Best time to take Citalopram? (and I'm also worried to take them)

[Hypochondriac95]

Hi everyone,

I'm aware people have likely asked this before but I still would like some advice.

I have recently been prescribed 20mg of Citalopram for low moods/depression and I'm not sure of the best time to take it. I have pretty much a backwards sleeping pattern so I am awake all night and sleeping during the day. So do I take them before I go to bed which is usually anytime between 3am and 7am or do I wait until I wake up which is usually anytime between 1pm and 4pm?

Also, a little side thing is that I am really scared to take them because of the side effects I've read people can experience. I know everyone is different but I have really bad health anxiety/hypochondria and I am just generally worried.

Any advice on both of my concerns would be really helpful. Thank you.

[jessica2308]

Hi there,

I started on these not long ago and have been taking them in the morning. Around 9am. I get up at 6.30 every morning. At around 10.30am I start to feel a strange fuzzy feeling in my head and go woozy so I lie down and I'm out! So because of this I've decided to start from today taking them at night an hour before bed. I've had no other side effects but it's still early days. Everyone reacts differently I just hope when there kick in that they help. The only downside is with ssri meds you have to give them weeks to notice any good. Just give them a try and stick it out and fingers crossed they work for you x

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[wcs2222]

Hello.
I have tried taking Citalopram both in the morning (after wakeup) and in the evening (at dinnertime) and do not notice any/much difference.
I get insomnia from Cit, which is a common side effect, so the idea is that taking it in the morning allows your body some time to eliminate some of it by bedtime. Since Citalopram has a half-life of 35 hours, I don't think much of of it would be cleared over 14-16 hours until bedtime. On the other hand, the other side effects (drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, etc.) may be greater during your waking hours instead of sleeping through them.
Unfortunately, most people do experience initial side effects that will take weeks to subside, which varies depending on the person. You can ask your doctor to prescribe a benzodiazapine (clonazepam, diazepam, lorazepam, alprazolam) to help get you through the side effects ... I took clonazepam sparingly. I also took Zopiclone sparingly to get some sleep from bad insomnia.

[Jaxthesuperbunny]

I take them in the morning. I don't find they make me tired. The first day I took them I literally felt stoned though. Like stare out the window ....not one thought going through my mind.
Second day I felt like I was bobbling on the surface of my mind unable to really go into any kind of deep thought.
For a good week I did not feel safe to be driving cause I just felt not super with it.

But that all went away....that's just my experience and maybe something to keep in mind, cause you may not want to have lots going on the first bit when taking them.