i have only been taking citalopram for about 2 months now but i thought i would register on here and share my experiences so far as i have been reading alot of comments on here since i started taking the meds.

my problems started out as self harm and drug taking. i smoked alot of cannabis to try and calm myself down so i wouldnt self harm, and i truely believe the cannabis is what got me in this state. i no longer take drugs and i dont self harm. havent done either for about 2 and a half years, since i experienced my first panic attack. so after 2 and a half years of panic attacks/agoraphobia i finally decided it was time to get help and stop hiding away. my doctor referred me to councellors and unfortunately this didnt work out as the woman i was seeing moved to an office further away than i could travel. i was disappointed as i felt i was really starting to open up and talk about things.

anyway, i went back to my doctor and asked to be put on medication as i am desperate to get back into work. he started me off on 20mg of citalopram.
i waited until the next day to start my dosage as i prefer to take tablets in the morning. my first day on citalopram was strange to say the least.
about 3 hours after taking it i felt very hyper. to the point i couldnt sit still. other than that i didnt experience any side effect. so when i went to bed i assumed i would feel the same the next day, i couldnt have been more wrong. i woke up and felt like i hadnt slept for a week. i was so drained but i couldnt sleep. i felt quite spacey, abit of blurred vision and my anxiety was so much worse, i had a panic attack just trying to have a bath. this scared me as my flat has always been my safe haven and ive only ever had 1 panic attack in my own home. i was reluctant to contine the meds for the month my doc asked me to but as i am so desperate to better my life i stuck at it. a month of feeling awful was hard to deal with but i stuck at it by reading peoples experiences on here and getting hope from the people who had been helped by citalopram.

after the month i went back to see my doc and told him that i had gotten worse rather than better. he asked if i wanted to continue but up my dosage to 30mg. after a month of feeling awful i had strangely got myself to a point where i was determined not to quit and wouldnt let this win me so i headed off home with my higher dosage. started it the next day and within 2-3 days of a higher dosage my side effects had completely disappeared. i was thinking a little more clearly and definately had a boost of energy. i started getting myself into a routine, getting up early instead of lounging in bed, eating meals at regular times rather than not eating or over eating. ive even started to exercise for the first time since my panic attacks. it feels great! im starting to go out abit more. socialising again. instead of making excuses not to go places, im going out of my way to get out and about. even when im having an off day, i push myself to take steps i would never have done before. just 2 weeks ago i woke up feeling abit off, tired. definately a down day, but my neice rang me and offered me a ticket to go and see katy perry live that night. usually i would have said no due to me having agoraphobia/panic attacks. i dont do well in new places, crowded places. especially on bad feeling days. but i went, and i had the time of my life! i did have one blip where i had to go to the toilet and calm myself down from an attack as i was overheating, but instead of running out i took a break and threw myself back in there. i was quite proud of myself.
im far from cured but im on the right path, and it feels amazing. anyone who has doubts about citalopram, please give it a proper go. stick at it through the bad days and you could really start to see some positive effects.
one more thing i will add, it was my birthday a few weeks ago and i decided to drink while on these tablets, now i know im ok after a bottle of wine or a few beers so i wasnt worried. however i made the mistake of having some southern comfort aswell and i basically dont remember a thing. woke up the next day covered in bruises and cuts. before taking these i could handle my drink, but from now on im limiting myself and stayin away from the spirits. if you know your boundaries you will be fine i think.. im still finding mine lol
thanks for reading.