Weight loss

Posted , 9 users are following.

Hi,

I'm on day 9 of citalopram and I have lost so much weight. I was small to begin with and i'm guessing i've lost at least a stone in weight. I have absolutely no appetite & I feel so weak. I haven't been able to leave the house for a few days it's got that bad. To begin with I was constantly being sick (even before starting citalopram) due to anxiety. I'm starting to worry a lot about the weight loss now & maybe think I should stop the citalopram? Whenever I even think about food it makes me feel sick. I have been living off fruit & protein shakes. Help please sad

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35 Replies

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  • Posted

    Hi,

    Just to reassure you, I have gone through exactly the same, I also lost a stone in weight through nausea and loss of appetite. Please don't worry I'm now on day 18 of Citalopram and feeling so much better. I do sometimes get a bit of nausea in the morning for an hour but now back to eating normally. Keep on with the tablets you be surprised after another few days you will start to feel a little better. It's a slow process but you will get there. The people on this site are fantastic and have given me so much help and advice.

    Best wishes

    June

    • Posted

      Hi June

      Thanks for your reply. What day did you start to get your appetite back? It is the main thing affecting me now, I literally can't do anything because of it, even walking around the house is becoming a struggle because i'm so weak. Yesterday i manged to eat a bit of a jacket potato but today all i've managed is a bit of fruit and protein shake. I have always struggled to maintain a good weight but I was finally at a weight i was happy with, now I've lost it all. I weighed around 8.5 stone before, I don't own scales so havent weighed myself but can tell i've lost at least a stone! sad I feel like giving up sad

      Thank you x 

    • Posted

      Hi,

      I started getting my appetite back slowly after about 12th day of taking the meds. I felt the same as you weak, lethargic and even the smell of food made me fill sick. I'm now nearly back to normal so stick with it, you will get better.

      Take care

      June x

  • Posted

    Hi , i know its hard to do but if you are only feeling sick and not getting physically sick try and eat lightly through the feeling. I know easier said than done. I still get slight upset stomach even after 3 months but eat through and feel better. Hope you can start getting stronger it will help you get through the ride !
    • Posted

      Yesterday I manged to eat a small amount, but today I just feel so sick. I'm starting to think I was better off without the citalopram sad 
    • Posted

      I would say your still at a very early stage and you will get your appetite back. I went through the same and I love my food but could not face it. I started to eat probably at abour day 10/11 I'd say. It is a worry but this medication seems to put you through he'll at first but persevere and you will see the benefits.
    • Posted

      I hope so sad I'm on day 10 tomorrow and can't see myself improving any time soon sad the whole losing weight thing is making me more anxious!
    • Posted

      I think we've all thought the same but it does get better it's a time thing with this med. It will test you everyday eventually you will beat this and be glad you stayed with it.
    • Posted

      How much is too much weight to lose though? Surely I shouldn't have lost a stone in a few weeks & be feeling so weak that I can't leave my bed. I feel like I'm going to faint everytime I stand up 😢 If I knew it would do this to me there's no way I would have started on it.
    • Posted

      I lost over a stone in weight over 3 weeks and was in bed for nearly 2 weeks. I even had the doctor out to my home because I felt so ill and weak. X
    • Posted

      I have also been desperate for the doctor to come out to me. I actually just had to call them just them & they are calling me back in an hour. What did they do when they came out to you? Did they just say stick with the meds? Or could they give you anything for the nausea? I'm literally having a breakdown right now 😢 X
    • Posted

      Hi,

      Yes the doctor came to visit me and he changed the dose from 10mg to 20mg. He also gave me some ant-sickness tablets which helped a little . Maybe you could ask your doctor for something for your nausea, as I said I felt worse when I started taking the tablets but over the last few days I've been feeling really good. Stick with it, it will get better for you,

      X

    • Posted

      Hi June

      Did you find switching to 20mg helped you? Did it give you side effects all over again? I'll ask my doctor for something for the sickness. I woke up very anxious today sad

      X

    • Posted

      I'm not sure really I'd never taken this medication before and I got frightened because when I started taking them my symptoms became 10times worse, so I went back to the doctors and he just decided to up the dosage. I did it all the wrong way I was taking the 10mg for a week then just stopped them so I had all he side effects again when I started taking the 20 mg. He also gave me diazepam to help with the side effects but I only ever took 1 I didn't find it very helpful. And anti sickness tabs with helped a bit. Try eating a dry biscuit in the morning and I found ginger herbal tea helped a little. Try not to think of your anxiety and concentrate on something else don't stay in bed it's the worse thing you can do, I did it for nearly 2 weeks and it just makes you feel worse. I also tried breathing exercises and mindfulness that you can find on the Internet.

      Take care

      June

  • Posted

    I am just finishing my fifth week on 10mg and I was exactly the same as you . I lost so much weight also . It sounds like we are very similar as I went down to just over seven and a half stone , I am now just over eight . My appetite has come back and I can manage breakfast again which I had really had to force myself to eat for months before. You will begin to feel better very soon I can't say when as everyone is different and you may not think so at the moment , but you will begin to enjoy food again . Just make sure that when you start feel like eating again have whatever you fancy and don't worry if it's not the healthiest option . You name it I've been eating it . Snack in between meals , have that bar of chocolate , enjoy that dessert and custard . Do not stop taking the tablets as this will only make you feel worse , just be patient and they will start to make you feel better. It will all be worth it in the end . Take care Xx
    • Posted

      I'm also on 10mg, and yes we do sound very similar! I just feel like there's no improvments, have you only just got your appetite back on week 5? Thank you for your advice smile 

      Each day feels like its a year to me at the moment. Wishing i didn't start the medication sad

      xx

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