If you are struggling with citalopram and between 0-8 weeks, read this
Posted , 4 users are following.
Dont be defeated! I really hope I can help some people that are looking for answers or reassurance.
I started on Citalopram 20mg back in late October as I was suffering from a mental breakdown i was crying every day, didnt want to wake up and wished i would die in my sleep and stayed in bed most days. I was also signed off work which i was pretty good at and i have previously been on Sertaline so new to Cit.
The first 4 weeks were absolutely horrendous. I lost nearly a stone, i was so tired, yawning all the time, no appetite, headaches, nausea, you name it, I had it! I still was not feeling well in myself but every now and then i would have a good day but not enough to get me out the house or out of bed. it made me so tired that i started taking at night and that helped but it did effect my sleep so i was taking sleeping tablets too. At 8 weeks I knew my dose was too low and upped to 30 mg but i tapered 2.5 over about a week and half and had no side effects.
Fast forward to now - I went back to work start of Jan doing 3 days and will be back to full time start of Feb and still on 30mg which i have now switched back to am. for the first time in months I feel like me and it feels amazing. I still have a sex drive although i cant climax easily and i have an appetite , probably too much but I feel great. if you are struggling please dont give up and you have been on for a while, push for your dosage to be upped!
2 likes, 5 replies
shelly85064 2023
Posted
SO great to see you are doing great now. after eight weeks how did you know that you needed your dose to be increased? Did you have a lot of dizziness/woozy off-balance feeling through those eight weeks? I am not new to citalopram, but have been having my dose adjusted. I went from 10 mg, which I had been on for years but needed more so I went to 12.5 for a week and I am now on day 15 of 15 mg… I feel just like you said you felt mostly the dizzy stuff keeps me in the house. I don't have an appetite either. My doctor would like to see me go to 20 mg , but I'm just wondering how do you know when you should increase. when you increase your dose, did you start feeling better right away? Did those symptoms that you had? On your previous dose go away? I've read that happens with some people that they have a lot of anxiety symptoms and side effects symptoms at one dose but when they increase they go away rather quickly. So I'm just wondering how you knew and when did all of this yucky stuff go away for you?
2023
Posted
I knew because I wasnt feeling better and I knew after 8 weeks i should be. Apart from sleep issues, I didnt really have any more side effects but was cautious so started upping by 2.5 every 3 days. Within 3 weeks i felt like i should have done i would have gone up to 40 if i needed to.
My anxiety has got a bit worse but I also take Propanlol to help with that.
Doctors advise is paramount but one size doesnt fit all. If the drug isnt working then maybe think about switching ?
shelly85064 2023
Posted
You weren't feeling well in what way at 8 weeks? I think my dizziness could be my anxiety, maybe side effects but leaning more towards how my anxiety presents itself.
Becks22 2023
Posted
hi im on week 6 of 20mg and very up and down at the moment. hoping it settles down pretty soon. how are you doing now?
Monkey13064719 2023
Posted
thanks for this positive post. i started 10mg citalopram 3 weeks ago exactly. had horrendous side effects for over 2 weeks, then had a few days of feeling a bit better- less tired, more positive. But today i feel rubbish- so sleepy, tense and just a horrible anxiety feeling- could be a cold, hormones of the thought of having kids at home all week next week for half term.
i spoke to GP this am who said stay on 10mg for now, -and has given me another 3 weeks off work.
hoping this is just early day stuff and it will settle...