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buggy999
27-02-04, 12:12
I've recently started suffering from Anxiety... again, having had a couple of good months. My doctor has prescribed me Beta-Blokers (which are great!!!) which stop my anxiety attacks but she also prescribed me Citalopram 20mgs, to take one a day. I've taken them for two days now. Yesterday I took a full one and felt like throwing up all day long, felt dizzy, disorientated, loss of appetite and basically like I was resident on another planet. Today I halved the tablet and took 10mg and still I feel the same... very sickly and basically stoned. The doctor said there wouldn't be any side effects and that they would start to work in around 10 days... I don't think I can put up with one month of constantly feeling like I'm about regurgatate my previous meal. I have to admit though, I haven't felt a hint of anxiety while I've been on them... is this the price you pay? Doe's the sickness go away? Thanks in advance to anyone who replies to this Topic.

red
27-02-04, 12:34
Hiya Buggy
Nice to meet you. With any medication of any kind, as I am sure you will know, there is a risk of side effects which differ from person to person. This includes the Citalopram which you have been prescribed, as you are no doubt aware of! I understand that some indigestion and nausea can be experienced at the start of taking the drug but feel that if this excessive and you are concerned about it, you need to get it checked out for your own peace of mind.

My view also, is that you don't have to 'pay a price' for feeling 'normal' - the drugs are there to aid quality of life not to make it worse! If this hasn't settled down - to your satisfaction - in a day or so, give the doctor a call as things like this need to be reported in order to help you and other people.

You say that your beta blockers stopped your anxiety attacks? How would the Citalopram have helped you more, do you think? Well done for being 'free' for a few months - that will come around again - what wre you doing to relieve it the last time?

These are tough times buggy - but you are doing the right things - seeing the doctor and coming on the forum, so well done! I know things will get better, just keep doing the right things, and good luck.

Red
x

buggy999
27-02-04, 13:45
The doctor thinks I require some antidepressants as well as beta-blockers.
Last time round I just slugged it out with the help of family and friends. It took about 2 months to feel somewhat normal again.

sarah
27-02-04, 14:11
Hi Buggy

I take Citalopram and had no side effects getting on them. Others on here have though and their solution was to cut them up and take 5mg a day for the 1st week and gradually increase to 10mg , then to 20mg.
Just a thought for you as the smaller dose to start with might make it easier for your body to adjust to.

love Sarah
xx

Meg
27-02-04, 19:42
Do you think you need them ?

Meg

buggy999
01-03-04, 13:17
I don't know to be honest. I'm just taking them because the doctor told me too. I got better last time round after about two months. I'm not really feeling very depressed, it's just the anxiety that gets me down... which I know will pass with time again. Do you think I should stop taking them?

Laurie28
02-03-04, 10:59
Hiya Buggy,

The doctor prescribed me meds when I was at my worst but i chose not to take them for a number of reasons.

The doctor will prescribe them because sometimes they are at a loss of what to do and meds seem to be a quick fix and along with CBT etc they (i hear) they can be great. Just because the doctor prescribed them yuo do not have to take them it is entirely your decision, you can get better with CBT, changes in diet exercise etc. let us know how you get on

take Care
lucky

Meg
02-03-04, 19:07
Some SSRIs also have licences for anxiety and panic disorder .

Do you know whether he thought you were depressed or gave you them purely to help with anxiety.

I guess it depends on how strong you feel to cope with the new round of anxiety and a few days have passed since you posted so the initial side efects may have passed by now...

let us know how you're doing



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

lilac kitten
03-03-04, 14:43
Hiya guys,

I got prescribed these on Monday this week and after reading the list of side effects felt a lot better and haven't started mine yet. :-)

I was thinking of starting them at the weekend when I'm not rushing around. From what I can gather its best to take them in the morning and with or straight after a good eat. Mine also say you shouldn't drive whilst on them which is ridiculous as I need to ferry children around.

I'll let you know how I get on.

I actually went to my doctor saying I couldn't sleep and my anxiety attacks had got really bad and that I felt like I'd just got off a fairground ride all the time and really wobbly. I think my problems are hormonal and have tried to tell the doctor and psychotherapist this several times, but they start assessing me and say its down to other things, so I've started to keep a diary and see if there are common feelings at certain times of the month.

Ruth
x

sarah
03-03-04, 16:18
Hiya Ruth

I take Citalopram and I still drive.(admittedly not far but thats my agoraphobia kicking in not because of the tablets).
I asked my doctor about the driving thing and he said not to worry......probably half the people on the road are on antidepressants such as these.

love Sarah
xx

buggy999
03-03-04, 16:28
Side effects have stopped pretty much... still feel slightly sickly off them but nothing like the first few days. Feeling quite a bit better in general. She gave me the antidepressants because she thought I was suffering from depression as well as anxiety. She gave me beta blockers for the anxiety which I have to say work a treat. If I start to feel like I'm getting very worked up, I take one, then 10 minutes later I feel completely normal. I've been having one before I go to bed (which along with mid-morning tends to be my worst period of the day) and then I'll have one if I feel I require one, which I haven't yet today. :C)

Meg
03-03-04, 23:43
Buggy,

Mid morning eh ...

You might want to try - eat breakfast as normal , then have something banana, cheese, nuts, fruit ( not choc )in 2 hourly intervals till lunchtime and see if anything is different .




Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

twister
05-03-04, 00:17
Hello Buggy

I think it was irresponsible of your doctor to say there are no side effects when they are well known for their (harmless) side effects! If you had of known about them you could have taken steps to avoid the side effects.

When I started on Cipralex (pretty much the same as Citalopram but you take less as it is purer)I got really ill, sick and panicky. I turned up at my doctors crying having not slept for two nights. Anyway I halved the dose for a week, started taking them in the mornings and then felt fine.

When I took them again this year, I did the same and had absolutely no side effects....

Emily

Mahomar
29-09-08, 16:23
Hello everyone, I'm very new to the site! :)

My names's Maria & I'm currently on my 3rd day of taking Citalopram 20mg. I went to the doctors for the upteenth time on Friday, in despair because I've just been so 'sick' (excuse the pun) of feeling unbelievably nauseous, tired/sleepy, miserable etc. which has been going on for almost 2 years.

I'm not sure exactly what set everything off but from things the doctors' have said, it's got to a point where the very physical symptoms are now part of a vicious cycle where I'm just fed up with feeling so ill, which of course dwelling on it exacerbates everything.

Anywho, so yeah I'm on my 3rd day of the tablets and I'm definitely feeling some side effects :(

Saturday & Sunday I just layed in bed all weekend; literally I only got up to go to the loo. I was feeling so nauseous, lethargic and I couldn't eat, partly due to the fear of actually vomiting from feeling nauseous. Last night was absoloutely dreadful, I got maybe 1-2 hours sleep as I was just feeling sick to my stomach & I was so sleepy but it felt like I wouldn't allow myself to actually fall asleep cos I was worried I might vomit in my sleep or wake up & not be able to get to the bathroom in time (I keep a bowl by my pillow but I feel better about 'doing it' in the toilet). So that kept me awake, I've also had diarrhoea/v.loose faeces, with not much cramping and today I'm just feeling kind of 'wiped out' and a bit woozy/dizzy.

I had to call in sick to work today but I'm quite concerned about how long this will last as obviously I need to 'work' when I go in to work (I work at a veterinary hospital, training as a Nurse) and I need to be alert when monitoring anaesthetics etc. not to mention the sight of an opened up animal or animal 'mess' isn't going to help when already feeling sick!

I rang the doctor who prescribed the meds and he's just kind of reassured me a bit that how I'm feeling is normal, it will pass etc. & how he's had patients who have vomited for 5-7 days from being on them (makes me feel a little better that I'm not) and has said if I have another bad night, then I can either take the 20mg tab. every other day, or cut it in half and to just try to persevere!

Anyway sorry to ramble on for so long but I've not really been able to talk to anyone properly about it yet. I'm also unsure what to say about it at work...:unsure: