This is my first time taken cita and i meed help please

Thank you so much for your reply and this all good informations, it's always a greart to see kind people helping you in such a difficulties like this. definitely I will stick with this medication and hopefully it wil do the job.. But don't mind me if i ask you about this mitovalve issue, is it a dangerous or do i have to take some medication for it.. And from your experience as i did many tests like holter monitor for 48 hrs and stress test and too many ECGs that my heart is fine,?!! I know I'm asking too much but I'm really worrt... Another thing about cita is it normal to lower the BP and heart rate or thats only me.. I really appreciate your help

You are very welcome!  For the most part the mitrovalve issue is not a problem.  As a matter of fact, so many people have it, and never know it.  Sometime one can have it, and it can go away on it's own.  This happened to my mom.  She was told for years she had this, and as she got older, she was too worried about it, but she went through many tests a few years ago, and they found it was gone.  What I have is a double, one on one side, and one on the other, and what happens is the little flapper gets stuck open, and the other gets stuck closed, and how they explained it to me was, there is so much blood inside the heart, it just feels like it is quivering in there.  Then the closed flapper opens, and releases the blood, and things flow like it is supposed to, then it feels like it jumps.  It's kind of a creepy feeling to say the least!  But, one of my blood pressure pills really keeps this from happening most of the time.  I do have a problem with high blood pressure, and take 2 different kinds of meds, twice a day.  It is hereditary, something I got from my grandpa, my mom's side.  It skipped my mom and uncle, and lucky me...I got it the heart issues.  I do what I can to be healthy, I eat healthy, I get excersise, yet I still have high blood pressure, and high cholesterol no matter what I do.  So for me, this is normal.  I think for you, it sounds like you are ok, as your tests have come out good for you.  I know it is hard, not to have the anxiety though!!  Especially when you are feeling the heart palpitations going on in there...it really is a freaky thing!!!  I know how you feel!!  When it first started happening to me, I was convinced my heart was just going to stop beating at any moment, as it felt like it was flopping all over the place in there.  It's something you can't really explain to someone that has never had it happen before!!  Anxiety can make your body feel so many things, and it is really is down right frightening.  All I can say is when you start to feel these things, try to take some really deep breaths...3 or 4, slowly, and let them out slow, then try to do something, anything to get your mind off of it, go for a walk, pick up the phone and talk to someone, listen to some music, go for a walk, just anything to "try" to get your mind off of what is going on in there.  I know it is hard, and I remember what I was thinking when someone told me to do that!  LOL  But I did it anyway, and after a while, it did help me.  And like I said, we are here too, if you want to ask us questions, or just need to talk!!  Believe me, we do understand!! 

Thanks so much deidea and stannis for all these great informations and for you help, seriously your words meant a lot for me and helped me to culm down a bit.. and I'm glad that you both are feeling great and managed your issues..... But i have to tell you that yesterday i called my family dr's office and she was the one prescribed this medication for me to tell her about that drope BP number and heart rate but she wasn't working and the nurse told me she will txt her and get back to me.. 10 m ago I receive a phone call from the dr office and the nurse told me that she did explained to the my dr my symptoms amd the dr told her to let me stop the medication... so it sound weird for me why my dr will let me stop the medication if she already knows these kind of symptoms is supposed to be normal while I'm taking this medication!!! I don't really know what I should do now.. Keep taking or to stop it.. I'm very confused. Is there any advice for this please

Maybe she doesn't want to take any risks, or the nurse didn't communicate the right information. I don't know what you should do, but honestly try to get a second opinion from a different doctor. If it is a family doctor that you saw, why don't you try seeing a psychiatrist? They're usually much more experienced in the fields of anxiety and depression than general doctors.

Also I think it's placebo effect in your case because at day 7 you barely start the side effects and the "good" effects take at least 3-4 weeks to start showing.

If I were you I'd go see a psychiatrist and see what they think.

Thank you so much stannis for replying back to me. I appreciate your kindness... Yes sound like she doesn't want to have any risk especially when i mentioned about my BP and heart rate got decreased. Even i caled thr pharmacist to explain to him thos symptoms he said follow your family doctor opinion... Today i called my family dr againe and asked the nurse of there any possibility to tell me why my doctor told her to tell me stop the medication, she answers i don't know she just wil discuss it with you on follow up appointment, and thats going to be at 21 this month.. So i stopped celexa yesterday already and I will wait until my application with her... By the way 10 days ago i went to thr emergency becuase i was have a bad dizziness and heart palpitation.. Then when i explaied everything the doctor was so nice amd she thought all what I'm going thought due to anxiety. Then she said I will refer you to see psychiatrist at thr same hospital.. And my appointment at 13th of june.. So when i see him i will probably explain to him what my family doctor said and hopefully i can get a good opinion becuase they reallu confused me now and made me to be worry more as i feel that I got a heart issue because she told me to stop the medication due to heart ratr and Bp.....

Hello Nagy,  I'm sorry to hear your doctor (gp) told you to stop the med, so soon.  It sounds to me, something got mixed up with the information between the nurse, and the doctor, and the information to and from you.  If it were me, I think I would have stayed on it until your next appointment, but that is me...you must do what you and your doctor think is right.  I agree, I really think you need a 2nd opinion, and I think it would be much better to see a psychiatrist/therapist, as they are very well trained in this area of our mind and body.  And the medications for us.  They may find a different med will be better for you.  Cital is a good med for a lot of people, but it does take a while and it does have it's side effects, as does the others.  But we all are different, what works for one of us, does not always work for others.  This thing we have to deal with is such a awful thing, so many just can't understand what we deal with.  I think our regular doctors don't understand either.  I honestly think they really can't be bothered, and that goes for friends too.  You find out pretty quick who are your real friends!!  Thank goodness for the ones that stand by us, and love us just the way we are!!  I know I sure used to be a lot of work, maybe still am, sometime!   

In the mean time, since you stopped the meds, try to remain calm when you get those palpitations, take some deep breaths.  You could try making a really deep caugh, maybe 2-3, with me, it would help kind of "reset" my heart, make it go back to a regular beat so to speak.  But, don't forget, my heart problem is a bit different than yours, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a try anyway.  You never know.  Please keep us posted, I really would love to know what happens with the doctor, and if you just need to talk through what is happening in the mean time, please post to us, ok?  When you are feeling anxious, try that walk, or what ever you can to take your mind off of the situation.  We are here for you!  You take care!!  Sending you a {{{{HUG}}}}

 

Hello deidra, how are you doing. Hope thing is good with you and you family, thanks for your hug that you sent, that calmed me down

I don't think that my family doctor miss understood from the nurse, i don't really know.. Do you really think that celexa decreases the bp and hear rate for every one and that is a normal side effect.. Or that only happing to me and other ppl as a rar situation?! i can keep take the medication and don't bothered of what my family doctor said but i just wanna make sure that this symptoms are normal and for everyone... I was supposed to have my pill yesterday at night and didn't take.it.. Now today i feel my head so heavy and more dizziness and my heart palpitation keep comes and goes.. But to let you know all that week when i was on the med i didn't get heart palpitation because my heart rate was slower.... But my main issue is the dizziness I'm almost 24 hrs dizzy and that make me feel so worry to.get out my house just in case i dont get faint or something. I don't know if anxiety can.give me all that? i feel that i have heart probem.still i dont know.how i can take that feelings away... Even a lot of time i wanna do some exercise to try manage my health but i couldn't becuase i get that dizziness feeling all that time and that holding me back from doing anything..i can't enjoy anything with my family. I married and have 2 kids and its sad that they see me suffering from all these issues especially it's summer now and there is a lot of things to enjoy out door with them... I am not living a nornal lofe due to this feelings and issues..i try so hard to be positive but my symptoms killing me

I honestly think it's because you were very anxious that you were getting more palpitations ... maybe the medication started working a little bit and that's why it decreased your BP and heart rate.

Mine went significantly down when on Celexa, not that much for the heart rate but I was already doing a lot of cardio exercise. 

My psychiatrist told me that it's normal to see a drop in BP and heart rate (but she didn't specifiy by how much).

What I've realized with me is that back when I used to have a big anxiety spike, my blood pressure would go to 150-160/90-100. 

Now with celexa, even when stressed out it goes to 135/90 max.

I'm not a medical specialist but if I were you I'd keep taking them untill your appointment in 10 days (the 13th) and if the psychiatrist says to stop then stop.

Most people who dislike Celexa or its cousin Lexapro do so because they don't go through all of the side effects.

Everything is going to be fine, don't worry. You won't faint because anxiety makes your blood pressure and pulse go up, which prevents you from doing so. Only a heat stroke can make you faint but it's happened to me plenty of times - you don't "drop dead" on the ground, you just get disoriented and see half black half well, you just sit down for 5-10 minutes, drink some water and you're ready to go. 

I wish you to get well fast man!

Hello Nagy,  Thank you, all is ok here.  My Mom is much better, but still a bit weak.  I still have worry for her, but I know she is on the mend.

You are very welcome!  We ALL can use those hugs!! 

I am not a doctor, but all I can say is, if it were me, I think I would stay on the meds until I see the doctor on your next apt, especially if your head is feeling heavy and dizzy.  To me, this means the med is already trying to help.  BUT if you are not comfortable doing so, you must do what you think is right.  I would think it is better to slow down the heart rate, your heart should not work so hard.  Like Stannis said, it brought his bp down, which is good.  Now, I don't take the same med, I am on Citalopram, and this does not seem to affect my bp, but remember, I am also on bp meds, along with too many other meds.  (I feel like a walking pharmacy)  My doctors must be very careful with me, and the meds they have me on, to make sure they all do not have bad interactions with each other. 

I know it is so hard to try to be happy for your family and the children, they expect daddy to be ready to play, and in a good mood all the time.  Of course, they don't understand when we don't feel good. 

If you felt better on the meds...even for those 7 days, I agree with Stannis, I really think you would be ok to continue on them until you see your doctor.  I really do think I would have a 2nd opinion though.  I would try not to worry about a heart problem.  Even if you do have a valve problem, they are easily fixed, usually with meds.  Walking is a good exercise that is good for your heart without too much heavy workout. And it is something that is good for our minds, and something you can do with your family, and the children!  They will love going for a walk with their daddy!!  I'm 61, and one of my favorite memories is going for walks with my grandpa, and him pointing out all the different flowers to me, and teaching me the names, and teaching me about all the little bugs...and their importance in nature!  I loved every minute we shared!  Give it a try!  You are going to be fine!!  I really do know it's hard not to worry, but, try not to, I really do believe you are going to be ok!! 

Stannis and deidra.. you really don't know how much i appreciate your caring and helping, you are tow great ladies and I wish all the good health and the best and happiness for both of you...i know I'm keep asking a lot of questions and keeps replying for you and makes your bussy kinda.. My apologize for that..

I already stopped the med on my second day now.. Let's see what the other dr will say when i gets to to their appointment.... I'm trying now to get the stress away and not showing it to my family.. And i think I will be ok.. but I would like to mention someting, i read stannis said she on celexa and diedra you said that you taking deffrent meds "citalopram " is already both same one thing? live in canada and the pill container for my med say celexa and in the bottom citalopram.. I got a bit confused about that point ☺.....

Another one question about the heart valve issue and i will make a deep explanation... I'm not sure what i have already... Im originally from egypt i came canada 11 years ago.. While i was living in egypt and when i had 17 years old.. i went to do ECHO heart but i didn't take the results to a specialist.. I took it to my neighbour he was a normal dr. He said its fine and he said u born with something might gets you a fast heart beat a bit.. But still can't remember exactly what he said becuase that was a long time ago....... Now when im i canada and dealing with my issue and symptoms. my family dr sent me for holter and stress test and a cpl ecg and blood works.. All came tottaly fine.. But i never have ECHO in canada and my dr never order it for me even when i told her about what my dr said to me back home... So is that mean no valve issue? Becuase all tests in canada came normal. Do i really have to ask my family dr to do ECHo. Or she know I'm fine due to the tests results.. And even when i mentioned about that ECHO resutl back home and what the dr told me..

Hello Nagy,  I am glad you asked about the Celexa/Citalopram...I did not know the answer!  So, I looked it up...”I have a question about Celexa/Citalopram - does anyone know if these two are equivalent?”  Answer...”Citalopram is the generic name for Celexa.”   I never even looked it up before, my doctor prescribed the Citalopram, and that is the only name on my bottle.  So, now we know!  We both learned something new today!    Thank you! 

 

You have nothing to apologize for!  We are here because we want to be, and to hopefully be of some sort of help to others, as we are all either going through, or have gone through this, and still going through this thing together.  We can share our experiences with hopes of helping others with understanding.  We don’t judge anyone here.

 

Ok, your decision was to stop until you see your doctor, you are thinking things through, that’s good.  You need to do what you think is right for your.  I would make sure to write down all of your questions to take to the doctor with you, so you don’t forget anything.  Questions, concerns...everything.  I don’t know about you, but if I don’t write it down, I always forget to ask them something...I get nervous, and sometimes they are in a hurry...then I can’t think fast enough. 

 

About the heart valve issue...if you still have your records from home of your ECHO, you could bring it with you, but you were 17 at the time, and if you remember I mentioned sometime babies are born with a little mitral valve, or heart murmur, and can grow out of it, that may be what happened to you.  And now that you are older when you had your tests in Canada, it could be gone.  BUT, it would not hurt to ask your doctor about it again, and ask them to explain it to you in terms you can understand...sometimes when they start talking...they use words that make no sense to us.  I tell them to tell me in “laymen's” terms so I can understand what they are telling me, or show me what they are talking about.  Doctors forget we are not doctors, and they need to tell us in plain language, so that we can understand what the heck they mean!  LOL    I had to tell one of my doctors to stop talking...he just kept jabbering on, I had no idea what he was talking about!  I said, “I don’t understand what you are telling me!”  He looked at me like I was from another planet!  I no longer see him!  If I were a medical doctor, I wouldn’t need to go see them!  LOL

  

Anyway, I think if you had all the tests, and they showed everything was clear, you are good to go.  I think anxiety really can cause a lot of bad things in our body, it can even make us feel like we are having a heart issue when we are not, it can give us heart palpitations, it can make us feel like we are going to faint, be dizzy, sweat like crazy.  I turn red like a beet and sweat, but only on my face and head...it is silly, I become so hot, and I can not cool down, and I get, and have gotten all of the others I just typed.  My pulse starts to race so fast...and all I will be doing is sitting in the evening.  There would be no reason for it to just all of a sudden to do that.  Between the Cital, and my other meds, things have finally settled down, and I am ok.  I do still have an off day, or evening, but now I know what it is, and I can calm myself down.  I can do those really deep coughs I told you about, and most of the time, it will kind of “reset” those heart beats.  A cold cloth around the back of my neck will cool me down.  I only take my bp 2 times a day for my doctor’s records, no more than that, because we can make ourselves to nervous, as it is completely normal for our bp to go up and down during the day and night.  My doctor wants me to take it when I wake up in the morning, and then one more time before I take my evening meds.  No more than that.  Now it has been completely normal.  It used to be all over the place, because I have an “adrenal” issue which caused my kidneys to not function right, which is what regulates our bp!  Our bodies are an amazing thing...all the workings!  So, now that I have all the right meds working together, I am ok! 

 

I think once you get on a medication that works for you, and those palpitations go away, you will be ok.  Once that goes away, the worry/anxiety will go away too.  But once you start on a medication, you will need to stay with it, let it work on your body and mind.  Most of them have side effects in the beginning, and they do take weeks, if not a couple of months to fully work.  And sometime you will feel great, then take a step or two backward, and that is normal, then you will feel good again.  Like I said, I have been on cital 20mg for 3 years, and can still have an off day, but now I recognize it, I know what to do, and I come out of it pretty quick, and can move on.  I think it will always be a work in progress, but I feel good, and I am so glad I found this forum, as it helps a lot, and there are a lot of people here that are very helpful!  And it helps to talk to others like you too!!  I just really wish you well!!  Keep us posted!  Share those Hugs with your family!!  That will make you all feel good!  {{{HUGS}}} 

 

I really appreciate all your help and your kind words . Not only is your advice, very helpful but it's also comforting. I feel at ease, that I am not the only one who has been going through this , that there are also people out there with similar symptoms that help each other out, in order to fight these issues.

I pray that you stay in the best health ans once again, I appreciate your kindness.... I will keep you all updated ans talk soon

Hey, glad to hear this forum helps you - it does the same for me!

I'm a guy by the way 

Citalopram is the official drug name, Celexa is a brand name. So it's 100% the same thing.

As for your heart - if you passed all of the ecg, holter, stress test, etc. - they would have seen a problem if there was one. Valve issues most often appear on these tests. In my opinion you don't have a valve issue, it's the anxiety - because it was exactly the same thing for me.

But if you want to be sure, ask your GP to refer you to a cardiologist so he signs you up for an echocardiogram. It takes a few months of waiting though - this way you can put your worries to rest.

My cardiologist told me that if I had a valve issue, it would have shown on the stress test and holter (the heart starts "choking" sometimes). I wouldn't worry too much if I were you - if it was something life-threatening, it would have showed already. Anxiety can have a direct impact on heart functionality and performance. 

You can google "sympathetic nervous system":

The cardiovascular activation by the sympathetic nervous system produces an increase in heart rate and strength of the heartbeat.

Thanks so much for your much needed feedback. My apologies, its hard to tell from the names, I automatically assumed it was a lady.

Sorry for the late reply. I didnt see comments until.today.

I have done all these tests...but my major is issue im dealing with is Dizziness. This week has been max for it. Im not sure why. Could it be the fact that the anixety is making me feel that i am dizzy and unbalanced 24 hrs. Or is it an issue with my heart. ? I have an MRI test in October is that to much of a long wait to find out if i have issues. Is that mri test enough ir should i also proceed with the echo testing to see if my heart is fine. Tomorrow i have appointment with a psychiatrist, would he be able to tell if i have these issues of anixety and heart problems.

thank you for your time. I really appreciate all your help.