any one on citalopram/ help....

[juju]

hi im a newbie to this chronic thing we all share,
my question is this when u up a dose10mg- 20mg- to-40mg in 4 weeks do u get increased anxiety/diarrea(soz cant spell) vomiting cant take this anymore feels like im getting worse not better also the worrying and nervousness has trebled aarrgghhh help me god

[Two heads]

Maybe your upping it to quick hun?
Im on citalpram as well and its taken four months just to up it to 20mg,without anymore sideaffects other than at the begin!
It takes a good few weeks for your body to adapt to a small dose let a lone 40mg.If i may suggest going back to asmaller dose for a few more weeks.Increase them slowly and i think you will find it should help with the side affects.
Good luckxxx

[juju]

thanks for that do u have more side effects if u reduce do u know

[den64]

Hi Ju Ju
I stopped taking citalopram as i didnt think they were doing anything, that was 10 days ago, since then ive felt really sickly stomached ,it is getting better though, when i first went on them they made my anxiety worse, which was something i didnt want, stuck it out for 4 weeks and then id had enough so thats why i stopped
take care
denise:D

[Two heads]

Most people will get side affects the frist few months all so.But i really do think it depends on how much you start on,to how servere the side affects may be.The Drug its self is a big shock to the body, so there for it should be increased slowly and reduced slowly!
It depends on how long you have been on 40mg for as to how quickly to reduce.If you only been taking 40mg a few days cut back to 30mg for a week all so and see how you get on.
If you had given it more time you may have been ok on 20mg,it just takes agood couple of months all so to work.
It really did take afew months befor i noticed anything.I just upped it very slowly.
Sometimes people can be alittle bit quick to up this drug befor its even be given a chance to do its job hun,no pun intended.Which then causes even more sideaffects befor the bodys even adjusted to the dose it has been given befor upping it!
My friend is also on these meds and started on 5mg and is now on 15mg.And shes had no major probs.
It maybe after all that this drug isnt for you,but just try to give it a chance.
You shouldet hopefully feel any worse than you already do by dropping the dose alittle.I hope this helps.
Good luck sweetxxx

[polly daydream]

Hi again Juju, Two heads is spot on, it must be upped gradually to avoid any major side effects.

Polly

[mushroomwirral]

on gp's advice i am trying to get off these tablets(10mg for 9mnths) wen coming off them i have problems going to the loo often so for 4 days i took none but i cant face going out? anyone find cipramil give you the runs?

[fran43]

Hi Hun

I am new to NMP. My GP put me on citalpram, initially 10mg then 20mg. After 9 wks I felt worse with anxiety/depression.

Finally my husband took me back to my GP and said they were not working and he swopped them.

We both felt they were not making a difference, in fact I felt suicidal. I stopped taking them 6 days ago and feel bad but they need to leave my system in order for the new one to start working (hopefully).

I believe I should have reduced them slowly rather than stop taking them. Please be careful about slowly reducing them.

Take care

Fran

[mushroomwirral]

Fran i tried reducing gp put me on liquid drops but they were not effective so he put me back on 10mg tablets saying ' try 1 every other day' but didnt agrree with my digestive system but i feel rotton but at least i dont use a toilet roll a day 4 days without thanks for your comments

[clarissa]

The increase of this drug should be slow, if an increase is needed. Also reducing the amount.
You should take the dose first thing in the morning - as you wake up, and then have food about half- 1 hour later.
If you do need to increase I suggest that you have 10mg in the morning and again at midday so that you do not ingest so much so quickly.
Discuss with your own GP, side effects should be minimalised as well.


there's a place that I dream of when I sleep, so peaceful, so quite, I call it mother earth.

[juju]

thanks for all your advice everyone
cut a quarter of my tab off today so it is like a 30mg instead see how i get on.
does anybody know how long it takes to see any results when u decrease a dosage? either good or bad.
actually dont feel that bad today. but i am having a heavy head unreal feeling today anyway i find this calms me (strange!) i also forget how to spell when im like this too!!!

[mushroomwirral]

thanks for all the info it good to know its not only me that suffers from these bloody tablets

[juju]

how long you been on them if u dont mind me asking?

[Dave777]

Hi, I'm on 20mg, no probs., just a bit hyper.
It has helped a lot, no sickness or side effects either.

Be careful of uping the dose.

Davex

[juju]

cheers dave

[mushroomwirral]

i might add even 10mg made me very hyper its now 5 days since i took any and feel a little better this morning

[mushroomwirral]

its now 6 days bit more secure it a bit like giving up fags

[mushroomwirral]

oh sod it i need 10 mg to settle me down will report on here 2 morr

[juju]

mushroomwirral,
i seem to have more bloody anxiety and symptoms since ive been on the bloody things been on them for five weeks now still waiting for the light he he

[mushroomwirral]

JU JU how do you get off em i was told by the gp there non-addictive?

[juju]

i suppose just by reducing slowly,
thats what im dreading in case i have to try another one .then its starting all over again new side effects etc-waiting to see if the new ones work-oh my god i think ill just stay on citalopram till they work.
i dont think they r addictive anyway the symptoms cant be worse from withdrawal than wot weve got now can they[Sigh...]

[groovygranny]

I started on 40mg x3 daily from the word go (apparantly was so poorly, doc said I could have ended up in local hosp if tabs didn't start to work when they did!) and life was hell for the first three weeks. PA's got worse and felt as though I was in a constant hyper state. Nausea was overwhelming and I couldn't eat for a month so lost weight. Shaky, pins and needles, blurred eyesight, detatched, terrors. Crikey, could things have been any worse? BUT, kept on with them and started to feel a lot better during fourth week - so glad I kept at it! Came off after 5 months reducing to 40mg x2 daily then stopping altogether. Few 'orrible episodes since, but still off!

xx

'There are no such things as strangers; just friends we haven't made yet!'

[mushroomwirral]

i am back on 10mg still rough but tell you 2 morr sat how i feel

[mushroomwirral]

bit down y/day sat but better this morning sun maybe before i stop taking these bloody cip i get more advice?

[groovygranny]

At last - I've found the post where I made a whopping 'Faut Pas'![:O]

40mg Citalopram should have read 20mg!! The absolute max is 60mg a day and I feel soooo embarrassed [:I]!

Please 'don't anyone try this at home' lol!

Think I may change my ID from groovygranny to 'dozygranny' !! [:o)]

xxx



'There are no such things as strangers; just friends we haven't made yet!'

[juju]

i thought you were on a really strong dose- lol

we are all stronger people after having this

[Cookie]

Hi Juju,
I've been on citalopram for about 9 months now. I'm slowly being weaned off them. I'm down to just 10mg a day now. Was on 40mg. I felt awful when i started taking them, but I perservered and eventually I started to feel better. It takes time unfortunately. There's no quick fix. Stick at it and I'm sure you'll start feeling the benefits soon. Take care.

Shell.x:D

[juju]

thanks shell

we are all stronger people after having this

[mushroomwirral]

i have been on 20 mg for a month and feel great but a little hyper previusly i was on 10mg but my gp upped it and was a bit worried but there is no need to also a couple of pints is ok no problems from dave

[stephen_neilston]

how long have use been on them for ma mum cant go without them and petriffied ill go the same way

stephe miller

[Janice Booth]

I started on 10mg for 6 weeks - then upto 20mg for 2 weeks. Still felt very anxious and panicky so take 20mg am then 10mg pm before bed. Total of 30mg per day - have started to feel a bit better. Had lots of palpitations early on while taking them and tingly legs and anxiousness. Now side affects seem to have dropped off. Also took diazepam and Buspar to help with the side affects but don't need them now. I'm a new member today - so hope this helps others too.

[samc100]

I really believe that one drug does not solve all. One drug helps some people but wrecks others etc..

It maybe that citalopram is not for you. But give it a go first. Keep a diary so you see any improvement or any negatives. And discuss with your doctor so they are fully aware on where you are at.

And don't get upset if this is not the one for you - there are other options so it is not the end of the road.

[LickeyEndBlues]

I am 7 days into 20mg/day taken first thing in the morning. I am due back at GP's next week to review.

So far I would say little difference has occured. I felt much worse anxiety wise and weird thoughts for the first few days however that seems to have passed. As I sit here I feel a little lethargic and am finding it difficult to get on with stuff. Certainly haven't felt hyper at any stage.

Only noticible side effect is dry mouth.

Laisez les bon temp roulez

[stephen_neilston]

ive been on them for 2 weeks then off 4 a week now bak on them my head seems to be sorting itself but its my breathing dont no when that will get better :( not had a panic attack since last week they only cum wen i seem to feel better it

stephe miller

[mushroomwirral]

6 weeks on 20 mg i must say i feel like a new man and and a couple of drinks is ok

[stephen_neilston]

does no1 write on these anymore ???

stephe miller

[Idstain]

I was diagnosed with GAD about 3 weeks ago and given citalopram.

I spent the first 2 weeks at 10mg and then shifted up to 20mg. This made me feel absolutely terrible. Restless, very anxious, couldn't concentrate, derealisation, feel like you are going crazy etc. My psychiatrist explained that this is just a symptom of moving up in dosage but the side effects get less and less the further up you go.

I take them in the morning and still feel spaced out and edgy for a couple of hours but that typically subsides pretty quickly and i feel like my old self again.

He said i should be back to my normal self fully in 4 weeks or so but wants to keep me on 40mg for about a year or so.

Just remember that the side effects go once your body adjusts to the increased dosage, i know it can be difficult to see sometimes but you will be back to your normal self soon enough, just give the citalopram time to do it's work!!