Started Citalopram today

[cascade70]

Just started taking Citalopram 20mg today and i feel like shit, after one hour i felt quite spaced out and i have had bad anxiety all day. I know this is part of the side effects so have to grin and bear it.

[smudger]

Hi. Been on citalopram in the past myself. I really hope it helps you as it did for me for 2.5 years. It may seem hard at first. The only advice I can give is to give it a chance, you may feel more positive in a week, two, three or even four! It really does vary person to person. As long as you can live with the temporary side effects then persevere and ask for help if you need it. Good luck.x

[Gaz1981]

Keep your mind busy my friend. Read a book, play a computer game, troll webpage after webpage. The spaced out feeling doesn't last long and I found it was important that I distracted myself till it passed. My experience with going on them this time has been really easy, because I didn't spend my time concentrating on how I was feeling.

[cascade70]

Well first day on Citalopram, anxiety went through the roof, had about four panic attacks, spaced out, bed dreams in the little sleep i got and woke up this morning feeling awful and sick. On 20mg so think my dosage will have to be lowered.

[pheetuz]

Yeah 20MGs is a pretty high dose to just start on, a little suprised your gp didnt put you on 10mgs to begin with and build it up from there, a lot of gps seem to underestimate the side effects of cit.
Even at 10MGs i still had panic attacks but the worst of them went after the second day and from there on out they were more just bouts of anxiety/panic without the whole full blown adrenaline rush and racing heart beat.

Know getting onto these meds can be a really tough time but will be worth it in the end. Definatly speak to your gp about lowering your dose tho, also might be worth asking for some diazapam to help with the hardest times of panic, although this definatly doesnt help with the spaced out feeling.

/Pete

[Gaz1981]

If think the point of putting you on 20mg from the beginning is because its the most effective dose. Even if you take 10mg, you're going to get side effects, the difference is, once they up you to the optimal dose of 20mg, you're going to need to go through the side effects again till your body gets used to it. Why do that to the patient twice unnecessarily?

Just keep your mind busy mate. The bad feelings will pass soon, I promise.

[Sweetpea6]

Hi,

I've been on 10mg of Citalopram for 3 weeks now. Although I was lucky not to have any bad side effects, it has worked wonders for me- I feel so much better. Stick in there! I'm sure it'll be worth the aggro.

[megan143]

Hi Cascade,

I stared with Citaloram yesterday and to be honest I haven't been too bad, I do think it is a lot to do with your mindset and of course veryone is different. I do feel a little bit spacey, a bit sick and have a funny headache, but I slept not too bad and have had no major panick attacks and none of the bad side effects that I thought I would have which is great. I agree with Gaz though if you keep busy it keeps you mind off every little thing that is happening with your body, so I have been reading, cleaning, watching telly

I am determined to stick with them as I have heard great things about them once you get throught the first couple of weeks.

Take Care

[lc2613]

dont want to say it to soon but took first 10mg today felt drowsy and sick rough morning but in the afternoon less anxious than normal. hoping these are going to work when i was prescribed 20mg i was told to break them in half four 4 days so would speak to your gp again. good luck x

[andrea thompson]

hi cascade
i started on 20mg citalopram about 4 weeks ago. i am feeling so much better now. in the first week or so of taking them i had a few palpitations and i had really vivid dreams - wasnt sure if i was awake or asleep sometimes... kept jumping out of bed because thought there was a massive spider in the room...happy to say that has all settled down now. and a lot of the anxiety and depression has left me also... so happy times... i am not 100% but i am so much better than before i started taking them. i was also feeling sick in the mornings and ok through day and then by tea time fealt so spaced out and tired was unreal... but sort of think that could be my body starting to relax and me needing more sleep to recover from the recent trauma of the panic and sleepless nights.... i dont know ???? i have been back to the dr and he was really pleased with the progress. i am too.

i do hope you start to feel better soon - honestly i fealt sick and spaced out but it was beter than i had been feeling!!! within a couple of days i was feeling better.

take care

andrea x x

[milli]

hi i'm a new member! If you read my story you will feel better! i am a nurse! i am also on citalopram 40mg, they make you feel sick, indigestion real bad at first but it soon we ars of! i am also on diazepam for severe anxiety for phobia about cancer!!!!!! im sure you will feel better soon and they do work!

[80schickx]

Hi All

I was also prescribed 20mg but had horrid side effects of nausea/dizziness and scared thoughts. Went back to docs who has told me to reduce to 10mg for first week. I am on day 4 at the moment and still get nausea/dizziness, but as each day passes its getting less. Will go to 20mg at the end of the week.

Reading this thread its apparent how common anxiety/panic disorder is

[SeeBeeS]

Hi Milli, do you do night work within your nursing role and has any contra-indication been notified to you?

[georgina20]

hi cascade i too had the same symptoms as andrea . ive had been on them for about 9mths and ended up on 40mg they completly made me like a zombe! oh yes they shut things out but just wanted to sleep had no interest in anything put weight on . i had enough weaned myself off . not been on them for about 4weeks they have horrible side effects dizziness crying very mood swings tirdness so please be carefull .
take care Karen