Day 2 of citalopram and terrified

[Ambrose30]

Hi all

Was prescribed 20mg dose daily by doctor as suffering from severe depression. It has taken me the whole week to build up the courage to take the first tablet which I done yest.
I think I made myself panic so much that I thought I was going to die!! Have such a fear of taking tablets.
This is day 2 and my head is so sore, havent eaten for 2 days and feel spaced out.
I need someone to tell me that's it's ok to feel like this as no one understands, I really want to persevere as I can't go on like this but I am so scared.
I am back at work on Monday and don't want people to look at me because my head is so fuzzy. My job needs a lot of concentration, will I b ok?

[mark84]

Hey Ambrose.
First of all you need to eat something right away, the most likely reason you're feeling dizzy and spaced out is lack of food- your blood sugar levels will be extremely low, this will also make you tired and lethargic, which will give you more irrational and negative thoughts.
I felt very nauseous when I start Citalopram for about 2 or 3 weeks, but I made the most of it, just eat what you can, forget the healthy stuff if that's what makes you feel ill, chocolates, ice cream, bread, milk were what I had at first- obviously not a diet you'd want to sustain long term, but it paid off.
18+ months later I'm still on Citalopram, I'm doing well, really well in fact, my anxiety is mild, any depression is non existant, my confidence and belief in myself is increasing and I'm now able to take chances with my life on my personal quest for happiness.
Be brave, keep up with the medication, don't read the horror stories online, or the scary leaflet that comes with it, after those first few weeks I've had no side effects.
In proper clinical studies Citalopram is suitable for about 85% of people if I recall correctly- by suitable I mean no major side effects and some relief in depression/anxiety.

[Bike Rider]

Hi Ambrose. I too started on 20mg and found myself feeling a little dizzy, very slight nausea in the morning, a little blurred vision after 3hr of taking it, but all went away. It took me 6-8 weeks for most of the side effects to stop, but you must eat as the feelings of hunger and panic attacks in the stomach are quiet similar.

Also Cit, taken with food can help reduce some of the side effects and taking it at night may help you as the side effects will happen when you are at home.

[Beckie4567]

Hi I too have been given 10mg of it and have had them in my cupboard for bout 3 weeks plucking up the courage to take them �� I'm yet to take my first pill :( worried about all the horror stories

[Ambrose30]

Hi again
Thanks for replying. Have spent most of the day on the couch waiting on side effects and probably imagining half of them.

Managed to eat something so feeling a bit better. I really hope this works for me, will stick with it, have doctors in a couple of weeks so will take it till then.

Glad to hear that you are doing very well on it, hoping the same for me.

[wal_cott]

I started on 10mg a week ago and I found the nausea I was feeling was actually hunger hahaha of course. On day 7 now and no side effects today. I had some drowsiness, mild anxiety and slight sleeping problems at first. I'm upping my dose to 20mg tomorrow. It gets better!

[Lolly44]

This has been helpful to read, thank you. I'm on day 7 of cit, I've had a few physical side effects (grinding teeth, insomnia, no appetite) but non of this is as bad as feeling the way I have been! My depression has come back very suddenly (I first suffered a few years ago). I'm deviststed this is happening again and really want these meds to kick in soon.

[biker71]

I'm on 20mg, I've found taking them a Cpl of hours before bed is the bed way for me, I'm a truck driver and not stopped me working and as said before the side affects aren't as bad as the way I felt before...good luck