Scared to start taking Citalopram due to health anxiety
Posted , 5 users are following.
I've had periods of mild anxiety for a couple of years but the last few weeks it's been much more frequent and intense. I've been constantly overthinking and convinced everything would lead to the worst case scenario, constantly needing re-assurance and one of my colleagues got so annoyed about this she spoke to my managers. They weren't very understanding and basically told me I need more confidence in myself and stop asking other people things and they may have to do a performance review to see if I can do my job. I also constantly check things are switched off or locked at work and home (OCD) and I seem to have health related anxiety as I always worry that I'm going to get really ill or die (Covid has been very hard particularly at the beginning of the pandemic). Last weekend I woke in the night and felt like my heart was stopping and then got palpitations which lasted all day and I ended up at the A&E department having an ECG and lots of blood tests. They decided it was anxiety and referred me to my GP.
My GP has prescribed Citalopram 10mg to be taken at night but after reading the leaflet and information/experiences about it online I'm terrified to start taking them as I'm scared I will have bad side effects (or worse) and also become addicted to them, Part of me also feels that my condition isn't bad enough to need medication and maybe it will get better on it's own if I take some time off work but the other part of me knows that ending up in A&E and the recent intensity and frequency that it's probably unlikely. I've had to be signed off work because just thinking about going in at the moment is giving me palpitations.
Can anyone offer me any advise please or re-assurance that it will be okay to take these tablets? I know it's the health anxiety that's making me feel like this - I'm thinking I'll try to start taking them at the end of the weekend so I can phone a doctor if I panic or need advise - I now have anxiety about taking the anxiety tablets.
0 likes, 3 replies
sun47 carole06276
Edited
hi carole, i agree that the included leaflet's with medications (not just antidepressants but lots of different types of medications) really can make it look like it would almost be crazy to take any sort of meds due to all these endless side effects which could happen, but honestly its just a case of starting slow (10mg of citalopram is certainly low, your doctor is being sensible), and then after a certain amount of time which your doctor will determine, you and your doctor can consider about either continuing on 10mg, upping the dose to eg. 15mg or 20mg, or perhaps even switching to some other medication if it turns out that citalopram doesnt suit you. one thing for sure is, citalopram does help a lot of people to cope better with their issues such as depression, anxiety, ocd and so on.please be aware that the tablets might take some time to work, eg. some weeks, although some people do seem to get lucky and feel better very quickly. your doctor might tell you (and it also says so in the leaflet) that often we will feel a little worse for a while when starting a new medication, but believe it or not this isnt all bad as very commonly, the people who feels worse at the beginning of the treatment tend to have the best results as time goes on and the body adjusts to the new medication
i hope you decide to try them as honestly it could be such a game changer for you and if anything you could end up wishing you really really wish you tried these sooner!
im just starting out on citalopram myself here, i took 10mg for a few days and have now gone up to 20mg (as i took to the 10mg just fine and didnt experience any side effects).. everyone is different though and you might get some side effects from 10mg, but quite often the startup side effects will pass in a few days, eg. if you get upset stomach or feel more tired than normal etc. just so u know i have been on and off tablets dozens of times in the past and its no big deal at all once u have tried it a few times. obviously the first time is scary and i was really nervous the first time also. just go for it though, its a real positive and sign of strength that you want change and you want results. you want to be well and you know you cant go on suffering through life while others seem to cope better with things than you do
ps. if you would like any more advice, after reading what you posted above it seems like if u can, start to try to pay attention to how your mind works, eg. the way it tends to worry more than other people. that's what i do and it's really helpful (for example if i am worrying about things more than other people, i just say to myself "ok hold on, they are not worrying as much as me, perhaps im worrying more than i should be, or need to be". i also remind myself about why i worry more than others (which is because i was raised by a very worrying anxious parent, so that type of behaviour and thinking took root in me, an impressionable child). try not to let your mind always sweep you along in any direction it wants. instead, just pay attention to your thoughts, and for example when you have a worrying or ocd type of thought, just say to yourself : "oh look there i go again worrying!" and then if you can, try not to give your thoughts lots of attention. i know this is all easier said than done (and sometimes we are simply overwhelmed by worry and anxiety etc), but putting those more difficult moments aside for now, try to at least make some small changes, over the coming weeks and months. the citalopram will also help those constant worrying thoughts die down. honestly if i was you i would get started taking them. in the event that you really dont seem to get on with them, then u can simply stop taking them. remember to keep in touch with your doctor though and always let them know what is happening
angela39244 sun47
Posted
you are absolutely right such a helpful reply I hope she takes your advice I did have some side effects starting on 10 but i think they were made worse by reading the leaflet! it has helped me and now after 10 months I am starting to reduce. I think its very unkind of her work colleagues not to understand in these difficult times
emily85501 carole06276
Edited
Hi. Just saw your thread and i am going through exact same process and have health anxiety. I am due to start 20mg of Citalopram today due to anxiety and i have had panic attacks over last 2 months, one so severe ended up in A&E. I am on edge alot of the time and constantly worrying about health and any niggle i get i over analyse and then worry/panic.
My symptoms are when i feel a twinge somewhere i cant catch my breath i panic then get irrational, palpitations, dizziness like i will pass out, shear panic and dread of dying and out of control just on edge,
The reason i am going to take them is i had a huge panic attack on motorway whilst driving out of blue and that has scared me. I am okay the majority of the time and can manage my worries but other times my anxiety and panic comes from nowhere, usually when i am most relaxed of an evening and i just want to feel worry free and normal self again.
I think covid has been a major trigger for me plus 3 years ago i had to resuscitate my brother in law with my sister who was only 36 and that has really had an impact on me. Sadly he passed away and alongside that i was having ivf which sadly i miscarried so i have had a lot of trauma. I just looked after my sister and her son and kept busy with life, being a mum and work and covid has made me stop and think and fear of illness i think has hit. I have worked throughout as an Assistant Headteacher in a SEN school which has been very scary and the thought of catching it and passing it on has exasperated by anxiety and panic.
I decided i needed some support but now am anxious about the side affects of the pills as they sound awful. I also feel it isnt that bad to start them but ending up in hospital plus on motorway is enough that they are getting better of me.
Did you start taking them yet? Thank you x