Citalopram Help Please please please

[Emjxxx]

Hi I've been depressed lately and i went to the doctors about 10 days and he put me Citalopram

Well to cut a long story short I've had a really bad reaction to it, serious anxiety panic attacks I haven't slept or eaten for 2 days, I can't look after the kids my other half is going to have to take time off work, i went to docs on friday after it started on thursday eve, my DP called the ambulance as we didn't know what was wrong with me, and he said to stick with it, well i took fridays and i had a very very bad night friday, i was swaying and rocking, my blood felt like it was boiling, i was humming and basically have what can only be described as a complete physcotic (sp) episode, I didn't take saturdays tablet and i've not taken todays, I'm not planning on taking it again.

How long can I expect to feel like this when will these side effects go away, i can't cope someone please tell me it will go and that this tablet hasn't turned me into a wreck.

Someone please please reassure me that this will go away please help me

[madmouse]

I just checked and the things you list are possible as side effects of citalopram. However some of them are also the same as serotonin syndrome, a particular reaction that can happen if you are on any other meds partiularly. Do you take anything else? Are you taking St Johnswort for example?

So you need to talk to your doctor again as in any event you can't carry on with this sort of side effects.

Citalopram has a half life of 35 hours and after 7 days it's 90% gone, so you should hopefully be starting to feel better soon.

What did the paramedics say?

[Emjxxx]

Thank you for responding no not on any other medication, paramedics said it was a panic attack and side effects of citalopram, doctor agreed with that although on friday when i went to see doctor after thursady nights episode i felt ok ish so agreed to keep taking them then friday night was horrendous, i was completely paniced and like i was on another planet, i was terrified tbh, my dp wanted to call ambulance again but i wouldn't let him, i was terrified they would take me away and take my kids off me. The worst feeling is this blood boiling sensation, it feels like i'm burning from the inside and i find it so hard to breath.

Right now i'm locked in the back room with the music on swaying like a mad woman. I can't even look at my little boy because i know he needs me and i can't cope at the moment with him, he panics me and i completely freak.

I've taken 8 tablets in total do you think i will start to feel better soon?

[Maisiethemorningsidecat]

I had to stop taking them. I could barely lift my head from the pillow or put together a sentence of more than 2 words - there was no way I could have looked after the children or driven to work. I went back to the GP and he put me on something else straight away as there are many other things you can take.

I'm not sure that I would carry on taking them if I were you. How awful for you.

[Emjxxx]

Hi Maisie, I've stopped taking them, took last one on friday night about 8pm, how long were you on them for? How long did it take for you to start to feel better?

[madmouse]

Half life of 35 hours means that after that time half of it is out of your system. it will take a week for it to fully disappear but the side effects should start to disappear sooner.

Do make an appointment to see your GP on Monday as there was a reason to go on the tablets in the first place.

[Emjxxx]

Thank you Madmouse, that is reassuring. I will do, I'm just hoping I'll feel better than this by then, or he'll have to do a home visit.

[madmouse]

make sure you stay well hydrated with water, cups of tea etc, eat something if you can, take paracetamol if you have headaches and if you feel very panicky or like you can't breath try to concentrate on breathing out nice and long- if you make space in your lungs and tummy you will automatically get enough air in!

[Maisiethemorningsidecat]

Sorry, my fault, I thought you meant you were still on them. I took them for 48 hours but that was enough, and started feeling better about 48 hours later. I'd second drinking lots of fluid, and perhaps trying to get some fresh air and gentle exercise.

[WipsGlitter]

I also took them for about five days, felt like shit - far worse than before. Lost a stone in that time and then broke out in hives. Stopped taking them. GP agreed I didn't need them and gave me 2mg of diazepam to help over the next few days as they went out of my system.

[orangeflutie]

I stuck it out on citalapram for 6 weeks as side effects are meant to decrease with time. However I had to come off them in the end because I had no interest in eating and lost over half a stone. I also yawned a lot but felt hyper.

It sounds like you're really suffering and you don't need to. Definitely see your doctor. There are lots of other ADs out there that may be better for you.

[Emjxxx]

Hi thank you all for replies, its reassuring knowing that they're not the sort of tablet that takes weeks to come out of your system, I'm hoping that I will start to feel better tomorrow. It sounds funny but its kinda reassuring that I'm not alone and that others haven't got on with these anti d's as I've read so many people swearing by them.

Am drinking lots of water and trying to stay as relaxed as possible, don't think i will be sleeping again tonight:(

[Maisiethemorningsidecat]

No, probably not - can you settle yourself down on the sofa with a duvet, some hot chocolate and something good to watch on TV, and just sort of go with the flow rather than trying to get to sleep? Are you working tomorrow? If so, could you phone in sick?

[Emjxxx]

Hi Maisie, I've been on the sofa for the last 2 nights with a duvet, sat up watching tv all night and that's the plan tonight. I'm a sahm, and DP is going to take day off work tmw to look after kids. Luckily he had this weekend off, he only gets 1 in 4 weekends off, poor sod didn't have much of a rest this weekend. He's been fantastic though.

[GetDownYouWillFall]

Hi there Emjxxx I had exactly the same reaction as you - sent my anxiety through the roof, I couldn't sleep, eat or function really. They made me 10x worse and the feeling they gave me was sheer hell. I stopped after just 3 tablets as they were so unbearable, I even called NHS direct as it was a weekend and I was desperate.

Took about 5 days to get out of my system I think.

I took mirtazapine as an alternative and it suited me much better - more sedating than activating, and actually calmed me rather than sending me into a spin.

Sorry you've been through this, it brings back so many horrible memories of what I went through.

Hope you find a better AD and good luck x

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

I am doing well on Citalopram but had the same as you describe whilst on Fluoxetine. There will be something out there for you that will set you on the road to recovery. Hope you improve soon.

[narmada]

I was like you and getdown on citalopram. It's totally horrible - my doctor called it akathisia - e.g., a complete inability to sit still, concentrate, etc. The panic attacks I also had - I wanted to bang my head on the wall to make it stop, it was that bad.

Do go back and ask to try something else - I am also on mirtazapine now which is more sedating (suits me better). In and of itself it wasn't enough ultimately for me, so am now on that plus sertraline, which seems to be doing an OK job of making me feel semi normal.

You are not alone - don't suffer in silence - keep going back to the GP until you get something that suits you better.

[GetDownYouWillFall]

waves to narmada glad you are feeling a bit better. It is a long road but you will get there xx

[Emjxxx]

Hi all, well I'm feeling somewhat better today, still very anxious but not as many panic attacks and not to the extreme, they come and go quite quickly, shaking like a leaf though still and sooooo exhausted, i'm hoping i will sleep tonight. On the plus side, i've lost 10lb in weight! which for me isn't a bad thing.

Hopefully will feel even better tomorrow, am going to have a proper chat with my doctor, see what alternatives there are, not sure I ever want to put another anti d inside me ever again, never want to have to go through what i went through and what my family where put through, it really scared my 13yo DD.

[kizzie]

Glad you are starting to feel better.

Unfortunately this has been the reaction I have always had with ad's in the first few weeks. ALthough not everyone gets the same reaction I think GPs need to much much more aware of these side effects and how a significant minority of people are affected in this way.

Its absolutely terrifying and difficult to believe that a prescribed medication can have this impact.

Patients shouldnt be sent off with a prescription for ads and told to come back in 2 weeks or a month.

Anyway - I'll get off my high horse now.

btw - im not against ads at all. Just think awareness of side effects initially needs to be greater.

Hope your appointment goes well with dr x

[thinkofanamechange]

I had a reaction like that to sertraline but now I'm on escitalopram with no side effects at all.

Hope you find an a-d that suits you OP

[Maisiethemorningsidecat]

So pleased you're feeling a bit better . Let us know how you get on with your GP?