Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Hi Diane,

Spongy brain is such a great way to look at it! It sums it up perfectly! Sounds like you're able to look at things really rationally now which really helps when you're feeling anxious. It's so hard when you're in the depths and can't think straight enough to be rational about it, it feels so hopeless and helpless. I've started taking omega 3 capsules in the hope it'll help my concentration.

My husband just suggested that the little blip that comes after a few weeks could be linked to the fact that once we feel better and more like ourselves we can feel great and really pleased but the novelty of that then wears off and we a) feel frustrated as we want to be completely well, and b) have to start thinking about 'real life' things like going to work and other reaponsibilities which then makes the anxiety increase a little bit.

Also, Maria, just wanted to clarify that when I said most people don't have any problems I didn't mean that it's not okay that you are having side effects. I guess I wanted to emphasise that everyone reacts differently so it doesn't mean that your side effects will necessarily be as prolonged as other peoples but if they are that's okay too, the side effects are a sign that the medication is taking effect as Susie said before. I guess I also wanted to reassure Christy that she might not necessarily have side effects as I know she was anxious about starting the meds so don't want you to think it's all doom and gloom!

Xxx

Hi Mrs VN,

The problem I have is that two months ago I had an allergic reaction to something, food it was but all my tests came back negative, this is what started the anxiety again as I have suffered with mental illness for over

thirty years but because everything I ate brought me out in hives and still does I was so afraid that I was

going to have anaphylaxis reaction that it started the anxiety once again so I still have to watch what I eat the doctor said she wanted to get me well first, I am just lucky that I do not have any swelling with it thank

goodness. But it is always in the back of my mind. So I am have to deal with both of them, I have never had

an allergic reaction to anything in my life and I am 55 I am so sorry to keep on rambling but I thought I would tell you my situation.

Maria x

Oh dear! That sounds really tough Maria. Has your gp given you anything to take incase you have a reaction again? I had an allergic reaction as a child that caused massive hives for weeks and so I had a course of steroids and then the doctor gave my mum another course for me to use if the hives returned. Luckily it never happened again so I never needed them. Like you we never got to the bottom of what caused it. Mind you, that was 20 odd years ago so it might not be common practise to give steroids out so freely anymore!

Has your doctor given you any guidance on what to eat? I know certain foods produce more histamine in the body than others so it might be worth asking the doctor if you should avoid these?

Are there any foods you've been eating that you know are 'safe' foods that you've eaten since the allergic reaction?

Xx

Just reread your message and realised it said that everything you eat brings you out in hives. Do you think they might be stress related or linked to the anxiety? A few years ago my husband went back to college. He's not particularly academic so struggled with a lot of the written work. He had hives all over his back that would not go away no matter what the doctor prescribed him. Then, within days of handing in his final assignment they literally vanished!

Hope you find some relief soon xxx

Hi Mrs VN,

Yes I have antihistamines that I take every day, when my appetite came back I bought free from everything to see if this would help,but I have still come out in hives I have tried to avoid the things with histamine but it's a nuisance because I am limited to what I can eat, but three weeks ago I had soup which I bought because i

had no appetite just to eat something and I was covered in hives, but last night I ate the same soup because I have lost my appetite again and did not have one on me at all so you can never tell. I know I cannot have

Milk, cordial, pop, paster. I have always loved fruit but just so afraid to eat it now with all this going on, I did try an apple, banana and did have two grapes to try and all was ok,but still weary about eating them I don't now

If this is part of the mental illness.

Maria x

Hi Maria

Just to emphasise what others have said... I started on 10mg of Cit and increased to 20mg after 2 weeks. Yes, side effects did return and it can be distressing. BUT it will pass.

DO NOT worry! Things will come good - you are at the worst point of the treatment at the moment and it will improve, so do stick with it.

Hi Anne

Had Rheumy appointment yesterday - well worth pushing for private consultation in my case. The big surprise is that I do not have RA but Fibromyalgia. So Cit will play a part in helping and other strategies we talk about on this forum will kick in. I've been doing the wrong things, believing that rest was needed because my body said so, but I need an exercise regime.

Take care everyone - had a good day.

Chris

It sounds like a little of both to me. It seems as though you've had a very real and worrying incident that's lead you to be cautious, but then that cautiousness has tipped over into anxiety.

It sounds as if you're doing all the right things. Hopefully the increased dose of citalopram will kick in soon and then you can try to get to the bottom of the food problems. I think it sounds like your GP is prioritising your mental health so it sounds like she/he doesn't think the allergy is an immediate worry which is reassuring

Xx

Hi Chris,

Thank you I hope so it's really tough right now as last week even though I felt awful in the morning after about

1pm I felt quite normal as normal goes, and was having a lot more sleep but now I'm having 2hrs a night

and the anxiety have really increased I have burning and pins and needles all over.

Maria x

Hi everyone,

Just been for long walk with hubby and pooch always slightly better when i've been in the fresh air. Week 3 for me upped my meds on Tues so its case of wait and see. Sleep just the same, anxiety definately lessons after I've been out. My apiptite seems slighly better aswel.

Take care all

xxx

Hi Susie,

Thank you for replying to me it's just so hard right now especially as the anxiety has increased so much it

has been there all day I've got pins and needles and like a burning sensation too, also the nausea is back. I

Just cannot relax today.

Anne,

thank you too for your kind words I have tried the breathing exercise yesterday and it really did help but because I am so anxious today I cannot seem to make it work, but will keep trying.

Hi Everyone

Thanks MrsVN for thinking of me. I'm still following the thread. Everyone is so great and understanding.

I'm still in shock/upset over my diagnosis of psychotic depression. As I said previously my counseller was in shock when I told him. In no way do Iook or feel psychotic.

I'm on day 4 of cipramil 50mg and tonight I have to up my dose of seroquel to 300mg. Has anyone else been on this combination. I have a lost a lot of weight due to the cipramil - which is a known side effect, but the seroquel is meant to increase your appetite - I'm not sure do they cancel each other out.

I had a small panic attack last night out of the blue. I just felt like getting sick and my breathing was rapid. I'm just home from ikea where a got so shakey - maybe a bit panicky anxious.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

Beco

Hi everyone,

I have survived my first dose! I took it about 18 hours ago. Still a bit worried (when I allow myself to think of it) of the possible nausea/vomiting side effect. For those who experienced nausea, did it happen after the first doses? I know I sound like a broken record worrying so much about nausea. I did have some difficulty sleeping, but I think it was due more to the spicy Tai food I had for dinner...lol. Probably not the best dinner choice when starting a new med that you are afraid will make you nauseous. Oh well, lessons learned. Super tired today from lack of sleep, but overall feel pretty good,

Chris, glad to hear you don't have RA, but sorry for your diagnosis of fibromyalgia. At least now you know and can begin the proper treatment. My aunt was diagnosed with it a few years back and seems to manage very well. I believe she was also prescribed some kind of antidepressant/anti anxiety with her Meds. If you ever need any advice or have questions, I can certainly ask her. Hope you start to feel better.

Christy

Hi Marie,

I hope ur day got a little better, every day I woke up anxious and like you felt so anxious all day every day, when we are like this and have anxious or panic in our system we don't breathe properly, therefore as a result oxygen then comes away from parts of the body....ie legs and ur brain and the priority oxygen goes to ur vital organs to keep them functioning properly....eg the heart, liver and kidneys......this in turn makes u have jelly legs and ur head goes all dizzy.......thats when they say when u have a panic attack u rarely faint....ur body is clever....it knows exactly how much oxygen areas need......please try, and I know it's so hard at times with anxiousness overpowering but doing the deep breathing restores the oxygen levels in our body.....its so frustrating, but keep practising and keep going xxxx

Hi christy,

Glad you're doing okay after your first dose. I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry about the nausea too much. I had a little this time after my increase but it decreased after I started taking the meds at night with some food. When I did have it it passed quite quickly, after about 10-15 mins. My mum showed me a reflexology technique of pressing/squeezing the skin between the forefinger and thumb. Not sure if it actually works or just helped as a distraction/placebo but it seemed to help.

Beco, try not to worry too much about the diagnosis, it's such an awful sounding word, I think it's because of the stigma or the stereotype of how a person who's 'psychotic' looks/behaves but at the end of the day you're still you and still the same person you were before you went to the appointment with the psychiatrist. The positive side of it is that now you can be given the correct treatment that works for you. I've seen people who, on the right treatment have come out of the other side of the same diagnosis and with the right treatment and support they've continued to lead a fully functioning and happy life. Is your other half still being supportive?

Xxx

Hi Christie,

I have the nausea too....never actually was sick but a few times thought I was going to be.....i found gingernut biscuits helped too...ginger is great for nausea and they r dry so won't cause any upset.....it will pass tho, it's a good sign tho because the tablet is ”foreign“ to ur system but ur body soon gets used to it,......I guess if we have a headache then we take a paracetamol and within half hour it normally goes......thats the difficult part with these, the will work but they need time x