Citalopram Diary [Archive]

moldypeach

04-04-17, 14:53

Hey there, new here, though am a long time lurker! :D

I thought I'd try to start a my own citalopram diary, after having read some other similar threads and found them very helpful. It may also be a good way to try and make myself stick with them, as I've had two aborted attempts recently (where I only took one pill on two separate occasions, then freaked out and didn't take any more)!

I have been on cit longterm before for anxiety (and depression), for around 2 years, before I stopped them last October - main reason being the weight gain they caused :( However, I have gone downhill pretty quickly and after a bad experience with Sertraline (which the doctor thought would have less chance of causing weight gain), I have decided I need to get back on the citalopram because I really am not coping.

Having a tough time at the moment with really nasty disputes with the freeholder of my flat (I own leasehold) and have been sat here at work all morning just riding waves of anxiety, unable to concentrate on anything else! I had a strip of citalopram lurking in the bottom of my bag, and decided to split one in half (so, 10mg) and choke it down before I talk myself out of it again!

I had no side effects the first time around, however, this was likely due to the fact that I had also been taking Trazodone and so was kind of just transitioning over (and the Traz was very sedating). Anxious that I'm in for a rough ride this time around, with nothing else in my system (and having experienced really horrid side effects with Sertraline!) I've also read that its common for people to experience side effects the second time when they didn't previously? Gah!

So far, there's nothing - but I only took it about 45mins ago lol

pollynewsome

04-04-17, 16:15

Hello. I started Cit last March. I was 10st 7 when I began and now 12st 6..I have joined slimming world in the hope it may help.. I feel hungry all the time and don't seem to have the will power. Hope it goes well for you. X

moldypeach

04-04-17, 17:30

Hi Polly. I gained about 2 and a half stone in the 2 years I took Cit :( As with you, it made me hungry all the time - I seemed to have an insatiable craving for carbs and anything fatty/sweet etc, like I just could not fill the hole! I could eat almost in a trance :O I've lost about half of the weight I gained since stopping, but am realising how much the Cit really did help me otherwise so have made the choice to go back on it. Hopefully now I know just how much it can affect weight, I will be able to curb it much sooner.

moldypeach

05-04-17, 16:46

Day 2

Have had relatively mild side effects so far - headache and nausea, and a very odd sensation mostly throughout my arms and face, a strange 'cold' feeling that rushes over in a wave every now and then. Very odd, and unpleasant. Feels like a cold sweat but without the sweat lol. Dodgy stomach also. Lots of yawning.

For the most part its bearable.

Feeling slightly detached and just want to lay down mostly. But, am at work and soldiering on!

pollynewsome

05-04-17, 18:59

It's good that you recognise the cit causing weight gain! Yes try and curb it before it spirals out of control.
Keep strong. X

Snoogbear

05-04-17, 19:23

Hi, I'm a newbie to this site and looking to share experiences on citalopram! I've been on 20mg for nearly four months and although feeling a lot better I still have mild anxiety some days. Is this normal? X

moldypeach

10-04-17, 13:57

Apologies for not updating, had a couple extremely busy days at work last week! Side effects have been bearable, and confined mostly to fatigue, nausea/lack of appetite and minor sleep issues (waking up early and not being able to fall back to sleep). Its been almost 7 days at 10mg and the nausea is beginning subside, I think. I plan to bump up to 20mg sometime this week, as I have the week off work and so can hopefully ride out any adverse effects at home. Anxiety-wise, it has been curbed a little, but not a lot. Depression-wise, it has really helped, though that may be short lived on such a small dose. Hopefully going up to 20mg will have more significant effects on the anxiety.

---------- Post added at 13:57 ---------- Previous post was at 13:45 ----------

Hi, I'm a newbie to this site and looking to share experiences on citalopram! I've been on 20mg for nearly four months and although feeling a lot better I still have mild anxiety some days. Is this normal? X

Hi there :) I found I had something similar the first time I started Cit. I ended up going up to 30mg, which seemed to help a lot more with the anxiety. It did however 'numb' me a lot, emotionally - but at the time the benefit of anxiety relief outweighed that.

13-04-17, 22:54