeth which tenses my back up , glad to see symptoms get better however concerned that foggyness stays for quite a few days i have to go back to work on 3rd sept so slightly worried, have to say night time is the worse still having what i think r beathing problems which goes into panic cant sleep have found hot water bottle on top of cehst helps to soothe tense feelings , but its great to follow your diary x:)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi Dizzzie, thanks for the reply.

Yea my appetites not so big recently either ive lost a bit of weight. Yea the foggyness is not nice at all im hopeing that will begin to ease off soon. Still early days so hopefully things should get better.

[riaglad]

these side effects are awful and i am going through them all again,just been put on beta blockers today x

[Sparkle1984]

Even though my appetite has improved a lot since last week, I still don't think it's completely back to normal. I don't eat as large portions as I used to.

[Laura1989]

Yea I lost my appetite for the first 4 days, but now I seem to be constantly hungry! One extreme to the other at the moment!
My foggyness is definitely easing, its still there, but I can kind of push it to one side when I need to concentrate on something!
My teeth clenching comes after I yawn, it's the oddest thing! The need to clench my.teeth though is becoming easier to resist! Things do get better, I've been assured!

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update on today:

Went out to walk the dog felt the usual foggy head and mild anxiety. Had a doctors appointment booked for later in the day and when I was about the leave I had a call from the doctors surgery to say my blood test results are back and i need to see the nurse. So naturally i was crapping myself. So i went to the doctors and saw the nurse first, she says everything on the blood test looks normal apart from my cholesteral which is very high. This suprised me as im only 24 and live a reasonbly healthly lifestyle, neither me or the doctor could work out why it is so high. Anyway going to try and exercise a bit more and eat a bit healthier, not that i dont already. My anxiety levels were very high while i was with the nurse and i was on the verge of having a panic attack but managed to get through it.

Went to see the doctor and told her about all my sypmtoms ive been having, the dizzyness, light headed, foggyness, twitching limbs, 1 pupil bigger than the other, headaches. She said it could all be the anxiety but it could be something else. She has sent me away saying to keep taking my citalopram and also take beta blockers and i have to go and get an eye test which i assume helps to tell if somethings wrong with the brain from the eyes. If there are no improvements in a week i am to go back and i think they will have to check and see if its something neurological.

Im just fed up of feeling like crap and being in a dream world non stop, i just want to find out whats rong (nothing i hope) and then get on with my life. Anxiety levels are obviously high as im worried about all this stuff and want to know whats wrong with me if it isnt all anxiety.

[Sparkle1984]

It sounds like you're going through a tough time - I hope it will resolve soon.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 18

I have woken up feeling like total crap. I feel sick and my anxiety is through the roof. My legs feel like jelly, worse than jelly they feel like their not there. The fact that I dont no if its anxiety, the medication or something more causing this is just making it all worse as i am sick with worry that i have something nuerological going on. Going for an eye test at some point, whenever i build the courage to leave the house during this week. I Will update this as the day goes on.

---------- Post added at 15:30 ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 ----------

Update:
Just been to get an eye test as I was asked to by my doctor. Nearly had a panic attack while i was having it done but managed to keep it under control. The eye test came back ok, he said both eyes are healthy, my long distance vision isnt great but nothing major. He said he is not sure why my right pupil sometimes becomes bigger than my left so he has written me a letter to give to my GP so they can send me for some neurological tests. This has always been one of my great fears that something is going wrong with my brain. So i will send that back to the doctor and hopefully get referred. Hate all this hanging over me.

Apart from all that, ive been feeling in a bit of a daze, not as foggy as yesterday but its still there. My legs felt like complete jelly most of the day so far, felt like they were going to give way so i went and sat down. I just want to find out im ok and be reassured and then i can concentrate on beating this anxiety.

Sorry this has become more of a general day to day diary rather than all about the Citalopram. Any comments from my fellow sufferers would be great.

---------- Post added at 18:01 ---------- Previous post was at 15:30 ----------

Is this stuff really going to help me? I dont see a way foward right now. Any time I try and go about normal day to day activities and just feel so ill. So foggy, dizzy, jelly legs, panic attacks.
So I just end up staying in bed watching tv and on here, because its the only place i can feel reasonably ok. I dont feel ok at all to fair but atleast its bareable. Just want to wake up and be the old me.

---------- Post added at 21:33 ---------- Previous post was at 18:01 ----------

Update:
So was feeling really bad earlier, been a bit of an up and down day. I dont feel to bad now, i have calmed down a lot. Ive still got slight brain fog and a fuzzy feeling in my head, these have become my main problems rather than the anxiety. But i cant complain i feel better than i have done in the past few days.
Just chilling watching tv and on the laptop at the moment, trying to keep the intrusive thoughts at bay.

---------- Post added 23-08-12 at 00:14 ---------- Previous post was 22-08-12 at 21:33 ----------

In bed wathcing tv. Feel a bit nauseous with the usual slight brain fog. At times a get breif moments of like 10 seconds or so where it feels like my brain its fizzing/buzzing away like there is a strange surge of activity going on, feels weird. Anyway if anyones awake and reading this comment or pop in the chat room for a chat :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 19

Woken up feeling anxious, body feels a bit light and tingly. I have still got the buzzing/fuzzy sensation going on in my head and I dont feel all there, a bit confused to be honest. I feel a bit nauseous. I just want to start to gradually feel a bit better but it doesnt seem to be happening :weep:

[miles200]

Hey gotagetthroughthis,

Stick in there. I've read that Citalopram can take up to like 4 weeks or sometimes more to kick in. I started on Citalopram for general anxiety disorder. This is my 3rd day, feel similar to you foggy, cannot concentrate, greater anxiety. Felt nauseas earlier like I do when I have an anxiety attack so went to bed and managed to get an hours sleep which made me feel better.

Like you i'm struggling to fall asleep at night so sleepy all day :(

good luck!!

Miles x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks for the reply Miles.

Yea im trying to hang in there but these feelings in my head are just so weird gets me so paranoid that something funny is going on. Dont no if its the citalopram or what, hopefully will see some improvements soon.

---------- Post added at 14:54 ---------- Previous post was at 13:54 ----------

Update:
Feeling so strange, foggy dizzy, fuzzy head. All these things bring on my anxiety now, not the other way round. I need to know if this the medication or something is going on up there in my head.

I had no side effects for the first 10 days i felt ok, just light anxiety which i had before taking the medication and then day 11 came and all these horrible symptoms have kicked in and havnt gone away. Is this normal, everyone else seems to get side effects from day 1 or 2 and then they gradually get better, mine started on day 11 and havnt improved, im not on day 19 and still no good effects have come my way.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Still foggy foggy foggy, dream world, fuzzy head feeling. Its like im looking at everything through sunglasses but in a way that is scary and depressing. I try go out for a bit and do normal things and it just seems to get worse so i have to go home. Right pupil is bigger than left again, seems to go back to normal in the morning and then as the day goes on it goes back to uneven pupils. Hate this.

[Dizzzie]

Hey there great diary I too have been on citalopram for four days felt ok today however the night seems
To be the worse anxiety is highest at night therefore as soon as I shut my eyes feeling overwhelms me and the panic try's to set in have to feel breathe for about an hour is that because I take the tablets in the morning ???? Feel like its worn off at night have terrible acid burning aswell after I've eaten this is great to share stories with others x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 20

So I woke up feeling a little bit strange and dizzy like usual but it wasnt as bad as the last few days to be fair. Still have brain fog but it has lifted slightly. Still just worried about my symptoms and thinking I have some neurological disease so the anxiety is still there.

I had a shower and felt a little bit refreshed afterwards, still light anxiety but less foggy and dream like than the last few days so its an improvement.

Went to the doctors as I had an appointment booked to explain all of my symptoms and I had a letter from the optician to give to my doctor that recommended I be referred to a neuro ophthalmologist as he was not sure why I have one pupil bigger than the other sometimes. So went to the doctor and explained my symptoms and gave him the letter, he said he cant really refer me as he doesnt have much reason to and its fine aslong as the eyes react to light. I told him about my dizzyness, brain fog, strange fuzzy sensations in my head but he said it may be the medication and to keep taking it for another 2 weeks or so and then come back if there are no improvements. So still havnt been checked for any medical conditions yet so this hangs in the back of my mind that something could be going on. But it also reassured me a bit that the doctor seems to think I am fine.

Went home and feeling reassured which seemed to make me feel a bit better in general. Quite relaxed for once. I just have a slight pressure headache that has come on in the past couple of hours that doesnt seem to be shifting but ill take that for now over the constant intense anxiety. Still slight brain fog and mild dizzyness but definitely not as bad as the past week or so. Hopefully this is a good sign.
Will update again later.

[Sparkle1984]

It sounds like things are finally starting to get better for you - let's hope it continues! :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Sparkle.
Update:
Well the positivity didnt last that long. Over the last hour the headache gradually got worse and then i went to walk the dog, came back and now i have strong nausea, havnt quite been sick yet. I feel like im buzzing on a drug but not in a good way, full foggyness is back.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 21

Ok so I have hit 3 weeks on citalopram and I do feel a bit better than I did a week ago, nothing amazing because I have ups and downs anyway but I feel ok.

Woke up this morning feeling a bit strange and anxious like usual, felt slightly dizzy but nothing major. As the days gone on I have noticed im not having so many obsessive thoughts running through my head, and im not googling my symptoms every 2 minutes. My anxiety levels are definetely lower today. Still do have slight brain fog and dizzyness that comes and gos but again this is also less extreme than before. My brain isnt working on full wack as I do get slightly confused sometimes and my memory doesnt seem good at all. The only other downside is I have a constant dull headache with some head pressure and have on and off nausea now, but ill take that over the full blown anxiety and panic attacks I had before. 1 other thing I still dont have much of an appetite.

My days are still spent at home watching tv and on the computer but I will start to venture out soon and see how i feel.

So all in all some improvements which I am very pleased with, i hope this continues and the headaches and nausea go soon.

Feel free to post and comment :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

Anxiety is definitely reduced today and the thoughts of constantly thinking I have a serious illness have calmed down a lot. Still have the headache and a bit of dizzyness, with slight brain fog but the fog is also much less than the past few days.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 22

So it took me a while to get to sleep last night but once I did I had a pretty good sleep. I still have this thing where my right pupil is considerably bigger than my left, it comes and goes but seems like it is doing it more often than not now. The doctor said its ok aslong as it reacts to light but my pupils werent uneven when i saw him and he just thinks im a hypercondriact. So this still does worry me.

Apart from that I woke up feeling ok, best ive felt in the morning for a while, not much anxiety and only slight dizzyness. As the days gone on I still have the slight brain fog and slight dizzyness but anxiety still seems low. I do seem to feel sick all the time now though and I have a headache that gradually gets worse througout the day. I am a lot calmer then before. Will keep updated as the day goes on.

[Dizzzie]

hi i am on day 7 however i did go out yesterday which was horrid since then have had consyant anxierty trouble sleeping glad your doing well :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Dizzzie. Sorry to hear your having a hard time, stick with it and things should improve.

Update:

Just an update about the rest of day 22. So the day wasnt to bad, I still felt generally a bit strange with slight brain fog and dizzyness that comes and goes. I went out to walk the dog which just seemed to increase the brain fog which wasnt very pleasent. Also seem to get a fuzzy feeling in my head towards the end of everyday now. Also have the slight headache there most of the day and the one eye pupil that gets bigger is still going on.

Nowhere near normal and anxiety is still there but it is an improvement so hope that continues.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 23

So im still the same as the last few days, anxiety at medium to low levels but constant fog and dizzyness. Its like theres a lack of oxygen getting to my brain or something. I still want to be checked out but my doctor wont refer me. I still have one pupil bigger than the other periodically. Went out for a walk and to get some stuff from the shops and anxiety wasnt to bad, just the lightheaded foggyness that gets me a bit worried. When I was last at the doctors he said see how I am in 2 weeks so thats what im doing, even though i feel the dizzyness is not right.

---------- Post added at 19:20 ---------- Previous post was at 18:51 ----------

Also seem to be on the verge of passing out all the time, especially when i stand up i have to put my head between my legs or i would pass out. I no some people get this sometimes but it seems to be all the time for me now.

[TJSMITH]

Hi there
I was just reading your post with interest re dizzyness.
I am now on Sertraline but was on Cit for 4 months and can assure you the dizzyness does get better at first i thought was due to the virus i had as that causes dizzyness even had an MRI.
I would say it take a good 3 months to completely go but it does so hang in there, i also had a feeling of detatchement which i didnt like at all but again this passed but to me it felt like forever so do know how you feel xx

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thank you TJSMITH

Yea its just the dizzyness, foggyness and being light headed that is really effecting me now. It does seem like my anxiety is lower already so if these other feelings go i will be happy.

[TJSMITH]

I promise you they will.
I noticed mine has come back this week but putting it down to increase in meds and its almed down again, i think it upset me so much before i made it even worse as dizzyness also a symptom of anxiety x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 24

Woke up feeling probably the best I have for a good few weeks so that was a good start. Still felt a little bit jittery and dizzy but only mildly. Sat in bed watching tv for a bit and got a few starnge shooting sensations/headaches go thorugh my head.

Got up had a shower and felt ok so I decided to go and get my hair cut which is even a big thing for me now as I havnt done anything for over a month. Went in the barbers and there was knowone waiting so sat down to get my hair cut straight away. I felt ok for the first 5 minutes talking to the barber and then out of nowhere I got a strange fuzzy feeling in my head and went completely light headed, felt like i was going to pass out and then this set off a full blown panic attack while i was in the chair getting my hair cut. I was sweating the horrible feelings were rushing through my body, i was completely disorientated, I felt my pulse but it wasnt racing? I had all the panic attack feelings but no racing heart, this seems to be the case all the time now, strange? Anyway I was on the verge of saying can you stop to the barber, i need to get up and go outside, but I didnt as I didnt want to look stupid and I didnt want to let the anxiety beat me, even though at the time i thought i was dying, i managed to battle through and made it through the hair cut.

Got up and left the shop with my legs like jelly and dizzy as ever, so went straight home. Now im home i feel ok again i suppose. So a little blip but I hope it doesnt hinder my progress. Sometimes I get ahead of myself and when I feel ok for an hour or so I think im back to normal when really im nowhere near.

[Dizzzie]

hey there ggtt glad to hear you woke up feeling good i to had the jitters had to go to the supermarket managed to do most isles was abit irritated if people got in my way had horrendous dry mouth today and the runs have had a few moments where i had skipped beats but nothing too major, how have your dizzy spells been do u have any anxiety at night time for me thats when it is at its worst??? what are your plans for venturing out again ?? x:)

[Sparkle1984]

Well done for not letting the panic attack interrupt your haircut! Apart from that it sounds like you're doing fairly well. :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks for the replys dizzzie and sparkle.

Dizzzie yes I do get bad anxiety at night, i usualy find the mornings a bit strange and then through the day im reasonably ok and then at night the anxiety catches me agian.

The Dizzy spells are still there yea. I get light headed and a fuzzy head a lot aswell, also a slight headache that comes and goes. Apart from that I feel my mood has definetely lifted the last few days, especially today.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

So a decent day today, have felt fairly good most of the time. A bad period earlier with the full blown panic attack while getting my hair cut but hopefully its just a blip. Im not obsessing about how my symptoms and how i feel every 2 seconds now, its more like every 10 mintues now so thats an improvement lol. Walked the dog earlier and my head felt quite clear for once. I am still getting some serges of high anxiety and dizzyness lightheadedness that comes and gos so im not going to get ahead of myself and I do get this horrible fuzzy feeling in my head which is the worst thing at the moment, but things do look like they are picking up :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 25

Woke up this morning with some chest pains and felt a bit breathless and this caused a panic attack, please do not start the vicious cycle again, I can feel myself being dragged down slightly but got to stay positive. I full on thought I was having a heart attack this morning and its so hard to tell yourself its a panic attack when you have health anxiety about your heart anyway. The attack passed now but feel a little bit foggy and anxiety is a bit higher then the last couple of days and my spirits arent so high but I will see how i go throughout the day, hopefully i feel better in a bit.

[Iggy131313]

Hi Mate,

have you considered upping your dose to 30? maybe it would help ease those feelings?

[Gotagetthroughthis]

hi Iggy,

Yea i have been thinking about it, i just want to get to about 5 weeks on 20mg and see how i am then, as I feel it has only kicked in over the last few days so want to see how i feel with the 20mg. I dont like being on an anti depressant at all so dont want to go down the route of upping my dose just yet lol. Im still dizzy and lightheaded everyday aswell and hopeing this will go away soon.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

So today hasnt been as positive as the last couple of days. Im not back to non stop anxiety but I do feel very strange all the time and have had on and off surges of near panic attacks throughout the day, i think the panic attack this morning and yesterday just knocked me a bit.

So been trying to keep my mind occupied but ive got a weird fuzzy head, feel foggy, light headed and dizzy so its quite hard and the anxiety has been creeping in more and more. I also have a sort of pulsing pressure head ache that seems to increase when I stand up. Also my eye pupils are doing there usual random uneveness, even the shape of one of them looks more oval then round now which freaks me out. All this has obviously convinced me I have something serious wrong with me again so im back to analyzing all my symptoms. Im still calmer then I was a few weeks ago though. Hopefully its just a little set back and tomorrow will be better.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 26

Woke up this morning in a bit of an axious state, not a panic attack but not far off one. Calmed down a bit now. Still dont feel to great, dizzy and foggy, fuzzy head. I also have just got no engery or motivation whats so ever. So im just spending most of the time in bed on the laptop and watching tv. I have nothing to do really anyway. I dont really know what im expecting from the Citalopram, its like i expect it to just suddenly make me back to normal and i know its not really going to do that. Just dont know what to do with myself, so I dont help my self a lot of the time.

I still have the nagging thoughts that its not all anxiety and I do have something Neurologically wrong with me and with that doubt in my head the anxiety is always there.

---------- Post added at 20:28 ---------- Previous post was at 16:39 ----------

Update:

Havnt been as panicky today but i still dont feel to good. Really dizzy and foggy all the time, i thought these side effects would of started to subside by now, thats why i think it may be something other than the meds causing these symptoms.

My plan is to get to 5 weeks on the Citalopram and if these feelings and symptoms arent any better then I may ask to change to Escitalopram, as Ive heard some people have moved straight over with not many issues. Anyone here changed form Cit to Escitalopram?

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

Felt a bit better as the night went on, not to anxious. I still felt a bit foggy and dizzy so i did something ive never done before i forced myself to go out for a jog, even though my health anxiety makes me terrified im going to have a heart attack. so had a light jog with some stop and starting and did have a few panicky moments while i was out of breath, but i survived and i did actually feel better after. So that is a positive. Also i think it did clear my head a bit and i had quite a calm night. Hopefully this can continue.

[cmc46]

Pleased to hear that you had a better night, I have now been on cit for 6 weeks and am gradually slowly starting to feel better, I went to see the GP yesterday after a fortnight and he said I seemed and looked a lot better which made me feel good, I don't have to see him for a month now. My worst thing now is waking up on and off at night starting at 1.30 every night, hopefully it will get better soon.

Have a good day.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks cmc46.

Ah yea the waking up must be annoying, I did have that for the first week but then it settled down and moved on to the dizzyness and fuzzy feelings in my head. I suppose it effects everyone in different ways. Hopefully we can both start to feel back to normal soon. keep in touch.

[cmc46]

When do you take your tablet, morning or evening? I take mine in the morning, I don't know whether that makes any difference to sleeping, the last week I have felt tired after lunch and if I sit down that's it I'm gone.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea i take mine in the morning aswell and do find i get a little sleepy throughout the day

---------- Post added at 18:36 ---------- Previous post was at 17:04 ----------

Day 27

Was a bit anxious when I woke up this morning, but that settled within an hour or so. So im just back to feeling ok, with mild dizzy foggyness again.

I feel like im stuck in between feeling really bad with high anxiety and between feeling reasonbly good and able to start doing things again. Im not feeling either of those im in the middle. I dont feel horribly anxious but i dont feel right, i always feel slightly dizzy and foggy and have no energy or motivation. I could force myself to get up and go out but i no im not quite ready. I would go out and start having panic attacks and have to come home. I just cant ignore the dizzyness and fuzzy head feelings, with the on and off headaches. I just want to get over the hurdle of feeling rather strange and then I could go and and start getting back to normality. I dont know is these strange feelings are ever going to go away though.

[TJSMITH]

Hang in there they do although took 3 months for me but must add I also had an inner ear infection that started all this of for me

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

So as the day went on ive felt ok. Still have the slight dizziness, but anxiety is pretty low which is good. Its friday night so a few months ago i would of been out drinking with my mates. I had a few mates calling asking if i was coming out tonight, i new i wasnt really up for it but i did feel a bit better than usual so i said what the hell, ill try go out and see if i can get through the night. I went to the pub to meet my mates, didnt no whether to drink or not but i ordered a pint. Anyway within about 5 minutes i started feeling really dizzy and foggy, my head felt fuzzy and i was getting a bit disorientated, these feelings would come and go every minute or so and i was on the verge of a panic attack, so i left. Atleast I attempted it but no i am not ready. So now back at home chilling and i feel reasonably calm but just disapointed I cant do the simple things i used to like everyone else my age.

[cmc46]

Sorry to hear that your night out didn't go too well but the only way to find out is to try and well done for that, my partner's grandchildren turned up this week unexpectedly and a few weeks ago I would have gone into a complete panic but this week it all went smoothly and I enjoyed it so it will get better in time and I'm sure it won't be long before you are able to enjoy a night out with your mates.

[nippy70]

I been on cit four weeks gone thursday. First two weeks horrid side effects... this week anxiety has almost gone.... still get times in the day when i feel funny. Dizzy or slight faint feeling but it goes.... to all on cit hang in there i does.get better...... give it time and u will see light athe end o tunnel

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks cmc45 and nipp70, yea i hope i can start to start enjoying normal day to day things again soon but i am at the four week mark now and its not looking like it.

---------- Post added at 23:07 ---------- Previous post was at 22:55 ----------

Day 28

So ive hit four weeks on Citalopram. Not feeling as good as I hoped I would but there you go. When im at home im not in a constant state of anxiety like i was, bit i still get little bursts of panic now and then. I also am still nowhere near being able to do normal things yet. I cant go to the shops or out to walk the dog, let alone out with friends without feeling like im going to pass out and get so dizzy and leads to panic attacks. So thats not so great.

I still am a bit foggy but that has lifted a little in the past week. I am still dizzy and lightheaded pretty much most of the time though.

So anyway last night i was reading about acupunture and heard it can help with anxiety so today i thought what the hell have i got to lose. Forced myself to go out to the local acunpunture place. Had the worst fuzzy head and was dizzy the whole time i was there. I had the acupuncture done and was on the verge of a panic attack most of the time while this was going on. Didnt feel any different from it but i suppose you need a few sessions to see some benefit.

Basically im not panicing 24/7 so thats good, but ive always got some anxiety that peaks several times throughout the day. I think i will be like this untill I am checked up properly for neurological conditions. I cant ignore the fact that i have developed 1 pupil bigger than the other even when my doctor wouldnt refer me when i told him. So i need to either find out whether there is something wrong and if there isnt i can get the reasurrance and hopefully move on from these worries.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 29

Woke up late today, seem to be needing more sleep then i was before, but atleast i can sleep unlike a few weeks ago. I felt ok when i woke up, my head was a bit clearer then usual. The rest of the day has gone like usual so not much point me repeating it lol.
Just foggy and dizzy all the time and im in a steady state of this constantly.

Back to the doctors tomorrow to try and see what we can do about this.

[mrbenn]

Just reading about your experiance with Accupunture . I have had accupunture for anxiety and have found it really helps. I seem to sleep VERY well the night after the sessions - so thats a really good thing. Keep it up though, you gave to have a few sessions etc. If you need anymore info let me know

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 30

So day 30 and I woke up feeling groggy and dizzy as per usual. My sleep pattern is well and truely messed up, im waking up at around 3 or 4pm at the moment.

Had a doctors appointment at 4:30pm today so got up and headed down to the doctors. Literally felt like i was going to pass out or just drop to the floor when i was walking down there. While sitting in the waiting room i was sweating, was disorientated, felt very faint. These things dont even feel like panic attacks anymore, just feel like im about to pass out and die.

So i went into the doctors office and told her my symptoms are all still there and i need to be referred to see someone, she really didnt want to refer me and wasnt suggesting anything, was just saying my symptoms dont point to anything and its anxiety. I told her about my pupils being uneven and all my constant dizzyness lightheaded, confusion, tingling in limbs, feeling faint all the time. I wasnt leaving untill i got referred and id been there about 6 times in the last month or so, in the end she said she will refer me to a neurologist, so i hope she does and wasnt just saying it to get rid of me.

Apart from that she didnt suggest anything else just said keep taking the citalopram at 20mg. So ill wait for the referral and keep taking the Cit.

If it is citalopram causing my symptoms, maybe it isnt right for me? Do you think the symptoms should have subsided by now, im a month in and im still constantly dizzy and light headed and my anxiety is not as bad when im at home but as soon as i leave the house its still there on full blast with the panic attacks. I feel like just coming off the meds just to see if it is causing my symptoms but im going to stick it out untill about 6 weeks and if its not any better i think it is time for a change. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

---------- Post added at 21:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:34 ----------

Also i just realised ive run out of Citalopram yesterday and the chemist is now closed so I wont be able to take it today. Will have to get it first thing tomorrow.

[Newtoallthis]

Hi Gottagethroughthis,

I started taking Citalopram yesterday, its the first time I have ever tried antidepressants, and I have only had two doses so far, I'm on 10mg but the first day I had some horrific side affects, phoned NHS Direct who thought I was having a stroke and I had to really stress the point that I thought it was side effects from teh Citalopram, stopped them sending out an ambulance. I have been trying to decide whether my reaction is strong enough to warrant stopping and trying another brand. Phoned NHS direct again tonight and they sent an ambulance round even though I said I don't think I need one. The paramedics reckoned that it was probably just side effects. They called a doctor who had a conversation with me and then said if the symptoms are not too distressing then I should carry on. That was the deciding factor for me. I am only suffering with Depression, its fairly sever but it is relatively mild I think compared to what you are going through and your Health anxiety.

I wanted to say thank you for putting this diary up as it has helped me enormously. I am having similar symptoms to you especially the dizzy, foggy, jelly legs and headaches also neck and head aches, chest tightness, burning sensation in my ears and head and neck, dry mouth, tingling numb face, arms, difficulty speaking and concentrating, had fever, shaking, Nausea, blurred vision and squiggles in front of my eyes and my head was so heavy I couldn't even lift it for a while. For me for this is already unbearable and I can't go on feeling like this. So as my condition I think is potentially manageable in other ways and having seen how much you are suffering I'm going to stop taking it. I was like you last night I thought I was going to die I thought I had an allergic reaction to it, I take antihistamines everyday anyway and they seemed to alleviate some of the symptoms.

Basically like you I don't know if its the Citalopram or something else, it may even be psychosomatic, or me trying to resist the medication, as I do feel better when talking to friends on the phone, but I'm at an early enough stage that if I stop it now I will soon find out if it was the drug or not.

I hope you soon feel better, as you seem to be suffering with this. I'm sure it will get better but if after your 6 weeks your doctor still isn't listening and you still feel so bad, I would suggest you get a second opinion if you can, just to give you peace of mind. You have come so far I really hope you get the outcome that you want.

Take care of yourself

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thank you Newtoallthis that really means a lot and thanks for your input.

Its up to you what you do but dont let my diary effect wether you take the drug or not because it effects everyone in different days, many people have no side effects or there side effects calm down after the first week or so. But if you feel you can cope without it then thats great.

I have suffered a bit and I am dizzy and lightheaded most of the time but its not unberabale and I havnt got mad non stop anxiety like i did a few weeks ago. I can actually relax at home which i couldnt even do a few weeks back.

Sorry to hear your having such strong side effects.

There are many helpfull threads on Citalopram here so have a read through.

Thanks again for you reply and i hope everything works out for you.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 31

Woke up today feeling a bit groggy like usual but after an hour or so i began to felt ok. I didnt take any Citalopram yesterday as i had run out and didnt get a chance to get a new pack. Coincidentally today i do not feel as dizzy today, maybe it is just my mind playing tricks on me or maybe it is the Cit making me dizzy all the time. Its made me actually debate stopping taking it all together and see how i go, but that would be a bit pointless after taking it for a month and then stopping when i should start to see some benefits now. So decided im going to keep taking it until about 7 weeks and then stop if i dont feel any better.

Went for second session of Acupuncture today, dont know if its doing much but i did feel my head was a tiny bit clearer afterwards when i was walking home.

Generally feeling ok, quite calm most of the time, but still dont feel normal, slightly groggy and wee bit dizzy but better then last couple of days.

Will keep updated as day goes on.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

Ive been doing a lot of reading online and i know i shouldnt. I think i may just stop the Citalopram guys. I dont like the thought that it can increase the risk of electrical faults in the heart when i have health anxiety about my heart anyway. I no im only on 20mg but still i dont want to become reliant on a drug that effects the heart. Ive also read people with slow heart rate are at greater risk and my heart rate gets down to 40-45 while resting.

What do you guys rekon, should i keep taking it now ive come this far?

[Gotagetthroughthis]

What do you guys think do you think i should keep taking this drug with such a low resting heart rate and with me already having health anxiety caused by thinking about my heart?

---------- Post added at 19:01 ---------- Previous post was at 15:17 ----------

Day 32

Woke up today feeling groggy and dizzy like usual but after an hour or so i felt a little bit better and had a bit of energy which is unusual. I havnt left the house but i have been tidying and rearranging my room, i still have slight dizzy lightheadedness and nagging thoughts but my spirits are much higher today. So a decent day so far.

Still in this predicament on whether i should carry on this medication as i dont want to be on something that effects my heart. id rather be on a different anti depressant after all the news about Citalopram.

Will keep updated as the day goes on.

[Sparkle1984]

Hi,

It's probably best to speak to your doctor for advice. Do you feel better than you did before you started taking the tablets? If not, then maybe you should switch to something different. If you do feel better, then it would seem like a shame to stop, but it's about what you feel happiest doing.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Sparkle, yea i do maybe feel slightly better on the tablets, its like the high anxiety has been swapped for low anxiety and dizzy light headedness. Also i wish i never hear about Citalopram effecting the heart because it has just sent me into anxiety cycle again, thinking things are going on with my heart because im taking this drug.

So I still cant decide what to do really, i want to start to feel the benefits of the drug which should be coming soon but at the same time i dont want to be on a drug thats been in the news for causing problems with the heart and puts you at risk.

[Serenitie]

It's early days. Give your medication some more time to work and try not to worry so much. Worry changes nothing and increases anxiety. The heart issue does not effect you on your current dose. Have you discussed these concerns with your GP? Stick with it and you should see some positive results soon :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Serenitie, No i havnt discussed it with my GP as i know they would just tell me to go away and stop bothering them in so many words, from what ive read its also more risky to be taking citalopram if you have a slow heart rate and mine is very slow around 40BPM when resting, it has always been like this and doesnt worry me but it does when now. I probably am just being stupid but i just wish i was on a different anti depressant now as the heart thing just adds to my anxiety. They are asking me to take beta blocker aswell as the Citalopram, My heart rate would probably be down to about 20 beats per minute then lol. I have told them my resting heart rate is very slow but they just fail to tell me its safe or give me any sort of advice.

---------- Post added at 18:56 ---------- Previous post was at 18:46 ----------

Day 33

Woke up feeling a bit Groggy but not as bad as usual. slight dizzyness. After an hour or so i felt pretty good. I dont seem to be noticing my dizzyness or lightheadedness today quite as much so it must be subsiding a bit, i hope that continues. My mood is at a steady level today, feeling a little bit more normal. I do get the funny fuzzy cotton wall head feelings now and then, they usualy come on at night and they are horrible, but there nowhere near as bad as a few weeks ago. I dont have much energy and i find it near impossible to get up in the morning but ive always been pretty lazy anyway so. Decent day so far.

Also just to add, ive still had my on and off chest pains during this whole diary, i just failed to mention them as i have had them for so long. I have started to monitor my heart again after reading about the heart issues with citalorpam, i hope it doesnt send me down the heart obssesion road again, i had only just moved over to obssesing over my brain instead.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 34

This is the best ive felt in the morning since being on these meds. I have started taking the tablet at night instead of in the morning and this seems to be helping. I usualy get a decent nights sleep now, it takes me a while to get to sleep but once i do im ok. Never have any energy to get up in the morning though so i just sleep in untill late afternoon.

Decent last couple of days and im feeling ok today so far so good news. Really need to start getting out of the house now though, just havnt got anything to do at the moment.

Will keep updated.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Ok so this is an update on day 32. After feeling a bit better in the past couple of days i decided to go with my mates for a few drinks. i felt strange and not to good at first but a few drinks turned into a few more and i ended up being quite drunk and not thinking about my usualy problems. I ended up being my usualy uncontrollable drunk self but im home now. Im just waiting for my first hangover in over 2 months and my first hangover on the Citalorpram, so we shall see.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 35

i managed to go out last night and have a reasonably good night. The anxiety was there but after id had a few drinks and became drunk the worries were pretty much forgotten. I did seem like a light weight last night and thats probably down to the fact im drinking on the medication and because i havnt drank in a while. So had a good few drinks just round the local area. Pleased i managed to get out and about.

Woke up with a nasty hangover this morning, went back to sleep for a few hours and felt a little bit better, but still extremely groggy. Have had a fuzzy head today and can feel my anxiety creeping up, i cant expect to get away with a heavy nights drinking and not have some strange feelings the next day.

So all in all i dont feel great today nut i no thats donw the the hangover. In general the past 3 days have been pretty good, with less anxiety and less dizzyness, although they are both still there. I do feel like im getting better. I hope it continues.

[Sparkle1984]

I'm glad you feel like you're getting better. :D

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you drink? I'm just wondering because I haven't been out drinking since I've been on medication, so I'm wondering how much is safe?

[Dragonsblonde]

If it helps in anyway at all I started on Cit 2 years ago and over about 6 weeks increased to 20mg. All that you describe is very familiar to me, but certainly with me the feeling all gradually reduced over time and it was worth it in the end.

The anxiety levels will decrease and you should stabilise soon and feel much better

[Fay_elizabeth]

About the drinking thing - last night we had a little house warming party so I really fancied a few beers. I decided to limit myself to 3 bottles of beer and 1 drink at the pub and I stuck to it. I did feel quite drunk! In the past (before meds) I've been known to drink 5 or 6 pints and still feel fairly sober but I can definitely say the cit' makes you drunker that you would be usually. I felt happy and in good spirits the whole time though and my anxiety was totally not there. This morning I felt pretty terrible and sick but my mood is pretty good, even managed to get out in the sun and go for a walk with my boyfriend.

I'd say a small amount of alcohol is ok, but be prepared to pay for it the next day!

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Ihanks for the replys guys, i really appreciate it and I do feel im gradually starting to feel better now.




I'm glad you feel like you're getting better. :D

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you drink? I'm just wondering because I haven't been out drinking since I've been on medication, so I'm wondering how much is safe?

Hi sparkle, I drank a reasonable amount, i was going to limit myself but never can once i get going, so i probably had about 5 pints of beer and about 5 double vodkas or Jack daniels with coke. I used to drink a lot more and i did seem to get drunk a lot easier than i used to, which is probably donw to not having drank for a while and because of the medication. I was in a generally happy and jolly mood most of the time and the hangover was pretty much the same as usual, but i suppose everyones different.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 36

Felt ok when i woke up but still not normal. Felt a bit foggy as the day went on and had a really fuzzy head, couldnt think straight for a bit. The fog is quite bad today but that may be down to drinking on friday. i dont feel quite right.

My emotions just seem to be up and down a bit today, i lost some money erlier just playing a bit of bingo online and it made me really angry which it doesnt usually and ive been in an angry, dont care about anything sort of mood for the rest of the night.

[Serenitie]

Hi Gotta,

Try to limit the drinking as it stops the medication from working and booze is a natural depressant. I think most people are ok with the occasional drink but 5 pints of beer and 5 double vodkas or Jack daniels with coke would wipe me out for a week medication or no medication :wacko:

I hope that you start feeling better soon :hugs:

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea you are right Serenitie, I hadnt drunk for nearly two months so i needed a night out but i will try and limit myself to only a few drinks next time. Thanks for the reply and hope things are getting better for you two :)

---------- Post added at 19:26 ---------- Previous post was at 19:20 ----------

Day 37

I feel ok today, slightly foggy and dizzy again but nothing major. Have tried to a bit of exercise today just in the garden, get myself moving again and start getting fit.

one thing that has got me a bit worried is, i did notice i seemed to look a bit thinner than usual but i hadnt weighed myself, but when i went out the other night someone said to me youve lost weight so naturally i was thinking about it today and i went and weighed myself.....Ive lost over 1 and a half stone in a month, coming up to two stone :ohmy: i am shocked. I did have a week before i started the meds where i hardly aite anything because my anxiety was so out of control but apart from that i have been eating normally id say. I wasnt overweight before by the way so that weight shouldnt be just dropping off me i dont think. I thought these meds were supposed to do the opposite. Anyway do you guys think its something to worry about?

Apart from that i feel ok and pretty calm in general, still with the on and off fuzzy head and dizzyness but its bearable and things seem to be moving in the right direction.

---------- Post added at 20:37 ---------- Previous post was at 19:26 ----------

Im also noticing my eye sight seems to be getting worse. I hope its just me but my distance vision does seem very blurry all the time now and i think its getting worse.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 38

Didnt get a great nights sleep, was waking up every hour or so. Feel quite anxious this morning and i feel in a bit of a dream like state, very foggy. I have no energy or motivation to move from this bed. Not what i wanted as i thought things were improving gradually, but i will see how the day goes.

Will keep updated as the day goes on.

---------- Post added at 13:56 ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 ----------

Tried to get up and do some stuff around the house but really not feeling great today, feel sick and weak and very foggy. Anxiety levels are building. Hope its just a blip.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

So i have felt pretty crap today, slight dizzyness, lightheaded and foggy. Slight headache. Also as i mentioned before my vision does seem to be getting more and more blurry. My eyes have been doing funny things the whole time ive been on this drug, ive had uneven pupils, one bigger than the other everyday, strange shaped pupils like oval shape that comes and goes, and now the vision seems to be getting worse by the day.

I did start to feel better for a couple of days but im still up and down all the time and have all these other symptoms pretty much everyday. I no im only 5 and a half weeks in but surely these side effects (if thats what they are) should have calmed down by now? Id say my anxiety has lowered somewhat but these other symptoms cause me anxiety and worry so that doesnt help.

Ive had a chat with a family member and she thinks i should ween myself off them and see how i feel, i sort of agree. So im debating whether to stop these or not. Ive just taken 10mg instead of my usual 20mg but i can always take the other half if i change my mind.

What do you guys think, is it to early to be pulling out? should i carry on taking it for a few more weeks and see what happens? Im going to go down to 10mg for a week or so, so if i feel better and they symptoms calm down i can tell it is the meds and stop them. But if my symptoms are still there and my anxiety sky rockets again i suppose i will have to start taking them again and them be off back down the doctors.

Any advice would be appreciated guys. thanks.

[Sparkle1984]

Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling too good today. I think it's best if you speak to your doctor before you make the decision to come off the citalopram, they might be able to give you a different SSRI which could suit you better.

[TJSMITH]

I changed from cit to sert and no vision issues now and as they both ssri you can stop cit one day and change to sertraline the next ? An option

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks for the replys guys. Yea i wanted to start Sertraline first as it was suggested by a family friend who is a nurse. But i was given Citalopram by my doctor. Do you know if thats ok to switch straight over TJSMITH? is that what you did? Did you have any side effects when switching over?

---------- Post added 12-09-12 at 00:35 ---------- Previous post was 11-09-12 at 22:26 ----------

I really dont know what to do. Theres not even any point talking to my doctor as they will just tell me to keep taking it and tell me to pretty much stop moaning like they usualy do. They dont suggest anything or give me any advice.

[TJSMITH]

I was told to swop straight over but I'm new to all this and degreased to 10mg then started 50mg sert with that before stoppIng citalopram altogether.
You can def do a straight swop as same family it's worth a try

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea I think I may have to try the TJSMITH, even though it will be a battle with my doctor for them even accepting that i dont want to be on Citalopram.

---------- Post added at 17:36 ---------- Previous post was at 17:26 ----------

Day 39

My sleep pattern is so messed up no matter how hard i try to get it back to normal. Anyway last night i fell asleep at 1am then woke up at 2:30am and didnt get back to sleep untill about 4:30am, then slept untill a minute ago, untill gone 5pm. Thats about 14 hours sleep which. Soo not sure whats going on there.

When i woke up my body felt light and strange, felt the usual dizzyness and thing dont feel real. I can tell ive had a long sleep and my eyes feel very awake but i still dont have any energy. My anxiety is up and down i feel a little bit anxious at the moment but its controlable.

I only took 10mg of Citalopram yesterday as im going to see if i feel less dizzy, foggyness and so on, and see if my blurry vision goes away when i take a smaller dose. I usualy take 20mg. So i think i will continue to take 10mg and see how it goes. dont no if its the right thing to do but my symptoms or side effects dont seem to be going away and im 6 weeks in now.

---------- Post added at 20:34 ---------- Previous post was at 17:36 ----------

Feeling a bit down in the dumps today, id say more depressed than anxious and everything is very foggy. My vision seems so cloudy and blurry. well i no im going to be up all night after that 14 hour sleep.

[Iggy131313]

remember Liam that going down in dose may increase your symptoms for a few days before it levels out so if you feel any new side effects its prob the drop in dose. x

Keep smiling

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Iggy, yea i just dont know where im at really, i started the citalopram because i had a hopeless 2 weeks and i saw no way out. But that may have passed and i may not have needed the drug, so thats why i want to try and go without it. I also the non stop symptoms are another reason i dont want to be on it. I probably think in the rong way about it but putting something in my body that makes me dizzy, foggy, blurry eyed seems like poison to me. Unless its the anxiety doing it to me and not the cit; thats what i need to find out.

How are you doing anyway? you decided stoped taking the Citalopram didnt you? I private messaged you the other day not sure if you got it.

[Iggy131313]

no mate, I didnt get it. Ive just double checked and nothing there. Im trying to carry on and take each moment as it comes.

Think carefully about stopping the cit unless your sure its what you deffo want to do, remember what has happened to me and Im now facing 18 months to 2 years to recover.

Im going slow on the taper down, Im on 10mg now and will stick to this for a few weeks, I cant risk going into a big withdrawel but Im keen to get the cit out of my system.

what week are you on now? My advice to you, because you havent had a really severe reaction is to stick with the 10mg for at least 6/8 weeks and then make a choice. As for switching to sert, Im not sure its a great choice for you, I asked the dr to ask the phyc who confirmed it is a more stimulating ssri and therefore can aggrivate some cases of anxiety.

Have you ever tried diaz? not that Im recommending it, and have you tried cbt?

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Ill be at 6 weeks on 20mg this Saturday. Yea im probably going to do like you say, see how i go up untill 8 weeks on 10mg. I just want to somehow try and work out of its the drug making me dizzy and so foggy everyday.

Ive tried valium only once when my friend had some and i couldnt sleep for a bout 3 days due to a non stop panic attack, so i took some and it did help me to calm down and sleep. But i havnt tried Diaz consistantly or just generally day to day. CBT i asked to be refered by my doctor and she said what makes you think you need CBT and i cant even be bothered to argue with them anymore. Im changing doctors soon.

Are you feeling better than you were now your down to 10mg?

[Iggy131313]

Ive only been down to 10 for 2 days now so still have more 20 left in my system if you know what I mean, I dont think you would like diaz in the day time then because they DO make you feel foggy and I know you hate that feeling.

Insist on being referred for cbt, its meant to be great and there is a new government initiative that has been set up called idapt I think. Go for it.

I mean, how ridiculous is it whe a dr says what makes you think you need cbt but here have some really powerful medication?!?!?! that makes no sense AT ALL.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea your right i hate the foggy feeling. I hate the dizzyness. The not feeling normal, just feeling weird or druged up or in a dream world the whole time thats what gets me. Just want to wake up and see thing clear and crisply again without feeling strange.

But yea i will insist on the CBT next time i go to the doctors.

[Iggy131313]

I understand mate, you know I do. I would give anything to feel normal again.

Hopefully in the not too far future we all will. x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea i no you understand, youve been through it with the Cit. We will get there in the end :) x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Still awake with my nice sleep pattern :). My anxiety has been up and down. Feeling strange, funny sensations in head at times, on and off headache and a bit foggy. Hopefully ill feel better in the morning. I really do need to get out of the house been spending to much time in my room, it cant be helping.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 40

Had a decent sleep even if it was from 8am onwards. Im not really sure how i feel today, i dont feel good, but i dont feel bad. I think half the problem with this anxiety and side effects stuff is we are constantly analyzing and monitoring how we feel and checking all our symptoms, if we stopped doing that and just forgot about it for a while im sure that would be half the problem solved. But oh well this is a thread about how i feel on the Citalopram so i will continue lol.

I think i feel a little less dizzy but my anxiety is slightly up, maybe thats due to coming down to 10mg from 20mg, i dont know if the amount in my system will have changed that much yet though to make me feel a difference. I dont have any energy, and have the slight brain fog still. I am struggling to distinguish how i feel today though, none of my feeling are strong, just feel generally a bit low, and bit groggy but its easily bareable.

We will see how the day goes and ill keep this updated.

---------- Post added at 17:20 ---------- Previous post was at 16:48 ----------

Ok change that i thought i wasnt dizzy because i was lying in bed but as soon as i moved had a shower and tried to do anything the dizzyness is stil there going strong :mad:

---------- Post added at 19:50 ---------- Previous post was at 17:20 ----------

Maybe this is the effects of my brain getting used to having 10mg less already but i feel really really foggy, like im not here. In a daze, this is when i start thinking there really is something rong with my brain and its not all anxiety. I really do not like this, just want to see thing clearly again. Maybe its just my body adjusting and me getting myself worked up. So ill stick with the 10mg and see how it goes for now.

---------- Post added at 23:10 ---------- Previous post was at 19:50 ----------

My foggyness has cleared a bit from erlier and im not in such a daze. i did feel quite bad erlier but ive been much much worse, it was nothing compared to a month ago, just want to make that clear in my diary so i can remember how i was feeling when i look back lol.

Right now im a bit calmer, still dont feel great and still with the usual foggyness just not as extreme as earlier. Im just really down in the dumps, no energy or motivation, i dont see a way foward. Still im analyzing how im feeling all the time and finding myself feeling dizzy and foggy which just increases when i leave the house so i tend not to. Just dont no what i should be doing to try and get out of the hole im in.

---------- Post added 14-09-12 at 03:10 ---------- Previous post was 13-09-12 at 23:10 ----------

was having some very strange sensations in my head and everything was a bit fuzzy with a on and off headache at the right side of my forehead. nearly sent me into panic mode but it subsided and im ok now. Think im just analyzing things a bit to much.

---------- Post added at 06:50 ---------- Previous post was at 03:10 ----------

Still awake but thats nothing unusual with my current sleep pattern. Still been having strange sensations in my head and at times it feels like my brain does a flip, maybe kind of like vertigo, but just for a brief moment in my head. Anxiety is a bit higher then it has been for a little while and im thinking about a lot of things, lots of thoughts running through my head, mainly about the usual heart and brain health. Maybe going down to 10mg already wasnt such a good idea but ill see how it goes.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 41

Took me a while to get to sleep last night but had a good sleep once i did. A positive i have noticed is that I havnt been waking up and then bang the dread and anxiety hits me, its more like i wake up with a neutral feeling now, or maybe just feel slightly low and groggy but its not the gut renching anxiety it was a month ago.

Still laying in bed as i write this but at the moment im feeling ok, anxiety is low, have a very slight headache but nothing major, still have no energy but i think half of that is just me being lazy. I will get up shortly for a shower and then report back :).

---------- Post added at 17:08 ---------- Previous post was at 16:24 ----------

went out in the garden did a bit of exercise only for 10 minutes but better than nothing and had a shower, feel reasonably ok, better than last few days.

---------- Post added at 20:10 ---------- Previous post was at 17:08 ----------

Been out today just around the local area then went to the pub with a mate for a drink, i felt ok at times but i also felt really strange and faint at times. I find myself talking with friends then suddenly thinking oh i feel light headed and weird then i forget aboutit and feel ok for a minute, then i feel strange again and so on, its up and down. Ive come home now and have been drinking some wine. Ive said i will come out tonight to my friends but im not sure what to do. I think i could get through the night ok if i drank more and got drunk but then i would probably pay for it for the next few days. So its either have a good fun drunk night tonight and feel crap for a few days and hinder my progress. Or stop drinking now and stay in and feel generaly rubbish and continue gradually trying to get better. And no i cant go out and not drink because i would just feel to strange and start to panic and have to go home.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Well I ended up going out. Managed 2 get through the night ok but have drunk far to much and acted like an idiot as per usual. Anyway I've ended up back at my brothers house so going to try and get some sleep here. Probably not going to be feeling to good in the morning.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 42

Should not have drank last night, dont think im in the right frame of mind to be going out drinking even though its the only time i cant forget about my worries right now. Quite a bad hangover and was heeving trying to throw up but nothing was coming out. Anxiety is up and down today but its definetely high most of the time and have been on the verge of a panic attack a few times today. I shouldnt have gone out and dont think im going to drink again untill im better. I was acting like a nob most of the night and feel really bad for the way ive acted and that just adds to the anxiety, i wasnt myself last night. But anyway paying for the hangover and hopefully ill feel better in a bit.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Have been pretty anxious all day and having slight strange feelings in head. Thought i might be able to fall asleep a bit earlier tonight as i didnt get much sleep last night but as the anxietys high its hard to sleep. I have a clicking in my throat and a slight pain every time i swollow which seems to have progressed over the past few days, but im not going to put that in my head for now and give myself another worry. going to try and get some sleep. Night people x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 43

Can tell i was very anxious yesterday as i was back to being scared of going to sleep thinking i might not wake up alive. Drinking alcohol does seem to be the only time i can go out without having out of control anxiety, but it doesnt help in the long run as im still stuck with not being able to go out and do normal things when im not drunk. When you spend to whole week indoors doing nothing because of you anxiety sometimes you just want to go out for one night get drunk and forget your worries.

Anyway today i am feeling much better than yesterday, for now anyway. The hangover is working its way out of my system. Im still a bit groggy and slightly dizzy and foggy at time but thats normal these days. Going to really try and somehow start doing normal things again these week.

Will keep updated as the day goes on.

---------- Post added at 19:55 ---------- Previous post was at 17:38 ----------

Ok not feeling good now. Feel very low and depressed with high anxiety, not in panic attack mode yet but extremely anxious and worried inside. It must be down to the alcohol on friday so its only me to blame. :weep:

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Id say ive felt more depressed than anxious today. Well maybe depressed and anxious but not panicy. Just feel sad about the way thing are right now and sometimes you just think im i ever going to get better. Hope to feel better soon. Off to try and get some sleep.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 44

Woke up feeling slightly more positive today, still felt a bit groggy and have no energy but forced myself to get up and out the house.

Went to the Local Health shop to get some Vitamin B12 and B complex as people say it can be good for anxiety. I felt quite foggy and just generally a bit crappy, with slight headache and the usual funny sensations in my head. Its like i think im not even anxious so why is my head feeling this weird and why am i so foggy, which then makes me think something is rong with me and triggers anxiety. Anyway it wasnt as bad as when i tried to go out a few weeks ago but ive also been out before now and not felt this bad. Its very up and down. Came home for a bit watched some tv and played a bit of playstation, didnt feel to bad but still a bit groggy and foggy. Decided to try and go out again so i decided to go and get a massage to try and relax, i felt ok while i was getting the massage, i wasnt analysing how i was feeling the whole time which was good. But as soon as i left and walked home the fog and just generally crapy feeling is still there pulling me down.

I no i do have underlying anxiety and i moniter how i feel to much but even when i feel calm and my anxiety is hardly there i still have this groggy, foggy, heavy head, a bit dizzy/lightheaded, slight headache, fuzzy sensation in my head. Also my vision seems to get blurry at times, just my distance vision, like one day it may be ok and the next i cant read a number plate that is a few metres away, nut up close everything is still clear. If it isnt anxiety causing it what could it be?

It feels like If i became really happy and totally anxiety free these feeling would still be there holding me down. I dont no where this all came from and everything i used to do and that normal people do seems impossible when feeling this crap. I dont no how i used to work everyday and go out every weekend, because i couldnt do it while the feeling hangs over me, its like a weight holding me down that i cant shift.

[loopylu86]

Is day 44 today? Have just been reading your whole thread and can relate massively to what you say. The fuzzy head (depersonalisation) is what annoys me the most. I get up and walk around and just want to lie back down again. x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea day 44 is today. Yea its horrible. I dont know if its the Citalopram, the anxiety or maybe something else going on with my brain that is causing it.

[loopylu86]

Have you read on DP/DR yet? Go to the symptoms section and you will relate to it. It's a common anxiety side effect. I find that it creates more anxiety in me though lol. It goes eventually when you start ignoring it. Very hard when you feel lik you are about to hit the deck at all times! lol

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea ive experienced both and they are the worst feelings. The fuzzy feeling im talking about at the moment isnt DP or DR though its just a really strange feeling in my head like its fizzing inside my head, kike im coming up on some sort of drug but it doesnt feel good, its hard to explain.

---------- Post added at 23:44 ---------- Previous post was at 23:28 ----------

Update on today:

Have had these strange head feelings most of the day, but i am pretty calm about it, just feels horrible and strange because i dont know whats going on, my anxiety isnt to bad though, i can relax. Still a bit foggy. I just feel like i kind of have flu with a horrible head feeling but i dont feel nauseas.

My mum asked me how i was feeling earlier and i said still feel strange and a bit crappy, she said when is this all going to end, its going on and on. I said you dont understand what its like. I no she didnt mean it in a bad way, she just wants me to get better. Its not like the flu or a cold that you have for a week or so and then get better, thats what some people seem to assume its like.

Anyway. I dont feel really bad, just strange and uncomfortable.

Im still waiting for my referal to the neurologist to come through. After going to my doctor about 5 or 6 times they eventually agreed to refer me after me hassling them so much. Im wondering now if the doctor just said they were going to refer me to get rid of me for a bit. I just want to find out if all these strange head sensations, the dizzyness, the one pupil bigger than the other, muscle twitches, sometimes blurry distance vision are all anxiety or if they are something else. The doctors didnt want to refer me and were sure its anxiety so i hope they are right but i will chase up the referral at some point this week.

Still staying on 10mg of the Cit for now since i dropped down from 20mg. See how i feel for the next week or so.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 45

Couldnt get to sleep last night suddenly had a surge of energy that started at around 4am.

Anyway been woken up today by my mum, telling me shes fed up with this and i need some tough love to start getting up and out of bed doing normal things again and getting back to normality. Yes shes right and I do need to try and start doing normal things, which i do try but its very hard when you feel so dizzy foggy and like crap constantly. I was out and about yesterday for a little bit, so atleast im doing something, although i did feel horrible most of the time.

anyway, i dont feel to bad this morning so far so ill try and get out and about.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update on today:

Sorry guys this has sort of turned into a general anxiety diary.

I said to myself right im going out today, going to ignore this anxiety it cant hurt me. I went into central London on the train, had a look around for a few hours, met an old mate from work for a little bit. I felt pretty good, probably the best id felt for a while, i hardly had any anxiety just still some thoughts and slight analiysing of how i feel and if i have any of my usual symptoms. I was pretty much fine, relaxed, i was nearly falling asleep on the way home and wasnt worrying at all.

Then i was nearly back to my local area i walked to get something to eat and suddenly, i got the horribile fuzzy head, a strange headache, like my whole head my acheing just slightly. My head was so fuzzy, like i couldnt focus on anything or barely communicate if someone tried to talk to me. See this is what makes me think i have something neurologically rong; I was fine all day, no anxiety, very calm, just going to get something to eat on my way home and then bang, these symptoms come. No anxiety then symptoms, its symptoms then anxiety. These feelings nearly sent me into a panic attack and made me think what the hell is going on this cant be anxiety. Now after a good start to the day with no anxiety, this has now happend and i feel back in the whole where i was with brain fog, dizzyness and these fuzzy head feelings that come and go. My uneven pupils are still there and they have been huge since the fuzzy head incedent.

Just dont know if i can still believe its anxiety. If anyone experiences similar things please let me know.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Still got the fuzzy head but it has eased since erlier, im still slightly dizzy and every now and then while im just lying in bed its like my brain does a flip and i get extremely dizzy for a couple of seconds. Apart from that i just feel a bit ill and groggy now. Was please with how the day went untill these symptoms kicked in out of nowhere. I dont no what these feelings are and i hope they stop soon because i feel i can beat this anxiety but i cant if these random fuzzy dizzyness persists because it just makes me feel like crap and takes my hope away.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 46

I really do not no what is going on, Last night while trying to get to sleep my head still felt so weird, fuzzy, lightheaded, was getting the odd random shooting pain in my head every now and then and felt a bit sick. Now i have woken up this morning, my head feels worse, like its numb, my body feels floaty and light and i also feel cold.

I am staying pretty calm considering. This is just really getting to me, i manage to stay calm and not feel to anxious but still im getting these strange symptoms.

I have been to the doctor about these symptoms several times and they didnt refer me, i even had a letter from the opticians after my eye test saying to refer me to a nuero opthamologist so i gave it to my doctor and they still didnt refer me. I went back again and basically forced them to refer me, the doctor said she would refer me to a neuro just this time. But i think she may have just been saying that and not refer me as she has done this before a few years back. How can they just tell me its anxiety without checking anything? I will have to chase up this referal and see if it has actually been done.

I doubt these symptoms have anything to do with the Citalopram as i have felt very similar to this before taking them.

I really do not feel right and its not like my anxiety is building these symptoms up, the symptoms are just there anyway.

---------- Post added at 16:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:46 ----------

This is doing my head in . Im not anxious i just feel like crap, so groggy, my head feels so horrible. Its like i feel im getting somwhere with the anxiety and feel more in control then just get horrible feelings in my head. Im only on 10mg of Cit now, i dont think its anything to do with that. It just feels like i feel positive a think things are getting better as i have low anxiety then something hits from from another angle and says no im not going to let you feel better.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

Feel slightly better, my head still feels a bit fuzzy and sort of numb, sorry its just so hard to describe. The slight fog is still there and still feel a bit groggy. I feel quite calm but anxiety does rise up slightly now and then. Just watched the football so that took my mind of things slightly by the feelings are still there niggling at me.

Just dont no what to do now. Dont no whats causing these feelings. Dont no whether to keep taking Citalopram, i will for now anyway. Just need to see this neuro and either find out if theres something going on or confirm its most likely anxiety so i can move on. Just have it hanging over me at the moment. Sometimes i do feel ok and i start to attempt to get back to some normality, i feel calm and fine and then these fuzzy head symptoms come. So just makes me think what can i do.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 47

Ever since i had the extreme fuzzy head episode a couple of days ago i feel like it has been downhill from there. Last night i felt really strange, i still had weird head sensations and was also getting a sense that my brain was not in control of my body, like my brain is forgetting how to think and how to move body parts. When i finally fell asleep i was waking up every hour or so feeling strange floaty, fuzzy head, no perception of where my body and limbs are. This is just starting to really scare me now, i thought things were improving but they seem to be going downhill again. I have felt similar to this a couple of months ago when i was at my worst. Im not that bad yet but all these strange feelings are getting to me. Its like im calm, no anxiety and then i get this fuzzy static head attack out of nowhere and it sends me into a downward loop. I feel like im buzzing of a drug for the next few hours after these attacks. I really dont think its a panic attack because, i have nothing leading up to it, i dont get racing heart, impending doom, sweating, or any of the other symptoms that i usualy do with a panic attack. It just all mad feelings in my head which then lead to everything else feeling weird.

I really do not know what to do with myself now. Please some advice guys i feel like im going back into that dark place that i never want to go back to. :weep:

---------- Post added at 16:44 ---------- Previous post was at 12:59 ----------

Update:

Didnt want to go back to sleep as ive been trying to sort out my sleep pattern, but i had to go back to sleep i felt to crap before.

I feel a bit better after a couple more hours sleep. My head has cleared a bit, my body feels slight floaty and strange and my head isnt quite right still have slight strange sensations but its a lot better.

Just want these things to go away now, everytime these mad symptoms happen they knock me back and i feel like im back at the start of the struggle.

I dont know if i should come off Citalopram and see how i feel or what. I dont think its Citalopram causing it but it could be adding to these symptoms, i dont know.

no idea what to do right now, feel like im going round in circles.

---------- Post added at 17:48 ---------- Previous post was at 16:44 ----------

Have acheing throbbing pain randomly in my right leg that comes and goes. have also had them in both lower arms. Oh here we go. wish it was f**king anxiety but i dont think it is.

[Iggy131313]

are you still on 10mg? I think your having W/D from the drop. DO NOT COLD TURKEY you will feel worse

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Yea im still on 10mg. Thats what i was thinking it could be aswell but that was 10 days ago now when i went down to 10mg, maybe its only now that there less in my system, i dont know. I felt very similar to this a couple months ago before taking citalopram though. convinced theres something more than anxiety.

Im just not sure where im at and dont know what to. What do you rekon?

How are you doing now aswell Iggy?

---------- Post added at 19:17 ---------- Previous post was at 19:08 ----------

Im not panicing at all but everything just feels completely weird. My ears feel kind of blocked, ive had my right ear like goes deaf for a few seconds then it starts ring for 30 second or so and then returns to normal. my head feels so weird, fuzzy, lightheaded, like im not in my head, so hard to explain.

---------- Post added at 19:46 ---------- Previous post was at 19:17 ----------

Really cant be ****ed with any of this anymore

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Update:

Weird day. Woke feeling horrible and had a nap and felt a bit better. Ive just been really angry and fed up with everything really. Just annoyed everytime i think im getting somewhere, a symptom comes back and gets me and it puts me back to square 1. Their not symptoms i can just put the the back of my mind or ignore. The fuzzy head and strange sensations are debilitating and i feel i cant do anything while there going on. The fuzzyness has subsided a bit now but i just feel groggy and not right, got on and off headaches and yea i am generally stressed out now.

Hope it was just a blip for a few days and maybe it was some of the citalopram coming out my system since ive gone down to 10mg. Dont know if i should have done that or not but oh well ive done it now and the dizzyness did seem to calm down a bit untill this fuzzyness hit. Back to the doctors tomorrow, to tell tehm whats been going on and check if the doctot has referred me to the nuero.

If anyone has any input on what they think it would be best for me to do that would be great because im really lost. Do i continue Citalopram do i maybe switch to something else or do i come off it all for a bit and see how i feel to see if my symptoms are still there? My doctor doesnt really suggest much, i dont think she will say anything apart from probably carry on on the citalopram and stop moaning lol. So would really appreciate some advice.

[TJSMITH]

I def think its withdrawal as I cross tapered to 10mg to start sertraline and had what I thought se from new drug but gp and others on here felt if was the withdrawal and it didn't start straight away, each day the levels will gradually drop from your bloodstream but hang I there will get better im sure xxx

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 48

So phoned the doctors surgery this morning to see what is going on with my referal to the nerologist and to get an appointment to tell the doctor about all my symptoms and whats going on with Citalopram.

Well what a suprise it turns out no letter has been writen or sent and the doctor who said she would hasnt referered me, that is bang out of order. The doctor who did this has actually done this before when i was a bit younger, said she would refer me and didnt and i had to be seen by a different doctor who refered me and i ended up having an operation for the issue i went there for.

I have been there many times about my symptoms and even with a letter from the optician saying to refer me. Its rediculas.

So the doctor im talking about isnt there today so i have an appointment with someone else at 4pm. I am going to right a list of all my symptoms and take that with me. So lets see what happens as if im not satisfied this time im leaving this doctors, this has gone on for 2 long. I no some of you guys may think im being stupid and should listen to the doctors but, these symptoms seem way to strong and strange not to be checked. The doctor cant just look at me and say for sure im ok. Especially after telling me they would refer me and then letting me carry on waiting for the referal knowing they havnt even done it.

Anyway im only up at this time because of this stuff with the doctors. I havnt had much sleep so im going to try and get another couple of hours.

[Iggy131313]

those are classic w/d symptoms mate.

you need to stabalise om a dose, stick to 10mg for another few weeks and then see where you are, I personally think you could do with going up in dose but who knows!

its still early days really. stick to 10 for another couple of weeks the ear thing isd classic and you are describing a bit of depersonalisation another classic w/d symptom.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks again Iggy, yea i no maybe upping my dose instead of lowering may have helped me. But i didnt want to be on these things when they made me majorly dizzy and foggy, which has decreased slightly since lowering the dose. Im sure they have made my vision blurry and the thing where i have one pupil considerably larger than the other, all seem to strange for me so i didnt really want to up the dose, as these things arent normal.

The fuzzy head which is my main symptoms that gets to me is probably from my own anxiety and not the cit. The fuzzyness comes and goes but the other symptoms have been there constantly so they are not from w/d.

---------- Post added at 17:06 ---------- Previous post was at 14:42 ----------

Right just got back from the Doctors, it was a new doctor i think and she seemed quite helpfull. She said the other doctor hasnt referred me as i thought, there is a note on there saying about refering me but she hasnt actaully done anything like writen the letter or made the referal. This doctor said she will make sure the doctor in question refers me and if not she will do it herself. We also discussed the citalopram and my various symptoms, she thinks i should taper off for a week and then start on Sertraline 50mg. She has perscribed me 50mg Sertraline, just 2 weeks worth so i have to go back in a few weeks to see how things are going.

I wanted to come off Citalopram for a couple of weeks just to see where im at and then maybe start a new med if i needed to but i think i should go by doctors orders and just start the Sert.

I think i kind of messed up coming down to 10mg on cit so early, maybe i should of stayed on 20mg and see how it went but i felt it wasnt helping me much and was causing so many random symptoms and effecting my eyes so i wanted to get off it. I did giv it about 6 weeks on 20mg so.

Anyway, dont feel to bad today, little groggy, little bit lightheaded but im ok for now.

[Sparkle1984]

Well it sounds promising that the new doctor is more helpful than your previous one and has given you something different to try. Good luck with it! :)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks for the support sparkle. Yea hopefully the Sertraline can help me out. I have read you diary aswell and glad to see your doing well, have a nice trip to London.

---------- Post added at 22:28 ---------- Previous post was at 22:25 ----------

Update:

Have been feeling ok most of the day, in a better mood anyway. Still slightly foggy, dizzy but just putting it to the back of my mind. The fuzzyness has come back a bit as the nights gone on, maybe its as im getting a bit tired.

[TJSMITH]

Once I got down to 10mg cit I started the 50mg sertraline and 3 months later best thing I did it's been a rollercoaster but I'm getting there as not so many dips. I was on both for about a month before I cut citalopram for good x

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks TJSMITH, i actually private messaged you asking about it before noticing your post here. Theres a few questions in your inbox if you dont mind lol. But yea hopefully i can see some positve results with Sertraline, just a bit worries about starting another drug and going through start up side effects again.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 49

Last night i started feeling quite bad before going to sleep, had a bad headache was dizzy and felt a bit hot and tingly. Anyway i managed to get a decent nights sleep so thats good.

Today i feel a bit weak and floaty again, my uneven pupils are quite pronounced and im sorry i cant just ignore that because they werent like it before and that is not normal. I do think its the Citalopram thats caused it, ive read some others have experienced the same thing. Apart from that im calm but i feel foggy and not all here. Im hopeing to see my eyes return back to normal on the Sertraline, but maybe its just all SSRI that do it to me.

Havnt made it to the Chemist yet to pic up the Sertraline but will update this when i do and i suppose this will be turning into a Sertraline thread or i will just make a new one.

[headfreak]

no way m8, know exactly how ur feeling, ur the first person who has actually put into words wats going on in my head. been like this for about a year now, properfookin scary. started having panic attacks and anxiety about 3 years ago, but the foggyness and wierd head symptoms are only a year old. recently i had this strange vibrating sensation in the back of my head which felt like i was being pulled back or having a stroke, really scared the shit out of me, but since the the lightheadedness has only just started, which has kicked of my anxiety and got me freaking out,thinking that there is something sinister going on in my brain. cant stand dr's the just dont seem to care, according to my dr i'm a hypercondriac, probably am. but they just seem to want to see you out the door with pills, and i meen any pills. i just want an mri so i can stop stressing about wats going on in there. also been refered to an ears,nose and throat specialist to se if theres any solutions they can find. hope things are better for you now my anxiety buddy.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Headfreak, not glad that you have these horrible feelings but glad im not the only one. It is very scary and disturbing.

Your doctor sounds pretty much the same as mine. They just tell me its anxiety and seem to think im a hypercondriact and yes i probably am but these feelings i get are still real and need to be checked out. Im trying to get refered to a neurologist and for brain scans and stuff like that at the moment, the doctor said she would refer me so just waiting now.

Hope things get better for you aswell and keep in touch.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Day 50

So i have taken my last Citalopram tablet today just 5mg and 5mg yesterday as i taper of and start the sertraline 25mg yesterday and 25mg today and then up to 50mg.

I did 50 days on the Citalopram and although i think my anxiety may have reduced a very small amount, i didnt really have a day where i didnt feel dizzy and foggy, also my vision has become blurry and my pupils have become different sizes near enough all the time now. I may have not given it quite long enough and maybe shouldnt have come down to 10mg a week or so ago but if im still dizzy, lightheaded, foggy, blurry vision, still quite anxious, have strange fuzzy head sensations at 7 weeks in then i dont want to be on this drug. I dont even know if its the drug causing all these symptoms but i no its causing some of them so im going to change and hopefully that works for me.

The doctor suggested changing to Sertraline so that what im doing she said if im down to 10mg of Citalopram I can just stop taking it and change straight over the the Sert. She said she doesnt think its like starting the whole process again as the drugs are in the same group so one should take over from the over. She said i may feel a bit off for a weeks but thats it.

Has anyone else changed over from Cit to Sert or between any other SSRIs? Was it like starting the whole process again with all the side effects of do you feel the new med just picked up where the other med left off?

---------- Post added at 21:10 ---------- Previous post was at 17:46 ----------

Been having a very strong pulsing headache at the front left side of forehead. Dont think the mix of drugs will have hit yet though so shoulnt be that.

Anyone, about the questions about changing over meds?

[TJSMITH]

I changed from cit to sert and best thing I did. I was on coy four months but still felt anxious all the time and on edge.
I went down to ten and started 50mg sert had the both together a month before dropping citalopram altogether but this was due to me wanting to do this way.
You can def just swop. I just reached three months and finally about 98% better had my bad days but never as bad as cit. my vision fine again and feel like I'm on this planet lol

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Nice to see its working out well for you TJSMITH and thanks for the advice. Today will be my 3day on Sertraline, im feeling a bit on edge, groggy and lightheaded but not to bad considering. The Sertraline probably hasnt hit my system yet anyway and its probably still the Cit.

I will either turn this into a Sert thread shortly or make a new one so i can record my progress.

[maisy123]

Hi gota, you may remember I posted a few weeks ago about blurred vision on cit. Well I'm in the same situation as yourself at the moment, have come off cit and today is my second day on sertraline.
So glad you managed to start on the sert straight away as I had a week of no meds inbetween and I must say I has been a horrific experience, had constant brain zaps, dizziness and nausea, just horrid!!!
Thankfully the sert seems to be helping already with these symptoms :)
Keep us updated on your progress, cannot wait for this stuff to kick in, feel like something from dawn of the dead haha!!!

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi Maisy. Yea I am on my fifth day of Sert and I feel ok, its up and down so dont want to get my hopes up to much yet.

Ah yea that must of been hard coming off completely for a week with all the withdrawal symptoms. My doctor just said change straight over so thats what i did.

Dawn of the dead lol, yea i know what you mean.

We will get there in the end :)

Keep in touch.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

:mad:

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Been on the Sertraline 9 days now. Its up and down so far, more down then up. I feel groggy and spaced out pretty much all the time. My usual dizzyness/lightheadedness seems slightly less since changing over from the Cit, its still there though. My head still feels weird all the time with funny sensations and headaches and i still have on pupil bigger than the other that comes and goes.

Ill be making a Sertraline Diary soon to record my progress.

[maisy123]

Day 8 for me today hun. Really struggling at the moment, feel like I'm wired in the morning (lot's of shaking and jaw clenching), then just really tired and fed up in the evening. Still waiting for an improvement in my sight (just the same as on cit right now). My head also feels strange all the time and finding it hard to focus on things.
Also just feel really bored with EVERYTHING, it's like I'm just looking for the next thing to entertain myself all the time, hope this wears off as I'm driving everyone crazy!!!

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks Maisy, Yea i feel wired in the morning to and i get what your saying about being bored with everything, nothing interests me for longer than 5 minutes at the moment.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Been on Sertraline 11 days now and im still up and down, dont feel much different on this compared to the Citalopram, maybe slightly less dizzy but its still there and i have random headaches added now, they only usualy last a few minutes but they are quite severe. I get them 5 or 6 times a day, maybe they are migranes. Anxiety as usualy not to bad apart from in the mornings and late at night.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hey everyone, thought id post in here as i havnt done for a while, just to let everyone know how im doing on the Sertraline and to keep a record for myself.

I havnt made a Sertraline diary as, i didnt want to be analysing all my symptoms every day and then posting how i felt. I thought if i just go with the flow i might gradually feel better.

Anyway so ive been on Sertraline over 3 weeks now and things have been ok. I havnt had any severe side effects. I still have slight dizzyness and the strange sensations in my head but not as much anymore. I do get some quite severe short lasting headaches now though. Apart from that ive been feeling a tiny bit spaced out but better than i was on the Citalopram. When im at home i think im pretty much fine and my anxiety is quite low and i start thinking im fine but that doesnt really stay that way, as soon as i leave the house or try and do anything other than watch tv or on the computer at home, i get the usual strange head sensations and my dizzyness comes back, this kind of shows that it is most probably all anxiety causing it. I still have slight issues with blurry vision and the one pupil bigger than the other. Also my short term memory seems to be non existent and im always in a day dream in another world sort of thing.

I went out the other night for the first time in a while and stupidly and got drunk for the first time on Sertraline as i just feel 2 anxious and ill if im not drunk while out. But that was a big nig mistake, its knocked me back and made me feel really ill and strange, so ive learnt my lesson and wont be drinking for a long while.

I am still on 50mg, which i think is quite a low dose? So i was thinking of maybe upping to 75mg or 100mg to hopefully help me start getting out and doing normal things again. Do you guys think upping the dose would be the right thing to do?

Apart from that i am still waiting for my neurological appointment, the doctor has refered me but i haven't received a letter or anything yet. Im hopeing if there is nothing found to be wrong with me, that finally getting the reassurance and upping my dose of Sertaline will get me well on the road to recovery.

[maisy123]

So glad to hear your doing better :)
I'm thinking of giving up on sert myself, don't think it's for me,back to the docs tomorrow to try something else!!!
Hope things continue to improve for you.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hey maisy, thanks.

Ah how long have you been on Sertraline then and what dose? Have you seen know improvement at all?

[TJSMITH]

Hi there
I been on sertraline 4 months and 3 at 100mg I would say its only last month I'm having more be days.
It's really gradual starts by having good mins, then hours and finally days.
I had days where I felt is this med right for me etc as it took so long but pleased I stuck with it. X

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Cheers TJSMITH.

Yea ive read some of your threads and you did seem up and down with it. Like you were feeling good for a few weeks and then felt bad again. Glad you feel better and think its working now.

I think im going to up my dose later this week and hopefully it has more effect on me.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Just another thing to add, i swear my eyesight seems to be getting worse by the day. I dont know if its just me over analyzing but i cant see stuff like the tv without it being extremely blurry now. I cant read a number plate that is on the drive of a house opposite me so i know my eyes have definitely got worse.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi everyone, Thought Id post in here as I haven't updated this in quite a while. Just to let you all know how im getting on and so I have a little diary I can read back on :) Also id like to say a few thank yous that i will get to at the end of the post.

So I switched over from Citalopram to Sertraline a good few months ago now. I think it was the right decision, as I have been feeling somewhat better. I went up from 50mg to 75mg for about a month but if anything I seemed to feel a bit worse so i went back down to 50mg and thats what ive settled on. I am still not 100% but my anxiety has calmed down a lot, I havnt had a major panic attack in a couple of months now, I do still have some minor day to day anxiety and over analysing things in my head but its bareable and anxiety isnt ruling my life as much as it used to.

My main anxiety issues were to do with my health and thinking there was something wrong with my brain or heart mainly. These worries have calmed down a lot. I have seen a neurologist and he thinks im healthy, he said I may have had some virus that effected my brain and added to my symptoms but he is pretty sure it is anxiety. I still get little bouts of dizzyness but nowhere near as bad as before where i was feeling dizzy every day. My vision still seems not to good but I have glasses now, it may be the meds making the vision worse or maybe it was just naturally deterioration in vision that i have just noticed more due to the anxiety. Still get the odd head pain and random chest pains but they don't worry me much anymore.

I have definitely made big improvements. I can now do day to day things like going to the shops, going to the gym with very little anxiety. Dont get me wrong i dont feel normal or good quite yet and i wish i did but im ok.

That brings me on the issues I do have. Since being on the Sertraline my short term memory is rediculasly bad and my brain is just a bit slow in general. Also my hair has started to fall out and I really do not want that, im pretty sure its the meds as im young and knowone in my family has lost there hair.

Before I said i feel ok and thats just it im usually just feeling ok, or slightly down in the dumps. I rarely if ever feel happy. I guess you could kind of say i feel a bit numb, I have heard the meds canmake you feel this way. I just feel there is still a slight cloud hanging over me. I still think am i ever going to get back to normal and feeling good. I think i had some kind of nervous breakdown with all of this anxiety and its still there and I just cant quite get over it. Just stuck where I am right now. Just hopeing in time I can move on and forget about this stuff.

Now I feel the meds have helped me get out of the dark hole i was in but i also feel that they may now be stopping me from getting back to that place of normality. They may be whats making me still feel not all there and slightly strange. I want to slowly taper off them now and hopefully beat the rest of this anxiety without the meds and get my normal clear thinking content brain back.

Im going to come off them gradually with the beleif i can truely get better, they have helped me see things a little clearer and hopefully i can do the rest myself. Hope im not kidding myself in thinking I can do this without the meds but there is only one way to find out. I suppose I could go back on them if worst comes to worst but Im not planning on that happening.

These last few months have been a blurr and they have been the hardest times of my life to date, i never realised things could get so bad emotionally. I really do now have an understanding and sympathy for people with mental illness when before I probably would have been one of the people that didnt take these things seriously and probably thought oh just get over it when I heard about people with anxiety or depression. Boy was a wrong.

Im not out of the woods yet but hopefully I am on a road to recovery. I will still be about on this site but I just want to say a massive thank you to the creators and the mods, the admin staff and everyone that keeps this site running and makes it work. Also a massive thank you to the brilliant people on here, thank you to every single one of you. There is such a great community on here and everyone helps each other without even knowone one another. This really is a magnificent site, and this is one place a found some peace in when times where unbareble. I really don't know what I would of done if i hadn't found this site. Once I hopefully get back working again and get some money i will be making a donation to the site, its the least I can do. I hope many others find this place when they are going through hard times because it truly is amazing!

:)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

I know a lot of people wont get to see my last post as this thread is titled Citalopram Diary but I hope some manage to have a quick look just to see how much I appreciate this site. Great place!

[Gotagetthroughthis]

:)

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Wow I was a mess back then. Its good to have these diary's to look back on if anyone is thinking of starting one.

[LHinsch]

Hello, I am new to this forum and have a question about side effects from Citalopram. I have been taking 40mg for about 3.5 weeks. I asked the Dr. to up it from 20 to 40mg, because I did not feel like it was helping my nervousnss/worrying. I have noticed some muscle tiredness in my arms when I'm at rest and have also noticed it in my back and shoulders. I feel like doing something seems help it. Do you think this could be a side effect of the medicine. I should mention that I do have health anxiety and obviously little things make me worry. Thank you for any help.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi LHinsch and welcome to the forum first of all.

Yes they may well be side effects, there may just be a few strange symptoms while your body gets used to the higher dose. It may have been easier for you to up your dose a little more slowly, you could of gone up to 30mg for a while and then 40mg, which probably would have been easier with less side effects. Anyway the dose your on now should hopefully settle down soon, if not go back to your doctor and mention it to them.

Hope you start to feel better soon.

[Rstep04]

Hi, I have just read through your post and thought id share some of my experiances. Im about 3 weeks in on 20mg of Cit, but started for the first two weeks on 10mg. I have many similar side effects to yourself... My anxieties are also health related but in my stomach, so anything that sets my stomach off makes my anxiety go through the roof. I have also woken up with numb/tingly fingers and hands and also have the weird one pupil larger than the other. I have good days and bad days at the moment so its swings up and down - there is no pattern other than most mornings are harder to deal with than the afternoon/evenings when i generally feel a little more robust.

I guess we just hold on in there until the cit starts working ... My doc has said that the benefits can take anywhere from 4 - 8 weeks, so we still have some time to go.

Can I please ask how you are getting on with the citlopram I too have GAD and Stomach problems I'm on day 11 and feeling very anxious and dizzy when will this calm down