very strange feeling when I feel a panic attack coming since taking Citalopram!!

[amber angel]

Every time I feel a panic attack coming on since I have been on Citalopram it luckily has not turned into a full blown episode but I get the strangest feeling.

I was in the cinema the other day with my boyfriend and felt fine until I became aware of how busy it was and that if I had a panic attack it would be very embarrassing as I was sitting right bang in the middle of the row.
This of course by thinking of it started to give me the feelings of a panic attack coming on! I started to break out in a cold sweat and my heart began to race. I felt like telling my boyfriend to just get up and leave with me as I felt I couldn't deal with it... but have noticed when I acknowledge it to someone else it always sends me into a horrible panic attack as them being worried and asking if I am ok seems to terrify me more!!

Any way!!!! I felt it coming on but for some reason after I started to get the cold sweat and heart racing I started to feel this sensation all the way from my stomach to my chest. It is very hard to describe and I know this sounds weird but it feel like the menthol sharp tingles all over and was the strangest feeling ever!

It was the strangest feeling ever and afterwards the feeling of a panic attack went away.

I was just wondering if it could have been the Citalopram fighting it or if anybody else has experienced this????

[Wannabeloved85]

It's the panic hun, I get it too. I also never tell outloud to anyone how I feel and hate being asked if I'm ok etc, makes me panic lol, silly anxiety! I wish it would just do one!

[AnxiousBaker]

As Wannabeloved85 said, its just the panic sensation. Nothing terrible from the Cit :)

[dread]

I've had a similar feeling when having panic attacks, during and after taking Citalopram. It is, like the others said, just panic symptoms. If you want the mechanics, then it's likely a 'vasovagal' response - bascially just your vagus nerves response, and it's over sensitised (which is essentially what causes your bodys physical response to panic). So really, it's nothing to worry about!