Awkward question - Sorry

[Dragonsblonde]

Hi Everyone

I seem to keep asking question after question here at the moment and would like to thank everyone who so far has come to my rescue!

Now..ahem bit awkward this, but a few days after starting the 10mg CIT I started to suffer with some diarrhea. Not having to run to a bathroom most of the time, but just when I go (well you know what I mean). The pharmacist said I can use immodium which I have been on and off, but am now on day 10 and it is still happening.

I know it can take a few weeks to setlle, am upping to 20mg next week.

I currently take the tablet first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and am not sure if that is helping to cause to the problem. I have seen that people who have nausea do better with it after food so wonder if that might help me too?

Any advice as always very very gratefully recieved

Jo
x

[suzannacorfu]

Dear Jo,
Sorry to hear that you are having this problem. ALWAYS take Citalopram AFTER eating something!!! It can sometimes be a little tough on the digestive system and taking it after food helps a lot. It will stop tho!!!
Suz

[Dragonsblonde]

Hiya

Thanks for the advice! I suppose I had been thinking I would avoid the problems by letting the drug settle first before food (and also I admit in the beginning the urge to just get it in me for it to start working lol)

Will try some food first tomorrow then and quell the desire to take it so early in the morning

Thanks so much
Jo

[rachelb]

I would agree with Suz, I took it first thing also initially and got nausea which died away after I started taking it just after breakfast.

[Dragonsblonde]

Hiya

Thanks again for some advice. When you talk to a pharmacist they all say things like "well it might do" and "the effects only last a few days", so you start to think something is wrong with you until you ask people who have experience with it lol

Only 10 days in so far - MUST remember that

xx

[absentia]

Before upping your dose you really should let things settle first. Citalopram is a great drug for anxiety and it seems to be every GP's choice these days. Stick with it and it will hopefully work wonders for you.

[Dragonsblonde]

Thanks Absentia

I think the effects have mostly settled now to be honest, am calmer - slight disturbed sleep, but that seems normal. Since one of my reactions to this anxiety is a fear of food I never really have a great diet and was eating badly for over two weeks so that may have had an impact too.

Will try the pills with food and see if that helps

[suzannacorfu]

Dear Jo,
10 days is very soon for Citalopram to have it's amazingly good effects ok? It will kick in on the anxiety aftera good few weeks so just be patient and it's full effect for Panic is at 12 weeks!!! So you just have more and more good things to look forward to!!!
Suz

[Dragonsblonde]

Hi Suz

Thanks again - I don't want to be a constant pain to people on here lol

It has helped me calm more already which is at least giving my overworked mind some chance to rest and more on a day to day basis I am able to accept letting time pass without freaking out that I will never be free from it again. So am very happy with how things have gone so far.

Better out than in though as my mum used to say and this is a great place to ask for those little odd reassuring nudges we all need from time to time I guess

Thank you

Jo

[Dragonsblonde]

Ok sorry one more question for today!!!

Feeling a kind of burning sensation in my stomach - I did have this yesterday, but has only just come on today so thought I would ask if anyone thinks this is also related to the pills on an empty stomach?

Have checked the posts and many people talk about indigestion etc - so could be excess stomach acid???

Any advice as always so gratefully recieved

Jo

[jaded jean]

Hi Jo.
I dont know about that one with the burning but with the breakfast yes! A good few people have porridge before or just after taking the cit. and its a stress buster too. If yiu havent been following a good diet try 'grazing ' and having many small meals thru the day . I think your tummy will cope better then,
take care
Jean

[Dragonsblonde]

Hey Jean

Thanks for the response. Am sure it is all related so will just take the tablets an hour or two later (currently taking at 6.30am) and make sure I have something to eat first. Not sure I can manage the porridge, but a cereal bar and a banana I can do lol

Am now at home with some ROOIBOS tea with a little milk in it. I stopped drinking any hot drinks and anything with milk in it 3 weeks ago when I "broke" and am now taking steps to get back to normal.

as an aside the tea is lovely

Hope you are well
Jo

[jaded jean]

Hey Jo.
Cant do rooibos. it smells like a red bush of any plant to me lol, I do chamomile and everything decaffinated. The porridge does make me gag but I persevere as I am driving round visiting people for 2/3 hours. I am 4 1/2 months into cit just had it upped to30mgs as having reactive anxiety to a sudden change in workplace so feeling a bit meh! at the moment I know when it starts to wear off as my heart speeds up just a bit but then I take my amitryptiline and then I relax, whew!
Take care it will come round and you will feel like it all happened long ago.
Jean

[Dragonsblonde]

Hi Jean

I agree it will be an acquired taste, but have drunk Green Tea and Chai Latte in the past and this seems to be a cross of the two so should be fine lol

Never been a porridge fan. Before all this and soon again hopefully I was a granola and yogurt breakfast person and will try to get back to that when at work. I suppose it just means I have to make the effort to get out of bed at the weekend and eat something to take the tablet (then maybe sneak back under the covers for an hour) - if my sleep goes back to normal lol

Hope yours settles again soon and I look forward to all this feeling like a distant memory

Jo
xx

[Dragonsblonde]

Have some dry skin going on at the moment....no rash or soreness just generally dry arms and legs mainly

Ho Hum - out with the creams lol

[jaded jean]

Hi Jo.
could be the time of year, could be hormonal IF you are at a certain stage of your life (meno) lol I started to find that with my legs looking really scaly hahaha. I was morphing as well as losing my mind AAAARRRGGHH!!!! Intense moisture cream does the trick.
Jean

[Dragonsblonde]

Hi Jean

Am 36, but entered a very early meno when I was early 20's and was on HRT for about 9/10 years back then lol. Can suffer with some dry skin anyway, but as you know when like this every little thing becomes a big thing lol

Still hating the ealy morning anxiousness I have to say, worse at weekends when no work - annoyingly just the time you want to relax! Still hoping that will ease off as well probably with the up in meds as well as time as I am still only on the 10mg into dose right now

Hope your weekend is a good one
Jo x

[jaded jean]

Hi Jo
My anxiety is rising again at the weekends I want to keep busy . I go on the laptop then start the yawning again and I fell asleep for a second or 2 and I didnt like it.in fact it un nerves me a bit.
Dry skin is part of the process then. and it becomes a bit more fragile I think.

you have a good weekend too
Jeanx

[Dragonsblonde]

Hi Jean

Probably just due to the recent increase then maybe? Is a tricky thing I know, you just want to unwind and I feel bad for my husband as he mainly then sees the downs I have rather then the ups.

Here's hoping we both settle down again soon and get all our life back

Jo
xx