Citalopram - should I take it ? Please tell me your experiences

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I have suffered from Anxiety for 20 odd years (no depression) I have managed it in many different ways over the years including reading books, fighting it and no allowing it to take over, 2 sessions of CBT, counselling and wine. I had a bit of a melt down the other week and have been offered Citalopram by my doctor (and have been referred for CBT) - I have till Monday to decide if i want to take the medication.

I am not against medication exactly - but all my anxiety is around dying and taking 'drugs' is part of this.

I have managed for the last 20 years by avoiding COMPLETELY - buses, trains, planes, some social situations...(although i have managed to work full time for 16 yrs) I am sick of this feeling of anxiety which I have (except for 4 yrs when it disappeared) every day to some degree!!

What I need to know is: Does medication help you to manage these feelings of anxiety or do they take the feelings away completely?

I used to be on citalopram for depression and found it did help. In the beginning I had bad side effects but life without was much worse. I have no experience of its use for anxiety though.

I've just been prescribed Citalopram for depression.

I used to take propranolol which worked really well and after a while I found I didn't need it any more, so stopped taking it.

I also take some herbal supplements:

Passiflora - used to calm you down without causing drowsiness.

Valerian - has a similiar effect as diazepam - take it at night to help sleep.

Magnesium/Calcium supplement - take last thing at night.

Vitamin B complex

I've also cut out caffeine, but can have it in small amounts now.

I have found that the medication takes most of the feelings away and in some cases, all of them. It's just a case of trial and error really.

If you feel that your anxiety becomes worse as a temporary side effect of the Citalopram, ask your doctor for some propranolol, this will help you deal with it until the Citalopram is into your system properly. Any side effects wear off after a little while - probably just a few days.

Thank you both for replying. ilove - where you you buy your Passiflora and what dose do you take? I assume it is ok to take with Citalopram?

I have also stopped smoking (only been a week) cut right down on caffeine (from 20 cups of Tea a day to 3 cups) and I haven't drank alcohol..it is a start i guess.

I buy the passiflora from the local health food store. It's a very safe supplement and well tolerated. The bottle says 333mg and I take one each night.

In my experience, Citalopram worked well to dull the symptoms of my anxiety. I was on it for about 9 months and also underwent CBT during that time, which was also enormously helpful. I'm not sure I'd have been able to tackle the work involved in the CBT without the ADs propping me up, at least in the beginning.

As I understand it, CBT should be ideal for phobia/anxiety of the type you describe.

Lots of luck to you.

Hello my friends,I commenced on citalopram 10mgs last Monday for anxiety what a week but I feel now its begining to kick in ?I am supposed to commence 20mgs tomorrow but that is 2 days taking less and less valium 2mgs just to take the edge away I will phone my GP and see if she wants me to increase or not? your life will change and you will fel better your Doctor will not put you on something that wont help and if its not there are so many to help to suit?the alcohol does not go with these meds and try to give up the fags you will feel better and get calm tea in the supermarket does calm you down ,take care and take each day at a time bless x