Fruitloop from welsh wales

[Redstaffie]

Hi i would really appreciate some advice . Have been experiencing symptoms of Anxiety/panic for some considerable time. Have been taking SSRI for 4weeks . Had been perscribed Buspirone previously for 6weeks which had no effect. I was then switched over to Prozac after 2weeks of what i can only describe as horrific side effects. i was then switched to CITALOPRAM. 10MG. Which i am now currently taking. Can anyone tell me if its common to experience side effects of this medication some days and not others? I really cant believe ive changed so much in such little time. In April this year i trained for and run the London Marathon and yet six months on ive had such symtoms that at times i really believed i was dying.. Any advice would be really appreciated.

[nomorepanic]

Hi Redstaffie

We just wanted to welcome you aboard to NMP. We hope you enjoy your stay here and get all the support and advice you need.

Please take some time to read the website articles on the left as well for loads of advice and tips.

[ricardo]

Hi Redstaffie.
Wow trained and run in the london marathon so you must be pretty fit.
Has something happened in the few months since that run ? I ask as it is not clear if you were on the medication before the marathon or since.

I am sure many other good and kind people on here have been on Prozac including myself and we all get a different side effect if at all. I had to come off it after three months as the side effects were worse than the anxiety.I sweated nearly all the time at night, started shaking inwardly and kept getting the feeling of wanting to go to the toilet and the symptoms were unbearable.What I will say is that others noticed I became calmer but they couldn't see or feel the side effects.(except the sweating,but it was about 40 degrees here in the summer :) )

[Redstaffie]

Hi Ricardo
Thanks for reply.... Nothing really has happened in last few months... When i look back over last 12month there were stresses which i probually ignored and i think after the physical and mental pressure of training for a marathon, when it was all over thats when it hit me.. I only started the medication in August as it took me 4months to see a GP as i was scared about what was wrong with me... I need to look long and hard though as to what might have caused it as i dont want to slip back when i do finally get myself well.

[fozzy is crying]

:welcome:
:bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1:

[Hope73]

Hey there,

Day 3 for me on Prozac and I was at a and e last night thought I was having a stroke! Awful. Had migraine as well for days... I might not take tonights dose I don't know what to do... The joys huh this is actually worse than the anxiety :lac:

Regards.

[STEPHYUNO]

Hi all,
This is my 5th day back on citalopram after about 2 years, i'm only gonna take
10 mg daily this time around as the side effects like many of you have mentioned can be horrible and even seem worse than the original symptoms at times especially depersonalisation.

Over the years like most of you guys, I have had all sorts of S.S.R.I.s and although citalopram in the first few weeks particularly has some unpleasant side effects and has you a bit up and down, it should settle down and for me is the lesser of evils compared with prozac and seroxat for example.

This time around, I am keeping a diary, only takes a few minutes each day and of course you have to take meds at same time each day, (for me around 5pm) for example I will put Day 1, how I am feeling on a scale of 1-10 for morning, afternoon, evening and bedtime, accompanied by a few comments, Day 2 etc, just to monitor things and see if I can notice any patterns, It seems to help a bit just doing it.

We all have different metabolisms, brain chemistry and levels of depression/anxiety, as some others have alluded to, so the diary may help find what works best for you.

I really hope things settle down for you soon and you find the right balance, I know it can be very difficult, but hang in there and remember you are not alone, even when you feel it!

Best regards

Stephen :)

[Sparkle1984]

Welcome to the forums Redstaffie. :) I am on 10mg citalopram as well (I've been on it for 10 weeks now). For the first few days I had the side effects - I hardly slept for the first couple of nights, and I almost totally lost my appetite for the first 3 days (I was still getting hunger pangs but I'd gag if I tried to eat more than a few mouthfuls of food). For the first week or 2 I had a fast heartbeat as well. The side effects did vary in severity for the first few days. I settled down after a couple of weeks, and my mood/anxiety improved a lot after 3 weeks.

[Tufty]

:welcome:
I believe its normal to experience normal days followed by days of anxiety/panic whilst recovering from anxiety, eventually the normal days will increase and the anxiety disppear for longer periods. Stick with the Citalopram 10mg if you're OK with the side effects, it will take a few weeks to work but is great for a lot of people.

I ran a marathon last year - no panic, no problems and then 7 months later - the anxiety peaked with panic attacks. I continued to run up to my 'breakdown' but was getting frequent colds and felt tired alot. In hindsight I think I had stressed my immune system, but being the typical runner - determined and bloody minded, I didn't listen to my body telling me to slow down and take better care of myself.

Putting in the miles when marathon training will deplete your body of many nutrients, so try to ensure you have a good diet and take supplements if you're not getting this, try to drink lots of water and rest as much as possible. It can take months to recover from the training, I've read studies done on runners after marathons and the frequency and severity of illness peaks after they have completed their run, humans are not built for that kind of distance. It takes months to recover from the training, so take heart - what you're experiencing could just be as a result of chronic physical stress on your body - this leads to the initial symptoms from which the panic cycle starts.

You will get back to your old self, will be able to run another marathon (if you are a saddist:wacko:) and life will be good again - just take care of yourself whilst you're feeling rubbish and try not to dwell on how you feel - it will pass, it's just a feeling - a horrible feeling but it's transient and as a result of the stress you have been under

Take Care
Sam

[Harley]

Hi, Sam is right, try not to dwell too much on how you feel or what caused you to feel this way, as this can add to your anxiety. It is better to focus on being kind to yourself at the moment. As for the drugs, everybody is different and for people who suffer anxiety starting a new drug can cause even more anxiety. From my own experience it is a case of trial and error until you find the right drug for you, and unfortunately this means taking them for a reasonable length of time to see if they help. I remember the first day I took citalapram, I went to work and had a massive panic attack. I was quick to blame the drug but I now look back and realise that it could not have possibly been as it was such a low dose. It was my anxiety at taking it that caused the panic. If SSRIs dont work for you there are the older type of drugs. Unfortunately, the road to recovery is all ups and downs. Some good days some bad. But eventually you will find you will have more good days and the bad days will not be any where as near as bad as in the beginning.

[Redstaffie]

Thank you guys for your responses..... I really appreciate it...... Sam.. youve given me hope as my running was my mental salvation.. Unfortunatly at the moment i have absolutly no mental strength/stamina so therefore havent been able to put on my trainers for over a month. But i do believe....... I believe one day... I will be ok again x