Side effects from missing one anti depressant dose possible?

[Reastie]

Posting here for traffic.

I’ve been on citalopram for around 10 years (and other ads before then) and NEVER miss a dose. On Thursday, I missed a dose as I was too unwell to remember to take it. I’m still recovering but I’ve noticed weird things that I’m wondering if are possible to be down to missing a dose like sensitivity to smells, as well as more common things like dizziness.

has anyone had this with just one skipped dose? Is it possible? And how long before it regulates itself back to normal?

Wouldn't think you'd notice anything from missing just one dose 🤔

No, it takes a couple of days for the levels to slip out of the therapeutic window.

Thanks. When I’ve altered the dose, even slightly, I’ve found my anxiety always increases for a few days whilst my body adapts

I'm going to say yes. Citalopram has a short half life and you have been taking them a long time. I am now 5 weeks into stopping fluoxetine and if I missed two days of tablets when I was on a higher dose it was the horrible feeling that reminded me I had missed them.

Did you feel better once you had taken your next dose?

Citalopram has a half life of 35 hours, which is not short it is relatively short compared to, for example, fluoxetine, I think). When you are at steady state it will not drop out of the therapeutic window if you miss one dose. You should still take it as soon as you remember, of course.

I take 40mg and have done so for practically ever. Missing one, or even two tablets hasnt made a diference. I find it. Extremepy unlikely its that affecting you.
You're not pregnant are you with smell sensitivity and dizziness?

Thanks for that, I did take as soon as I realised but that was 48 hours since my last dose. I’m definitely not pregnant 😬 but it does weirdly remind me of that (I had hg) and the only food I could stomach today were my go to hg foods. Weird.

I understand why people say no, but if I miss mine (sertraline) then I def get side effects (brain zaps!)

Maybe it’s one of those things that depends on the person then. I tend to be sensitive to things like that. I’ve been having heart palpitations and very anxious waves - maybe it is related

I'm on venlafaxine and I can't function if I miss a dose. I also get those brain zaps and feel dizzy and like I'm going to pass out. It's a horrible feeling.

@DressingPafe how long before you’re back to normal after taking again?

I'm on a low dose 10mg and occasionally forget a day.

I always get mild buzzing shooting through my head and that's it.

I occasionally forget my venlafaxine. Effects are usually feeling very dizzy towards the end of the day, followed by extremely vivid (and generally less than pleasant) dreams. It takes me six to eight hours after taking the next tablet to start feeling 'normal' again.

Venlafaxine has some of the worst withdrawal effects. It can be very hard to go off of as the withdrawal effects are worse than the symptoms the meds were treating for some people.

You shouldn't feel withdrawal effects from missing one dose of citalopram but everyone's brain's function a little differently and your brain gets used to the effects of the meds.

Withdrawal effects aren't talked about enough when meds are prescribed. They can cause long term dependence on the meds without the ability to assess if the underlying symptoms that led to their need are still present.

I've been on half dose of sertraline for a week due to my own incompetence at putting a repeat script request in. It takes 4-7 days at our pharmacy and then I forgot to collect it so can't go until Tuesday. I was very down and angry for past few days and very dizzy until I took my half. Really stupid of me considering I managed to get an emergency prescription last night. But I did feel awful and that was with half a dose. Maybe it was too low to be therapeutic?

My two DCs take Sertraline and they both feel awful if they miss a tablet. Dizziness in particular.

I don't tend to leave it long if I miss one as I realise very quickly so then it doesn't take too long for the withdrawal effects to go, maybe a couple of hours. Might take longer if you leave it longer to take the missed dose.

@Conniebanana
Wouldn't your pharmacy give you an advance? Mine know me and occasionally there's been screw ups with my repeat so they just advance me a pack and take it off when I get the main prescription.

I'm very sensitive to a missed dose with meds. Some people seem to be able to miss doses with impunity, for me I seem to get a lot of side effects really easily. It's one reason why I just won't take antidepressants anymore. Citalopram is especially bad for this due to short half life.

When you said you were unwell in what way? Because those symptoms could be related to a fever, and if you have diarrhoea or vomiting then you could have missed more than one dose even though you took it.

I take Seroxat, 30mg, and definitely get ‘weird’ if I miss a dose. I feel out of sorts, a bit mentally fragile and tearful. Takes a couple of days after resuming dose to feel normal again. I was ill once with sickness and missed 2 doses, it knocked me off my feet, I felt terrible - worse than with the bug!

I am on Venlafaxine and feel absolutely dreadful if I miss a dose. Feels like vertigo, dizziness and nausea, if I miss more than one dose, I get brain zaps.

Venlafaxine is particularly horrid for missed doses, due to the half-life. Other ADs are not so bad. However, I think this is a very individual thing and some people are more affected than others.

I missed a sertraline dose and had dizziness, nausea and headaches. Definitely possible.

@Foodbanksshouldbeobsolete I had an upset stomach but it started 12 hours after taking the last citalopram dose so I’d assume it woujd have been absorbed in my system by then. My dizziness, weakness and emotions feel much more regulated today after a couple of days back on meds and I’m sure the dizziness was worsened by the citalopram skipped dose.

Never noticed any side effect on citalopram or others when missing only one dose but definitely do on venlafaxine,awful feeling.