Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Hi, everyone!

Still feeling pretty good, 5th day of feeling this way, and although I know I may still have bad days to come, I'm really seeing glimpses of the old me again now, and feeling very hopeful. So stick with it, all of you who are struggling right now, and if I do feel down again in a few days, remind me of this message!

The mornings are still not as good as the evenings, but even they are ok now, and I don't find it so hard to get out of bed.

I'm also doing a mindful awareness course (on my own with a CD), and am on day 5 of a body scan. I'll be signing up for a proper course after Easter.

I'm in the UK, in rainy South Wales. My garden is a swamp right now, but no serious flooding as I live partway up a mountain. Seriously sick of over 2 months of dull grey skies and endless rain though!!

Hugs to everyone!

Thanks Chris - hoping tomorrow will be a good day.

Hello Everyone,

I have just completed my first week on 10mg Citalopram. Being treated for anxiety, which I have never

experienced before.

I have felt terrible since mid November when something just flipped in me. I became very clingy to my

family. Like I need to be in constant contact with them, and this is driving them nuts; as I was previously a

bit reclusive. Driving my wife and daughter nuts.

Got really stressed and could not concentrate at work, (I have a very high pressure job and am away from

home a lot). I just threw in the towel last week, because I couldn't cope or make decisions.

Doc prescribed Cit and its been a roller coaster. Wake up feeling like I've been in a crash. Mind racing all the time, day and night. Not eating. Need a light at the end of the tunnel.

Anybody advise, please?

Thanks.

Hi Davy,

Believe me, I was there up until yesterday. Mind racing, no appetite (lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks), increased anxiety, panic attacks, and overall feeling helpless and as though I'd lost myself. I wondered how on earth Cit could work when it made me feel 100000 times worse. But, unfortunately, you have to go through some bad side effects before the benefit kicks in. But when it does kick in, you will notice. Almost like a light switch. I woke up yesterday still feeling off, but have been feeling much better today. It gets better. From what I understand MUCH better. Just hang in there and know that it will end. It is so strange that the medication that will make us feel better makes us feel TERRIBLE initially.

I'm still working through mine, but am positive that the medication is beginning to work.

Don't be hard on yourself. It is a chemical imbalance. Check in to B12 shots as well. People with anxiety lack B12 (that's what my doctor said).

Also, I got a sleeping aid to help me sleep during the transition on to Cit. It is called Zopiclone and seems to help me turn off.

Amy

Hi to all the regulars and welcome to those who are new. Happy days to everyone making progress! Am just over a week now on 10mg, which doc says might be a dose that starts to work. Fortunately, only side effects for about a day and not as bad as when first started.

Am trying to stay patient with this as its early days still. Not sure if i'm just more aware of it now, but does anyone have fuzzy brsin and forgetfulness? I suppose its a mixed effect of the med and the condition. Also just being exhausted all the time. No motivation at all. Maybe i'm just having a bad day.

Still to call up and make my appt with the psychologist. Again, the anxiety kicks in, like what if they can't see me for at least a month...crazy how the anxiety ties us up in knots, huh? Still having that at work (no, i've still not told them) worrying into a state where i'm hardly capable of doing anything useful. Rubbish!!

Ok, moan is over. Thanks for listening. At least here everyone gets it. My poor other half, he's there for me, but all the same he thinks its something i should just be able to lift myself out of. If i could i would!as i'm sure everyone else here would do.

Have a great weekend all.

C x

Hi everyone im new to this but have been watching this forum the last few days so wanting some reassurance! In dec I was prescribed cit 10mg for anxiety and depression, the first 2 weeks were awful with what seemed llike every side effect out there but it started to pass so dr then upped me to 15mg with no side effects at all, saw dr after 2 weeks of increase who suggested I up to 20mg and that be my steady dose, so I upped 11 days ago and since have gone completely down hill! I feel sick constantly, panic attacks, cant concentrate on anythin, no motivation and I constantly feel on edge and restless! Im 25 and with 3 little ones its hard they are 5, 3 and 1 and my partner works all day so ive been having to be round my mums whilst he is at work as hate being home on my own which is unlike me, I normally love my own company. Having said all this I actually managed a tesco food shop today, I felt awful but didnt quit, still cant bring myself to do school runs tho! I know cit can and will work but im inpatient as was doing so well on 15mg I need reasurrance its the tab increase and not me going backwards!! Thank u cara x

Hi Carol

Yep, fuzziness and all things brain associated are due to Cit. As are brain starts which may hopefully will not get - I only mention them to stop anyone worrying if they do get them as they do fade away like the other side effects. Mine were disturbing at one point - it seemed as if as soon as I dozed off I woke up with a start and feeling rough for a few seconds but it dies away so do not worry.

Hi Cara

Be reassured!! As far as I know, and I've seen reports from a number of people now as well as my own experience, the effects of slightly too high a Cit dose is to be a bit spaced out. I went from 10mg to 20mg after two weeks, side effects repeated and then settled down. You are still in the side effect area but they should start fading away after about 2 weeks (i.e. in a few days for you). However the benefits of Cit will take a little longer to be appreciated, but as in previous posts, you will find increasing spells of feeling better and then the light switch will happen and you'll be a different person.

Be strong!

Chris

Hi Cara,

It is the increase that is affecting you like this, many folk have said exactly the same, and we are impatient we want it to be immediate, but its ur body getting used to the increased dose, so please persevere it will get better, in the next couple of weeks you will notice calmness again, and not wanting to be alone is one we all suffer, so don't worry u will get back to your old self pretty soon xx

Stay strong Cara

Anne

hi chris and anne

thanks for ur reply!yesterday afternoon i felt more 'normal me' than i have in a while so that gives me hope that i can and will get there!i know i have to take the bad with the good but with 3 little ones i just want to feel good all the time!i think the hardest thing for me os not understanding why the anxiety and depression started,i loved my life before all this,it just seemed to creep up out of no where!

trying to stay positive and ride out the storm as where is giving up going to get me hey??

thanks everyone

cara xxx

Hi everyone I am 6 weeks in on 10mg citalopram I had rough few weeks at the begining but noticed an improvement at 3 weeks and week 4 & 5 were good but I seem to have had a blip or a feeling of going backwards for a couple of days now ... is this normal? Should I be worried they are not working or be worried about a dose increase? I dont want to go back to how I was before and they were helping me

Thank you in advance

I am now at the end of Week 3 of Cit. And whilst not completely free of side effects they seem to get easier as the days go on. Stomach ache is easing, but still have throat and ear infection.

Jimbo

Hi,

I was on celexa for more than 10 years without side effects. I really think this med was perfect for me, but we're all different! Unfortunately, I had to change to Prozac recently and stop Celexa because a new GI med was added to my list that interacted with the Celexa. Prozac gave me major problems and now I'm completely off of SSRIs. I am very seriously considering returning to Celexa though!

Good luck. I hope it works for you and that your side effects have subsided

Hi Cara,

U are right no point in giving up as you need to persevere to get better, just like everyone on here, its tough but the rewards are great just to feel normal again, everyday you are closer to getting better, so stay strong in the knowledge ur getting better.

Natasha

I was the same as you, I was on 10mg for a while but then increased to 20mg as 10mg is just enough to get us started when we are so scared to take anything, in my increase to 20mg on 20th December I didnt really get any side effects luckily, except for the odd slight headache, but I could deal with that. so speak to your doctor and get advice on if you should increase, some people do get worse side effects but not everyone, so try not to expect them and you may get off lightly.

Jimbo

You are getting there, have you had anything for the throat and ear infection? remember I had the throat infection and thought I had a lump (very real) and as soon as Cit kicked in it disappeared, very strange !! the mind is a weird and wonderful thing!! as we all know now.

Berkboston, thanks for sharing, I hope you get sorted.

Chris,

I hope your pain is easing, make sure you are taking it easy. My tinnitus is still hacking me off lol but dealing with it.

Joanne, Jules, Carol, Davy AmyE and not forgetting Beco, I hope ye are all staying strong and getting there its a tough ride but we will all get there, remember to do some deep belly breathing when things get tough it will help you calm down and relax.

Take care all as we enter into a new week and that's a week nearer been well again. xx

Anne

Hi everyone hope ur all ok?

So sat afternoon I started to feel slightly better and yday actually had a really good day but today its like im continously having to push myself to do things, i have managed to stay at home on my own most of morn and even managed to take my daughter to nursery which I havent done since the increase but its sooo hard to keep going, i think im getting better but im still dreading every hr of every day until my partner returns home at 5pm really wanting to feel the positive affects from cit and hoping its just around the corner xxx

HI all,

Anne - thanks for thinking of me. The weekend was an improvement from the last that's for sure. I feel more like myself now with a bit more energy. I had a little dip yesterday afternoon, but it was all related to my worry about lack of sleep. I got through the worry and seemed to be ok. I'm at the point now where I get excited every night to take Cit because I just keep thinking ONE MORE PILL TO HELP ME IMPROVE. The worst of the side effects are over thank goodness.

For now, it is more the fear of the anxiety returning. Sound strange?

How is everyone else doing???

XO