My citalopram journey... So far

[Jadenatalie]

Hi all, I'm going to start this citalopram diary just for my own benefit I suppose so that I can track how I'm doing everyday and it's all kept in one place. Previously was on fluoxetine that worked really well but pooped out after 4 years. Tried sertraline for 16 weeks but it made me depressed eventually. Now I'm on citalopram. I'm giving myself a very hard time for not feeling well yet, when I need to realise that I've swapped medications quite alot over the past few months and also I'm working full time at home and home schooling a 4 year old full time too, all on my own. So I'm under an enormous amount of stress. I'm listening to Claire Weekes audios and Barry Mcdonagh audios to help me along too.

So far, I started 6 weeks ago, I'm on 20mg. The first couple of weeks were the typical side effects and weaning off the sertraline, which to be honest, I barely had any withdrawals so I don't think it was doing anything for me anyway apart from giving me the runs 4x a day!! Weeks 3&4 on the citalopram were lovely, minimal side effects, minimal anxiety, panic attacks gone. I then hit week 5 and it went downhill, anxiety is back and side effects. Feel nauseous, brain fog, tense, dry mouth, bouts of extreme tiredness. I'm sleeping well on a night but do wake up at 5am everyday on the dot.

I have been on citalopram years and years ago and they worked fantastic, I only stayed on them a few months and then came off because I felt better at the time and got pregnant.

Anyway week 6 +1 day and I still feel shocking. I typically feel very anxious all morning up until mid afternoon and thats when I start coming around and my anxiety is pretty much non-existent in the evenings. I do still have side effects like nausea, head tingling etc but that could also be the anxiety... Anyway I spoke to my gp 2 days ago and he said to keep on the 20mg and take propranolol as and when I need to. Which at the moment I'm taking about 20mg a day which I know isn't alot either.

I'll probably update this thread every 2-3 days or when I remmeber so that I can look back and see how I've been doing and make desicions about my health for the future. Xx

[Jadenatalie]

Week 6 day 3... Generally still feel rubbish. Feel slightly shaky, still have nausea on and off. Morning anxiety is still very strong, still have diarrhoea on and off. Afternoons are much better to the point i have very minimal anxiety and are able to actually do things. Still waking up at 5am every morning on the dot. X

[panic_down_under]

So far, I started 6 weeks ago, I'm on 20mg. The first couple of weeks were the typical side effects and weaning off the sertraline, which to be honest, I barely had any withdrawals

Have you been taking citalopram for 6 weeks, or only 4 weeks after 2 weeks of weaning off sertraline (which wasn't really necessary, btw)?


I'm giving myself a very hard time for not feeling well yet

ADs typically take 4-12 weeks to kick-in and because you've been on SSRIs before citalopram will likely take longer to begin working than it did the last time. You may need to take a higher dose to achieve the same results. The initial side-effects can also become progressively more severe and/or different each time too. :weep:


I do still have side effects like nausea

Ginger and/or vitamin B6 supplements may ease it.


still have diarrhoea on and off

Over-the-counter treatments containing loperamide (Imodium) are usually effective for SSRI induced diarrhoea.

[Jadenatalie]

Hi PDU, I've been on for 6 weeks. I didn't wean off sertraline, I did a direct switch to citalopram. I'm taking probiotics and vitamins daily and just plodding through everyday hoping things will get better x

[Jadenatalie]

Week 6 day 5. Still feeling much the same. Still morning anxiety, still occasional nausea, tiredness, heart palps, had muscle twitching and muscle achiness for approx the last week which is freaking me out abit, (typical anxiety!). I'm plodding on day by day. The only thing that's keeping me going at the moment is the fact that afternoons and evenings are so much better than mornings. I can't wait to wake up one morning feeling normal again. I don't really want to increase the meds, I'd rather wait it out as long as I can. Seen some people on here not seeing full improvements until 5 months down the line. I'll check back in again soon x

[Jadenatalie]

Week 6, day 6. Still the same. Anxiety on mornings, general feeling of rubbish throughout the day. I feel very lethargic and just absolutely shattered to be honest. I could lay in bed all day long I think! I do still have diarrhoea too. I just feel very very run down, like I'm recovering from a horrific bout of flu or something. I really hope all this settles down soon. I don't want to keep putting a time scale on it all because of the other reviews I have seen on here but it sucks feeling terrible everyday. Especially when I'm with my little boy all day in the lockdown too. X

[Jadenatalie]

Starting week 7 today. Wow what a long 7 weeks this has been!! At the moment my anxiety is still there on mornings but some mornings it's not as unbearable as others. I'm finding the past couple of days I've had muscle ache and jaw ache which I'm hoping will subside. I'm also very tired through the day, I am sleeping on a night from around 10pm-5am so I'm getting a good night's sleep but I just don't have much motivation or energy at the moment. Again, hoping that passes. Occasional diahroea and nausea remains, the nausea is more so when I feel anxious as I can feel my tummy is tensed. X

[panic_down_under]

I'm finding the past couple of days I've had muscle ache and jaw ache which I'm hoping will subside.

Muscle tensing and especially jaw clenching are common initial SSRIs side-effects. They usually do subside.


I'm also very tired through the day, I am sleeping on a night from around 10pm-5am so I'm getting a good night's sleep but I just don't have much motivation or energy at the moment. Again, hoping that passes.

Insomnia is a more common SSRI side-effect, but it does sometimes go the other way.


Occasional diahroea and nausea remains, the nausea is more so when I feel anxious as I can feel my tummy is tensed. X

Nausea is mostly an anxiety symptom which may become more severe when first taking ADs due to the initial anxiety spike they often trigger.

[Jadenatalie]

Week 7, day 2. Had a better day yesterday, still started with anxiety and nausea etc but I have come to stay with my mum for support and company throughout this journey which i think has helped me and kept me busy. Today has been abit meh, tired, anxiety up and down, nausea. Just generally feel exhausted and can't be bothered doing much really. Still plodding x

[Jadenatalie]

Week 7 day 5. The past couple of days I have seen some improvements in my side effects etc. I don't feel amazing by any means or anywhere near where I want to be. But yesterday was probably the most stable day I've had in the past few weeks. I still have anxiety mainly on mornings and nausea on and off throughout the day. My diarrhoea seems to have stopped over the last 3-4 days so that's a positive, I'm not as tired in the daytime as I was a few days ago and my muscles aren't as weak and achy as they were. Hopefully will keep seeing improvements but I know this journey is a very bumpy one!

[Jadenatalie]

Started week 8 today. So over the past week I've had some good days for the first time since week 2-3 which has felt lovely. I know I'm not out of the woods by any means. Today and yesterday were abit up and down. Having jaw ache, headache, nausea and tiredness. Anxiety has still been lingering too. It seems that I'm struggling more with the side effects rather than the actual anxiety now. I'm trying to stay as positive as possible as I know I've had a few good days and I know it's a very up and down process. I'm hoping the good days will get more and the bad days less until the bad days are gone. Fingers crossed. X

[Jadenatalie]

Week 8, day 3.. The past few days have been okay. Yesterday was the best day I've had probably so far since being on the medication so that's a positive! I'm still nowhere near fully recovered, I'm still getting bouts of very random anxiety in the daytime which I just sit through and it eventually goes away. I'm also still nauseous some days. Im still getting some side effects, aching muscles, headaches and shooting head pains, jaw pain. But the most of the other side effects have gone. I'm feeling definitely more positive now because I've been having some better days. I'm hoping by 12-16 weeks I'll be feeling so much better. I've got a personal paper diary that I'm writing in daily so I can look back on it and I think it's just good to keep track of my moods and bodily sensations, achievements etc x

[Jadenatalie]

Starting week 9 today! Anxiety is definitely improved, it's not fully there yet but it's improved. I'm also doing self help such as reading Barry mcdonagh dare, walking daily, keeping well hydrated, no caffeine etc. I have cbt coming up too, should be starting cbt in about 3 weeks. I have minimal side effects now, the only side effect that's bothering me significantly is the muscle ache, I wake up and feel like I've been run over and reversed back over again. It's in all my limbs and sometimes even my fingers and toes ache. I'm saying this is definitely the citalopram as I had my bloods checked not long back and they were fine. So I'm really hoping it passes bevause the citalopram are working, but the full body aches is something that I wouldn't be able to cope with long term. It's nerve wracking wondering whether the aching will pass to be honest. I'm also taking magnesium supplements daily to help the aching. So, fingers crossed this aching settles!

[Jadenatalie]

Week 9 day 3 - so my anxiety has gone downhill again slightly and I'm feeling quite sad and tearful at the moment. I'm due on my period in a few days so I think that's why. I still have the body aches which I'm still hoping go away. I'm hoping my next post on here I'll be back with more positivity!

[Jadenatalie]

Week 10 starts today. Still have anxiety, going through a bad spell at the moment and feeling quite tearful too. I'm hoping this bad spell passes soon as it's really knocking my confidence and making me feel hopeless to be honest. I'm still having body aches and general feeling of lethargy in my muscles which isn't great. This bad blip seems to be dragging on a little bit now, I'm hoping for relief soon before I lose all hope. 😭 X

[panic_down_under]

If the blip continues for another week I'd be talking to the GP about increasing the dose. Given your med history you will likely need to go above the minimum dose for optimum results. :sad:

[Worryguts]

hey! how are you doing? hope your doing well. I came across your post as citalopram gave me muscle twitches and zaps and i just couldn't hack it. Hope your symptoms have eased :)