Has anyone taken 10mg Citalopram?

[triplets]

Hi ,
My doctor has prescribed these for me as I am having horrible anxiety attacks, almost daily. Feeling awful yet dont know why. Having read the leaflet I really dont want to take them, it says you have to be on them for at least three months then be weaned off of them, I dont want that. It also says dont take them if you take a blood thinner, I take a low dose aspirin a day, doc says that wont matter. Also can you drink any alcohol, just the odd beer? My worry atm is we are flying to Florida on the 9th Oct and I am worried I wont cope on the flight, would like to see if on holiday these attacks dont happen, feel if I take the pills I wont see a true picture.

[Bugsy2]

I take citalopram and have only had very mild side effects at the start of taking them. I've come off them before and did it very slowly with no ill effect.
I don't beleive they alter my perception of the world, they just make me feel a damn site better about life!
Hope you feel better triplets.

[tubismybub]

I didn't want to take them once i read the leaflet either! but am so glad i did as my anxiety has all but disapeared and i only really had mild nausea for a couple of weeks and no other side effects. I feel like they actually gave my back my perspective whereas before the anxiety ruled everything. 10mg is a very low dose so you shouldn't have bad side effects. I resisted taking them for months and really regret not taking them sooner i could have had my life back ages ago.

[Glassofwine]

I was also prescribed them, 20mg and like you was put off by the leaflet and haven't taken them. However I went to the gp for depression and actually felt much better after reading the leaflet because it made me feel that actually I wasn't that bad. A couple of weeks later I was still feeling quite down and now I'm trying StJohns Wort - which is herbal, but gp was very positive about it. I've been on it for just over a week, and like ad's it take a couple of weeks or so to start working, but am already feeling better. It might be worth talking to your doctor about this, but I don't know if it's good for anxiety as well as depression, but I would have thought so.

I had serious anxiety attacks when I was in my late teens and found it related to me taking the pill - never had them since.

[lazymummy]

I took citalopram for two years for depression. I'm glad I did, it worked when nothing else had and I couldn't go on feeling so depressed any longer. I didn't experience any side effects and the weaning off process only took a few weeks of gradually reducing the dosage.

Can you explain what you mean by not seeing a 'true picture' when on holiday? You don't experience a 'high' sensation on citalopram or feel like you are not in control. The improvement in my mood was very gradual, almost natural. I woke up one day and felt good and realised I'd felt good for a quite a few days if not weeks.

I hope you are able to reach a decision and I hope you have a lovely holiday.

[alexh]

I took them for mild PND. Really worked for me.

[WigWamBam]

I took 40mg Citalopram for about a year.

The reason you have to be on them for at least three months is because they can take several weeks to start to work, and you have to give them time to do their job. "Weaning" yourself off them isn't difficult, they're not addictive and the only reason you have to reduce the dose slowly is that reducing or stopping the dose brings back the initial side-effects - which is less unpleasant if it's done slowly.

You can have the odd glass of beer, but really it's best to avoid it as the ads can exacerbate the effects of the alcohol. Plus alcohol is a depressant in itself, and can make the feelings of anxiety worse.

Citalopram won't stop you seeing the true picture. They take several weeks to start to take effect, so you won't see any change in the way you feel straight away - plus 10mg is a very low dose, so the side-effects shouldn't be too bad to start with. If you think it will affect your holiday, don't start taking them before you go - start when you come back.

Low-dose aspirin is OK to take with them - it's things like Warfarin that can cause problems if taken with ads.

[NOredbullLOTSOFGAVISCON]

hi ive been on 40mg for 1 1/2 years now, just reduced it down the doctor has to 20mg for 3 weeks then 10mg for 1 week then thats it im off them as im pregnant, i have found them to be excellent and well worth taking as i now have a sane level head

[triplets]

Thanks everybody, did any of you drink any alcohol with them, I am only talking the odd lager as I am going on holiday, I don`t drink spirits ever and wine occasionally.

[FluffyOHaraOfSnugglesville]

I take Citalopram. I asked my doctor and he say it ok to drink if it's just sociable... only problem drinkers counteract the tablets iyswim..

I haven't taken mine for a week as forgot my prescription and feel v down today.

[triplets]

Thanks again everyone, thats all reassuring, I suppose I am just fighting taking them, just hoping this is a blip and will pass, I can`t understand why it has all suddenly started, I am not depressed I know that. Hope the holiday will sort me out!

[WigWamBam]

Don't be put off taking it because it's an anti-depressant and you're not depressed. Citalopram is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for anxiety and panic disorders, and it works well.