Citalopram side effects?

[.Poppy.]

I saw my doc yesterday and he decided to put me on citalopram - 10 mg every other day to start. He said there were some side effects but didn't think I'd have a problem. I do see him next week to check in.

I don't expect the drug to kick in so quickly but am wondering if side effects can happen so soon? I literally just took my first pill this morning.

I'm feeling a bit out of it now, nauseaous, and my skin feels really hot/burning like it's been sunburned but it's not red. This is all over, even my scalp.

So, normal? I thought about calling to ask but I'm at works and don't want to be an alarmist.

[Fishmanpa]

Congrats on taking more steps toward recovery. 10mg is half the therapeutic dose and 10mg every other day is even less. I wouldn't expect to feel anything this soon. I think it's your anxiety about taking them kickin' up is all. Check out the Citalopram forum (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=49) too.

Positive thoughts

[Gary A]

One pill of 10mg is quite unlikely to cause side effects, but it's not impossible. The first few weeks will probably be the worst. Some people get loads of side effects, others get little or none.

The best thing to do is accept you're on the medication and just take it as it comes. Report anything to your doctor but, above all, remember that any side effects are harmless and almost expected.

[Hopefulmi]

I did have nausea fairly quick with citalopram but I was taking 10mg every day. It is probably more anxiety from taking the meds anyway. Persevere though, it is well worth it xx

[Tiddily]

Hi all .... New here ave been on 10mg citalopram for 3 weeks now and feel awful cant eat or anything..... But had meds changed twice .... Dont know what to do either carry on with them or stop

[.Poppy.]

Thanks guys. I've never been afraid of medication side effects before and yet now I'm in massive fear. Particularly that something could be serious or that it wouldn't go away if I had to stop taking it or whatever.

I'll definitely mention everything to my doc next week and see what he says.

[venusbluejeans]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your problem.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's very likely a side effect, Poppy. The meds board has plenty of people taking Citalopram on 10mg who have felt the same.

Citalopram has been documented to cause nausea because it interacts with a specific gut receptor which causes the nausea. They advise to take it with food to reduce or eliminate this.

I've tried 2 meds so far, Citalopram and Duloxetine, and with both the nausea came on very quickly but only lasted a few days for me. Some people have it longer. There was no way it was my anxiety the first two days I took Duloxetine because within 30 minutes I was so dizzy and sitting by the toilet. It felt nothing like my anxiety nausea symptom, it was far stronger. You start on Duloxetine at half therapeutic dose and taper up for GAD, Citalopram can be started straight on the 20mg but doctors seem to be wising up to how hard that can be.

Remember, the majority of the Serotonin in your body is in your gut so you can expect some irritation.

[lfc65]

Hi. I started back on citralopram 10 days ago after a three year break. 10mg for first week, 20mg since Wednesday. The side effects have hit me far worse this time round. No appetite (not too concerned, need to shift a couple of stone lol), brain fog, can't focus on anything, waking up constantly in the night, twitching muscles and the awful burning sensation described by the OP - like someone's poured acid on my skin. I spoke to doc who said it was not a side effect of the meds but a "hot flush" as I'm going through menopause. Err no, I've had flushes and this is completely different. I just hope I will feel a bit better soon!

[karenp]

I have taken Citalopram three times before and though I never felt sick, I had terrible anxiety and those horrible hot flushes too and was def not going through the menopause as I was pregnant the first time I was put on it. They did pass very quickly though but I had to take a benzo for 5 months before I could just take Citalopram on it's own as it took ages for my anxiety to go away, probs as I had to go up to 40mg and then went totally fine. Good luck, I so want to get back on this drug as it worked wonders for me and my doctor kept taking me off it and now my anxiety is back and horrible, just tried Mirtazapine but it just made me worse xxx

[.Poppy.]

Thanks all. I have a doctors appointment hits day and meet with a psychiatrist in two weeks and plan to bring up my concerns then.

I definitely had increased anxiety, I felt awful, skin felt like it was burning, nausea, and I'd jerk awake a lot at night. These were new anxiety symptoms for me. I'm concerned about getting worse before I get better and fretting over side effects - especially as side effect concerns of a different med is what reawakened my HA.

[Beckie4567]

Hi I have started on citalopram 3 days ok and hope ya ok be good to hear other peoples experiences.my doc prescribed me with anti sickness tabs so I think they have helped here if u wana chat

[MyNameIsTerry]

Thanks all. I have a doctors appointment hits day and meet with a psychiatrist in two weeks and plan to bring up my concerns then.

I definitely had increased anxiety, I felt awful, skin felt like it was burning, nausea, and I'd jerk awake a lot at night. These were new anxiety symptoms for me. I'm concerned about getting worse before I get better and fretting over side effects - especially as side effect concerns of a different med is what reawakened my HA.

It's often the case we have to pass through this, I'm afraid.

It's bound to challenge those HA patterns of thinking but please try to remember a lot of us go through exactly the same and come out the other side and it starts helping.

[.Poppy.]

Bleh.

I guess I'm concerned about weaning on and off the drug as well - since my HA seemed to go away once before I figured that maybe it would again. But, I've had other instances of anxiety/depression in between so maybe I do need something more long term? Idk. I'll ask my doctor and the psych and do what they advise.

Beckie - good to see you and good that you started your med! Seems like it'll be rough to start but I do hope it does you some good.

[Beckie4567]

Thankyou poppy it was very hard to make that first step and take the first pill.but I've started now and will let u no how I get on.its still scarey but the way I was I thought what have I got to loose x