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How long does Citalopram take to work?

Posted , 148 users are following.

disco123
disco123

I've been prescribed Citalopram 20mg and have been taking it for 3 days now. I don't quite know how this works, but it's making me very anxious, gives me a dry mouth and fatigue. Is It to soon to see any changes? Should a give it a week or two?

16 likes, 165 replies

165 Replies

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  • paul_91782
    paul_91782 disco123

    Posted

    I have been on it for about 8 days now and I also feel very tired at times and yawn allot. I'll have 2 good days followed up by a bad day filled with Anxiety for no good reason. I do believe that this is going to work but it does look like it takes about a month before your body really adjusts to it. Anxiety out of no where really sucks. I was on 10 mg and just upped it to 20mg two days ago so I hope that helps out.
  • shoom
    shoom disco123

    Posted

    Hi.  I have been on cit for 3.5 months.  It took a while for me for things to balance out.  At first i had awful side effects then i got high (which was quite nice because i was very happy!) and now it has all settled down.  It still effects my sleep a bit but not quite sure if that is the meds or just life stuff happening at the moment.  For me, it took a good 3 months to really level off but everyone is different.  I recommended it.  I don't get depressed and i don't get anxious.  I still worry about certain things and i can have down days but in my opinion this is normal part of being alive. I feel more in control, more positive,i'm more productive and i don't dwell on things. Good luck!
  • denstone
    denstone disco123

    Posted

    I was taking 20mg and started with 10mg for the first 3 days. It took me a few weeks before I starting feeling a little better, and within a few months I felt totally normal again. I'm not sure if I had any side effects, because I had really bad anxiety and insomnia, I felt terrible. Also I read a lot of books about the condition and changed a lot of things in my life which probably led to getting in that state. I started exercising everyday and a healthy diet. I used a SAD light. I stopped drinking alcohol. I addressed the problems in my life and sorted them out, instead of letting them pile up and having a lot of worries niggling away. I worked on thinking more positive, and I if had a negative thought, I would always think, "but it can be changed". A better day will come again.
  • Lilyblue89
    Lilyblue89 disco123

    Posted

    I have been dealing with anxiety my whole life but the last six months I have now become extremely bad. I have been on other tablets which have not worked and am currently seeing a therapist who has diagnosed me with anxiety and mild depression. Since the beginning of seeing my therapist I have gotten worse and worse with my depression spiralling to a low. 

    I went to to the doctor today who prescribed me with citalopram. I am incredibly anxious and worried about taking this due to the past tablets not being any help and making me a zombie. I am destroying my relationship with my partner and my career and work. And am very concerned that this tablet will just make me in a zombie like state once again - unable to feel the highs as well as the lows. Can anyone give me some advice please?

    • kenbikyo
      kenbikyo Lilyblue89

      Posted

      I too started today, 20mg. I dont know what to expect but I have had enough anxiety. I have put up with it all my life and now I have retired I want to do something about it. My partner is also effected by my situation.

       

    • lori82
      lori82 Lilyblue89

      Posted

      Lilybue, I understand your concern. I just started on 10mg. I have never been on any antidepressants before. I think we are going to be ok.  We are taking it because we need it. I'm looking forward to not having anxiety anymore. I'm sure you will be able to feel the highs. I think its just suppose to help us through the lows. I'm confident. Stay intouch.

      Lori

  • kenbikyo
    kenbikyo disco123

    Posted

    I have just started Citalopram 20mg, today. Little in the way of side effects so far but my GP gave me 20x 2mg of Diazepam just in case!!!
    • melanie073
      melanie073 kenbikyo

      Posted

      Sounds like you have a good doctor if he's giving you stuff for just in case. My doctor didn't really listen to me, just gave me the prescription & wanted me out. Came out of there deflated but i got 20 mg & i'm bouncing all over. Its scary!...I'm looking into the possibility that i may have bipolar type 2.
    • roxanne33073
      roxanne33073 kenbikyo

      Posted

      Hi, i have recently started citalopram, done a week of 10mg and now on day 4 of 20mg. I was just wondering if its helped you and if u feel better?
  • brian70634
    brian70634 disco123

    Posted

    Doctor prescribed me Cit 10mg on Friday, took my 4th today, not sure i have noticed any difference because i was very anxious anyway, had a panic attack with high heart rate on Thursday, heart rate still been in the 90+ range since, been depressed and anxious after losing relatives in late 2010 and mid 2011
  • nicki76
    nicki76 disco123

    Posted

    I've been on cit 20mg for 18 days now and I'm still having some panic attacks and anxiety. I was on this a few years ago and it worked. I don't remember it taking this long to kick in. 
    • crest
      crest nicki76

      Posted

      Hi nick, how long did it take for your anxiety to go? You said was your second time on cit. I'm on day 17.

      Thanks.

    • natasha5
      natasha5 nicki76

      Posted

      I'm taking 10mg and its my 3rd week, anxiety is still quite high but apparently thats normal and once we're fully used to the tablets it will decrease. 
  • peterbknyc
    peterbknyc disco123

    Posted

    Hey disco! I just started celexa 5 days Ago and man do i tell you it's the worst 4 days I've had in years. I have panic attacks for no apparent reason at all. My girl friend just broke up with me and I'm losing my mind. We broke up before and I didn't feel like this at all I didn't even care that we did! Now that I'm on this pills which has nothing to do with the break up its just horrible I just keep thinking of her for no reason at all!!! It makes me feel like I have to go and run to her and beg for her to come back when I really don't want her back at all. Does that even make sense at all?? Please let me know how your doing now so I don't just stop taking these meds so I can act normal again.reason I'm on these pills cause my doctor said it will take the edge off of thing. I'm on 10mg of celexa. Also I have zero hunger! Thank you for your time
    • lori82
      lori82 peterbknyc

      Posted

      Hi Peter, I just started also. I think from reading this forum, we need to give it time. It's hard. Never thought I would ever take anything. I may have always delt with a little depression and anxiety but always seemed to be able to handle it. My love for people and life always help me fight it. Recently the hospital I work at for 30 years has been taken over by a big company, Turning my life upside down and causing an extreme amount of stress and anxiety. My doctor prescribed Celexa. He said it woud take time, but when it starts to work I would just not care as much and tell them to go f*** themselves. lol  As someone who cares so much the doctor said I may not like that feeling. I understand how you feel, like you are not incontrol of your feelings. Maybe it will level off and we can have a clearer head.
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