Day 6 on citalopram 20mg and ready to give in!

[Sarah Louise]

Hi everyone,

I have been taking this since last Wednesday and boy the side effects are horrible.

I have no appetite what so ever, i am shaking like mad mainly in the morning and then worse about 2 hours after the tablet with highten anxiety.
I am at the point were i dread taking it because i get so tired and weak and just want to sleep, once i have slept for a bit i tend to feel okay and the afternoon gets better its just the first few hours.
I have a 5 month old baby and i am on my own through the day with no support.

Has anyone else had these side effects and will they pass?

Thanks Sarah :weep:

[MrsJaredLeto]

Please dint give up! I'm on day 17 and I'm feeling fantastic! I suffered horrible aide effects - BIG time anxiety, sick, so so so tired, dizzy, visual disturbances, paranoia, loss of appetite....
BUT after day 9 I noticed that I'd felt fab all day and I slept wonderful that night! And since then every day is better! I'm by no means cured but i'm HAPPY and relaxed and it's amazing!
Take care xx

[MightyPC]

11 -12 weeks tomorrow for me. I suffered badly with the side effects, especially yawning fatigue - unable to get out of bed for more than 20mins, headache and heighten anxiety upon waking. I now wonder if my aching joints and bones are done to the tablets as this is also mentioned as a side effect. Do I feel better on them? not sure really, I think it has just dilated the anxiety and panic I was experiencing. It is still there. My Mrs thinks they have worked for me.

In all honesty, the sleeping pills are my saving grace, they really work for me. I will add, I have piled on weight with cits, about 4.5kgs in total. Make sure you take the tablet at a regular time. I never took mine last Sunday and only took it on Monday afternoon and I felt bloody horrible and ill.

I have started to drink on the pills and had a quite a bit to drink on Saturday. The hangovers are bad. But I have been told that I will probably have to be on these for 6 months which i am not too happy about so I am trying to live a normal life as much as possible.

[Sarah Louise]

Thanks for the reply's i feel okay this afternoon had a bit of a moment earlier but i am okay now its just the morning its god awful.

Bothers me with having my baby girl i went to sleep this morning from 9-11 in a deep sleep as well it was only my baby crying that woke me up which freaked me out alot.

I will give them another week see what happens i see the doctor next week anyway so i will wait till then at least x

[JT69]

Hi Sarah Louise,

So sorry you are having such a bad time with citalopram. These meds are fantastic once you get over the initial side effects. It must be so hard with a little one too and feeling like you need to sleep etc. If you can just persevere you will reap the benefits. The mornings are always the worst too and as the day progresses you pick up...that I can totally relate to.

I lost almost 2 stone when I first took cit too as I just had no appetite but it did go back on once the meds settled.

Is there no one that come and look after your little one for a short time in the morning so you can rest easier?

I do hope you come through this and start to feel better soon hun. Lots of people on here taking citalopram so check out the threads on it...you will get lots of support.

Take care.
Jo.xx

[claire930]

hi sarah, i was really bad for about 10 days, the panic attacks i had were awful, but im into my fourth week of taking them now and i feel alot better, try and stick with it, its hard i know ive got a 3 year old and an 18 month old and the tiredness was killing me i just wanted to sleep.
Take care xx

[Sarah Louise]

Thanks the posts are really helping me think i will be okay and just have to get through the next week.

You no i dont no when it all got so bad its like i woke up one morning and bam i hit rock bottom i always thought i was a strong person and that i would beat it with therapy alone what a shock it was!

[cassy1989]

Hello, I have been on citalopram since august. Started on 20mg, then went on to 30mg and now I am on 40 mg.
At first the side effects were horrible, I had no appetite, felt constantly tired, was always yawning, felt cold and shaky, felt even more panicky too!
Then the doctor suggested I start taking my tablet at night time instead and as far as I am aware I don't have any side effects now! You could try changing it to taking it at night time instead?

Just don't give up just yet. All pills can be hard to deal with at first but try to stay on it for a bit longer and see how you feel. Good luck xx