Citalopram - week 5 feeling soooo tired.
Posted , 6 users are following.
This is week 5 of my 10mg, I have taken 10 mg a couple of years ago and it really helped me. This time the side effects have been really bad, lost weight and appitite (appitite is better now) had a fuzzy head and the worst thing is feeling so sleepy in the mornings and not having any energy. Was taking the tablet in the morning but switched to evening as it was making me tired and feel sick in the day. Now the sickness has gone and I just feel exhausted until about 2-3pm then I seem to feel ok, evenings I almost feel normal. Sleep ok but wake up early around 6.30 then can't sleep again properly. I must say my mood and anxiousness is much better it's just this tiredness is doing my head in. Will it pass?any suggestions?
0 likes, 16 replies
cristan70584 Gingerninja1978
Posted
This is also my second to round with citalopram 10mg. I'm currently on day 11 and still trying to work myself out of the initial side effects of nausea no appetite and extreme heightened anxiety. Which anxiety is the reason I am on it. I've also been having really bad mood swings but I don't know if it's a result of my anxiety being so out of control right now. I can't even go into a store without having an anxiety attack. I do recall when I was on it before, after several weeks of being on it I was exhausted everyday but I did snap out of it eventually I don't recall the time frame though because my anxiety started when my mother passed and then six other family members also passed so everything was kind of a blur then... but the yawning and extreme fatigue did go away.
Gingerninja1978 cristan70584
Posted
Thanks for your reply, I thought at the end of week 3 I was sorted but this tiredness is teally getting me down, the anxiety was caused by financial worries in my business, been tired all the time is not helping me as it's effecting my sales performance and potentially making the problem worse. I really hope I'm back to feeling ok again soon. Other side effect now is my skin feels like it's itchy/crawling and getting fuzzy brain sometimes.
jonny91937 Gingerninja1978
Posted
Yes they will pass! I was on 10mg for 3 months then 20mg for 7 weeks now. They have changed my situation tremendously. One thing that I changed in addition to the pills was not let myself be lazy. I force myself to exercise daily and I try to eat better throughout the day. Try eating small meals every 3 hours. Go walking or bicycling. Bicycling has really boosted my recovery and my anxiety has been more tolerable. A final tip drink water throughout the day even if you aren't thirsty. I can remember when I first started citalopram, it was horrible, but now I'm feeling better. Almost 100%, I just need more time. You will be fine, let time pass and don't just rely on the pills. You will have to put an effort to change your lifestyle. Just do a little at a time, if anxiety keeps you in bed. Get up, don't let it run your life. I did and now I know all I had to do was change my routine. Hope this helps, please feel free to ask me anything. I was there before and this discussion board was very helpful.
cristan70584 jonny91937
Posted
Hey Johnny I do have a question about the anxiety. Real quick I was put on Citalopram two years ago right when my mother passed away because I develop severe anxiety at that point I couldn't even walk out of my house I did get a lot better than this past November I got off of the medication and then at the end of February my panic attacks and anxiety came back a hundred times worse after my nephew passed away I can hardly function at work and I have 2 kids to take care of then I started getting pretty down because of the anxiety so as I stated in the post I'm on day 11 of starting back on them and I'm curious about when the anxiety will come down and I've gotten pretty moody which I believe is from the anxiety not the medication itself. I have to be a scribe for someone at a presentation for work on the 1st and 2nd of this coming month and I'm terrified because I like I said I can't even go into a store right now without having a complete full-blown anxiety attack it's driving me crazy and I just want my life back
jonny91937 cristan70584
Posted
I know exactly how you feel, my life was turned upside down. I'm not sure where my panic attacks would come from they just happened out the blue. I lost my job, my girlfriend and my ability to go places. I would lay in bed and just be miserable. There was on trick I learned from a specialist and it worked for me. Next time you have a panic attack, do the opposite of what you normally do. If you panic and get up and pace back and forth, try staying where you are and wait. Don't try breathing techniques or anything. Just sit there and wait, close your eyes and just let it happen. It's hard the first few times, but it really works. After it passes observe what happened and write it down. Notice that although it was awful, it can't kill you. It's uncomfortable, but won't kill you. My panic attacks have diminished, although I still feel panic I wait and it passes. Now I'm focusing on going places and letting my attacks happen. Soon that crazy monkey 🐒 in our brain that makes us feel awful. Will understand that he/she has no reason to make us panic and feel awful. Keep practicing and take small walks for like 5-10 minutes when you feel awful. All this may not work for you, but just try it then you will understand. Find something you love doing, trust me that monkey in your head that makes you miserable will fight you every step of the way. I still fight him, but he is starting to understand I only need him when panic is justified. It's okay to feel awful, just remember it can't kill you 😊
cristan70584 jonny91937
Posted
Thanks so much!!! My panic now only happens if I go into a store and when I get the register. I feel like I'm going to faint and adrenaline just rushed through me ugh it's awful! So I haven't gone into a store in several weeks because I'm afraid of the attack. I want to try and face it but I'll pull up to a store and won't get out of my car lol. Then I get really mad at myself and feel down. After I started citalopram 2 years ago, I gradually became normal again.... everything was so foggy then due to massive amount of grieving. I just wish I had an anwser of when this will stop again. I'm thinking I need to expose myself to the situations that trigger them but it's a terrifying thought.
jonny91937 cristan70584
Posted
I need to do the same, I just been making small progress. Don't rush yourself to make them happen. You need to understand yourself what triggers them. As for me it's the feeling of having a heart attack that triggers mine. I'm always afraid if I go to the store I will have a stroke and no one will help me. Take your time, don't rush to mall and face your fears. You will be fine, I still panic everyday. But, compared to how I was last year. I'm seeing the light, it's within reach. We will get our lives back. Together we all can survive and help others who are new to this awful feelings 😊
cristan70584 jonny91937
Posted
I also have the fears of heart attacks like you. I know it's all in my head. I keep kicking myself in the ass for not staying on the meds. But hey I can't change that now. Atleast I'm back on them. Just patiently waiting for the induction period to be over :-)
jonny91937 cristan70584
Posted
Be strong, I just had an episode today when I was working on my yard. I had a panic attack, soon after I felt dizzy. But I sat there and let it happen, my 5 year old niece was with me. Sometimes I feel embarrassed, she really knows how to make me laugh. In about 10 minutes it was gone. There is hope and we all will get our lives back 😊
debbie18265 Gingerninja1978
Posted
Hi
I was exactly the same i felt sick and ok appetite the first 5 days then better on the afternoon and normal on a night then I'll again in the morning but that's normal. I kept busy and it got much better I was on 15mg for 5 months and just gone down to 10mg slowly and I'm stil feeling great. I must say I took these meds years ago and felt better quicker but I suppose it depends on why your anxious and the extent. You will feel better soon
Gingerninja1978 debbie18265
Posted
Thanks Debbie I remember last time I took these I didn't need really have this morning blues and tiredness, I think Jonny is right I need to just change my eating and exercise, I stopped going to gym because I lost so much weight the first 2 weeks but I'm eating ok now so I think it's better to start going again. Never been a morning person but now I'd quite happily stay in bed all day if I could. Really hope I get past this soon as it's doing my head in.
debbie18265 Gingerninja1978
Posted
You wil definitely get past this I thought I never would but I did! It's great when you come through it and yes excercise will help too, so I da like your getting there slowly. Good luck 😀
sun47 Gingerninja1978
Posted
katecogs Gingerninja1978
Posted
I've taken Citalopram twice, and the second time around I had different side effects and it took much longer to kick in. But it worked again none-the-less.
If the meds have worked for you before, they will again .... albeit it could feel a completely different experience. The side effects will wear off eventually.
K x
sun47 katecogs
Posted
it's funny that isn't it kate, i remember when i took citalopram the first time around, it made me really tired in the daytime, along with lots of yawning. that was several years ago, but now this time around, im not getting any yawning or any tiredness (at 20mg currently).
katecogs sun47
Posted
It is strange yes - I was quite surprised when it was different for me.
Mind you when I first recovered I had dreadful anxiety so maybe it overshadowed the depression ....... and the second time around I didn't have anxiety as before, but took meds because I'd become so stressed and emotional so started them before I slipped too far, and experienced depression that time. Was a very weird time.