Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Beco, I hope things get better for you and your dad.

I'm seeing my doctor today just to see how I'm progressing and go over the EKG and blood tests they did a few weeks ago. Not too worried about those as I'm sure if it was serious, they wouldn't have waited 3 weeks. Still getting only about 4 hours of good sleep a night. I did have a day last week I got 7 and I felt AMAZING. It's bothersome because last September I pinched a nerve in my back and while it's getting better slowly (as they take time to heal up), not getting sleep leaves me tense and causes it to flare up again. I'm going to ask my doctor for a chiropractic appointment. Maybe readjusting my spine will put some pressure of it and help relax me more.

Still, I'm on week 3 of 10mg and, emotionally, I feel better. Only had a couple small panic attacks and my days seem to be better, if a little slower. I don't get so angry and upset. Still have some night anxiety and my heart rate tends to be up at night moreso (again, not getting enough sleep) but I feel some relief and I know it may be a couple more weeks until it REALLY kicks in and I can maybe get some good sleep again. I hope.

hi there mrs vn and other supportive people,

would it be ok if i joined this thread? althou i' not on cit but venlafaxine i share many of the side effects you are talking about and reading your notes helps alot. at the moment i'm home alone and feeling incredibly anixious is this normal to feel this way?

Hi Farawaygirl,

Of course you can join this forum and conversation, we are all the same here, just looking for support to getus thru a hard time, and all at different stages too, remember to practice deep breathing when ur feeling anxious it really helps calm you!! I used to feel really anxious when alone, actually was my worse time, crying for no reason then palpations chest pain etc, but that has calmed now, and I can control it, remember there is light at the end of that tunnel, we just need to stay strong to get there xx

Take care

Anne

Hi Anne,

Thankyou so much for the kind words feel quite tearful now. Just been out with my lovely dog for a walk and feel really proud of myself but am now shaking like a leave and palpitations. But i,ve done it!

Hi faraway girl,

Of course you're welcome to join the thread! How long have you been on the medication? It is normal to feel a bit more anxious while it's beginning to take effect. Is this the first medication you've tried?

Hi Beco,

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I hope he's on the mend soon. I know you've said that you're feeling no effects from the tablets but has anyone else noticed any improvements? I know my mum and my husband started to notice before you did. You might not be on the right dosage for you. When I very first started on them I didn't really notice the changes until I'd gone up to 40mg, and the highest dose is 60 so it may well be that you need a higher dose. I'm sure when you see the psychiatrist they'll be able to give you more specialist advice for what could work for you. I was also reading up earlier and there seem to be other medications you can have to support and increase the effects of the SSRIs, I'm sure the psychiatrist will know more about this than the GP. I'm very lucky that my GP used to be a psychiatrist at an inpatient facility for severe PND. Are your symptoms more anxiety or depression based? Is this your first episode or have you had this happen before? I really hope you find some relief soon. It's so debilitating.

Christine,

I was feeling the same a few days ago, that it wouldn't work for me this time, when I first started on citalopram I had no real side effects other than vivid dreams and although it took a while to find the right dosage I was never ill enough to miss work. The last couple of days I wouldn't say I feel 100% but I do feel like 'me' again. I'm on day 17 of an increase to 40mg. I managed really well on 30mg for the last two years and then this time the decrease down to 20mg triggered a bout of depression which I've never really had a problem with before, even before I initially went on the medication. The mind is a strange and confusing thing! What I have noticed this time is that the symptoms/side effects seem to be dropping off one at a time but it's the worst ones that sem to be lingering the longest. Are you managing to rest yourself or are you still having to do housework and cooking etc? I've been really lucky in that my husband hasn't let me lift a finger for the last couple of weeks and I think the total rest has played a massive part in my starting to recover.

joe, It sounds like you're beginning to see some benefits too, you're so right about quality sleep being so important, it can really exacerbate the symptoms. I have sleep apnoea and have to sleep in a mask that inflates my airways. I haven't been able to wear it until a couple of nights ago because I couldn't get to sleep with it on. I've worn it for the last two nights and I think that's really helped with my mood.

Hope everyone has a peaceful evening. I'm looking forward to seeing the back of 2013 tomorrow. It's been a really tough year!

Xxxx

Beco, I mean to say before *i* did, not before *you* did! Xx

We'll done farawaygirl. I know how hard it is to do any physical activity with depression. Hopefully it's a sign that things are starting to improve for you

Take care

How are you getting on Brendan?

Hi Mrs vn,

Thankyou for listening I've been on venlafaxine for a good few years on the lowest dose 37.5mg but 21/2 weeks ago my gp upped it too 75mg after major breakdown in his surgery and have felt rotten ever since. Feel sick all the time and not sleeping, Gp gave me zopiclone to help but try to only use them 3 nights and then a night off. Its not been a very good christmas only thing is my hubbys been at home with me but he goes back to work tomoro and i'm feeling rather shaky about that. Sorry for rambling on so but its great to have someone to talk to.

xxxx

Thankyou Brendon,

So nice to know you nice people are out there.

xxx

Hi Mrs VN

I'm getting better but slowly. Last Monday had my first day of no anxiety at work which was the first time for a couple of months, so thought I'd cracked it. However I seem to be having panic attacks, but not as bad as before so the cit is doing something. Just thought I'd be better by now I've been on it 6 weeks now. When I first took it a couple of years ago it seemed to work straight away.

How are you keeping?

Brendan

I had similar, on Christmas Eve I woke up in a good mood and thought 'great, I'm better' but then took a bit of a dip over the next four days. I've felt quite positive today and yesterday, just trying to keep a lid on it and not get too ahead of myself incase I dip again!

I'm due back at work in a week but I'm thinking of asking my GP to sign me off for another week to make sure I'm fully better, I haven't driven, cooked a meal or done anything too strenuous for three weeks so I think I need to get my 'home' life back on track before I think about going back to work! I managed to put a load of washing on and hang it out today and did the washing up so that's a good start. Haven't managed either of those things for weeks! I had a friend over for a cuppa today too which was lovely but I'm exhausted now!

Xx

I think because I thought I was better I tried to do too much. Probably to make up for doing nothing much previously.

We just need to learn to take it one step at time. Take little steps at first and before you know it we'll be running!

Faraway girl, I'm in a similar situation in that i have been on citalopram for several years with no massive issues but I decided to try and gradually decrease my dosage to start a family. I ignored the warning signs that things weren't going well because I was really hoping for a medication free pregnancy when we start trying but I've ended up on a higher dose than I was before I decreased! I wish I'd just left things as they were! Especially as I've since started seeing a different GP and it turns out the risk of defects from taking citalopram during pregnancy are really quite low. Hindsight's a wonderful thing!

Xxx

Exactly Brendan, I think that's what happened to me on Christmas Eve, I felt good so I went out Christmas shopping, wrapped presents and then tried to start doing housework to give my poor hubby a break and it absolutely wore me out! X