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citalopram panic disorder?

Posted , 30 users are following.

adrianV
adrianV

Hi everyone, before I start my treatment with Citalopram , I wanted to ask and hear some opinions from people which got any benefit from it, for panic attacks, anxiety . I wasnt keen on medication and hoped I will be able to cope without them.

0 likes, 36 replies

36 Replies

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  • gary20100
    gary20100 adrianV

    Posted

    I too am not the medication taker lol. Been on citaloprom for 6 weeks now for anxiety/panic attacks. Although my panic attacks have gone away. The past 6 weeks have been a real struggle. Can only speak for myself, everyone is different. I can only tell you if you decide to take it. Be patient with it. Bein weak, tired, dizzy, lightheaded and experienced heighten anxiety are just a few side effects you may deal with. But I feel as though I'm on the upside of things. Yes after 6 weeks.... best of luck to you.
    • rachael27921
      rachael27921 gary20100

      Posted

      Hi Gary, i knon your post is over a year old but I was hoping you might be able to help me, I'm struggling really bad with panic/anxiety and feeling suicidal, does Citalapram help to stop those feeling in your experience? Thanks

    • nnelso111
      nnelso111 rachael27921

      Posted

      Hey Rachael, I can only speak for myself, but I'm on week 4 of Citalopram 20MG and my racing thoughts and panic have slowed down quite a bit. The first week/week and a half sucked. I constantly felt weird and out of it. Really hard time falling asleep and increased panic and anxiety but those were just side effects for me. Now I have no side effects and I'm so happy I decided to take it. I'm terrified of pills and I actually had the script ready for me for almost 5 months before I filled it out and started taking it. Again, I can only speak for myself but my panic is way more manageable. I feel so much better and I'm really glad I decided to take it.

    • rhirhi_x
      rhirhi_x nnelso111

      Posted

      hiya, I suffer with anxiety and depersonalization did it cause any depersonalization with you?
    • rachael27921
      rachael27921 rhirhi_x

      Posted

      Yes I definitely has depersonalisation and it was really scary I still get it from time to time but I now try to keep busy to stop it coming back. Xx
    • rachael27921
      rachael27921 rhirhi_x

      Posted

      No the antidepressants didn't cause this it was just the anxiety the antidepressants should help take that away X

    • nikki1978
      nikki1978 rachael27921

      Posted

      Hi there,

      I've been having bad derealization/depersonalization after being off an antidepressant called Imipramine for 2 months. I was curious if your dr dp has went away and what medication has helped.

      Thank you!

      Nicole

    • pamela51740
      pamela51740 rhirhi_x

      Posted

      Hi I know this post is old but did you manage to get rid of your depersonalisation?
    • joseph58702
      joseph58702 nnelso111

      Posted

      Yeah I'm 60 years old I've had panic anxiety attacks since I'm 24 lot of times I'm scared to leave the house scared to drive they put me on Citalopram 10mg I've been on them for 6 weeks and I don't feel nothing yet

    • nnelso111
      nnelso111 joseph58702

      Posted

      Update: I haven’t had to be on this website for a while since I’ve been doing so much better. It’s been a little over a year now. I still get bad nights, like tonight. Maybe you need a stronger dosage? Or maybe it’s just not the right medication for you. Good luck and best wishes. Sorry for the late reply
  • amy75782
    amy75782 adrianV

    Posted

    I took for anxiety and they seemed to work really well after a few months when I look back. Coming off them and regretting it, my anxiety has gone through the roof. They really make you look at situations differently and take a moment to think it through rather than getting stressed. Good luck!
  • katecogs
    katecogs adrianV

    Posted

    Hi Adrian

    I've taken this type of medication for 15 years for depression and anxiety, and it's the best thing I did.  I recovered.

    Don't expect a quick fix - this medication take a long time to work, and it often gets worse before it gets better.  But, it worked for me.

    As I was recovering I had many ups and downs with my mood and it felt like I was repeatedly back at the beginning, but understanding this was just a phase to go through, I persevered and eventually recovered.  It took around 3-4 months to feel some improvement and was much better by 6 months.

     

    • katecogs
      katecogs

      Posted

      To add:

      I came off this meds after 15 years and had no problem.  Yes withdrawal was a little weird, but doing it real slow is the answer (and that means months and months) :-)

      Unfortunately I restarted last year due to the emotional stress of family illness and it started to affect me, so I restarted the meds before I fell into a dark hole again.  Am now feeling great again and have started reducing my meds once again.

      People take meds for epilepsy, diabetes, heart problems etc etc., and anxiety, depression, panic is no different to this.  Depression is an illness - a physical illness - like any other, and if medication is there to help then take it.  

      I was was ill for so long before starting these meds - and once I started on them, it was like being born again! :-)

      K x

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi Kate I was wondering how u and ur son are? We used to chat about fluoxetine but I'm on sertraline now after my baby was born xxx
    • katecogs
      katecogs rachel62244

      Posted

      Hi Rachel

      Great to hear from you! You're baby isn't very old yet is she ...... and she's Ava isn't she?

      My son seems to be going along at an even keel - sometimes he seems really jolly/happy and sometimes just so-so.  He's still on Fluoxetine and Mirtazapine and I expect he'll stay on that for a while longer yet.  I'm doing fine after my relapse when he became ill, and have started reducing my meds again (have gone from 20mg to 10mg) and must say I feel fine then flattish ...... but was on Citalopram10mg for years before stopping, so am happy to stay on 10mg for a while yet.  Will stop them eventually, but will probably wait til next year.  My daughter gets married next year so don't want to jeopardise anything until that's passed :-)

      How are you feeling following the birth of baby?  Are you feeling settled?

      ​K x 

    • rachel62244
      rachel62244 katecogs

      Posted

      I was really well but it came back when she was 7weeks. They but me on sertraline its been 5weeks now and I'm so so dizzy its awful still very anxious and jittery too. Giving up hope of ever been OK to be honest. Feel forgetful too. Fuzzy head! She is 13 weeks now and doing very well just wish I was better. Lovely to hear about your daughter, love a good wedding ! Hope u and ur son stay well smile xxxx
    • katecogs
      katecogs rachel62244

      Posted

      Maybe the adrenaline and buzz of having a new baby kept you above your depression/anxiety and when things began to settle it just came creeping back.  Habits like to hang around.

      A couple of very interesting episodes I had many years ago always reminds me that excitement makes more serotonin which makes depression go away.  I'd been very depressed for years and when my first marriage broke up, it plunged me deeper into it.  After a while I started dating a work colleague (my husband now) and the excitement of a new relationship made my depression and anxiety just disappear for about a year.  It was great!  It came back with a vengeance and I struggled on for a few more years.  We got engaged and the excitement of that and the forthcoming wedding again made my depression disappear and strangely came back when on honeymoon.  Again I believe when the excitement had passed,the habit came creeping back.  After having our children I was put onto these meds which helped me recover.  These meds 'hang onto' serotonin longer before it's re absorbed into the brain - probably a similar action was happening when I was excited and happy, which goes to show I have low serotonin levels.  Once raised, I'm absolutely fine.

      When we're depressed, lots of small situations can have such an effect on our well being - even a weekend used to throw me, holidays were another, and sometimes I couldn't account for why I felt so crap.  These meds have evened it all out for me.

      Having a baby makes our brains turn to mush ;-) (not literally of course) ... but you're so busy with little ones, always putting them before yourself, that I found there was no room in my brain to think of anything else.  The meds make us a bit forgetful too - I know I'm not as sharp as I used to be, and that's after 2 children and many years of meds.

      Im sure when your 'baby' hormones have started settling down and you keep on with the meds, things should start to turn around for you.

      I know, my daughters wedding!  We're having fun trying to find me a nice outfit .... my daughter has her dress ... sniff :,-}

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