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Scared to start taking citalopram 20mg

Posted , 5 users are following.

mer91730
mer91730

I have had anxiety for years now untreated and have dealt with it on my own but recently with covid and not working I have been having physical symptoms. Chest pain, hard to breathe and heart palpitations. The doctors can't find anything wrong with me physically so they said it is probably my anxiety. I read the warning labels which made me super anxious to start this medication and now I came on here and read some threads just to feel even more afraid of the side effects. Does anyone have any positive feedback on this medication? This is terrifying and I'm unsure if I should even take it anymore or just keep trying to help myself without it. I really do not want to feel more depressed and anxious from this medication.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Jonesy77
    Jonesy77 mer91730

    Edited

    Hi, I've had success on Citalopram many times and once you get past the side effects you will hopefully find it works really well. I've had different side effects each time I've started on a new dose. I've been taking the medication for over 20 years now and have sometimes been on 20mg and sometimes 40mg. Reading too much about the experience of others can be helpful in some ways but detrimental in others. Remember that most people will come on here when they are struggling and when they're working they will be too busy living an anxiety and depression free life to come on here and share their success stories. You are definitely likely to have some side effects at first but stick with them and know that they are just something to put up with for a while and in time they will subside. Try to keep yourself distracted and forget about them, otherwise worry will take over and you'll feel worse.

    Hope that helps,

    Laura

    • mer91730
      mer91730 Jonesy77

      Edited

      Thank you that's a great point! I didn't even think about that!

  • jadelou93
    jadelou93 mer91730

    Edited

    Hi there,

    i understand how scary it it is to read eceet ones experience s, but please also remember that everyone is different, some people have had barely any side effects, maybe alittle more tired than normal and loss of appetite and then nothing else, others may have a completely different experience. But i can say that as soon as the side effects start to pass you will honestly feel alot better, i have been on 20mg for 4months now for Anxiety and Depression, and i am so much better than i was! I was also terrified to start taking them as it was completely new to me too, i also read the side effects and it worried me more! But i also have Psychiatry and one of the first things i was told was that reading side effects and even googling symptoms is a way of your anxiety feeding itself, if you feed your anxiety it will make it worse so as much as you want to check, DON'T! Plus google is over dramatic and always tells you the worst lol, for example i have had a pressure headache for over a week now, google likes to tell me that its some sort of brain tumour, bit i have been to my GP and they have concluded that its because i am under ALOT of stress and the moment and i need to try take care of myself and it is nothing to worry about. So as much as you want to check on things, do your best to try not and ask Google.

    My inbox is always open if you ever want to PM me, i will try to help if i can.

    But please, give them a try, it is honestly amazing on how well they work!

  • nelle84672
    nelle84672 mer91730

    Posted

    I'm on day 3 of 10 mg citalopram for severe anxiety and panic. I have been reading this site for days looking for hope to make it through each day, I'm just living in state of fear and inner restlessness everyday, i have been on these in the past and don't remember any side effects except being very tired, but i know they did work then for depression so praying they work this time for severe anxiety and panic

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