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Been prescribed Citalopram for anxiety over insomnia

Posted , 10 users are following.

nigel93673
nigel93673

Hi all,

I have been reading in this forum and it has really helped, thank you everyone.

At the begining of January I started waking in the middle of the night with stomach pain, trapped wind, I would have to get up and take Gaviscon to help relieve it and would have to sit downstairs for 1-2 hours whilst it passed before going back to bed.

This severley disrupted my sleep and I began to worry about it. After 2-3 weeks this got better but I had developed so much anxiety over my sleep that my sleep actually began to get worse. For the last 2-3 weeks I have had terrible problems sleeping, I go to bed my usual time between 10-11 but do not get any sleep until around 4am and sleep for 1-2 hours.

I have been given some Zopiclone which worked well to begin with, now when I use it I get 2-3 hours deep sleep before waking and struggling to get back to sleep.

I am going to CBT sessions to help me deal with my anxiety but this is going to last 6 weeks and I really struggle with the idea of not sleeping well for this long. I worry about my sleep all day and its really getting me down, I seem to have had constant heart palputations for the last 2 weeks due to the anxiety.

I have been to the GP a few times and they have now suggested using Citalopram to help with the anxiety, which in turn will hopefully help me sleep. I have never really suffered from anxiety or depression before (although I do get quite anxious about my health sometimes) so its not like this is an on-going situation.

I have been reading a lot today about Citalopram and its side effects. One of the most prominent seems to be insomnia which is the thing I am trying to solve! What are your thoughts on this? I feel I should listen to the GP and take Citalopram but after reading on this forum it makes me question it.

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • Vinchenzo65
    Vinchenzo65 nigel93673

    Posted

    Hi  I have been prescribed this for my insomnia which started in January due to cancer scan and have lymphoma I don't sleep all night as I got into my head one night when I had a few bad night experience, of not sleeping, I am depressed and anxious and at my wits end also worried if I will ever be cured of this insomnia, I have been taking zoplidem to help with some sleep as exhausted, can anyone give me advice or help, I have tried herbal  and all other treatments will citalopram work for me? Any advice Nigel

  • mel7489
    mel7489 nigel93673

    Posted

    I had similar problems.I started with insomnia and became anxious over not sleeping or thinking i wouldnt.The doc gave me citalopram but i think this heightened my anxiety so i have zopicline but now im anxious about becoming addicted! I only have a weeks worth.He also gave me propalanol to stop daytime anxiety but i feel this makes me feel worse very spaced out and blurred vision.So today im not going to take it(only had 3 days)...I feel like im stuck in sn endless round of medication and i dont know if im actually ferling better.Still on citalopramnow for 8 weeks and somedays i dont have any anxious feelings .The doc wont give you it if he didnt think it woukd help.
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