Just started taking Citalopram(Celexa)
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have been dealing with anxiety my entire life and after my Dad passed 4 years ago I developed a panic disorder. I went through a super hard time after that and somehow managed to pull myself out of it when I found out I was pregnant. Fast forward to about 2 weeks ago and all of a sudden all my symptoms started coming back... Chest pain, dizziness, anxiety, panic, inability to be alone, etc. I can't be acting like this now with an almost 3 year old to take care of so I saw my Dr yesterday and he started me on Citalopram(Celexa) 20 mg and also gave me hydroxyzine to take as needed for anxiety/panic. I took my first does of Citalopram last night before bed and I slept for abkut 3/4 hours before being jolted awake by my chest feeling super cold/tingly and then a racing heartbeat and then the cold/tingly feeling spread to my hands/feet. I somehow managed to get back to sleep only for a little bit and all day today I've been beyond exhausted, on and off dizzy, had to take a nap which I absolutely never do and just generally feel completely awful. My skin feels numb/tingly,blurry vision. My calves are sore for some reason too. I feel super high/out of it. Is this normal for Citalopram? I can't stand feeling like this and am terrified to take another dose tonight. I just want to feel better and be able to sleep.
0 likes, 28 replies
des53612 Rooski
Posted
Hi Rooski,
Sorry to hear of your tough time. I personally think that citiliprim is not suitable for certain people.many people on this forum can testify to the drugs negative side effects.I have an old saying ' if it don't feel good, don't do it '. There are other alternatives out there if that means trying another doctor or go for a natural antidepressent 5Htp, which I have been taking since weaning myself off citiliprim. I did not have any obvious side effects when starting cit but went through a hell of a tough time coming off. 5Htp is much kinder to your system. cit always gave me insomnia and mild underlying nausea but 5 HTP helps me to have a good nights sleep which is so important when depressed. The nausea was also an underlying stress as I was obsessed with the idea of cancer, so removing those factors has been a great relief. Hope this has helped you in some way. Keep your chin up and know you are not alone.
rachael27921 Rooski
Posted
Hi, I've been taking Citalopram for 2 months now but in the first week or so I suffered really bad side effects waking up in panic, poor appetite and really anxious all the time but this did settle down after a couple of weeks so stick with it, it will improve. I too have a panic disorder and a 3 year old. Keep positive you've got over it once and you'll do it again xx
nicki99341 Rooski
Posted
Ur not alone with ur symptoms, I'm on day 5 of citalopram, blurrrd Vision, worse anxiety etc, I take my meds in the morning they made me sleepy at first, I'm sleeping better but my anxiety is still there, . I was told if u take them at night u have disturbed sleep, I've been on the meds before and have had all these symptoms in the past so I'm just waiting for my body to adjust which it will, and I know they work for me, it's just whether u can ride it out, I sometimes don't feel strong enough but I've made it to day 5
Rooski
Posted
Thanks everyone for your reply. I have decided that I can't continue to take this medicine. The side effects of it just are too much for me to handle on a daily basis having no help with my son and being home alone with him all day while my husband is at work. I'm going to keep taking the hydroxyzine as needed and discuss the possibility of a different medicine with my Dr at my next appointment.
rachael27921 Rooski
Posted
Hi hon
I'm just wondering you say you managed to get over the panic disorder before do you know how you did this? I'm struggle to see any light at the end of the tunnel thanks xx
nicki99341 rachael27921
Posted
Well I went on citalapram, and I had to find lots of brain distractions to stop me focusing on the negative thoughts! It took about 6 months, little things like playing games on my phone, I took up new hobbies like craft making, cleaning lots, it took time the first month I prob could switch off from anxiety for about 5 mins then it would be back, but the more I distracted myself the better it got, this week I've been making decorations to go on the tree, that's helped, I've had one whole good day this week, so it's starting to work, if my eyes get blurred which they do a lot with anxiety! I have to try and ignore it or have a nap x
nicki99341 Rooski
Posted
I'm on day 7/8 now and can feel a difference, not as anxious but more numb, but I'm glad the anxiety is not over taking my life anymore, have u managed to see ur doctor yet
Rooski rachael27921
Posted
In all honesty I just more or less forced myself to deal with my issues and forced myself to stay home alone and deal. I found out I was pregnant and couldn't handle being the way I was with a baby. I just sort of forced myself to get over it. I had my baby and had a huge setback with post partum and when my husband found a different job that he was home daily instead of one or two days a month it definitely helped.
Rooski nicki99341
Posted
My appointment is on the 16th. It's so weird it seems almost as quickly as the anxiety/panic started this time it went away. I'm no where near like how I was 2 weeks ago. I am okay again with staying home alone with my son and not needing anyone here with me. It's so odd.
debbie18265 Rooski
Posted
Hi glad you seem a bit better and your doing well staying at home with a little one isn't easy so well done. I have a 3 year old boy do o know I can't just sit about all the time which is good as it gets us out and about
rachael27921 debbie18265
Posted
Hi ladies
It's great to find people that are in the same situation as me having 2 young children. 3 and 1 and suffering with the panic, I feel so isolated sometimes. How long have you been suffering with panic?
debbie18265 rachael27921
Posted
Hi Rachel I have suffered in and off for about 12 years but a lot of them years I was ok or very mild anxiety and panic but the last 3 months starting a new full time job and having my 3 year old and my boss at work not being nice just pushed me over the edge. So glad I'm feeling much better and I e just been put up the shops when I got there I wanted to go home so made myself stay and stayed 2 hours even though it wasn't too busy I felt achievement in myself
rachael27921 debbie18265
Posted
Hi Debbie I've had anxiety a long number of years but like you say it's only been mild anxiety that I've dealt with, however, 4 months ago i go a virus called labyrinthitis that affects your balance, dizziness and eyes and I started to panic which developed into a panic disorder which I haven't been able to get rid of! Is your panic situational or is it all the time? Xx
debbie18265 rachael27921
Posted
Sorry to hear that Rachel. Mine is situational which may sound not as bad but it can have me not doing certain things which I do try and do to get better but at the minute driving on the motorways I can't seem to do. I used to drive everywhere but do hope to get it back on track. Are the people on this site from all over the world or is it just U.K.? X
rachael27921 debbie18265
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Yeah I had the motorway one for a while and I used to have to travel with work which wasn't great, however, since starting with panic it doesn't seem to bother me anymore. I think this site is just UK xx
debbie18265 rachael27921
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Thanks that gives me hope that I will travel on the motorways again. It's a shame we don't all live in nearby areas!! I'm in Teeside
rachael27921 debbie18265
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Yeah you will get over it. It is a shame we don't live nearby I'm in West Yorkshire are you on Facebook? Xx
debbie18265 rachael27921
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Yes Rachel it is a shame we are so far away from each other I'm in north yorkshire
debbie18265 rachael27921
Posted
Sorry I'm repeating myself lol