Experienced side effects on 4th go at Cit

[Brittbeagle]

Hi

I'm new here, and pretty much signed up to ask this question (but now that I'm here I may as well stick around)

Anyway, I have been on and off Citalopram about 3 times for the last 15 years or so. Never had a problem with them and never had a single side side effect apart from anorgasmia. About 3 years ago, I tried mirtazapine which I only had weight gain and fatigue, but switched to Cymbalta because I was sleeping excessively and had a baby to look after. Cymbalta gave my my first ever panic attack, and from that point I have developed a full-blown anxiety disorder.

Fast forward 3 years and I'm in the middle of some pretty significant life events and not coping. I went to my GP yesterday, believing i need a little extra help to manage my depression and anxiety. This time I asked for my tried and true med of citalopram - Had it before with no problems so wasn't nervous about taking it... Boy was I wrong though. Took 10mg last night and I could have sworn I had taken a fist full of amphetamine pills. I had a 2.5 hour panic attack along with possibly every other side effect listed.

Does anyone have any suggestions why this would happen? I had the same problem with Lexapro, which I have tried previously with no issues.

[Becky2785]

Welcome to nmp britt this happened to me I was on fluoxetine years ago and I was ok with sode effects then when my anxiety came back this time I went back to the docs and they gave me it again but after 9 days on it I felt awful I started having intrusive thoughts about suicide and anxiety was awful I couldn't function properly so I was taken of those put on citalapram which have been better I still have intrusive thoughts now which I'm having therapy for as they got worse I wish I never went on flux just shows you that it doesn't matter if you had them before they can still effect you each time the effects you are getting are all normal and many people on here have felt the same. You need to stick with them the side effects will not hurt you I no there scarey but they do wear off eventually and you will be glad you have stuck to them we are all here for each other on this site
Hope this helps
Becky xx

[Brittbeagle]

Thank you. Very helpful

I'm really struggling with idea of taking them. I am a single mother and live alone with my five year old. She side effects I experienced last night (which carried through to today) meant that I was unable to drive my child to school as the "high" feeling made it really dangerous for me to be on the road. She also missed out on her swimming lession because I couldn't take her. And, tomorrow I have to take my child and supervise visitation with her father and his wife for 3 hours (court ordered weekly until October- I have no choice and he is the whole reason I need the damn medication in the first place!), and if I show up seemingly as high as a kite and falling asleep on the table or having 2.5 hour panic attacks, it could potentially cause massive amounts of trouble.
At this stage I don't think I have any choice but to throw them away or at least try them again at the end of the year.

[Mojo61]

It is very odd that one 10mg tablet would cause such a maelstrom of side effects so quickly as it is an extremely low dose... :scared15:

[Brittbeagle]

I agree. Very odd. Thats why im asking. Especially since I've never had any reaction to it before, and even then I started at 20mg. I'm still "buzzing" and grinding my teeth 34 hours later. Its quite distressing.

[Victory2016]

Hi Britt,

I Started Cit for the third time 14 weeks ago and I feel better, but not how I should be feeling. Its possible you may need a different drug at this point. I have a feeling because this is my third time on Cit its not working as well.

Have you tried Lexapro? Maybe give that a try. I had good results with Lexapro too

Hang in there you will get through this.

[Brittbeagle]

I have had Lexapro in the past, and the last time I had it I reacted. I chose this one because I have had it several times on and off with no issues at all. Now that I've had an extreme reaction with this one, I have fears that the same thing will happen with the lexapro - or any others I try. It's like my body has become chemically sensitive. I get the same reaction with B vitamins also, which I went to the doctors for an explanation and all I got was "hmmm, that's weird."

[Victory2016]

Well Lexapro is pretty close to Celexa, so maybe that's why you had a reaction. Our bodies also change overtime and you could be more sensitive. Maybe you need to try something else. A lot of people do go through a rough couple of weeks before the meds fully kick in. Symptoms can get worse before they get better.

There are plenty of drugs out there that can be tried. I think I may want to try paxil or zoloft. I have a doc appt tomorrow, so we will see what he says.

I can't take vitamins either, especially b's they rev me up and give me anxiety. All b vitamins are stimulating.

[Brittbeagle]

I guess I'm trying to find out why I suddenly have a medication sensitivity, when I have had no such thing for a good 30 years of my life (I'm almost 34).

Can't take anything any more without reacting in some way, and psychotropic drugs are the worst, completely incapacitating me with even the smallest dose.

[Victory2016]

I feel like ever since I started this journey with Anxiety & Depression I am sensitive to everything. I also think as we get older our bodies change and we get more sensitive. I even have problems with foods and vitamins. I also have a thyroid disorder, so not sure if the causes some of my sensitivities.