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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask about your experience with citalopram

104 replies

Anxiousannie32 · 05/11/2020 11:32

I've finally given in and accepted that I need something medicinal to help me cope with my anxiety which has steadily been getting worse over the past few years. I've never taken anti depressants or anti anxiety medication so don't really know what to expect.

My GP has prescribed me 10mg citalopram. I know this might not be a magic cure but I'm hoping it will help with the panic and physical symptoms I've been been experiencing from anxiety. Can anyone tell me how or if it worked for them? Thank you.

OP posts:

Hotwaterbottlelove · 05/11/2020 18:34

They really helped me. I found hat taking it at night meant I slept through initial side effects.

thirtyfuckingfive · 05/11/2020 18:37

Be prepared that you may feel worse (more anxious) for the first 1-2 weeks. But it's worth persisting in my experience. Like a weight is lifted when it kicks in properly. I was on it for 2 years and really helped me

Todaytomorrow09 · 05/11/2020 18:38

Give it a couple of weeks to settle. First 48 hours I did get a few weird head feeling - it felt like the brain was being kicked into gear - zap zip. But it only lasted a couple of days.

Twistered · 05/11/2020 20:20

Life changer for me. First few weeks I had few nasty side effects , lightheaded bruising easy, no orgasms (yes it is a side effect!)
But the side effects passed and citlapram definitely gave me some semblance of my life back

WishingHopingThinkingPraying · 05/11/2020 21:49

OP, if its JUST physical symptoms, starting with just a beta blocker may be an idea? Im not a doctor but the beta blockers are an easy fix. They dont build up in your system and work when you take them. Its like having tonsellitis. The beta blocker is like the panadol, it relieves the symptoms but doesnt fix the problem. The citalopram is like the antibiotic, it works on the problem but takes time to build up and take effect and also, you MUST finish the course or it may come back/be ineffective. Even if the symptoms are gone you should still keep taking it. The things with the anti-d/SSRI etc is that you really should take for an absolute minimum of 6 months to a year. To reduce the chance of relapse or of the problem not really being solved. And then you must carefully carefully wean off them. It can be rough. Beta blockers however, are purely for physical symptoms and can be taken one day and not the next. And they wear off after X hours.

Just something to think about if you are borderline coping/ok a lot of the time and its the physical symptoms that are causing you grief.

Basically, talk to your dr!

Original poster

Anxiousannie32 · 05/11/2020 21:57

@WishingHopingThinkingPraying yes that makes a lot of sense and quite honestly I was hoping she would prescribe beta blockers for that reason. But even after explaining the nature of my symptoms she still went with the citalopram. It seemed like she was reluctant to do that even. She kept talking about therapy and other things I've already tried.

I hope it will help, I can't carry on like this :(

OP posts:

OdeToDiazepam · 05/11/2020 21:59

I love citalopram, it works as a great mood stabiliser for me when I'm struggling going up and very very down. I have barely any side effects, unless I go on the max dose which I did once, it just made me drowsiest and a bit fuzzy headed but the standard doses just even out my mood and keep me from the crashing lows that I really struggle with and panic about

SirSamuelVimes · 05/11/2020 22:00

I'm starting tomorrow. Took them a couple of years ago and they were good. Sleeplessness is s common side effect so I take them in the morning with breakfast to avoid the worse of that. Last time it took a couple of weeks to settle down but was very much worth it.

Do you have a date for a review? I have to speak to my GP after three weeks for a check. 10,mg is a fairly low dose so you might need more.

Original poster

Anxiousannie32 · 05/11/2020 22:01

Seems like they are more focused at depression when my issue is more anxiety and panic attacks :/

OP posts:

SirSamuelVimes · 05/11/2020 22:06

I had anxiety and depression last time. Daily diarrhoea, dry heaving panic attacks. It helped with those symptoms.

Prob best thing is to try these and go back to gp if it's not working for you.

Original poster

Anxiousannie32 · 05/11/2020 22:10

@SirSamuelVimes oh god the dry heaving. That and the stomach issues are probably the worst for me. Can't even go on the school run lately without an attack coming on first :(

OP posts:

gingganggooleywotsit · 05/11/2020 22:12

It has been an absolute game changer for me. I only take 10mg daily, but my social anxiety has improved massively, my stress levels, everything, no noticeable side effects as such a low dose.

Dumbie · 05/11/2020 22:12

I take 10mg for anxiety. Have done on and off over the years. I'm on them at the moment and although the change wasn't sudden I'm much better able to deal with situations that would otherwise make me spiral. I'm also able to fall asleep/stay asleep. I feel nauseous with them for the first week or 2, but that soon goes and I'm OK from then on.

Top tips, take them in the morning, don't drink booze and get outside for some daylight and exercise everyday.

dolphinpose · 05/11/2020 22:15

It changed my life. I went from not functioning to feeling normal pretty quickly. What I loved most about it was that it didn't mask emotions. I didn't feel flat or neutral like I did on other ADs. I just felt like a happy, calm version of myself.

But - I stayed on it far too long, put on loads of weight and became increasingly passive. Stopped doing anything at all. Brain turned to a sleepy, happy fog. I suddenly realised I was sleeping my life away and had almost given up on work (self employed so no one except me to challenge the loss of income), on housework, friendships, everything. I felt 'happy' but it was drug induced.

So I think it is a brilliant drug in a crisis and I'd take it again but I'd really try to wean off it within a year to 18 months, not stay on it for 10 years as I did.

user1470132907 · 05/11/2020 22:18

Really good drug for me. Definite physical effects first token I went in it - sore lower back - but kicked in and settled down pretty fast. No issues with emotional numbing a brought mine back online actually- and stopped the inexplicable dread and hopelessness.

Just don’t run out, and taper off rather than stop suddenly!

Barton10 · 05/11/2020 22:22

I have been on 40mg a day for ten years. My anxiety used to make me so ill.. My Dr is happy for me to take it for the rest of my life. I never want to go back to how I used to feel.

Left · 05/11/2020 22:32

I've been taking it for anxiety for nearly two years. My symptoms included anxiety related nausea, retching, heaving and diarrhoea , which was
Making my work life very difficult. This is now much better (even during the current pandemic situation). It's helped so much, I wish I'd started taking them a lot sooner. I agree with PPs who said that the first couple of weeks can have difficult side effects - these do wear off though - just call your GP if anything worries you. I also don't tend to experience emotional highs and lows as deeply as before... but I prefer this, and now often feel content on a sunny day - when it first happened i was shocked at how lovely it is to feel contented as it had been so long ☺️

MintyCedric · 05/11/2020 22:37

I've taken it on and off for about 20 years, mostly at 20mg...went up to 40 when going through a divorce and now at 10mg.

My former GP describes 10mg as a sub therapeutic dose but I have a very underactive thyroid and it gives me just enough of a boost that I can function normally from a MH pov.

Have never had any issues with side effects etc.

goldpendant · 05/11/2020 22:44

10mg for me has been the perfect magic pull for me. I spent the first six months of this year crying almost daily.... I haven't cried since I started taking it.

I feel.... more positive, more motivated, less critical of myself and I put less pressure on myself and kids etc. I had low level depression and stress/anxiety. It's not gone forever but it's very much in the background. I still feel like me.

goldpendant · 05/11/2020 22:44

And good luck to you with it OP.

Knittingnanny · 05/11/2020 22:49

Certainly has helped my anxiety on several periods over the last 8 years. I took it through the menopause and it was life changing
I’ve had periods on 20mg and 10 mg and fortunately only felt a bit headachy for the first couple of days. Also no side effects reducing / stopping.
Hope it works for you

Pukkatea · 05/11/2020 22:53

These stories are so great to hear! If I'm being honest, I came off after 6 months because it wasn't helping and I had really severe side effects, it really didn't agree with me. Stopping the contraceptive pill seems to have practically cured my anxiety and dramatically reduced my OCD symptoms.

SprogletsMum · 05/11/2020 22:54

I take 40mg citalopram a day for anxiety.
My gp started me off on 10mg, it helped for a little while and then wasn't enough so they kept upping the dose until I was at 40mg.
At this level I barely get any anxiety symptoms. I tried beta blockers first but they didn't really help much I could still have a full on heart racing panic attack. I've not had an anxiety attack for well over 9 months now even though I've been going through lots of stressful stuff.

Bythesea315 · 05/11/2020 22:56

I take it along side propanol I can honestly say without it I couldn't live a normal life , i suffer with generalised anxiety and it normally doesn't have a reason for popping up it's head. Been on them years now and I was so ill before I started them I felt like I was dying,
Probably felt dreadful for 2/3 weeks when I started on them but I was that bad before I would have tried anything as I couldn't leave the house at one point. I'm not saying it's gone away now but I can cope more !
I'm on 10 mg but went on 20mg at one point when I was bad again for a few weeks but it didn't agree with me so once I felt a bit better I dropped down again to 10
Good luck hope they work for you like they do for me

Catwoman1985 · 05/11/2020 23:13

I take 40mg daily, and have for several months. I have taken it on and off for a long time, and along the way have tried other anxiety and anti-depressant meds. Citalopram suits me well and though I do think I'm more sluggish because of it, I'm also not suicidal so in my case it is probably worth it.

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