Citalopram advice

I know from bitter experience that it can take up to 16 weeks to level on one dose of an SSRI. For me, it wasn't until exactly five months - and the most horrendous side effects ever - before I was 100% well again (shaking, nausea etc stopped).

I'm glad I pushed through as, mentally, I am literally a new person. But - and it's a big but - I do feel, especially in view of how many people are prescribed SSRIs, there should be a lot more transparency from the medical profession regarding the side effects of these drugs.

I second the advise above. Keep going- things will get better. Such a great feeling when it starts working and you wait for the panic only to find it doesn’t come. I’ve been on and off it a few times over the past 10 years and the first week or so can feel quite rough so sending. Love and support x

Most people get none at all. I got mild nausea for the first two days along with exhaustion. Keep going, though. The drug takes two weeks to settle in to your body before taking effect. For me it was life changing. Well worth a few days of feeling a bit rubbish.

Hello I suffer from anxiety I started back on citalopram 10mg I scared about side affect ie tummy issues etc any advice please thanks

@SerenDippitty how long did the tinnutis last for ? Xx

I've tried many antidepressants over the years. The two I would never use again are paroxetine and citalopram due to their side effects. Citalopram caused horrendous sleep paralysis and disassocation. SP can be trippy at the best of times but I felt like I was losing my mind. It wasn't helped by my very religious neighbour suggesting I was being possessed by a demon because I'd had sex outside of marriage (yes, seriously) Luckily I had a couple of sensible friends who took me to my GP who put me on mirtazepine. I was only on citalopram for a week, over a decade ago but it was the most distressing week of my life. I should add that I've known plenty of people take Citalopram and have minimal side effects. I would say that if you're still experiencing side effects after two months then it's worth speaking to your GP again.

Hi guys. Well first time posting a message on here. I have been reading loads of things.

I have had anxiety depression panic attacks and health anxiety for about 4 years now. Did take 10mg citalopram for over a year that helped me. Then I came off it. And last week I freaked myself out at the dentist when he put me on antibiotics ( never had them before) even at my age. I know it sounds silly but I kept going on Google reading bad things. So my anxiety symptoms came. Then I thought I was going to loose my mind.... grrr. I hate this. Now I worry about worrying. Worrying about my breathing. Just makes me feel like I'm losing my mind. I hate it. Surely I'm not the only one ?

I started taking citalopram when (barely!) coping with anxiety 6 months after the birth of DC2. For me the first week was absolutely horrendous- anxious to the point where I thought I was loosing my mind, panic attacks in the middle of the night, feeling like I was staring at a stranger when I looked in the mirror, no appetite and jaw clenching. I was thinking how could something that’s supposed to help anxiety make me feel like I’m climbing the walls- I could not bear another day and phoned my sis (who works in mental health) who advised me to stick with it. After 7 days the heightened anxiety went away and I felt back to my calm and capable self in the next week or so after that. It worked super well for me. My GP seemed surprised that the first week was so horrible, but speaking to others I think it is quite a common experience. When it works it is such a relief! I wish I had started sooner in retrospect. I am not taking it anymore but would start again in the future if I needed it. Gave me enough resilience to get me over an emotionally bumpy patch in life.

@CollieLover235 Try taking half a tablet. It works for me.

Just read your update,I was also cynical that they would work and resisted taking them because my anxiety was also situational and obviously no medication was going to change that situation, but it did calm me down, made me feel stronger, more able to cope , generally a lot less anxious and improved my mood .

I took them.for 4-5 months when I was going through a really difficult time . My main symptom was this mechanical yawning , I just couldnt control my jaw! Thankfully I think it only took a couple of weeks to settle down then I started to feel better. Give it another week then go back to your GP. Are you working? Dealing with bad side effects whilst trying to work must be hard, can you be signed off until things settle?
Good luck.

Thanks. I know you have to wait before it kicks in, it just feels like an eternity. I'm still a bit confused as to how they will help me exactly (causes of my anxiety/depression are mostly situational) and I don't expect them to 'fix' anything for me, but my thinking was just to take the edge off so I can react to things better and not be so affected. Anyone else take them for this kind of reason?
I get the goldfish bowl reference, it would be wonderful to feel things properly again. I am a total bystander to my own life at the moment.

@plumpkinz I have taken it for years now. I feel normal and like my old self instead of feeling like I'm in a goldfish bowl looking out at everyone

19 days really isnt enough to know its not for you. If you give up now you'll have to start again, when it coud start working tommorow

They can be really heavy but I love it when they get working, definitely worth it- the anxiety just melted away for me. Get some OTC painkillers in and take the citalopram before bedtime, maybe in halves every 12 hours.

I've been on citalopram for years and have no side effects. It's obviously not the one for you (especially at such a low dose) and if I was you I would go back to your doctor.

@CollieLover235 just wondered how things are going a week later?
I'm experiencing most of the things you described and I'm nearly 2 weeks in. I can't stand it and want things to improve.

I’ve been on 20mg since January and am dropping to 10 to see how I get on. I did get physical side effects - nausea, diarrhoea, tinnitus, dry mouth but felt mentally better within two or three weeks. I’ve put on weight, which is why I want to reduce the dose and hopefully stop them altogether in time. Guess I was lucky the first one I tried worked. I would give it a other week OP.

I've been on 10mg for ages and obviously been lucky to never have had a single side effect. I do notice immediately though if I forget to take regularly - if I have a week say of every other day because I've simply forgotten I get anxious and very irritable.

They keep me on an even keel!

I would say that it sounds worth making an early appointment to discuss the severity of the side effects and whether another AD might work better - some suit some people and not others.

10mg is really a very low dose to be having such a bad reaction.

I couldn’t last longer than 3 weeks on these.

My side affects were an absolute nightmare! I honestly thought I was dying.

When I came off them (as I just couldn’t cope with how I felt any longer) I ended up hospitalised as my heart rate went all over the place it would be fine for a day then suddenly I would get such rapid heart rate I couldn’t breath, walk or stand.

I do sometimes wonder if I could’ve introduced them much slower as I understand some people find them amazingly helpful and I really wanted them to work for me. I ended up on no medication but I really think it would’ve helped my recovery had I coped better with the Citalopram or similar.

There are others that do the same job as Citalopram but may fit better with you so it’s worth seeing your GP before coming off them.

Plumpkinz, I'm presuming my hair loss must've been stress related, it went on for over a year and now it's very thin.
My hair brush was full of it, it was clogging the shower and the vacuum cleaner but it's totally stopped and the only thing that's changed is starting on Citalopram.

I did feel nauseous from the start yes, I've read that the depression and anxiety symptoms can feel worse at the start before they improve, definitely stick with them though, my doctor said at least 3-4 weeks for the benefits to start kicking in.

Hope, did you try an alternative? I'm not giving up yet, think it's too early.

I managed a week. Felt dreadful. Stopped taking them. Felt better.

I was told it would get worse before it gets better. I can't just ring up my GP. I have an appointment next week.

Speak to your GP, OP.