Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

I've been on Citalopram for 16 days now, feeling pretty awful,

panicky, diarrhoea, a big know of nerves around my stomach, lost about 10lb in 3 weeks.

Will I ever get rid of the side effects and feel the benefits?

I've been on Citalopram for 16 days now, feeling pretty awful,

panicky, diarrhoea, a big know of nerves around my stomach, lost about 10lb in 3 weeks.

Will I ever get rid of the side effects and feel the benefits?

I've been on Citalopram for 16 days now, feeling pretty awful,

panicky, diarrhoea, a big know of nerves around my stomach, lost about 10lb in 3 weeks.

Will I ever get rid of the side effects and feel the benefits?

YES you will, I was like that at the beginning, in fact most of us were like that, but it does kick in after about 3 weeks so not long to go now and u have put up with 16 days another 5 should see u feeling so back to normal and calm, then u will get ur appetite back too, but make sure u drink water as much as possible to keep hydrated, I lost 3 stone but some of that was before I started Citalopram, as I was too nervous to take it to begin with but knew I had to if I wanted to get better.

This page has kept me going, so keep in touch as we will all get there, what mg are u on and when do u take them morning or night?

Anne

Thank you very much for your encouragement. I couldn't sleep last night (and the last 3 weeks) despite taking strong sleeping pills and half Lorazapam. Seeing my counsellor today and being assessed for CBT therapy (fingers crossed). I'm so weak that I could just crawl to bed and stay there. It's going to be 3 longest weeks of my life.

Thank God a forum like this exists!

Just an update, day 18 on cit 10mg without any major side effects other than insane tiredness. However I am on a phased return to work today being my 2nd week, I woke up feeling odd and anxious and on my way to work totally lost control of my emotions and had to pull over, crying like a baby and panic symptoms,being sick etc. just got home and I'm now so upset with myself. Thought I was on the mend and feel so disappointed in myself. Usual money worries forced me to return to work prob too soon and I'm so frustrated that I can't beat this thing. I'm going to try and see my doctor as I think my meds may need upping? Do you think this will work? Thanks for listening xx

I'm continuing to titrate up the dosage and am now at 10mg daily, after starting at 2.5mg daily last month and am now at 10mg for the last week.

I'm finding the side effects are hardly noticeable at 10mg and my mood is stablising. Those Citalopram-triggered dark depressive moods I experienced at 5mg are becoming far less frequent and easier to snap out of. I also much more energy than before I started so I think the medicine is beginning to work.

The downside is that I have much worse anxiety which I'm really struggling to keep a lid on. I can't totally attribute that totally to Citalopram side effect though, since I have stopped taking benzodiazepines and that has been difficult without after taking them daily for years. I think it's rebound anxiety, but the Citalopram is making it worse.

I'm hoping that once I get to 20mg it may help with the anxiety but it's going to be a rough few weeks as far as anxiety goes and I'm supposed to be going to a concert in 8 days. My GP has offered to give me Diazepam if it gets really bad, so at least I have that to fall back on, if things get unmanageable but so far I'm coping, just about.

The only other problem I have is sleep. When I first started Citalopram it helped me sleep, but now I'm finding it difficult to sleep on 10mg, even after reducing caffeine to one drink a day. I've been having weird vivid dreams and quite a few nightmares which cause me to wake up. I have been trying to avoid taking sleeping tablets I have as my doctor wants me to stop, but I've had to start taking them again the last week as I have dark circles under my eyes from lack of proper sleep. I hope the sleep problem stabilises too as the dosage increases.

I have a couple of shots of drink to calm my nerves and just psyche myself up for it which helps, I don't think I'd cope else and would avoid going out. That's not an option though as I have a business to run and have to earn a living.

It sounds like it's far too soon for you to start back to work Lisa and you might need longer to adjust and stabilise. You might even need a higher dose before the anxiety goes away, or at least becomes less of a problem. Maybe in a few more weeks you will know if 10mg is effective and if it's not maybe you can try 20mg.

I'm hoping that will be the case for me too, that once the medicine fully kicks in the anxiety will disappear or at least become more manageable. I'm prepared to go to 20mg for a month if I'm not feeling better by next month.

I do hope you start feeling better soon as well, unfortunately the wheels keep turning and we have to keep up with life and work. I'm due to see my doctor again for another prescription next week so I'll discuss my dosage then. Thanks again for your help

CBT is meant to be great, I am waiting to start it, everything takes so long to get set up, waiting lists etc, I am about to start one online too, to get me going, as applied for everything when I was in a bad way, now its all coming together, thankfully, you will make it through the next week, but say to your Doc as maybe you need 20mg someone on here said they were on 10mg and not feeling much difference but when put up to 20mg they felt better after 2 days of the 20mg,

Are you taking your Cit in the morning or at night?, I take it in the morning and now sleep really well, some folk found this after changing to the morning, so may be worth a try, but keep seeing your doc if your worried, thats what they are there for I was going every other day for a while before the cit kicked in, they must have been fed up of me, but it helped.

Hi Lisa, as I mentioned above to Grace it really does help folk when they up to the 20mg, I think 10mg is a low dose to wean you in, and then it can be increased. worth a try, and take in the morning as its a stimulant so may stop u getting a good sleep at night, I sleep really well now that I take in the morning about 10am (with food helps)

Hi Morphix,

Hope your doing ok, its awful not been able to go to the shops etc, have you tried deep breathing, in for 6 seconds and out for 8 seconds, I have found this works when anxiety kicks in, its such a horrible feeling so hope 20mg works better for you.

Regards all,

Anne

Thank you for the kind words, I really need some cheering up.

Was assessed for CBT yesterday, the lady said the waiting list is 8 weeks! I don't know if I can stand it much longer. My citalopram is 20 mg and it was like this from he beginning, day 18 today, no changes, feeling dreadful. Last night phoned my doc and he told me to take Lorazapam(1mg)e night and zimovane (7.5 mg). woke up at 4 and couldn't sleep . Please god , let the citalopram work or I have no energy left.