Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Hi Mrs VN, thanks for your message, I think I am being very impatient this time but like you I can't remember feeling that bad when I started on it first time around and I suppose this is what is making me think it isn't going to work, I have also read that it does take longer to act second time around. I make myself do the housework etc as I try to take my mind off of things but it doesn't help a lot, I'm glad you are starting to feel more like yourself. xx

Hello Faraway girl, so glad you were able to go for a walk with your dog, hope it helped you to feel better, I always feel better when I'm out in the fresh air. xx

Hi all,

Saw my own gp this morning. Meant early rise with alarm to get there for 8.30 despite my still erratic sleep. I am having less sweats at night but am still sleeping for short bursts at best. My gp thinks I have post viral fatigue but seeing as the other gp started citalopram we may as well sit it out and see what happens. She is repeating my bloods tomorrow to check hormones and kidneys (still going to the loo a lot but have been doing that since my illness hit). She's going to see me again middle of next week to see if the cit is making a dent. Came home and chilled on the sofa (caught up on some sleep), have felt a bit weary and wobbly and have had a few sweats/flushes but this afternoon went for a walk down the street and partway down the next and back. Not as far as I was doing a couple of weeks ago but more than I've done in the past few days.

Tonight (as often is the case) I feel brighter so had a shower and put a load of washing away. It's amazing how much an achievement the small stuff is at the moment. Hope things continue!

Everyone try and stay positive. It's really hard at times but we can all get each other through this. :-D

You sound a lot brighter and more positive today Diane! Glad you've managed to get some things done today, it's just small steps but it's a sign things are improving! Xx

Hi Everyone,

Haven't been on here for a few days. Christmas was a good one for me, finally feeling what I think are the full benefits of my increased dosage.

Saw my GP today and agreed that going back to work after a couple of months off is the next step to take.

I'm nervous but I think that's normal for anybody after having time off.

It's strange because I look back over the last few weeks and can't believe actually how quickly they have passed. Yet when I was going through the side effects of my increase I felt like the days would last forever.

I think what I am trying to say is that I want to make the most of my life going forward. I am determined to get myself 100% back to the person I was. If I have to continue to take cit for a while to achieve it, then so be it.

To all of you, whatever stage of the journey you are at. You will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Just don't think too far ahead. A day at a time and then one day it just kind of happens.

wishing you all hopefully a much happier new year x x

That's fantastic to hear Emma, I was literally just sitting here fretting about when I'll be ready to work again as I just had a lovely text from a colleague. I'm starting to feel better but then getting ahead of myself and having to remind myself I'm *getting* better, but I'm still not 100%

I've woken up feeling tearful this morning but I'm starting to feel better. I'm even considering driving my car around the block as I haven't driven in weeks now!

I've had a pretty rubbish 2013 so looking forward to seeing the back of it!

Hope everyone else is okay today?

Xxx

Emma, that's great news!

I've had a bit of a rough night, kept up with my muccus cough but have noticed my sweats are getting later at night. Didn't get much sleep and had to get up early for bloods at the surgery. When I got home I felt cold and nauseous. Had breakfast then curled up on the sofa. Still feeling sick and had a headache which passed. Feel ok mood wise, just knackered, sweaty and a bit yucky. Hoping not having to get up at a fixed time tomorrow will give me a better nights sleep. Hoping to get out for a walk later.

Staying positive!

Hi Everyone,

Mostly on my own today,son around but either in bed or watching tv, Anyway thought i wasn't feeling too bad till i went for a walk and saw someone i knew coming towards me so i turned in the opposite direction and now i'm back home i've been heaving again. Still feeling sick made some pepermint tea maybe need to change meds but can i face side effects again!

Well done Emma.

xxx faraway girl

Hi Farawaygirl,

Stick with it, the side effects will get better. I've done the same thing, try and avoid people I know, the thought of having to have a converstaion with someone can be scary, especailly if you're not prepared for it. It gets easier.

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to wish you all a peaceful and healthy 2014.

Hope everyone is doing okay today.

Xxx

Thank you Mrs VN, same to you. I am still waiting to see some improvement, day 17day on the increased dose but still not feeling any better, I hope you are starting to see some improvement now xxx

Oh dear, that's such a shame. It can take up to 4 weeks so hang in there. You said you're seeing the doctor again soon didn't you? Also, (forgive me if this sounds rude!) but you mentioned you're 65 and I read somewhere that it can take a little longer for citalopram to kick in for people over 60.

I seem to be very up and down. I'll have a run of 2 or 3 okay/reasonable days and then take a nose dive for a day or two. I had an awful day yesterday. Spent most of it in tears but then today I've been in a pretty positive frame of mind and have actually felt (dare I say it...) quite happy and content! More like myself than I have since i became unwell. I'm seeing my GP again tomorrow, I'm hoping he'll sign me off work for another fortnight so I can make sure I'm properly well before I return to work.

Are you still having the side effects? I noticed them gradually dropping off one by one before I really saw an improvement in my mood.

Xx

Hi mrs vn and all,

Still feeling pretty grim but going to see pysch tomoro, Still only on low dose of ad so maybe it will be upped or even changed just feel so shaky, jittery and sick. Had agood cry at sound of music this pm. If you don;t mind me asking mrs vn how long have you been off and how long have you been on a high dose of cit please pardon my intrusion if you don,t want to answer.

xxx

Not at all, I'm happy to tell you about my experience of taking citalopram. I first started taking citalopram about 4 or 5 years ago (can't remember exactly how long) for anxiety and stress. I began on 10 mg but worked my way up to 40 quite quickly as the lower dose had little effect. I had no real side effects other than vivid dreams)I my life returned back to 'normal' and so after a time I decided to gradually decrease to come off the medication as I saw no need to be on it any longer. I worked my way down in increments right down to 10mg. After a few weeks it became clear I wasn't coping well, I was very irritable, tearful and would find any sort of pressure overwhelming. I ended up working my way back up to 30mg. I was on that for a couple of years, had no problems at all. It was just part of my morning routine to take the tablets with my cup of tea and didn't give that or my mental health a second thought really. In the meantime I got a great job, got married and was generally the happy, chatty, sociable, outgoing person I've always been.

A few months ago my hubby and I agreed we were ready to start a family. I began to decrease my dose very slowly so that I would hopefully cope better than I had last time (alternating between 20 and 30 mg for a month and then going down to 20) I seemed to be doing okay for a time but then found I wasn't handling stress very well, I tried to ignore it because I was keen to be medication free before we started trying for a baby. However at the end of October I caught a virus but pushed myself to go back to work too quickly, I was basically running on adrenaline and caffeine for about 3-4 weeks! It all came to a head in early December when I woke up one morning and spent the weekend sobbing and vomiting. I could barely move and my mind was racing with negative thoughts. I forced myself into work on the Monday but had to come straight home. I saw the GP and he increased my dose back up to 30mg. I and back to see him the Friday and he increased my dose again up to 40mg as I had basically cried solidly for a week, had barely slept or eaten and had lost more than half a stone. I've been back on 40mg for 19 days now. The first week and a half was horrendous, I had to stay with my parents as my husband was so worried when he went to work. Gradually I'd have periods when what I would call 'the fog' would begin to clear slightly, usually in the evenings, but would then feel back to square one when I woke up in the middle of the night.

In the last week the 'good' times were starting to happen more and I felt quite optimistic (for the first couple of weeks I was convinced I'd never recover and that this was now me for the rest of my life) I've been up and down since then really. As I said before I had a terrible afternoon/evening yesterday but have woken up and had a genuinely nice day today. I'm hoping this is the start of me recovering but obviously I don't want to get too excited just incase I dip again. I'm hoping to return to work in a fortnight on Monday but obviously I'll have to see how things go.

Sorry for the really long winded response but I just wanted to let you know that I have had a really positive experience of citalopram/antidepressants when I've been at the right dosage. I've now reached the conclusion that I never wan to experience this again so I'm going to stick at this dose for the foreseeable future to keep myself on an even keel.

Hope it helps to give people some comfort to hear that until recently I've had a relatively smooth and positive experience of taking antidepressants. I guess the people this happens to would have no reason to put their experiences online or to ask questions about it. I only stumbled across this forum because I was feeling really desperate and hopeless. I thought the medication just wasn't going to work at all this time and that I'd somehow 'broken' my brain! I'm feeling a lot more optimistic now and beginning to remember what it's like to enjoy myself again. Just hoping this is the start of me getting well again and being able to put this all behind me!

Xxxx

WOW mrs vn,

Thankyou so so much for sharing all that and the message is clear is stick with it.

Take care will write tomoro.

xxx

Keep me posted on how you get on with the psychiatrist tomorrow.

Take care xx