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Taking Citalopram with Ativan together, Help please!

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Jonny_Boy
Jonny_Boy

Hi everyone, ill try to this post quick and to the point. I am a 21 year old male, & have had anxiety for a little over a year now with symptoms of insomnia, depression, stomach problems, dehydration, shortness of breath, and minor chest pain. I was prescribed 20mg citalopram about 4 days ago by my Dr. but have not taken it yet, due to him telling me itll take awhile for the tablets to take effect, and could most likely leave you with worse anxiety before it actually starts working and I feel like i cant afford for it to get any worse. I have not been sleeping well, in the past 4-5 days and maybe get 3-4 hours of sleep a day ever since. Last night, I had jolts and muscle spasms when trying to lay down and get rest ontop of having very painful stomach pains and shortness of breath and decided to go to the hospital. After explaining everything that has been wrong with me, they did not do anything special to assist me. However, they did recommend me to see a psychiotrist and gave me 20 tablets of ativan (.5 mg). I took the ativan last night and felt just well enough to get 6 hours of sleep (9:30pm-3:30am) but have been up ever since. I was just very curious if anyone has had experiences with taking both medications at once and if it is a smart idea in the long and short run. I was told yesterday, I could take them together if I wanted to by the dr. at the hospital but should take the citalopram in the morning and the ativan at night but am kinda iffy about it, since ive always just fought my anxiety naturally and never wanted to rely on any medication. Unfortunately, I guess I have no choice. I hope I can push myself to get through this and eventually live the normal life I lived before any of this anxiety started to occur. Thankyou for all of your comments on the matter, and appreciate the help and support!

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • jayne20624
    jayne20624 Jonny_Boy

    Posted

    Sorry I cant really give you much advice as just starting my journey on Citalopram. It has been really hard and yes my anxiety is a lot worse and it is hard getting your head around it! I was going to stop but the doctor advice was to cut down or carry on but to take am as was awake at night on it. People on this forum will have more advice as they have been through it, so as i am, take what they say and it will help you get through it. At the moment i am wondering if i should have taken a different choice but if your symptons are bad already, you need some help. Lots of people say it helps in the long run, just wait, give it time to work. It is hard andI feel for you, but anxiety is horrid and sure you will feel better soon.

     

    • Jonny_Boy
      Jonny_Boy jayne20624

      Posted

      Hi jayne! I apprecciate your reply and hope that your battle with anxiety and taking celexa will get better in due time! I guess I am just worried that if I start to take this celexa that maybe I will get way worse anxiety, and overtime, eventually find out that it hasn't helped me at all and only caused more damage to my life as a whole. I am supposed to take my first dose soon, but dont think I should take the full 20mg my first time. I think 10mg would be alot more calming to me, for the situation I am in, but I am no doctor lol. Regardless, thanks again and keep me posted with whats going on with you and I will do the same. Just know we are not in this alone, and have friends and family that truly care about us no matter how dark things seem for now.

  • anna78365
    anna78365 Jonny_Boy

    Posted

    Hi Jonny, the ativan is for the quick relief of anxiety and the citalopram is to stop the anxiety from happening, but apparetnly they are safe to take together. 

    I started taking Citalopram 7 weeks ago as I had severe insomnia caused by anxiety.  I had all the physical symptoms of anxiety, tight chest, stomach cramps, restless legs, racing heart etc.  I was reluctant to take Citalopram because they can make you feel more anxious initially.  The sleep was my main issue because it was the lack of sleep that brought on the low mood.  After 5 days of taking Citalopram I was sleeping again.  In fact I was so sleepy I slept all night and most of the day.  The sleepiness reduced with the weeks and had finally gone by week 4, but it may have been catch-up sleep as I hadn't slept well for 2 months.  Most of the physical symptoms of anxiety eased within the first 2 weeks.

    I know everyone reacts differently to medication and I was only taking Citalopram but it was a bit of a life saver for me because i felt like i was never going to sleep properly again.

    I felt like I could not be 'normal' again but I'm getting there and it's a massive relief.

    Good luck

    • Jonny_Boy
      Jonny_Boy anna78365

      Posted

      Thanks ana! Glad to hear someone else says it is safe to take both around the same time. I felt as if I took celexa during the day and ativan at night, that the celexa will almost be out of my system by the time I decide to the ativan, but I may start taking my celexa today and hope for the best. Its a shame I got myself so riled up before taking it cause that may only cause more anxiety symptoms while on it in the future. The ativan seemed to work good the most part. Although I didnt get a full nights sleep, im glad it helped put my mind at ease for the most part. Thanks to your response though, im glad that sleeping normally will more than likely happen once again. Thankyou again for your response and hope you start to feel better and better as days/weeks go by!
    • april55353
      april55353 anna78365

      Posted

      Hi Anna. I have read your comments about you taking citalopram. I used to took it before it help me sleep but I stopped taking of and on because I thought I can sleep on my own. So past last month I have some sleep problems again so I go see my family Dr. Asking her wrote me citalopram again. 20mg when I got it and I took 6:30pm when to bed. It totally different I have a lot of anxiety , body jump, upset stomach, stay awake all night. This my 7 days took citalopram. My side effects is a little bit better but my big problem is I still can't falling asleep that all. You said after 5 days you able to go back sleep again. I don't know about me why I still stay awake all night if falling down to many times. Thank you so much!! For your comment!!

  • Donna00112
    Donna00112 Jonny_Boy

    Posted

    I took ativan in the past for anxiety.  I've never taken both these meds together.  I do know any med takes time to work.  I had much success with cit. taking it for many years.  However, since I am now in my 60's I run the risk of seizures.  Cit. caused my sodium to drop, which could cause seizures.  I'm only taking 10 mg daily.  I'm down from taking 40 mg daily.  I'm in the process of seeing a new psychiatrist ASAP. 

    • Jonny_Boy
      Jonny_Boy Donna00112

      Posted

      Hi donna, I appreciate your reply. Are you trying to ween yourself off of the celexa, or have just decided to take smaller doses due to risk of seizures? I hope everything works out for you and that you continue to stay strong.
    • Donna00112
      Donna00112 Jonny_Boy

      Posted

      I broke my leg last October.  While in the hospital, the doctor's did lab work and discovered my sodium was low.  They took me off it cold turkey.  When I returned home to recover - and since I could not get  in to see my shink, and since his office staff did not tell him I telephoned to let him know I was taken off cit., I decided to take 20 mg daily.  When I finally was able to see him in his office in December, he dropped me down to 10 mg. daily.  That's when all the side affects started happening.  That's why I dismissed my shrink this past week.  I am seeing another doctor (hopefully) within the next month.  I have plenty of cit. to get me through until I see my new doctor. 

  • april55353
    april55353 Jonny_Boy

    Posted

    Hi Jonny boy. I have friend name like you. I read your post about taking citalopram. I used to this medicine before but I stopped I thought I sleep on my won. So last month I started having sleep problems again so I went to go see family Dr. And she gave me citalopram 20 mg. I took 6:30 pm and went to bed it totally different . I have symptom What you have for 3,4 days but it gets a little bit better. My big problem is I stay awake all night. 4,5 days no sleep that all. So took any sleeping pills no help me that all. So I took 1 mg for axanx is the same Ativan. It knock me for 3 hours and then I awake. My husband told me that don't take take together it makes it worse but I can't help myself because I'm dieting with no sleep that all. Even now I still can't sleep. I hope you fell better now. I know your post is 3 months ago. Thanks!

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