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Citalopram 20mg

Posted , 6 users are following.

jayne20624
jayne20624

Hi

First time on here. Need some help as struggling with this med! Was on another antidressant for 1 week and then changed to citalopram 20mg 2 weeks ago and still feel bad. My anxiety is 100 % worse, nausea comes and goes and bad sleep. Will this get better as thinking in I may come off them?

 

0 likes, 27 replies

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  • Kang05
    Kang05 jayne20624

    Posted

    Hi Jayne

    Sorry to read you are finding Citalopram tricky.

    I have been taking it now for 5 weeks. It is the second time I've been on it and speaking from

    my experience you need to give it time. The side effects this time for me have been different. I felt sicker for longer last time and had hot flushes down my arms. This time less nausea, no flushes yet but odd taste in my mouth. The anxiety this time was a lot worse for the first 2/3 weeks but is now improving.

    Try and persevere. Good luck.

    • jayne20624
      jayne20624 Kang05

      Posted

      Thanks. Never knew anxiety was so debelitating!!!  Hard to get your head around the fact that things get worse at the start and makes you want to throw the towel in but got this far will carry on and hopefully things will improve soon. Wish my GP had warned me as may be i would have made different choices.

      Need to be more patient! but not in my nature

       

  • debbie17569
    debbie17569 jayne20624

    Posted

    Hi there

    Try and keep going.  My anxiety got a whole load worse at first and calmed down after about a month, christmas day to be exact.  I had a health scare whichI couldnt seem to calm down from.  However, two weeks after that, I got the dreaded monthlies whichset my anxiety off again, probably hormone related, and then another health scare care of a doctor!!!  I have increased from 20 to 30 this week and my anxiety has again gone through the roof.  I also have lost my appetite again, feel sick and wake early!  Its a rollercoaster ride but try and stick with it.  I have been given diazepam for particularly bad days but only to use sparingly. You will get better but we are all different, and we will all recover at different times.  Damn hard I know, especially the morning anxiety. There are loads of people on this forum exactly the same as us who will help get you through.  xx

  • tomhopeful
    tomhopeful jayne20624

    Posted

    Jayne

    Try & stick with it , I was on 20mg & had a shocking first two weeks till things settled down , I thought I was losing my mind , I only stayed on them due to persuasion from patients on this forum. I'm glad I did & I now feel great , 20mg was a very high dose for me but it affects people differently . Good luck & stay positive it will be worth it . Regards Tom

  • jayne20624
    jayne20624

    Posted

    Hi

    Have just read my replies and it gives me hope.Thank you!! I slept really well for 3 nights last week after starting to take the meds am. anf felt so much better. Back now to bad nights again, it is a real roller coaster and docs just say carry on, early days or cut down to 10mg! but going on a 12 hour flight in a week so dont want side effects of cutting back. Usually love flying ut this stuff has really increased my anxiety and now panicking abpout it! 

    How long before the anxiety and side effects get better, so hard when i felt better before I started this journey!!?

     

    • debbie17569
      debbie17569 jayne20624

      Posted

      Oh I know how you feel.  I have a 9 hour flight coming up in April and have just told my other half that I really cannot get on that flight feeling like this!!  

      Its hard because we are all different but most people say between4 and 8 weeks.  However, I felt better at about 4 weeks until I had a health scare and then they increased me!  Oh and dont google either, that just makes matters worse, stick to this forum and also try 'anyone not had any side effects on citalopram' on this forum, kept me sane in those first weeks! x

    • jayne20624
      jayne20624 debbie17569

      Posted

      Thanks. God this really is hard, isnt it!! Wish the doctor had warned me and i may have made other choices before meds. I have gone from a really confident person, who copes with everything to a person full of anxiety!! Hard to take on but it sounds like we all make a horrid journey on Citalapram before things improve. Longest 2 weeks of my life and trying to pertend you are ok to others is hard. I have a very supportive hubby but has never suffered with anxiety so hard for him to fully understand.Hearing things improve helps and just want to be my old self again. Ok always been a bit nervous but this is off the scale!!!!
    • debbie17569
      debbie17569 jayne20624

      Posted

      Youre welcome.  I know, the doctors do not tell you anything.  Same as me, really confident and nothing bothered me.  Now im a freaked out mess!! It is hard to pretend youre ok.  My children have picked up on it, even my 9 year old daughter said the other day 'on mummys not angsty again is she?'. I have to say I did laugh at that.  My OH doesnt really understand either but is being as good as he can!! 

      Yes im sure we will be ourselves again soon.  We were ok before, its not as if we have suffered this all our lives, so surely we can go back to how we were.  I was quite nervous as a teenager and quite quiet but never anxious.  Youre right, this is off the scale! x

    • jayne20624
      jayne20624 debbie17569

      Posted

      Thanks Debbie. Fingers crossed that things will improve for us both soon. Managed to sit through a film at the movies last night, after worrying about it all Day!!! Wasnt easy with that horrid feeling running through your body in waves. But did it! Have a good weekend x
    • debbie17569
      debbie17569 jayne20624

      Posted

      I know how you feel, had to go to a kids party this morning but managed it albeit with a horrid nervy tummy! My appetite is also crap, just can't face eating anything but I was like that when I first started cit so blaming that on the increase!! What a rollercoaster ride this is!!! X

    • jayne20624
      jayne20624 debbie17569

      Posted

      Talking to others is so helpful. The first 2 weeks on this I have had to force myself to eat as even the thought of food made my nausea worse. I lost weight and still havent got my appetite back fully. I try to eat when the anxiety is at its lowest during the day. But now I realise that is an effect of the meds and it makes it more comfortable to deal with. Normally love my food, eating out and a glass of vino, so very alien to me at the moment.This is a very powerful drug.Anxiety is a crippling thing and I now have full sympathy for anyone who suffers with this x
    • Donna00112
      Donna00112 jayne20624

      Posted

      It's much more powerful than I realized.  I'm very nervous about having to see another doctor.  I hope I can get in soon.  My intake appt. is Feb. 23.

       

    • debbie17569
      debbie17569 jayne20624

      Posted

      Mine is worse in the mornings, so nervy all the time and feel sick.  Have you ever suffered with anxiety before and do you know what brought this on? X
    • jayne20624
      jayne20624 debbie17569

      Posted

      It is really odd as when in an social situation my anxiety goes through the roof, so know I dread any social eevents that are coming up, Have a dinner party on Friday with 6 close friends but already worried. I went to a lecture yesterday and hated first 10 mins but then managed to get through it. Would be easier to avoid people , even supermarkets are making me feel weird but if i stop doing stuff i would be avoiding the problem. Before this it was me organising the events and loved company so it is difficult to get my head around it! I though the meds would be helping with this situation but not yet??? wish it would hurry up and kick in? As you have experience, does the situations you dread get easier on the medication?? I am sleeping better on the whole, so thats good. I am finding it hard to accept this.I am over thinking everything. Doctors friday so can discuss further. I last had this 26 years ago when I burnt myself out doing 3 jobs. This time i had an anxiety attack on a night flight but didnt think to much and then it hit me bad over christmas!!  

      Hope you day is calm x

       

    • debbie17569
      debbie17569 jayne20624

      Posted

      Yes I kind of worry about things that are coming up, especially my holiday in April.  I just know if I feel like this, I wont be able to sit on that plane for 9 hours.  But im so worried that if I dont go,my kids are going to be so upset.  Social events too and supermarkets.  Im ok when there but my anxious stomach and never leaves.  

      If I take a diazepam, that calms me somewhat so i can do things but I do try and do without it. Dont want to get hooked on that!  At the moment my anxiety is really affecting my stomach and I just want to keep going outside.  I am sleeping better but still waking at 5am.  Ive probably said but 4 weeks in to the 20 I was taking, I felt great for two weeks but then got my period and its been back ever since.  Mind you, the increase to 30 last week has made things much worse, anxiety is awful.  I also feel so hungry but cant eat. There must be an answer to this but I just dont know what it is!! x

    • jayne20624
      jayne20624 debbie17569

      Posted

      I think my go will want to up my dose but no way before my hols and I am scared of the side effects of increasing. I am better if I keep busy. Maybe the med is working but I can't feel it. My anxiety comes and goes but my hubby thinks I am better than last week?  Must admit my best friend and husband have been my rock but like to tell people as I see it as a weakness. I hate the shakey light headed feeling of anxiety, it makes me want to flee the situation but try and stick it out. Finding my exercise helps , don't want to go but feel better when there and finished a class. Still doing my yoga but meditation is hard at the moment and used to be able to do for ages??. Can't believe how many people suffer with this. X

    • jayne20624
      jayne20624

      Posted

      Hi Debbie

      Wanted to tell you about my flight. I was fine, HORRAY!! and you will too. I didnt sleep the night before , so was knackered. Which prob helped. I slept for a couple of hours. Was really worried about night flight back and again my anxiety returned the day before. But it was ok, no panic attacks or horrid feelings. Looks like the meds are starting to work! The break away did me the world of good and I felt like my old self after ages, it was lovely. I spent the whole week sleeping, sun bathing and eating and god I needed the sleep. Take a couple of good books and it helped me to focus and chill. Not normally a big reader either. Just wanted to share and hopefully put your mind to rest a bit. x

    • debbie17569
      debbie17569 jayne20624

      Posted

      Hi Jayne.

      ah that's great news!!! Well done and glad you feel better too. What a relief!!!

      Im much better too now the increase has kicked in. Almost back to normal...whatever that is!!! I also got the dreaded monthlies today and that hasn't affected me either this time so am hoping I might be turning a corner.  What a rollercoaster ride this is!!! X

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