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Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Posted , 526 users are following.

M68
M68

Hi there,

After much deliberation, talking to just about anyone I could find and generally scouring the internet for information, I have decided to go with the Docs advice and take Citalopram, starting today. And then I found this site....

Has anyone NOT had any side effects on this? It is making me feel very worried about taking it. Am I just going to have to sit tight and presume the worst? Are there people who take it and dont feel nauseous and tired or even worse to begin with?

I would really appreciate any comments.

Thanks

M

38 likes, 5315 replies

5315 Replies

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  • louise26018
    louise26018 M68

    Posted

    Hi all to the new people posting xx

    Hi Molly

    I had an awful first few weeks on cit when i started!! dizzy, sick,exhausted, added anxiety etc

    Its this site that kept me going!! knowing i wasnt alone and going mad!!

    Been on cit since first week of March had a few low points but all in all iv been better xx keep posting and asking questions we are all here to support, people like Anne, chris, paul, mike, inthewoods etc reading back to all there posts kept me going!! xx

    Good Luck to all xx

     

  • anne2953
    anne2953 M68

    Posted

    Hi all,

    welcome to everyone so much support on here from so many folk its amazing, so helpful and shows your not alone and you will get better, we are all on a journey so stay strong folks persevere it will get better, if you ever need a personal reply dont hesitate to send a private message to any one of us by clicking on the little envelope under the name at the side if you need support with something u dont want to post. but rest assured there are no secrets here, we have all been able to share everything and most of us have the same scenarios, so take care all and practice your deep belly breathing as often as possible and especially when feeling anxious xxx

    Anne smile

    Hey Chris,

    Hope your doing well x

    Anne smile

    • MollyMonday
      MollyMonday anne2953

      Posted

      Thanks for the welcome and the advice! It's much appreciated!
  • tamsin13
    tamsin13 M68

    Posted

    Hi all

    I have been reading all these posts for some days now and finally decided to register and join the discussion!  Like many others I have suffered from GAD and health anxiety for a long time now.  Anti-depressants have been suggested many times but I have managed to get through the episodes myself in the past throgh more exercise, yoga, relaxing etc.  My father passed away last year after 2 awful years of cancer suffering and although I didnt feel anxious initially, only sad I started to go down hill in October last year.  Its now been 8 months of anxiety and it really started to effect our family.  I have three children and I work and my eldest two boys are difficult.  I finally gave in and agreed to try citalopram.  I talked to a psychaitrist about my fears around taking medication and she suggested I start on a low dose.  I have had 5 days of 5mg and 3 days of 7.5mg.  I had no side effects at all really except tiredness (though was feeling very tired before starting them) for the first couple of days then they kicked in!  Have had nausea (especially before and after eating), bad pressure headaches, increased anxiety, waking up several times during the night and some night sweats, shakiness and in the evenings feel short of breath while trying to get the kids to bed, as well as other things.  I spoke to the psychiatrist and she said most people only have 2 or 3 days of side effects and I must be one of the few who have them worse and for longer.  She advised staying on the current dose until side effects had stabilised.  However, I am wondering if I should go up to 10mg?  I am conscious that 10 is the lowest therapeutic dose and dont want to put off the medication working but I also don't want the side effects to get worse!  Any advice?  I am really keen to give it at least a couple of weeks as cit is supposedly the most easily tolerated AD but I am really worried that its not going to work for me.

    • louise1974
      louise1974 tamsin13

      Posted

      I think most people have longer with the side effects.  I am on day 6 of 10mg and luckily no nausea etc but defo the increased anxiety which seems to be the most common one.  The short of breath thing is an anxiety issue which I suffer from usually without the meds.  I am upping mine to 20mg on Saturday and like you am wondering what the hell this is all about when I feel so bad but I am driven by the urge to get well again.  My anxiety was getting off the scale without the meds however so I have that pushing me forward.  I got the night sweats and shakiness during the night on day 3 but that has calmed down for me now (hopefully).
    • anne2953
      anne2953 tamsin13

      Posted

      Hi Tamsin,

      10mg is a low dose and I believe you wont get any worse side effects if you up to 10mg, I upped from 20mg to 40mg last Thursday and no side effects at all, staying on this dose for 6 months, however I am fine and dont really get anxiety any more, I must let you know that you are not alone most folk get some effects for a few weeks to start with, sometimes they are just the effects we already had before starting CIT I took 10 mg for 6 weeks before I felt fully back to normal, I did increase to 20mg after that to reintroduce the checmicals into my body that were missing, I will reduce in 6 months at the 40 mg, but I have my life back. I had everything you have described, so ur not alone stay strong you will get there, when short of breath, make sure you practice deep belly breathing,

      Take care and keep in touch,

      Anne smile

    • louise1974
      louise1974 anne2953

      Posted

      Anne can I just ask did you notice any benefit with the 10mg?  I am being encouraged by my therapist to up to 20mg this weekend so I see a more rapid improvement in my anxiety.  To be fair for the last 4 months I have been feeling increasingly anxious, panicky and depressed to the point where it was nearly impossible to function normally.  I've forgotten what it was like to feel "normal".  So on one hand I am eager to feel better and the other I don't want to overload myself with side effects.
    • tamsin13
      tamsin13 louise1974

      Posted

      Thanks Louise - it really helps talking to people going through it.  My husband is great but because of the health anxiety he thinks I'm imagining the side effects (which I'm definately not!).  It hasn't helped that he hasn't been very well this week and was away running a workshop for 2 days.  I too get the shortness of breath when I have anxiety but this feels different - as I'm not as anxious by the evening but more like I'm too weak to breathe properly - just feel like lying down.  Do these things all really go away?  The physical symptoms are worse than the increased anxiety.  I just feel really unwell.
    • louise1974
      louise1974 tamsin13

      Posted

      I've also felt really weak, exhausted, out of energy and a bit drugged up too.  I had an entire day yesterday of feeling extremely anxious, heart beating like mad and to make it worse was on my own with my 11 year old daugther which made me feel terrible responsible and guilty.  I haven't been on Citalopram before but i have been on Seroxat and had the same issues and they really do go away.  Read all the posts on here, it will make you feel better and you can see that people really do start feeling better.  It's hard getting your head round taking a drug that actually makes you feel worse before you feel better, it seems mad.  I was on the phone to my counsellor who I have only been seeing a few weeks yesterday looking for reassurance about exactly the same thing.  Hang in there, I'm at the same stage and feeling relieved today after a not so bad day but who knows what tomorrow will bring.
    • anne2953
      anne2953 louise1974

      Posted

      Louise I had to go to 20mg as 10mg is only minimum really, sometimes only maintenance after coming down off CIT but I noticed an improvment when I went to 20mg from 10mg and I had no side effects from upping I think this was due to been on 10mg for 10 weeks before upping. Its so great to feel normal again, I would prefer pain to anxiety, its awful. you wont get overloaded with side effects just think how you are feeling just now so can it really be worse - no. when u increase make sure u dont mix up side effects with how ur already feeling, I ddid this when I started.

      Night night 

      Anne xx smile

    • louise1974
      louise1974 anne2953

      Posted

      Thanks Anne, I will bear that in mind, I know it's hard to not get confused.  I already felt awful already.  

      Night night x

    • louise1974
      louise1974 tamsin13

      Posted

      In the past I have suffered with REALLY bad health anxiety, I once was convinced I had lymphoma.  In fact so convinced I was that the doctors were all idiots and wrong.  I could actually "feel" lumps.  I have talked myself down from that the last few years, now I just experience severe anxiety, god knows why.  I have started counselling to try and get to the bottom of it cos I am sick to death of the cycle.
    • tamsin13
      tamsin13 louise1974

      Posted

      Sounds just like me!  its just so exhausting having the anxiety all the time and not being able to think about anything else!  I really hope the cit works...
    • Adeplume
      Adeplume louise1974

      Posted

      Louise, don't forget what Laura said about the Serotonin. The side effects are the sign that Citalopram is beginning to work. Logic dictates therefore that doubling the dose will not double the side effects in fact I don't remember any renewed short term side effects when after a year or two I doubled my dose from 20 mg to 40 mg. If your advisor reckons it is a good step, ignore,as far as possible, the side effects and follow the advice. You'll be OK and you'll feel better sooner.
    • Tunnige
      Tunnige louise1974

      Posted

      i've was on 20mg from the start and didn't realise any problems. Then again i was prescribed by a prison Doctor who hadn't got a clue and i think didn't care if she killed me off. Shortly after i was increased to 30mg. Been on that dosage now for nearly a year. I don't see it helping me so going ask for a change. the side effects are just while your body adjusts to the meds. should pass.
    • laura85157
      laura85157 Adeplume

      Posted

      Hi there Adeplume - Welcome to the forum. Its great that we can support other people now were feeling better. Like you, I dont think i will ever come off Anti D's - I tried it for 8 months and ended up worse than ever, If a tablet a day keeps our moods level then why not! Great to read your experiences. Take Care, 

      Laura

    • laura85157
      laura85157 louise1974

      Posted

      Hi louise, How are you feeling today? Day 7 for you? How has your sleeping been? Hope you are well, take it easy. Laura xx
    • louise1974
      louise1974 laura85157

      Posted

      Hi Laura

      Woke up in a panic today so just trying to stay calm. Yesterday was fairly good. I was having awful anxiety and panic before so alot of this is probably me and not the meds.  Thanks for asking and hope you are ok too x

    • laura85157
      laura85157 louise1974

      Posted

      Morning chick, 

      Your gonna have ups and downs, i wasn't too good yesterday nerve wise, I am at the unit again today seeing the counsellors and they have assured me i'm still adjusting to meds, which i knew but its always nice to hear it from a medical proffessional!! Do you take your Cit on a morning? when i was on 10mg i found that by afternoon / evening i was much better. Stick with it, Get out in the sunshine, and hope for a good day. Remember how bad you were before the tablets, things will only improve. 

      Laura xx

    • louise1974
      louise1974 laura85157

      Posted

      Yeah I take it in the morning. Forgot to say my sleep has actually been ok since starting. The last 4 months have been a disaster so I can cope with a few weeks of this.

      You stay strong too hun, like you say good days and bad days. This anxiety thing sucks seriously, can make you feel like you are going mad. You will get there too. Hugs xx

    • laura85157
      laura85157 louise1974

      Posted

      It does suck but we know it's only a temporary thing. I find coming on here helps me nearly as much as the counselling. Great support network around us so were lucky. Just think how much better you will feel on the 20mg. Take care xx 
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