Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Hi all ... I've been a bit quiet recently but have been doing ok. The past few days have been somewhat hellish as I went to see my local GP as I was shall we say "feeling pretty crap". Physical symptoms mainly GI related plus I wanted her opinion on my fiddling with my dose before going back on to my usual 10mg. So she prescribed me a battery of blood tests (this was Tuesday) and i got the results on Wednesday. My cortisol was 2.5x normal values so she got me off for an abdominal CT today with talk of adrenal tumours etc. This of course made me feel simply magnificent and did wonders for my anxiety! So I had the CT and all is fine, more than healthy in fact. I'll make the point that I live in France and the Health System is that good that you see the GP one day and have bloods/CT done in the next 2. Anyway, my point here is that it does seem that our cortisol initally on SSRI's gets elevated causing the anxiety/stressy, nervous feelings, shakes etc etc. For me this is good to know as it will self regulate eventually (I always need an explanation for things)

Spence! ... good man going back to the office. I've kept going in because I honestly thought if I took time off it would be too much going back for me. I should of course have taken time off. Great to hear you're managing a bit better too. I'm still anxious-y, headache-y and get times of anxiety/depression but overall I'm getting there. Us 6-weekers are on the upward slope hopefully

Louise - yup, speak to your GP, you may well need a slightly higher dose but dont worry, all will be fine in the end!

Ally - that's a positive step you're taking. Try not to worry about the move and look at it as an opportunity. A new start where you can tell yourself that its your new start too. You'll cope well and the new surroundings will change you for the better I'm sure.

Amy - great to hear your story and thanks for posting it and giving us all the glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. Well done on your journey and enjoy life now that things have settled.

Melanie - most have found the first 2 weeks are the worst but it can take less time. It is, believe it or not, a good sign you're having some side effects as the drug is changing things for the better. Its tough (very tough) initially but be brave, persevere and things will improve.

Paul - yes, I've had those feelings too but not so much now. I'm sort of complicated as I have ME/CFS so I have a myriad of symptoms (the fuzzies being one of them). Blurred vision is there too from time to time. The sunshine is even better where I am (not that I would want to make you jealous!)

my fellow Masterchef-er Matilda. I hope all's well with you and you're seeing some improvement. Sadly it's on again tonight and I've no plans. Hopefully the puddings will be good .......

Have a good, relaxing Friday night and weekend all. I think after reading all our posts that we are improving slowly which is great.

Take care

Rick

Hi Maisie,

This is where CBT and alternative positive thinking would really help you, the minute you feel something strange you think no its just my mind and I am fine I accept I am just overthinking just now, and try to think of something else take ur mind off it and it just disappears again, this would be good for you going forward as some situations will cause anxiety anyway and u will think its the bad one coming back but the positive thinking can get you past it, have you done CBT ??? Do remember hormonal balances can cause us ladies glitches unfortunately you really wont return to how you were xx

Hi inthewoods

Hope your increase works great for you my friend is on 40mg and what a difference in him, its just the best to see him sorted. Hope ur feeling better than earlier. xxx

Dougie,

Hope you are ok today for your sisters wedding xx

heavyasareallyheavything

well done for been so positive, and you are now back on track, stay strong, there will be other friends genuine ones xx

Hi Louise,

Hope your doing ok now, and I think a chat with your doctor about an increase is a good idea, the doc will know best thing for you. remember the deep breathing when things get tough.

Hi Melanie,

You are very early days but stick in there and stay strong, you will be grand, it just takes our bodies time to adjust to the CIT, try to relax as much as possible, do some deep breathing to help you at bad times too, deep breath in for 5 and out for a count of 7 really good to calm you, and also to get you to sleep.

Best of luck Ally,

This will be a positive move for you and by the time you move the cit will be kicked in and you will be grand, xx well done on your successful socialising too x

BECO I hope things are improving for you xxxx stay strong sweetheart xx

Hey Paul

I have been to the wellbeing classes too, 10 weeks of them, it was daunting at first, thought jeezo I dont belong here, but it was fine afterwards and I enjoyed them. your not going Mad by the way, its ur brain playing tricks just accept it, look up EFT it really helped me, I was the same as you, the first time I went to the doctor I packed a bag in case they were going to commit me as I felt I had lost the plot. so believe me that will go xxx

Hi amy26516

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, stay strong

Hey Rick,

Stick with it, things will improve, sorry you have been having a bad time of it. but be strong and practice the deep breathing and exercise gives us something to focus on,

Hi Chris

Hope your meds have kicked in and your pain is lessening, my tinnitus has evolved to hearing my heartbeat as well this week, so thinking I may have an ear infection or something but persevering just now as feel it will go, (wish the tinnitus would go too) has yours quietened since the meds change ??? I am due back at the hospital in a couple of weeks for a follow up on how I am coping with it, ANYWAY for my worse news I am booked in for an MRI scan on Tuesday evening so I am dreading it, and feeling a bit anxious, just normal anxiety but I am scared of having a panic attack in the scanner, hopefully the CIT will prevent it, but it was this that started me off when I got the anxiety in August, so am very apprehensive. But I do know I need the MRI due to the mini strokes I experienced in June last year. They want to sedate me but I have said NO ha ha I am such a coward.

Loulyn,

How are you doing ??

Anyway take care everyone, stay strong and remember deep breathing, have a good weekend get out there and enjoy yourselves you deserve it.

Anne Marie xx

Hi all.

Thank you Anne for your words of wisdom and support, as you have said after a few days i am now feeling better and returned to a good nights sleep last night which was much needed ;-) . I went for review with my gp yesterday and she is happy with how i have been due to number of good days and wants for me to remain at 20mg, she is keeping an eye on me though and i have to return in 2 weeks. She did say that my recent return of sleepless nights and lack of appetite caused by anxiety is likely to be due to my period (sorry guys for too much info)! I have been referred for cbt they have phoned to say it is likely to be May when i can start, i too think this will really help me though. Its been a very long hard 7 weeks but am hoping that s i have turned that corner.

I hope you all have a good weekend Xx

afternoon all. well depite being practically guaranteed the job we have now been told we not going to move. although moving scared me, being stuck here has upset me more. my mood is low as is my wife's atm. on a positive note my friends will be visiting tomorrow and hopefully my dad the wkend after. I've made the decision that I'm going to make something good out of a bad situation. I'm not one for sitting around feeling sorry for myself so onward and upward. next week im going to commit to the temp work I've been offered as theres a chance I may be taken on full time and it gets me out of the house again, I'm going to see whats going on locally for the kids and throw myself into getting out there. the one thing I have in my favour is that I am extremely stubborn, I wont let this beat me no matter how scary things get.

hope you all have a great wkend .

ally xx

Hi all, hope you're having a good weekend.

Just a quick update from me, had my sister's wedding yesterday and all went well and I actually managed to enjoy it which I'm really pleased about. The only negative about the whole thing was what happened with me having a good drink last night - I didn't get my usual signals from my body to tell me when to stop & I'd had enough. Yes, I did have a very good night last night and was very drunk, but boy have I suffered for it this morning. Not only have I had the usual hangover with the headache and feeling generally rough, but I have been fighting off the worst panic attacks I've ever had all morning. At one point it was so bad I was on my hands and knees feeling so cold and dizzy that I really thought I was going to die - it was awful. I seem to have recovered OK now and am just left with the hangover part which I can handle, but I don't want to go through that again! I will therefore have to limit the alcohol I consume from now on as clearly the mix of it with 30mg of CIT is not good!

On a positive note, my mood hasn't been too bad since I started on the 30mg - I have generally felt OK so I think this is the right dose for me. Hopefully as it settles over the next few weeks things will be more normal for me.

Take care everyone, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Doug. x

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't been on. This week was such a busy one for me! Started my first counselling session and it went great. Also been out catching up with friends and family! Delighted to say that I have slept through the night every night this week! I can't remember the last time that happened. I'm feeling great. The anxiett is easing as well. I'm not as nervous about going outside anymore.

I just have one question if anyone could give me their answer I'd appreciate it so much. I used to have a great social life before I started cit. I'd be out every weekend with my friends. This is the 6th weekend without alcohol and frankly I'm getting really irritated about it now. I miss my nights out so I have been contemplating going out tonight seeing as I'm in such a good mood and feel well enough to. However, I am worried about the effects alcohol may have on me. I have a high tolerance for alcohol but of course I will cut down on the amount I usually take but I have read horror stories about people blacking out after two or three glasses of wine and I really don't want that to happen after being away from my group of friends for so long lol.

If anyone could enlighten me on their experiences that would be great.

Laura x

Hi all

I've now done 6 weeks inc 1 week at 30mg. Still a roller coaster but the ups and downs are less fraught.

Definite signs of improvement with the lows less severe and shorter so far.

I know I've a way to go and there'll be blips along the way but definite signs of improvement.

Keep going my fellow 6 weekers spence and rick.

Dougie - I settled fairly quickly on 30 hope it's the same for you

Take care all

Mike

Hi everyone,

I upped from 20-30 yesterday and today I'm feeling incredibly drowsy and tearful, also a bit low but I think that's because I'm upset at having such a horrible blip. I've been on cit for 3 months so do you think the side effects will wear off soon? Xxx

Hi all. Had a few days rest from forum but thought I would let ITW, Mike and Doug know that after 6 weeks on 20mg, today I've also taken my 1st 30mg. The gp did say I could last week but I'd been putting it off. I'm still not sure I've done the right thing but I was getting derealization and kept trying to decide if I should go up or not and I thought I may as well. So far it's not been too bad, I've had lunch out and been to tescos and survived. Would just love to be able to get a decent nights sleep tonight.

Laura r glad you are doing well, what dose are you on?

Rick i missed MC I'm sure you loved it though! X

So glad I've come across this discussion and this site, been taking 10mg for two weeks now and not sure how I feel just yet, sometimes up and sometimes down, but reading all these comments makes sense now.

Hi everyone!! Xx hope your all having a good weekend xx had a blip the beggining of the week but iv tried wakibg up doing some of annes deep breathing tips and then thinking more positive and getting straight out of bed and keeping busy rather than thinking the worst all the time and i must say i do feel better for doing this!! Xx enjoy the rest of the weekend xx

Hi all I hope u are all having a good day. I not been to bad if I'm honest had a long day yesterday doing marriage lessons so we can get married in Catholic Church. Crazy lol

Anyways I got abit freaked out earlier an wondered if anyone can share some light. I woke up and thought I heard someone say something but it was no1. It was only like a word. Just wondering if that is common as it freaked the crap out of me.

Anxiety keeps coming and going. One minute I'm 100% normal then out of nowhere I would think I'm going mad or why am I not anxious then it all kicks off again.

Anyone else experience this and if so can you share some light.

Regards

Paul

Hi paul hope your ok x i get that too!!! And even sometimes when im having a feeling normal spell i sometimes get anxious that im not feeling anxious!! How crazy!! Just hoping the good days get more and more and we forget about feeling anxious!! Xx

Take care

Louise

Hi Louise and Paul

That is just our minds playing tricks again, thinking about it brings it on so try positive thinking and making yourself busy with something to take your mind off of what your thinking of, try the Gamut 9 its brilliant for this part of EFT

While tapping on the Gamut Point which is just behind ur knuckle of ur little finger and ur ring finger

Close your eyes.

Open your eyes.

Look hard down to the right without moving ur head

Look hard down to the left. without moving ur head

Move your eyes clockwise a full circle.

Move your eyes anticlockwise in a full circle.

Hum a few notes of a song.

Count rapidly from 1 to 5.

Hum about 2 seconds of a song again.

Then repeat a couple of times, what it does is brings both sides of your brain into play instead of just the left that is the anxious side so it balances ur brain thoughts and you feel better again, I did this in the cinema when I couldn't stand it (the darkness, noise, people) due to my anxiety back in the beginning and after a few times doing it I was able to stay and watch the whole picture,

Try it hope it helps, if you dont understand it from my post look it up on google

Have a great Sunday, take care all

Anne xxx

Hi anne / Louise,

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I know it only my mind playing tricks just freaks me out a little as I don't want to be hearing voices and that lol.

I tried the tapping earlier today and yes it seems to be good but I think I bed to look into it more. I'm not really anxious just freaked out thinking I'm going mad. But I suppose if I was going and I wouldn't know it would just happen.

Thanks for the advice and if you got anymore I'm all open ears.

Thanks again