Citalopram and hunger/blood sugar?

[NoPoet]

Hi all,

I have noticed that since I started taking citalopram 20mg in March, I get weird "stomach feelings" and other symptoms that make me feel like I have gone too long without food, even if I have eaten not too long ago.

I wonder if this is a side effect of the cit, or could it be that my anxiety is burning more energy and making me need more food? Or is something weird going on?

[Hereford Al]

Hi mate.
I sometimes feel the same - I can get really hungry (and thus quite dizzy) pretty quickly even if I have only eaten a short time ago. I do find that when I am hungry/dizzy then my anxiety is lots worse than usual, so maybe it is a direct link between blood sugar levels and anxiety?

Not sure if this helps though :-)

[NoPoet]

Actually that does help mate as I have wondered the same thing, are blood sugar levels and anxiety connected? I know that blood sugar and stress are connected, for me at least, so it follows that anxiety is also affected.

So we are taking a medication to control anxiety - but the medication increases anxiety in general and provokes physical responses which also lead to further anxiety - can anybody tell me what the point is of using citalopram to combat anxiety?

[warby]

I get the same feelings/sensations but not only in my stomach at times they feel like they are in my chest and sometimes feel like ectopics/fluttering although they aren't, think it must be high up in my stomach.

[CHABLIS]

Actually that does help mate as I have wondered the same thing, are blood sugar levels and anxiety connected? I know that blood sugar and stress are connected, for me at least, so it follows that anxiety is also affected.

So we are taking a medication to control anxiety - but the medication increases anxiety in general and provokes physical responses which also lead to further anxiety - can anybody tell me what the point is of using citalopram to combat anxiety?

Have to agree. What's the point in making things worse? Go thorugh hell to perhaps (if you're lucky) end up back at where you were before you took them. Weird medicine, imo.

[NoPoet]

I'm going to speak with the anxiety specialist about citalopram on Monday. I'm sure I read that this is a side effect. No harm in double-checking for peace of mind.

It looks like there are side effects which simply continue for as long as you are on the medication, which makes sense, but I would prefer it if side effects all vanished after 2 weeks!!

[Lion King]

Hi Poet,

I have suffered the same, if I go more than 3 hours without any food my stomach starts rumbling and I have to have something to eat. My anxiety increases when I feel hungry so I have to make sure I eat little and often. I do think when you are anxious that your adrenaline is constantly high so this can be a drain on your energy levels. I don't blame the medication, the meds for me lower the anxiety enough for me to challenge my anxious thoughts, but being in these situations the anxiety does increase but not to a level where it is out of control, so I still live with the anxiety but now I cope better.

[NoPoet]

I never found that being hungry increased my anxiety until I started on citalopram.

[anxiouschick]

I got told a few years ago that antidepressants can pay havoc with blood sugar. Apparently when you eat, it rises dramatically and then slumps very low. I have personally put on a lot of weight since starting taking them 3 years ago. I get really hungry and feel nauseous if I don't eat regualarly. Even after a big meal, I can be hungry again within a few hours. Never had this before taking meds.

Best advice, is probably to eat little and often.

Good luck

[suzy-sue]

Slow release carbohydrates are the best food s to eat. eg.oats,potatoes with skins on.wholegrain crackers and cereal.wholemeal bread.wholegrain pasta and wild rice and fresh fruit.These take longer to break down so the blood sugar stays more stable for longer. Sue

[NoPoet]

Slow release carbohydrates are the best food s to eat. eg.oats,potatoes with skins on.wholegrain crackers and cereal.wholemeal bread.wholegrain pasta and wild rice and fresh fruit.These take longer to break down so the blood sugar stays more stable for longer. Sue

The disadvantage is that you have to eat oats, potatoes, crackers and pasta. :lac:

[Hereford Al]

Lol!
Yeah man. I don't think I could live without me pie and chips and have to survive on "rabbit" food.

[suzy-sue]

You dont have to go without your pie and chips lol,just substitute foods with the above,No white bread,fruit instead of cakes ,,little snacks of the above will keep you more stable regarding blood sugar and they arent so fattening either..I do love a cream cake ,i must admit lol.Sue