presecribed citalopram today... [Archive]

mini_mog

17-10-08, 21:50

...and have been doing my research on the net, understandably i am very concerned about the side effects and whether they will affect my day to day functionality, im particularly concerned about the possibility of feeling 'spaceed out' or drowsy during the day as i feel its quite important for me to keep going to work and to carry on with normalilty. has anyone any advice? ive been prescribed 20mg daily and have been taking fluoxetine 20mg daily for the past month.

thank you in advance!:hugs:

roosey

17-10-08, 23:48

I took citalopram for about 4yrs and didn't have any side effects at all ,, not everyone gets side effects so try not to think about it. I think sometimes the more we think about side effects, we blame it on the tablets for every little unusual thing we feel--- you will be OK i am sure

vti2007

18-10-08, 08:33

Hi Mini_mog,

I started citalopram a few weeks back. I found any side effects I did get were at their worst from about 2 hours after taking it for a few hours. I know opinions vary a lot on this but I found taking it at night was best for me as it made me fall asleep really easily and then I slept through the worst.

You may well get no side effects, plenty of people don't so don't assume you will - you may well be fine :) :)

mini_mog

18-10-08, 15:10

thank you for the reassurance:) ive taken my last fluoxetine today and will take my first citalopram tomorrow morning, my parents are coming to visit tmorrow afternoon so they will be there to hopefully take my mind off worrying about side effects (how annoying is the worrying?!). im hoping that as my body is already used to a daily dose of SSRIs, this shouldnt affect me and ill be the same and hopefully feeling better in a few weeks. i want the 'old' me back!:hugs:

mini_mog

18-10-08, 19:37

i have another question- in the leaflet that comes with the citalopram it says that you are advised not to drink alcohol whilst taking it. has anyone any experience with this? i dont drink much at all now cos alcohol is a depressant, i also avoid caffiene and drink decaff coffee. but i do like the odd glass of wine, and im only 25, still enjoy a night out with my friends. can i drink at all or is it best avoided. im quite willing to go without if it will help my recovery.

Becky08

18-10-08, 19:47

hello mini mog!
Hope you are feeling ok, ive been on Citalopram 20mgs for almost 2 weeks now. At first i got really sweaty,trembliy and a bit spaced out but every day it has got a bit easier to manage, hopefully soon the side effects will go and i can start to deal with my depression and anxiety head on, saying all this, everyone is differrent and if you feel that the side efeects are becoming worse or trouling you, please go back to the doctor, there are others you can try. As for the alcohol issue, i'm not too sure either if a couple of glasses of wine will be too much? Sorry i couldnt help you with that! Take care! :yesyes:

mini_mog

18-10-08, 20:50

hi becky:) thanks for the reply, how did you find the side effects affected everyday life at first? im just worried about firstly getting to work ok (combination of car very packed train, and short walk) and how well ill function once im there.

im hoping that i wont have any but just want to be assured ill be fine if i do. i guess the best thing to do would be to tell my manager and then at least they are aware if i seem distant or sleepy.

Chelle1

18-10-08, 21:49

Hi mini mog

I have been on Citalorpram on and off for over 5 years, the problem i have is getting off them. Every time i stop taking them my panic attacks really kick in and i become very agoraphobic.

When i was first prescribed i was really scared to take them as the side effects list seemed horrendous especially in the frame of mind i was in (very anxious one). However when i eventually started taking them the anxiety worsened for a couple of days but had no other side effects at all. I take mine at night just before bed, (part of the bedtime routine mostly so that i remember to take them). After a few weeks of taking them i have only about 5% of the panic attacks that i have when not taking them and they are not really bad. I do still have the worrying thoughts sometimes though and do get anxious. I think they are very helpful but not on their own and i dont feel it is a total cure as my panic attacks return a few weeks after i ween off them.

I think it varys from person to person but i do think they are worth a try. They help me live a more "normal" life.

Hope my experience of Citalorpram is useful to you and good luck.

Chelle xx

eternally optimistic

18-10-08, 22:10

Hi

I have been on citalopram for over a year, just trying to come off them.

They have made a massive difference to me over the year, I havent achieved everything I would like but it has allowed me to slow down and repair the body, if that makes sense. It was knackered, a nervous wreck, LOL.

I can only say good things about the medication, did have a bit of a bumpy start at first but I was sooo low that it really didnt matter.

I hope if you continue to take them, that they are as successful for you.

It might also be a good time to see what is possibly causing your anx etc.

Best of luck.

J

mini_mog

19-10-08, 10:35

thank you everyone for your replies, its great to hear of some success stories too:)

i took my first tablet around an hour ago, i feel normal, and am keeping myself busy doing housework. im not feeling anxious today which is first day in around 2 weeks, so thats really nice:yesyes: a break finally! i know the tablets cant work *that* fast so i must just be having a good day, i shall make the most of it:D

jocutts

21-10-08, 18:29

Hi mini-mog, i have been on Citalopram for 3 yrs and about a year ago i started going out again only once a week and i have 4 bottles of bud with no problems. Check with your doc if you want to make sure.
good luck.x

bab

21-10-08, 18:42

mini_mog

21-10-08, 19:51

hi mini-mog

just checking how you are doing - dont be alarmed if u get side effects you may well do but this is a sign of them getting into your body and working. just go with the flow as any side effects although they may be scary - will go away and you will feel a huge benefit from the meds
x
hi bab:) thank you for asking:hugs: day 3 now and im feeling quite ok, i think changing from one ssri to another has been a good thing really! just still feeling a little strange about half an hr after taking it, when i say a little strange its hard to describe, bit of a mild headache and maybe a tiny bit woozy. but i think they are helping with the anxiety, whether its a placebo effect with it only being day 3 or whether they have already started to work i dont know, but its great to be able to start rationalising again:)

mini_mog

23-10-08, 19:18

bit of an update- day 5 and feeling much happier, anxiety is much more controllable and i feel like me again:-) i still get the odd anxious thoughts but so much better at dismissing them for what they are. only side effects ive had is feeling slightly strange a couple of times, and i felt sick this afternoon at work but it quickly passed. so far so good:)

Pebbles

04-11-08, 14:27

am soo glad i take 10mg citalopram. Evning pannicks have almost stopped and travel needs abit of work but am less sortta anxiouse about car travel etc. Docs told me 2 just take short journeys 4 now xx

Natural Mystic

04-11-08, 18:13

I wish I didn't have such hellish reactions to SSRI's, some of you seem to have real positive experiences with them.

Vickid

11-11-08, 20:44

I have been prescribed Citalopram too, but I haven't started them. I have been doing Diazapam for about three/four days, 2 a day 2mg. I haven't had any today and there's a prescription awaiting to be taken to the chemist but to be honest, I don't know whether I'll take them..........

I am managing alright, the only issue I have at the moment now as the nervousness seems to be fading, is the breathing... all that deep breath stuff is doing my head in. I sigh a lot and yawn (because a good yawn feels like a proper breath), I am sure you know what I mean when I say this.

If the breathing gets better, I am better. It's all about the breathing guys x

Ellandrhia

13-11-08, 03:10

anybody switched from paroxetine to citalopram? My doc has given me 20 miligrams a day when I had 30 of the paroxetine. Will I get withdrawl? Great web site by the way.

mini_mog

15-11-08, 18:14

just wanted to give an update....

4 weeks on citalopram and i am feeling so much better:) ive had far less intrusive constant 'what if' thoughts and i feel like life is getting back to normal. thank you citalopram! and my gp who is wonderful, she is such a great help, along with my parents and partner.

went to see my gp yesterday and as soon as i walked through the door she said 'wow! you look better!' she told me i looked really well and much more sparky:)

so all new users of citalopram- i hope this message gives you some comfort and reassurance and i hope it works as well for all of you too:)

mog
x x x

bubblefizz

27-11-08, 11:56

anybody switched from paroxetine to citalopram? My doc has given me 20 miligrams a day when I had 30 of the paroxetine. Will I get withdrawl? Great web site by the way.

im on seroxat too, i was on 10mg im down to 5mg now trying to get off it. the docs have prescribed citalopram and im terrified of taking it although its only 2mg to start with.so if you get any results please let me know :hugs:

L011ip0p

02-12-08, 13:23

Hi there...
ive just got back from the docs and have been given citalopram...
ive never been on medication before but over the last year ive gradually been getting worse and having to take more and more time off work untill today I just broke down infront of the doctor!!!
Im worried about the side effects, the thought of getting worse even if just for a little while isnt very apealing! But im glad to see some positvie experiences. :) Ill be having my first pill this evening...

bubblefizz

04-12-08, 12:23

siobhain

05-12-08, 21:09

hey i was scared to take citalopram for years.after many years of feeling awful i eventually gave in and now take 20mg a day .ive been on it for a year and didnt get any side effects.i am not 100% but am def alot better than i was before ,i dont regret taking it.As for the achol i havnt had a drop since i started taking them.good luck hope they help you.

Grayw

05-12-08, 22:36

I've been on them for 5 weeks,had a few hot flushes and episodes of running to the loo rather urgently,apart from a lot of yawning wich is now passing over i've been ok and do feel better.Not sure you should drink with them though,i liked a drink but,won't be having any over xmas ,i've done my fair share of drinking in the past so ,i won't miss it.

Jan63

06-12-08, 09:21

I've just started taking them two days ago - half a tablet (10mg) and I felt okay at first but last night I had a sort of panic attack but the doctor said that my anxiety might get worse on them at first.

L011ip0p

09-12-08, 20:52

ooook well ive now been taking it since last tuesday (1week)

for the first 2 nights i didnt sleep a wink, I kept waking up feeling really nervous (goodness what there is to be nervous about in the middle of the night!)
And I felt really sick... but that might be down to a bug going round because my parents have both been feeling dizzy and sick aswell...
so all in all its fine! ive had no bad side affects and i am feeling alot better and starting to get some energy back! :D :D
so dont be scared!!! the majority of people who take it dont suffer any side affects at all :D

Granny Primark

10-12-08, 07:46

Ive now been taking them for 2 weeks and wish id taken them years ago.
They are no miracle cure but im definitley feeling a lot calmer.
I was so worried about the side effects but I can honestly say I havent really had hardly any of them apart from not sleeping the first night (probably cus I was so anxious about the fact id taken one) and the following night I slept almost 11 hours and that was propbably due to the fact id hadnt slept the night before.

chicken.lickin

10-12-08, 15:40

anybody switched from paroxetine to citalopram? My doc has given me 20 miligrams a day when I had 30 of the paroxetine. Will I get withdrawl? Great web site by the way.

Hi, ive just come off citalopram and onto paroxetine, for my anxiety, which citalopram made really bad. Headaches where awfull and had major panic attacks whilst driving :wacko: which i never had before, kept them up for two months but had enough. Felt as if my head was foggy and numb all the time. Obviously everyone is different though. Good luck. x

KittyBoo

19-12-08, 12:39

How long do these tablets take to work and get into your system?
I hope they do work cos I feel really down and fed up.

Millz

20-12-08, 17:01

I've been told that it can take 2 weeks to get used to any side effects and the most common time they start working is 4 - 6 weeks within starting.
Slightly off putting if you ask me but I'm sure it will be better in the long run.

Took my first 10mg tablet today and didn't feel too bad at first but then I started to get dizzy and feel really sick, doesn't help that I've had hardly anything to eat. Don't let this put you off though.
That's just me.

flix08

31-12-08, 18:20

I took my first tablet on Monday after being prescribed them. Oddly, I felt 'fine' on Tuesday - the first time for a while that I've not been completely down, but today I'm feeling much the same.

I've had quite prominent side effects - bad headaches, feeling sick, and difficulty concentrating. I've also had similar bad thoughts that before I went on the meds. I'm hoping this will all sort itself out within the next few weeks.

Does anyone else feel really spaced out?