Citalopram and sleep problems

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hi, I have been on Citalopram for 10 days for anxiety and have had some grim side effects, all of which have subsided except for the sleep problems. I am struggling with vivid dreams, which seem to play out my health anxieties, plus I never feel like I get into a deep sleep, I often wake feeling like I have dozed all night in a half asleep half awake kind of fashion. Has anyone else experienced this, does it wear off or would I be better taking the meds in a morning rather than at night? Thanks in advance!

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    I am not on citalopran but I do know vivid dreams can be a side effect. Try talking to your GP. He might give you something else if it's affecting your daily life.

    Tazjosie 33

  • Posted

    I used to find that they'd keep me awake the later I took them so I would take it about 10am everyday and I could sleep then try taking them on a morning see if you see a change x
  • Posted

    Hi. Ive been exactly in your shoes i take citalopram. And for the first couple of months i was having weird dreams. Nightmares if anything. I take a high dose of 40mg. All i can say is give them time to kick in. I was ready for changing them the amount of times i went to the doctors saying they werent helping. Then as if magic over night i felt a change and im still on them now and starting to feel alot better. Ive been on them since february of this year. As well try taking them in the morning as soon as you get up thats what i do.

    Vickyx

  • Posted

    Thanks all. Will try swapping them to a morning and see if that helps, if not I will speak to my GP. Thanks again.
  • Posted

    Hi Jane

    I've been on Citalopram since January, and I would say stick with it as it's still early days ,and I had been on Effexor for quite a few years.

    My friend is also on citalopram and it took her between 2-3 weeks for effects to go, and she's doing really good now.

    You will get some proper sleep soon, stick with it, and keep your chin up ☺ you are never alone take care x

  • Posted

    I too am on 40mg.. For approximately 2 months. Unfortunately I still have huge sleep issues. Drained and knackered in day. Insomnia at night and the nights I do sleep I don't feel like I've slept if makes sense. I did have temazepam for 2 wks which was brill but obviously can't stay on that so back to square one. .. I spoke to gp and was told that's normal and stick with it for a while as don't ideally want to switch med x
  • Posted

    Thanks Sarah and Maureen - reassuring to know others get the same issues. Hopefully it will improve soon x 
  • Posted

    This is very interesting to me as I'm about to start citalopram 10mg twice a day or propanolol 40mg twice a day, depending on my next discussion with my GP.

    But what I will say is, my best friend a 32 year old family man has been taking citalopram 10mg 3x a day for about 4 months now and he can't stop raving about them.

    I am a worrier when it comes to side effects of drugs, but he reassured me that he's had nothing but great effects from this drug. I understand everyone reacts differently to different medication, but I take his word it's a positive drug.

    His testimonial of this medication is really pushing me more towards that rather than propanolol.

    Hope this helps

    John

    • Posted

      Hi John,

      Thanks for replying. I tried Propananol before the Cit, whilst it did relieve my physical symptoms it did not help with the actually anxiety but the Cit has. Also, I found the Propananol made me very tired during the day. Good luck.

    • Posted

      Hi John

      I think you'll be fine on Citalopram, I am on 40mg a day, and I also take propranolol 10mg x3 times a day, which I've only just started taking, I slept ok on citalopram, but now it's all over the place.

      Trust your judgement ☺

  • Posted

    Thanks for the info lovely people.

    I think it'll be citalopram for me. There's too many good reviews on it for me to ignore.

    I really don't want to be made to feel tired and that's what I've been hearing of propanolol.

    Hopefully with more CBT and a little help from citalopram I can get this health anxiety under some sort of control.

    Thanks again

    Regards

    John

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