Posted , 3 users are following.
I wonder how to know if something is a side effect of citalopram or a symptom of anxiety. Although generally much better after 2.5 months i still get this awful neck tension
thank you
0 likes, 8 replies
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Guest silvia31661
Posted
Hi Sylvia
It could be either or both. How you know which one is to blame I do not know. I have been having neck and shoulder tension but I also have very early osteoarthritis in my neck so I'm in the same boat, don't really know what to blame it on. I have decided to wean off citalopram, I am getting too many symptoms and I do not know what to attribute them too. I feel like a zombie a lot of the time. The second time around for me doesn't seem to be working like it once did. I'm down to 7.5 from 10, taking it very slowly. The only thing causing my anxiety are my symptoms . Also, I have become very sensitive to other meds like paracetamol, I can only take a half tablet otherwise I feel spaced out. I get on better with nsaids and because I cannot take nsaids with citalopram I have made the choice and opted for nsaids.
Read up on the SCM muscles in the neck, these get pressure points through stress and anxiety they
contract and cause all sorts of symptoms.
Best wishes
silvia31661 Guest
Posted
thank you Lina for your reply.
Anxiety is a real monster ....
Hope you feel better soon
dubry7605074 Guest
Posted
how long have you taken Citalopram? You sre very wise to wean very slow
Guest dubry7605074
Posted
Hi Dubry
I was on it for several years, 10mg. I came off it cold turkey about 20 weeks ago, felt great for a week then started withdrawal symptoms. I went back up to 5, then 7.5 and then 10 over about 5 weeks. Been on 10 for about 15 weeks. I am going to do it the correct way this time, nice and slow. Hopefully I will be off completely by Christmas. Just had enough of these weird feelings, even if I brought them on myself, enough is enough.😊
dubry7605074 Guest
Posted
after you reinstated meds, how long begore the withdrawal symptoms were gone? thanks
Guest dubry7605074
Posted
I was getting both withdrawal and start up symptoms. I don't know if you can distinguish which is which. 15 weeks on I am still getting symptoms, I don't know if they are withdrawal or start up or both. That is one of the reasons why I am coming off slowly. I've been taking one step forward and two steps backwards. I think if I am getting these symptoms I may as well come off them as it's only the symptoms that cause my anxiety.
Guest
Posted
Hi Dubry
If you are withdrawing it's different for everybody. Some people, if they withdraw slowly, do not get any withdrawal symptoms. Some people may take months and others just a couple of weeks. If you are on a high dose it might take longer than someone on a low dose. The slower you withdraw the better. In my experience withdrawal symptoms are the same as start up symptoms. 😊
dubry7605074 Guest
Posted
always settle on a dose before tapering farther