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Citalopram and a beneficial side effect - Pain relief !

Posted , 8 users are following.

Fitch
Fitch

I wason citalopram for anxiety and depression since 2011. In December 2013 I decided that I felt strong enough to cope without taking the citalopram. So New Years Eve I started reducing my dosage from 20 mg. I did ok it was a little like giving up smoking in so far as irritablity was a problem but I got through it and have now been Cit free since the end of Jan.

However the sting to this tale is that I had been suffering from sciatica since 2007 due to a couple of discs I had slipped. By coming off the Citalopram caused the pain to come back with a vengance. I have been suffering with increasing back pain since Jan and ended up needing a MRI in May to diagnose the problem. I  now require surgery to relieve the pain. It is either that or go back on citalopram as that im told will stop the pain. So you see Citalopram also acts as a painkiller. It isnt really that surprising now I think of it as it blocks out most other senses too so why not pain as well?

Just thought I'd let you all know because I would have never made the connection myself until my GP said when I told him of my back pain increasing since stopping the Cit "Thats to be expected" I wish in a way id have known as being faced with back on the cit or an op is hardly much of a choice is it?

1 like, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • loxie
    loxie Fitch

    Posted

    That does make sense as SSRI's are often prescribed for fibromyalgia, which is a 'central sensitisation' issue - ie the nerves in the central nervous system become over sensitised to inflammation. This is what some doctors call pain caused by pain.  Thus maybe your back pain has an element of over sensitive CNS making it worse than it should be and the citalopram blocked the over sensitivity.  It's obviously going to be a medical decision as to whether the surgery is necessary regardless of the pain or only to relieve the pain and whether recommencing citalopram is a recommended option.   I do hope you get pain relief soon, I suffer from arthritis pain and know how debilitating it can be.
    • Fitch
      Fitch loxie

      Posted

      Thanks Ioxie

      I have already decided to go down the surgical route as I may also need spinal fusion so decided I can always take Citalopram later in life but surgery may be more difficult. I am 52 yrs old and male for the record. I think my euphoria at finally coming offf citalopram was so quickly short lived by the pain that replaced it so quickly. I kind of felt cheated at the time I have also dabbled with amytriptaline and Gabbapentin since purely for pain relief and not anxiety.But decided against those and have stuck with co -codamol ever since. At least the pain has taken all my thoughts so no time to be depressed now smile also I have two dogs who like walks so not sitting at home siezing up.

      I am now 3 weeks into my 18 week maximum wait on the NHS ops list so hopefully it wont be too long. Fingers crossed for a new life off the pills eventually smile

      Onwards and upwards as they say .......

  • loxie
    loxie Fitch

    Posted

    Good luck in getting your surgery swiftly Fitch.  I have several friends who are in their 50s and have had disc surgery of one kind or another and all have had excellent outcomes, so I wish you the best too.
  • gillian176
    gillian176 Fitch

    Posted

    That's interesting...my daughter has just had the surgery for sciatica in newcastle. Like  u she was also on amytrptaline and gabapentin but it was getting difficult to manage especially at work sitting etc . She's 6 wks post op and went back to work to a new job yesterday. It was so bad she had to have oral morphine  at one point.  I am in my fourth week of being off cit which has taken me a year to do. Interesting what you have said about the irritability as last few days I have been dreadful. Anxious stressed and a right pain to live with am sure. So much so tnat am looking into a daily dose of st jons wort which I ordered at the height of my irritability ! Yesterday.  My GP had suggested that between beta blockers and cit but I had dismissed it. I don't want to go back on tne cit route so am going to give it a try 
    • anne2953
      anne2953 gillian176

      Posted

      Gillian I have been on Cit for 9 months now, why did you feel the need to come off it, I dont want to come off as would be afraid of going back to the bad times,

      Annesmile

    • gillian176
      gillian176 anne2953

      Posted

      I know what you mean..that feeling was great...but my GP would gave taken me off it after 4 months..in April . Only delayed until July as my parents weren't well do stressful times.  ....I saw it as more ashort term thing...taking drugs long term just  didn't seem right. Too many unknowns and side effects 

       

    • anne2953
      anne2953 gillian176

      Posted

      ur right but so many go back to that awful place when they come off, i am too scared of that 

      Anne

    • Fitch
      Fitch gillian176

      Posted

      Thanks for that info

      The irritability was like giving up smoking and has now gone. Well almost but now its pain related and not drug related smile

      I was lucky to feel in a good place and determined to get of Citalopram as I didnt wish to continue it any longer. I suppose had I KNOWN about the back pain to follow it may have been different but I have convinced myself that after the operation I will be ok and for that reason I am staying off antidepressants and other SSRI's for now. I was horrified when seeing my GP and they gave me amytriptaline for pain relief. I kind of fell out over this with my GP as I was not wanting to take a new antidepressant. I am now just waiting for my op date and I'll leave the oramorph till after as I need a fall back if im still in pain.Im glad your daughter was fit enough to go back after 6 weeks. I am hoping my recovery time will be as good but I do not I also need spinal fusion. Oh Joy smile

    • Fitch
      Fitch anne2953

      Posted

      Hi Anne

      You have to make sure that you are strong enough to move on from whatever gac=ve you the problem in the first place. For me it was 2 and a half years before I felt strong enough to come off it. If you decide your ready come of it slowly. You have to wean yourself off just like it took several weeks to get into your system it takes just as long to get out. Taking it allowed me time to sort myself out and luckily I feel ok now to move forward with my life. Good luck to you in sorting your issues out.

    • anne2953
      anne2953 Fitch

      Posted

      my Mum passing away last year is what put me in a bad place with anxiety etc, cant see myself off them for a while, but now I am grand and enjoying life as much as I can x

      Anne cool

  • loxie
    loxie Fitch

    Posted

    Valerian is also excellent for irritability.  It sounds strange but it's regularly given to horses who are 'skittish' as it has absolutely no bad side effects and can be used for racehorses as won't affect drug testing for races etc.  I have a natural remedy valerian plug-in thingy for my cat's benefit as he gets severely stressed if there are other animals around and I've noticed that since I've been using it ostensibly for him, I'm a whole lot calmer too.
  • zoe1976
    zoe1976 Fitch

    Posted

    Hi Fitch,

    Sorry to hear about your back - I have a bad back too and it's not funny!

    11 years ago I was on Amitryptaline for Depression and now, all of sudden, it's the "in thing" for killing pain!!! How come Doctors don't work these things out sooner rather than late? Most confusing!

    So, will you be having the operation done have decided to go back on Citalopram?

    Zoe x

    • Fitch
      Fitch zoe1976

      Posted

      Hi Zoe

      Im going for the op and not going back on Citalopram hopefully.  I just hope its sooner rather than later, the operation that is.

      Citalopram helped a great deal for me to get back into a good place and when I came off it I had far more self confidence and courage and appeared to have lost the fear of public speaking too. I think to me it was like a huge weight had been lifted off me and I could see clearly and was determined to carry on with confidence. My anxiety has pretty much gone now so I feel I can cope without it now.

      You have to be sure your strong enough to cope before you decide to come off it and you must come off it slowly.

       

    • carol87925
      carol87925 Fitch

      Posted

      Hi fitch I like your positive posts. I've just started on these meds & having a heck of a time with side effects but nice to hear they worked for you & now your off & feeling good well except for back pain but sounds like they worked well otherwise
    • Fitch
      Fitch carol87925

      Posted

      Hi Carol

      sory just seen your reply. My advice for what its worth is to carry on with it for another week. It kind ogf has to creep into your head much like it has to creep out when your quitting it. I had muscle aches, headaches at the base of my skull where my head joind my neck and other symptoms. However, and this is the important bit... it takes time to get into your system and retune the chemical imbalance. If you can just keep a thought in your head that you will get to the light at the end of the tunnel you will suceed. I had quite a few bad days where i had to just go sleep to get through it but once it levels out you will be feeling much better. If you dont feel an improvement after say another week then contact your GP for more advice. After all I am no Dr just an ex Citalopram user smile

      Hope this helps and remember there are many others trying to help themselves improve by taking this drug and you will eventually get there i'm sure.

      Stay positive smile

      Fitch.

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