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Anxiety and citalopram

Posted , 15 users are following.

victoria_88777
victoria_88777

Hi I've been on citalopram for just over 3 weeks now and had terrible side effects, nausea and increased anxiety being the worst. Now I'd say the constant nausea is linked to my anxiety rather than the citalopram. However, my anxiety is terrible as soon as I become conscious in a morning. It's constant not like a wave of panic, then it goes to my tummy and I feel awfully sick,, usually end up wretching. By late afternoon and the evening I do start to feel better, but getting to that point is so hard. The dr says it can take a number of weeks for the citalopram to start working and says cbt is the best thing for anxiety, problem being it takes weeks for a referral.

I've lost loads of weight cause I can't eat and I'm just so fed up. Surely I should be starting to feel some benifits soon?

1 like, 40 replies

40 Replies

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  • stevo1975
    stevo1975 victoria_88777

    Posted

    Hi Victoria, There can be a paradox reaction when first taking the citalopram I had quite bad anxiety when increasing the dosage however it will level and you wont get the side effects or as bad. Hang in there trust me if it doesnt get better after another month see your doc maybe you need a higher dosage? take care !
  • Citaloman
    Citaloman victoria_88777

    Posted

    HI Victoria,

    It is an awful experience going on to citlopram. The doctors advice to me was "you will get worse before you get better". Then there will be "more good days than bad". I too had real problems with appetitie and eating. I had to force myself to eat. It is best if there can be someone at home with you in the first month, to make you some simple food, like soup, smoothies etc. and also for the company. It's lonely being ill and on your own. However, I did make a full recovery from the anxiety and depression and I am now on a slow (year long) withdrawal using the citlopram drops, reducing by just 1mg every 2 weeks.

    Best wishes.

  • jeremy40060
    jeremy40060 victoria_88777

    Posted

    Hi victoria...

    Just hang on there..is this your first anti's and what is your dosage?? Im on 20mg in morning and 20mg at lunch but battel to sleep through even with sleeping pills.. Going for my 4th month on citalopram..however ive been on triptelene for a month before citalopram..helps you sleep great but gives drie mouth!! Allways good for second opinion from a different docter hey...my doc even gave me the wrong meds one time and made me tottally different person...within a week he corrected it and im in love now with citalopram...

    Good luck...yes it does take time for pills to kick in but so much less time for a second opinion if its your first meds!!!

    Hope you feel better soon!!

  • clo2016
    clo2016 victoria_88777

    Posted

    I hope you don't mind me gatecrashing your post but I need some advice please.

    My doctor has prescribed me with 8mg oral drops and I'm terrified to take it as a lot of reviews are really bad.  I took Prozac back in March for about a week then had to stop as I felt horrendous.  Nauseous, upset stomach, no appetite at all, weak, just generally s**t!  I was off work for 2 weeks and I can't afford to be off again unwell, especially when I'm away on holiday next Friday for 2 weeks.  Has anyone NOT had any side effects or found that they were bearable?

    • victoria_88777
      victoria_88777 clo2016

      Posted

      Hi clo I can't really offer you much advice on this as my side effects have been extreme sorry. There are people who don't seem to get too many side effects though. It's different for everyone.

      I too was due to go on holiday on the 11th sept, but unfortunately I've had to cancel.

      Are u on citalopram for anxiety? If so it does take a while for any affect to be felt, which I'm finding 3 and a half weeks in!

      Take care, someone will be along with some more advice I'm sure

      Vx

  • joebloggs91
    joebloggs91 victoria_88777

    Posted

    Hi Victoria, I'm currently on my 4th day of Citalopram and it is definitely making me feel worse than before. Biggest side effect is the anxiety. I can live with nausea and loss of appetite but the anxiety is killing me. Doesn't help that I've just come out of a relationship. Albeit a short one. Playing havoc with my head. Can't shift the worry of her being with someone else out of my head. It's rubbish!!

    • Gerrymoo
      Gerrymoo joebloggs91

      Posted

      Joe the anxiety is just the pits. I personally find the the most difficult of the side effects to deal with. Have you any diazepam it does help if your desperate!
    • joebloggs91
      joebloggs91 Gerrymoo

      Posted

      No I haven't Gerry. Would you recommend then? How long does the anxiety usually last for? I'm back to work Monday and need to be back on form

    • Gerrymoo
      Gerrymoo joebloggs91

      Posted

      I'm on day 18 and it's lessening a bit but always worse in the morning. It got pretty awful at one point and found it very difficult to cope with. It wears off mid morning now and not as intense. Everyone's different though I nearly gave up cause it was so awful and was given the diazepam which I've still had to take first thing this morning but don't want to get addicted to those either. Somehow you just gotta battle through and look forward to getting first 2 weeks out of the way! I've had to have time off work sick which causes me anxiety in itself cause had quite a bit of time off this year with back problems and other medication which has all snowballed into a massive anxiety issue

    • weenett
      weenett Gerrymoo

      Posted

      Gerrymoo sounds like u r having a pretty crap time! I can relate to having anxiety that snowballs its awful
  • victoria_88777
    victoria_88777

    Posted

    I am so fed up of this now. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks on the citalopram and I'm still not able to eat and feel so sick most of the day. The nausea and anxiety do subside by the evening, does this mean the tablets are starting to work? I go to bed feeling 'normal' but wake up with the same awful anxiety, wretching and nausea. It's so draining getting through each day

    • jeremy40060
      jeremy40060 victoria_88777

      Posted

      Hey victoria..

      What dose are you on and have you tried breaking the dose into morning noon and night?

    • victoria_88777
      victoria_88777 jeremy40060

      Posted

      Hi Jeremy I'm on 20mg and take in the morning, once I've stopped wretching!  The nausea is my anxiety now rather than a side effect of the cit.  I'm just hoping that in the next week I will start seeing some improvemnts 

    • jeremy40060
      jeremy40060 victoria_88777

      Posted

      So sorry to hear you struggle...but yes 20mg in morning is fine..yea you do have to give your body time!! All for the better!!

      Hope you feel better day by day!!

      Let me know, k

    • jeremy40060
      jeremy40060 victoria_88777

      Posted

      Hey Victoria..

      Just give your doc a call monday and make sure cause after 4 weeks you should be feeling improvements.. it may even be to strong or to weak or the wrong meds.. i have a bag full of meds that they gave me to try over 5 months and some of these meds just dont work 4 me and i stop them straight away after talking to my doc..

      See if you could take half at bed time it should show results in the early mornings when you feel so sick..but this is personal advice..you can try it for short time..but if you up your dose make notes and stay there..dont change to much..

      Take care, hope you can work this out with your doc soon..

      Let me know k..

    • jeremy40060
      jeremy40060

      Posted

      Also google the citalopram survival guide..

      Kind regards

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