Lack of appetite on Citalopram

[MBGCW]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum so let me know if I do anything wrong :)

I've been suffering from panic attacks and anxiety aswell as depression since I was 11 years old.

I'm now 19 and a few months ago was diagnosed with GAD and Depression. I have seen my therapist 3 times now which is a step forward for me as in the past I haven't even been able to leave my house.

I visited my family doctor on request of my therapist around 4 weeks ago. He placed me on citalopram with a dosage of 10mg, he told me to come back a week later and tell him how this was.

I told him it was fine, so he moved my dose up to 20mg and put this on a repeat prescription for me and said I am expected to keep taking it until told otherwise.

So now I've been on 20mg of citalopram for 3 weeks (Roughly) Now, I've noticed that I no longer seem to enjoy the foods I once did. I read in the side effects leaflet that this medication causes loss of appetite and weight loss in 1/10 people. Along with this my sex drive is awful, I sometimes feel as though I'm forcing myself to want sex.

In the past week I have literally been eating one meal a day or less. Usually in the middle of the night (Like now haha) my stomach will rumble and I'll feel like eating, this is due to the fact I eat next to nothing during the day, however I don't do anything about this as my parents and younger siblings wouldn't appreciate me cooking downstairs at 2am, haha!

I will also be hungry during the day but when I am given a meal or when I cook myself something I will eat a few mouthfuls and this feeling will leave me, I'll not want to eat anymore of the food.

I've no idea if this is the citalopram speaking or if it could be something else. I'm not under any stress at the minute, I'm on Christmas break from University.
I'm particularly worried because Christmas is coming up. On Christmas eve boyfriend of 4 years is taking me for dinner and I'll feel so bad if I can't eat it :( Same as my mums Christmas dinner on the 25th.

I used to love food and eating, I've no idea why this is happening to me.
Does anyone else have similar experiences?

Thank you.

[Danath]

lack of appetite is a common side effect of SSRIs I think, I certainly had it on fluoxetine though in my case weight loss would be welcomed. I've had more than one doctor tell me loss of appetite is common. It may pass and come back anyway.

[beatroon]

I definitely have less appetite on the higher doses of Citalopram, and lost interest in food and sex generally! I'm not sure whether that's also anxiety though, and possibly the side effects you get when you move up a dose. Wishing you luck finding your appetite back! :)

[mark84]

It's still early days for you, stick with it, if you're losing weight at an unhealthy level try and eat foods with higher calorie contents, you'll be OK, just stick with it, another month and those side effects will most likely go and you'll just be left with the positive effects:)

[MyNameIsTerry]

I would give it a bit longer if you can. 4-6 weeks normally sees the end of the side effects window.

I did have an issue with eating. I felt ravenous but when I tried to eat I just couldn't do it. This lasted only for days with me but there were worse side effects that took over. My side effects seemed to dip by week 3 so you could always see this change quite soon and that's better than switching to go through the side effects window again when you have come so far.

If it's still happening after you need to speak to your GP as you may need to switch.