Citalopram - wonder drug!

[Vickstar40]

My father was diagnosed with cancer on Xmas Eve. Since then my life went into meltdown. Only child and an anxious mother so I felt a lot of pressure. Dad had his life saving operation at the end of January then advised radiotherapy and chemotherapy for 6 weeks.

I have suffered with anxiety since the age of 10 and have had several depressive episodes since then, finally culminating in a serious breakdown 4 years ago. Citalopram helped me through the breakdown and I felt well enough to come off the drug in February 2015. Then my dad got cancer.

I tried to cope without Citalopram for as long as I could but I started not sleeping and spiralled down, anxiety all night and the panic attacks began.

I started on the Citalopram at the beginning of March 2016. The first two weeks were hell, at night felt like I was floating, never really sleeping, my colleague at work called me the walking dead!! My appetite went (no bad thing in my case as overweight), I felt sick, the anxiety in the morning was really bad. I started with 5mg for a few days, then upped to 10mg after that for a few days and 2 weeks in upped to 20mg.

After 2 weeks, I noticed a lift in my mood but the anxiety was crippling. I was still going to work every day but the knot in my stomach was terrible. Work were unsympathetic, had my appraisal in my first 2 weeks of taking Citalopram - needless to say it went badly!

Saw the doctor after 4 weeks and he recommended upping the dose to 30mg. Was concerned the side effects would come again, which they did but to a lesser extent. 5 weeks after I started taking the drug, I felt my mood lift and now 8 weeks in I feel back to normal!

All I will say to all those who have started this drug, please stick with it, it does get better. When I was going through the side effects and feeling the badness would never end, it does end!

I am more positive than ever, the anxiety has gone and nothing phases me anymore - I am sleeping very well, I have joined a gym and I feel I could handle anything life throws at me - I am completely different to the shell of a person I was 2 months ago.

[Suziewuzie]

Lovely to hear
I think Citalopram is rather wonderful too and it's certainly helped me to live a normal life again which I'm eternally grateful for! I still have bad days now after 12 weeks on it but they are enormously out weighed by the good x

[Beckie4567]

I agree its given me my life back glad to hear your feeling bit better hope ya dads ok x

[ServerError]

I have to say I feel the same way about Sertraline. It's helped me no end.

[Victory2016]

My father was diagnosed with cancer on Xmas Eve. Since then my life went into meltdown. Only child and an anxious mother so I felt a lot of pressure. Dad had his life saving operation at the end of January then advised radiotherapy and chemotherapy for 6 weeks.

I have suffered with anxiety since the age of 10 and have had several depressive episodes since then, finally culminating in a serious breakdown 4 years ago. Citalopram helped me through the breakdown and I felt well enough to come off the drug in February 2015. Then my dad got cancer.

I tried to cope without Citalopram for as long as I could but I started not sleeping and spiralled down, anxiety all night and the panic attacks began.

I started on the Citalopram at the beginning of March 2016. The first two weeks were hell, at night felt like I was floating, never really sleeping, my colleague at work called me the walking dead!! My appetite went (no bad thing in my case as overweight), I felt sick, the anxiety in the morning was really bad. I started with 5mg for a few days, then upped to 10mg after that for a few days and 2 weeks in upped to 20mg.

After 2 weeks, I noticed a lift in my mood but the anxiety was crippling. I was still going to work every day but the knot in my stomach was terrible. Work were unsympathetic, had my appraisal in my first 2 weeks of taking Citalopram - needless to say it went badly!

Saw the doctor after 4 weeks and he recommended upping the dose to 30mg. Was concerned the side effects would come again, which they did but to a lesser extent. 5 weeks after I started taking the drug, I felt my mood lift and now 8 weeks in I feel back to normal!

All I will say to all those who have started this drug, please stick with it, it does get better. When I was going through the side effects and feeling the badness would never end, it does end!

I am more positive than ever, the anxiety has gone and nothing phases me anymore - I am sleeping very well, I have joined a gym and I feel I could handle anything life throws at me - I am completely different to the shell of a person I was 2 months ago.

Thank you for the positive post. I am at week 4 @ 20mg and feel horrible and feel like its never going to end. This gives me hope!!!

[Mugs]

Nice to hear.
Neither citalopram or ecitalopram helped me, we are all so different.
Take care.

[spanishbasqueheart]

Week 6 here and getting there slowly xx

[casss]

I'm just about to start taking citalopram today but i am very nervous as have heard how bad its make you feel first so hearing this really helps! i've been prescribed it loads of times and always never taken it so now this gives me confidence that it could work for me i'm going away in 2 and half weeks for a week which i am feeling really anxious about and i'm wondering if i should wait until after before taking the meds?