View Full Version : Citalopram
hi everyone
just newly logged on today and am looking for help as i am on day 6 of taking Citalopram [20mg] for depression. i take it in the morning just before 9am and i must say that i am finding it v difficult. this is my first experience of depression and the side effects of the meds are worse than i thought possible....feel more hopeless/sad than before i started. it is the emotional effects rather than the physical ones that i am finding it hard to cope with. the threads i have read are both helpful and scary, and i wanted to know if anyone recommends that i should see my GP or give them another week - which seems so far away at present. my family dont know - just 3 good friends who unfortunately live some distance away from me. i dont want to say that i am having suicidal thoughts, but i do feel like i need to see some positive results soon - anything would be great. the insomnia, jitters, and sweating i could cope with more easier if my mind was less down.
would appreciate anyone's views:noangel:
sarah jayne
06-09-09, 17:47
Hi, welcome to the site ! I joined the other week, i was also looking for advice on citalopram ! im on my third week now and ive got to say that it does get easier ! I was very close to giving up but after advice from people on here ive stuck at it and im really glad i have. Like you i felt i needed to see my doctor, so i did and he reassured me and told me to carry on taking them. If it makes you happier then go and see your gp, thats what they are there for. The only side effect that im still getting is an awful headache. In my first week i felt more anxious than ever and i felt really down but i feel so much better now, ive only had a couple of panic attacks. I just wish this headache would go away ! I definately think that you should stick with them, hope your feeling better soon.
Sarah x
Sorry to hear citalopram is making you so miserable. When I first started taking it my doctor warned me it would make me worse before it made me better and to call the surgery if anything got too much for me. Somehow this made it easier to cope with as I knew everything was only temporary- I looked at it like a flu or similar.
After about 6 weeks or so I remember waking and feeling wierd and couldn't work it out what was wrong and it took me a couple of minutes to work out that I had woken up for the first first time in months without the awful shaky feeling- it felt like a cloud had lifted and I could think postively for the first time in months.
Hi, welcome to the site ! I joined the other week, i was also looking for advice on citalopram ! im on my third week now and ive got to say that it does get easier ! I was very close to giving up but after advice from people on here ive stuck at it and im really glad i have. Like you i felt i needed to see my doctor, so i did and he reassured me and told me to carry on taking them. If it makes you happier then go and see your gp, thats what they are there for. The only side effect that im still getting is an awful headache. In my first week i felt more anxious than ever and i felt really down but i feel so much better now, ive only had a couple of panic attacks. I just wish this headache would go away ! I definately think that you should stick with them, hope your feeling better soon.
Sarah x
hi sarah jayne - i totally agree that this site was a real bonus [on the whole] to stumble across onto! day 11 nearly over and i did see my gp -he was v reassuring. early mornings and late at nite are the worst for me...plus weekends not great either. hopefully it will get better tho? thanks for your message x
Sorry to hear citalopram is making you so miserable. When I first started taking it my doctor warned me it would make me worse before it made me better and to call the surgery if anything got too much for me. Somehow this made it easier to cope with as I knew everything was only temporary- I looked at it like a flu or similar.
After about 6 weeks or so I remember waking and feeling wierd and couldn't work it out what was wrong and it took me a couple of minutes to work out that I had woken up for the first first time in months without the awful shaky feeling- it felt like a cloud had lifted and I could think postively for the first time in months.
hi Luci-loo, may i ask how long have you been on citalopram? this is my first diagnosis with depression...have had panic attacks in the past but 'talked myself out of them' so to speak. this however i could not...mornings and late at nite are the worst times, plus the weekends! work is a bit of a distraction [i am a teacher]. sometimes i feel so 'zoned out' from everyone...my family, my colleagues - and i get agitated very easily. is this a side effect? day 11 nearly over...
Hi WATERFALL :welcome: to NMP. Ive been on Cit for 11 months and it has turned my life around .I am no longer depressed and I feel like my old self but better .You will find the first 3 weeks the worst but it does get better .Once the drug has stabilised in your system your side effects will dissapear .You will find a lot of posts on this on the Medication forum further down the page .There you will be able to read other peoples experiences and get support when you need it . Try to get plenty of rest and find things to distract you from thinking about how bad you feel at the moment ,a walk in the fresh air will boost your feel good hormones and also take your mind off the side effects .Take care all the best Sue xx
thanks Sue - have read many of your comments and you are giving me hope...day 12 today! find it hard to look to the future to be honest....i used to be so 'normal' - this is my 1st diagnosis with depression, and even now i feel like i am talking about somebody else. did you feel 'removed' from your family and friends? i also find it hard to look at myself in the mirror when i am getting dressed for work...sounds bizarre i know! anyway i hope that soon i will feel some semblance of normality again and that i will be able to be more sociable. i am single aged 34 and would love to meet a good man to be content with, but at present have no interest in 'putting myself out there' so to speak. thanks again sue x
I felt exactly like you by the sound of it .I couldnt bear to look at myself either . lol I didnt feel connected to anyone and didnt want to be social .I never enjoyed anything and felt like I was someone else .Perhaps thats why I didnt like looking at myself ,I didnt like who I had become .? I coulnt imagine the future because all I could think of at the time was "IS THIS ALL THERE IS "... I never wanted to take antidepressants ,but after everything else had failed there was nothing left .I just wish I had taken them earlier .Life is good and its so worth fighting for . All the best ,you will get there and you will feel good again .Luv Sue x:hugs:
mum to three
12-09-09, 14:46
Hi everyone im new to this and would like to share my experience so far with citalopram. I am on day 6 and feeling very unsure of side effects. I have been diagnosed with depression for the first time although to start with i did not have any depressed feeling etc only physical symtoms ie dizziness, tiredness, "brain fog" etc. Since taking 20mg of citalopram i have had episodes of feeling really intense anxiety which is something i never had before meds also a tight pressure at the back of my head, shakes and last night for the 1st time before i fell asleep my mind was racing with stupid random thoughts. Please advise as for someone who only had physical symptoms before this is really scary. Look forward to a reply xxx
The side effects you mention are perfectly normal im afraid ..It does make you feel worse before you get better .Its just the tabs getting in your system .It will start to feel better around 2-3 weeks ,but the full benefit takes 4-6 weeks to kick in .The Citalopram forum has a lot of info . and others are going thru the same thing .You will find plenty of support there .Take care Sue xx:hugs:
mum to three
12-09-09, 16:18
Thank you Sue for your reassurance it is much needed at the moment, i will try and persevere and will let you know how i get on xxx
Cell block H fan
12-09-09, 17:11
hi everyone
just newly logged on today and am looking for help as i am on day 6 of taking Citalopram [20mg] for depression. i take it in the morning just before 9am and i must say that i am finding it v difficult. this is my first experience of depression and the side effects of the meds are worse than i thought possible....feel more hopeless/sad than before i started. it is the emotional effects rather than the physical ones that i am finding it hard to cope with. the threads i have read are both helpful and scary, and i wanted to know if anyone recommends that i should see my GP or give them another week - which seems so far away at present. my family dont know - just 3 good friends who unfortunately live some distance away from me. i dont want to say that i am having suicidal thoughts, but i do feel like i need to see some positive results soon - anything would be great. the insomnia, jitters, and sweating i could cope with more easier if my mind was less down.
would appreciate anyone's views:noangel:
If it was me I would hang on in there. I was given these but within 2 days, I was getting horrendous physical side effects. I woke in the night feeling like I was going to die. Burning sensation going up my limbs, racing heartbeat, sweating. It was awful. I stopped them immediately. If you have got a week in, stick with it. My brother uses these & he thinks they are great! It can take a good month for the psychological affects of them to kick in anyway, so you're a third of the way to probably feeling a whole lot better! :yesyes:
I felt exactly like you by the sound of it .I couldnt bear to look at myself either . lol I didnt feel connected to anyone and didnt want to be social .I never enjoyed anything and felt like I was someone else .Perhaps thats why I didnt like looking at myself ,I didnt like who I had become .? I coulnt imagine the future because all I could think of at the time was "IS THIS ALL THERE IS "... I never wanted to take antidepressants ,but after everything else had failed there was nothing left .I just wish I had taken them earlier .Life is good and its so worth fighting for . All the best ,you will get there and you will feel good again .Luv Sue x:hugs:
honestly sue you should do this as your profession! thanks again - it is good to get feedback....i am going to stick with the cit. and i [cautiously] look forward to feeling good again! day 12 nearly over...x
Thank you Sue for your reassurance it is much needed at the moment, i will try and persevere and will let you know how i get on xxx
hi there i am on day 12 and had EXACTLY the same side effects as yourself [which my GP had failed to mention]. i must say this forum has helped me realise i am not on my own, and it is definitely a struggle the first wk [read my first forum entry and you will see!]
as i said this is the end of day 12 and am feeling some reassurance that within a week the citalopram WILL take proper effect. over the last 2/3 days i have had some better ['normal'] moments where i almost feel like myself....going to persevere after reading the comments left by others. good luck x
mum to three
12-09-09, 22:29
Thanks waterfall it definitely helps knowing others are experiencing the same symptoms and i am not alone, great to hear you are starting to get over some of the side effects lets hope it continues, good luck & take care x
FroggyPrince
13-09-09, 09:37
Hi Waterfall, :welcome: to the group!
Paul (Froggy)
Hi everyone, just thought I would leave a message after reading all the comments on citalopram. I started on them about 6weeks ago and had exactly the same symptoms, feeling alot worse thatn I did before I started taking them! A continuous headache which really hurt, shakes, sick feeling and hot rushes...all of which I wasnt sure of but I can honestly say these have disappeared now. I am only on 10mg daily but they seem to have definatly calmed down my anxiety so give them a chance to kick in. It is hard becasue I wanted instant results but I did spend a lot of time chatting to people on here which helped! lucy xxxx
Hi i'm also new to this site! i have been on citalopram for 1 week 10 mg and 5 weeks this tue on 20mg! it's the mornings that were so bad for me! i managed a weekend away this weekend as my best friend got married and i was so pleased i felt ok and i was pleased i felt better when i woke up but today i,ve felt anxious again! do you think it's normal to have blips? and so was it 6 weeks before you felt fully better in mornings? i feel i'm constantly in need of reassurance!! xxxxx
Hi Waterfall, :welcome: to the group!
Paul (Froggy)
thanks Paul!:doh: x
hi it is the mornings for me too!!! [i take my 20mg tablet about 8.30am] went to the beach with my sister today and got so overwhelmed in the car i thought i would have to ask her to drive back home! was just wondering when you all take your citalopram? do the panics disappear after a certain time? this is day 13 for me...i feel like life is a bit surreal on these things, like i am 'going through the motions'...just want to be myself again - maybe i am thinking too much???
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