Taking Citalopram at the same time every day?

[Izzie2494]

I started off taking my citalopram at around 8am every day, however now I just take it when I get up, that can sometimes be around 11am, today I forgot so took it straight away at 2, should I be taking it at exactly the same time every day? Hope it can't cause any harm

[Sparkle1984]

It's usually best to take it at around the same time every day, but it doesn't have to be exact. I used to take mine at teatime - sometimes it would be 6pm, but other days it would be closer to 7pm or even later. I never really noticed much difference unless I was several hours late.

[NoPoet]

Hi, as Sparkle says, don't let it bother you if you don't take them bang on time. It will have no negative effects. If you think it does, you're probably creating it through worry or panic. Citalopram has a long half-life so you won't get withdrawal effects unless you don't take your dose at all for several days.

Just try to keep taking them around the same time each day, maybe set an alarm on your phone.

If you do start getting withdrawal effects, you may start to notice light-headedness and feeling over-emotional after 3-5 days. These seem to be the first signs. It may be quicker for some people by a day or so, but in the past I went up to 6 days with barely any side effects.