Experiences of Citralopram

[JuliaV1971]

Hi, I've just been given a prescription for Citalopram for 10mgs and have got a mental block about taking them. I know I shouldn't have as ADs can really help but Im scared of being foggy headed and not being able to make rational decisons. Shes given them to me because we've had a really bad year and Im now struggling to cope and am very teary every day. I can get through the day but get to putting my two year old to bed and then collapse with exhaustion and in tears. The year began when my partner wasn't paid (£20K) by a friend he was working for, and then the friend terminated the job when I got taken into hospital with a rupturing ectopic in April. We had been doing IVF as am 44, that was our last embryo and our last chance. We did end up doing one last IVF cycle but it didnt work. This was then followed by a long period of partner being unemployed and then him getting a job but working away from home. We have a two year old and moved to somewhere quite remote at the start of the year and so I have become increasingly isolated and alone most days. I don't have a support network at all - we live in Australia (partner is Australian), moved 3 years ago after my mum died of leukeamia so we could start a new positive life but things havent worked out with his work and we had to move cities soon after our son was born and so life has been very disrupted and I havent managed to make many friends. We just got back from our first trip back to the UK 5 weeks ago and my partners dad died two weeks later. He's not coping at all and is being withdrawn and when he does talk to me hes either rude or angry. He seems to be able to relate to our son and giggles and laughs and plays with him, its me hes being horrible to. SO, sorry for the essay but I don't know what to do. I need to have a clear head to function ever day and to get by as hes stopped working again but isnt doing anything to help. The Dr said the Citralopram would give me a boost and help me to cope as he clearly isn't and probably wont for a while yet. Anyone got any advice? Im scared of the side effects and being foggy and not myself (and desperate not to put on weight too having just lost it after a year of IVF...). Thank you.

[Chuffinknackered]

Citalopram worked for me. Didn't make me foggy headed at all. I didn't gain weight, took it for two years and came off it with ease. Hope you feel better soon. x

[PastaLaFeasta]

I hope things start coming back together soon after a tough time. I know citalopram worked well for people I know and it aids anxiety as well as depression. You are starting on a low dose so shouldn't experience much effect positive or negative, that was my experience anyway, I did feel slightly better but that may have been a coincidence. It can, especially as you go up to a higher dose, cause anxiety to get worse, this can pass but if you don't think it is passing or it's making it intolerable then go back to the Dr. I had least side effects on this drug than other anti ds I've tried. The worst side effect was jaw clenching but a lot of people don't get this side effect or find it manageable. How you react is all so personal but worth trying and going slow. Anti Ds do work better with therapy, which can be helpful if you feel isolated too. CBT and mindfulness are highly rated but again it's so personal to what suits you.

[SoundFury]

I'm on citalopram. Have been for about 18 months and probably will be on some sort of AD for life.
I started on sertraline which for me, was bad. I took it the first evening then woke up in the middle of the night and vomited lots. I persevered but was shaking and having muscle side effects such as fingers moving 'on their own'.

So then being moved on citalopram was welcome! I have no serious side effects that I am aware of, it's never made me physically ill.
I still suffer with depression and anxiety and always will, but I am no longer suicidal and I am able to live a 'normal' life albeit at a slower pace. I am sleepy a lot, but I'm not sure if that is from the citalopram, the depression or other health issues I have.
I also (may be tmi) find it harder to orgasm on them, which I think is common, and I have a v. v. low sex drive, again though the sex drive issues could be down to multiple reasons, not least the birth control pill I am on.

Overall, I would say try them, chances are they will help.

Goodluck.

P.s - I am much less able to function and far 'foggier' with full blown depression than medicated!!

[MissStressBum]

Citalopram worked well for me - however I couldn't abide the side effect of having zero sex drive and not even being able to orgasm! It actually took a few years after coming off citalopram for things to get back to normal. I have to say though, it helped get me out of a very dark place in my life and I am glad I took it when I did. You won't feel instantly better, in fact you may feel worse for the first week! So if you do decide to take it, bear that it mind.

[KaraokeQueenOfTheNorth]

I take 20mg Citalopram daily. I'm not convinced it makes much difference. I have gained a lot of weight in the last 6 months, A LOT, but I cannot say that I know this is just down to the meds, there are a lot of factors at play with weight gain, my MH issues do have an element of eating issues.

I'm due to go back to doctors. I've been getting some pulls toward self harm again (something I thought I knocked on the head a while back)m I have no sex drive (literally none. Not had sex or any "self care" for over a year) and i am tired all the time, but these are all symptoms of my depression and anxiety too, so it is hard to know what the cause is.

I think it is different for different people. Sorry if this isn't very helpful :(

[HippyPottyMouth]

I took Citalopram for about 9 months a few years ago. I didn't feel foggy or gain weight. It wasn't a magic cure, I wasn't immediately bright-eyed and bushy-tailed again, but it enabled me to get through the very difficult months and start to come out the other side. Coming off them was no trouble at all.

[GooodMythicalMorning]

Im on 40 mg at the moment and it has definitely changed my life. It isnt a magic cure, but have gone from not being able to get out of bed and being afraid to leave the house to holding down a new job and consistently being able to deal with difficult situations, so for me it was worth it. The first couple of weeks whilst your body adjusts you do feel like crap though and anxiety will probably increase initially but then it will pass and hopefully feel much better.

[hiddenhome2]

Cystitis with frequent utis if I didn't severely restrict the type of fluids that I drank.

Weight gain due to constant hunger.

Euphoria but interspersed with bad tempers and irritability. Became argumentative.

[colourdilemma]

I am on 20mg citalopram and have been for two years. Having a bit of an on off bad spell at the moment, but have to say that citalopram has been amazing for my anxiety and the effects on that were pretty instant. So too were the side effects, but they didn't last long and I didn't gain weight.

[MrsMolesworth]

I took it for four to five years. It worked wonders - real wonders - at stabilising my moods and I felt like myself again emotionally the whole time I was on it. I miss that. But physically and mentally I had to come off it. Just slept all the time. Body slowed to a snail's pace, as did brain. In the end I had all the symptoms of severe depression except the black moods: I was sleeping 16 hours a day, zombie, chronic procrastination, eating carbs all day long and put on 20lbs. Anecdotally, I've found lots of people who suffer life long depression find it very helpful and those who just have a one off episode of it found it less helpful.

[MrsMolesworth]

OP, I thought 10mg was below the level for it to work clinically. Unless you are very small and slim, perhaps?

[KaraokeQueenOfTheNorth]

10mg will be prescribed for anxiety but not depression

[Tate15]

It didn't help me. It took a few weeks to kick in and then I found that I stopped caring about anything. My problems were worsened by the complete lack of interest and care I had in anything.

If someone had told me that all my family had been killed in an explosion I would have shrugged my shoulders and said with no sincerity, "Oh dear that's a shame".

I was also more tired and had told my GP all this and they then handed out Prozac which was also unsuitable for me.

[WanderingTrolley1]

Horrendous.

I felt as though I was losing my mind. Had to stop after 6 weeks - not sure how I made it that far.

[Tootsiepops]

My mum is on 40mgs daily. The transformation in her has been nothing short of miraculous.

[Bellini12]

Horrendous for me too but I have since found out I'm mega-sensitive. 4 hideous months on it and another 4 coming off it. The side effects were just too much.

I'm in the minority though.

Trust your instincts if you feel it isn't for you.

[Campaspe]

I took Citalopram for several years. No side effects, and it was easy to stop taking it when I no longer needed it. The only downside was that I wasn't convinced it actually worked as it was so easy to stop.