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Citalopram

Posted , 8 users are following.

elaine4
elaine4

Hi

I took my first citalopram yesterday, 20 mg and omg I feel absolutely dreadful. 

I feel as if my body is going at 100 mph. Can't sleep can't sit still. Scared now to take another one. 

Elaine

0 likes, 37 replies

37 Replies

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  • katecogs
    katecogs elaine4

    Posted

    The meds do heighten anxiety to start with but it does ease off ..... so it does get worse before it gets better.  Some people do start on 10mg and ease up to 20mg, but others go straight in at 20mg.  I did.

    It really does get better though

    K x

    • elaine4
      elaine4 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi

      thanks for your reply. How long were you on it before you felt better. I feel that almost immediately I lost my appetite, Iam quite slim so can't afford to loose weight. Not sure whether to try 10mg but take it at bedtime. What would you suggest. 

      Elaine

    • smithcat
      smithcat elaine4

      Posted

      I took mine at bedtime - a friend suggested it. I slept through the nausea and sweating! It worked for me.

      P

    • Tuppence3008
      Tuppence3008 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi. I began Butrans patch 5mg wks ago and have felt no benefit in pain control - worsened in fact. Had to remove this morning after another awful night hallucinations, burning up nausea and worsening pain. X
    • katecogs
      katecogs elaine4

      Posted

      Hi Elaine

      It was about 3-4 months before I started noticing any improvement, and it took until 6 months before I'd recovered.  Yes many people do lose their appetite - often the side effects of the meds and equally anxiety too.

      You could try the 10mg and ease your way up but do speak to your doctor too.  

  • mari01487
    mari01487 elaine4

    Posted

    The can't sit still is worrisome. The is such a thing as akinasia. Means involuntarily movement and tics. This drug in not for everyone. I would say take it one more day see what happens and if so ask you self if you can deal with this for two to three months and you don't know if it will work for you in the end. Also know there are withdrAwl with this drug. So if you can try other things maybe you don't need this or the adverse side effects it brings.

    • elaine4
      elaine4 mari01487

      Posted

      Hi. Been much better today, only took 10mg and so far so good.
  • smithcat
    smithcat elaine4

    Posted

    Hi Elaine

    Firstly you are not alone. Try and rationalise the side effects and dump them in the "I know this is just the meds starting to work and I'm in contol" bin. The side effects will pass within a week. Please do persevere - the positives far outweigh the early negative effects - they will make you feel better. I have tried lots of different medication over the years and this is by far the best in terms of making me feel bad. I am on 40mg at the moment and dont know Im taking them.

    I, and many others, will be there with you holding your hand.

    Take care.

    Peter

    • elaine4
      elaine4 smithcat

      Posted

      Hi Peter, thanks for your reply, it's nice to know I'm not on my own. Yes I'm definitely going to persevere with them. I just keep saying to myself I will get better. That's good that you have great results with them.

      Elaine

    • smithcat
      smithcat elaine4

      Posted

      Hiya

      I did a blunder in my first reply - I didnt mean to say that they made me bad! I meant they made me feel better! I guess you are smart and worked that out for yourself.

      Peter

    • elaine4
      elaine4 smithcat

      Posted

      Hi

      No, never thought you were bad. Lol.

      Elaine

    • pete1066
      pete1066 smithcat

      Posted

      Peter. My side effects did not "pass within a week" as you say here. In fact after 8 days I was worse on 20mg. I had to stop taking it I felt so awful. It doesnt work for everyone, or even the same person, every time. Your body knows if it wants the drug or not and if side effects are getting worse it seems reasonable that it doesnt want it in your system. Taking this drug has really put me off SSRIs as the effects were so horrible.  That was how it was for me anyway. For others they have minimal or no noticable side effects and apparent benefits (I am obviously very envious!) 

    • gillian176
      gillian176 pete1066

      Posted

      Its a pity you stopped and that your GP had NOT told you it gets massively worse before it gets better

      There are enough posts on here saying agreeing with that. I am always telling people. It's the rewiring of the Brain

      You have to give it 6-12 weeks initially

      Then the light comes on 😎

      Most of the side effects go. The ones that remain for me are way outweighed by the massive benefit to myself

      It maaaaay be worth another try..,

    • pete1066
      pete1066 gillian176

      Posted

      Hi Gillian. I wont know if it works as I couldnt get past the side effects. Maybe if I could tke 3/4 months off work, no childcare duties, no major responsibilities but to myself, I could sit back and see what happens over time.  But I simply cant work safely or look after my young children and other responsibilities when I feel so horrendously nauseous, faint, spaced-out, massively increased anxiety, unable to sleep. Im going to go back on mirtazipine which I know just makes me hungry and sometimes a little light-headed, sometimes intense dreams, but otherwise nothing that bad at all and I usually get some mood improvement within days of starting it. If that doesnt work will try tricyclics rather than SSRIs which I dont seem to tolerate. Escitaloprma made me unwell also, even on low dose. 
    • gillian176
      gillian176 pete1066

      Posted

      Hi pete

      I can appreciate that's very hard for you as yes it does zone you out. I did get some benefit from a CBT type NHS run course with my local Gp

      It was helpful but The effect didn't last long enough For me however. But you could try /ask?

      I still get the intense dreams on Cit. Very weird

      Anyway good luck on yr pathway

    • pete1066
      pete1066 gillian176

      Posted

      Thanks. I guess we are the best judge in ourselves as to what works and what doesnt. I dont see point in trying to tell people what is best for them if ultimately they cant live with it, for whatever reason. I am fairly sure mine is mainly chemical as I can take certain meds and my depression is quickly relieved and I dont have a care in the world. This would not be the case if I had some kind of intractable life problem or environmental factor so I dont really see the point in CBT beyond knowing it can help some people who have cognitive issues. The problem with counselling when I am depressed is that it can reinforce the depression and thoughts, when in essence the cause needs addressing for longer term benefit. Its nice to share concerns with someone else as it makes me feel less alone, but it doesnt solve the depression itself. I have restarted mirtazine yesterday and I already feel much better (it works quickly for me). I dont see the point in sitting in depression and trying to escape it by talking about how it makes me feel infinitum when I can just take a medicine and take most of the depression away by chemical means. CBT is nice, but has limited benefit on its own for my depression. I accept it may be very beneficial for those with mainly cognitive issues. Severe clinical depression is in my opinion too severe to treat with just CBT alone and needs medicating. If we can do without meds then great, but I would suggest most people with intractible and severe depression/anxiety would agree its just not possible to just snap out of it, or think nice thoughts to make it stop, as its too over whelming. CBT probably more helpful when I feel well, but not in deep depression. 
    • gillian176
      gillian176 pete1066

      Posted

      Yes your absolutely right in all that

      I think my GP thought CBT would help when I was tablet less

      It was worth a try

      However I know realized and think she does too, that it's a chemical imbalance I have

      I should never have come off citalopram 3 years ago really as I have struggled all that time ending in a deeper black hole

      However I am glad you are felling better with your current treatment. It's whatever works isn't it.

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