Anyone on/been on Citralopram ?

[candicemarie88]

just wondering if anyone has been on citralopram and what dose?

was prescribed 20mg today after my doctors appointment.

i mentioned the skips and pauses i keep noticing in my heart and he basically just laughed at me!!!!! :( so that means he thinks im an idiot and doesnt think it's serious since he didnt check my chest or breathing. told him im anxious about having a heart attack too and always worried about it.

he said that the citralopram will most likely make me feel worse before better, for 2 weeks maybe... is this going to spoil my xmas though?

how effective is it and how long does it take to kick in?

p.s- can i still have a couple drinks on xmas day if im on citralopram?

:)

[HarrogateChris]

Hi Candice,

Cit can take a few weeks to kick in and it commonly makes you feel worse before you feel better. Stick with it though it does work.

There's loads of info including a really good survival guide in the Citalopram part of the forum (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=49).

I've had the occasional pint or two (I do mean one or two, not more) on Cit and I've been fine. I really enjoy a slow pint of Timothy Taylors and a read. If alcohol depresses you though it may be better to avoid it.

Chris

[eternally optimistic]

Hi

Ive just started taking these again, first time was 10mg, but this time 20mg.

I feel pretty rubbish and I did ask the Doc if it got worse b4 it got better and she did say yes.

Having said all of that, the good it did me last time COMPLETELY outweighed the initial symptoms.

I hope that doesnt put you off and I hope you feel better soon.

[candicemarie88]

hi, thanks for all your replies. i'm going to try stick with it this time because id rather feel awful if it means that i'll feel so much better in a few weeks.

my doctor said that i could take kalms? for the initial week if i'm finding it difficult to sleep at night.

i have been on 2mg diazepam for a month, and he was reluctant to prescribe any more, i guess that he's worried i'll become dependant on it, and i really don't want that. still have 2 left for an emergency... they're okay to take with citalopram?

:)

[happycamper]

Hey candicemarie,

I've been on citalopram for 6 months and it's really helped. It's numbed the anxiety feelings and instead of all my energy going into feeling anxious I'm now able to get on with my life as I did before it all started and put my effort into learning about it and ways to stop it returning.

The initial side effects are tough the 1st 2-4 weeks, but I just took a half tablet for a couple of weeks (10mg) which probably eased them more into my system.

If I told you I still managed 4 nights camping at the Glastonbury festival less than 3 weeks after starting taking them, had a few drinks and thoroughly enjoyed it, almost forgot I was on cit even, maybe you can relax about Christmas a little?? XXX

[anxious]

Ive been on them with no real side effects. You can drink with them but highten the effects

xx anx xx

[scotty8]

sorry anxiouse i disagree, drinking on those tablets or any kind of anti- depressants is a big NO!!!!!!!. mixing them with a bigger anti-depressant is leathal if you have too much. because alcohol is a big depressant in its self. you wonder why sometimes it makes you feel so happy then sometimes it makes you cry. speaks for itself. i drunk alcohol with anti-depressants and i got rushed into hospital with heart failure. and i only had 6 pints of larger. mmmmm. side affects i experienced where horrible. but others dont get them so its all down to how your body adjusts to them. the main one that freaked me out was the spaced out feeling, nausea, and aches. coming off was far far worse but it does pass. but for over 5 months now i have had the nausea which is either down to ibs what ive got or anxiety. my complete blood count was brill so nothing wrong there. hope all is well x

[dodo]

I have to agree, you really shouldn't drink with them.

I took two tablets a few years back and couldn't stand the level of anxiety that occurred with them. So I stopped taking them and got better on my own. I think people are commonly prescribed diazapam at the same time for the first two weeks as it is common for them to increase anxiety symptoms before they get better.

However you have been having such a rough time of late that you have to think that you either take the tablets and 'potentially' ruin Christmas, or don't take them and continue to worry and spoil your Christmas.

I take it you told the Dr all the symptoms you had been having that you have mentioned on here to us. He seems pretty happy that there's nothing wrong so you really have to try and take some comfort in that. Easier said than done I know.