Citalopram 40mg Long term side effects?

[Sparklingbrook]

Started on 20mg in July 2011, 30mg in September moved to 40mg in November.

Had lots of side effects when I first started but I seem to have retained a few-

Constipation
Clenched jaw at night
Feeling very hot for about 2 hours after waking
Vivid, bizarre dreams (not nightmares-just odd)

Anyone else? or is it just me? I must say the benefits far outweigh any of them.

Well I got the supermarket/bank stuff done but have so far failed to 'blitz' the house.

I came back from the school run and made myself even hotter by hoovering and washing the floor. My friend came over for lunch. I am now off to prepare shepherds pie to heat up later.

My movie dream involved someone I used to work with about 10 years ago. I was having to explain to her that I had to take my wedding ring off because dh had cheated on me. It was in our old work's car park, and she was in the ticket booth- real car park imaginary booth. When I woke up I was cross with dh for about half an hour for cheating on me, even though he hadn't. Reminded me of Michael MacIntyre on Hello Wembly.
Definately true about taking the rough edges off the anxiety.

Great dream spanky. It's good to have dreams with a proper story.

I have just turned the heating up because I was starting to feel a bit chilly.

I was dripping this morning (rearranging bedrooms and hoovering, plus workout.) have out heatin on this afternoon!

Do any of you feel like you can't do too much as you get so tired and so very hot? Just wondering as I really struggle to do anything which involves being too physical. Eg some days I am exhausted after changing a bed! Could be the broken sleep though. Just so tired all the time but I do work full-time in a pretty stressful job.

Amazed by your re-arranging bedrooms, hoovering and work out Serotonin - that would have finished me off!

Also it's great when you can get stuff done rather than putting it off - I do this a lot but am not sure whether it's part of the depression. I tend to not think of myself as depressed (even though I am taking the tabs) because I am not in the total pit of despair. Does that make sense?

It really does, I'm not depressed I am just a bit... Meh about life. Not suicidal (even before meds) but just cannot be bothered...

That's why I exercise! I have little flutters of energy, which quickly dissipate, I just go with it. Pretty demanding Velcro toddler keeps me on my toes too!

Thinking I might quit smoking too, after watching Restoration Man and seeing someone with the same name as me had died of cancer part way through filming

Think it might be too much stress to do it off my own back though, so back to the GP for some help.

Morning. Just got up and showered and dressed. Having a sit down now for 5 minutes because I am boiling. Brilliant dream about loads of people from school 25 years ago.

Can I join up? Been struggling for a long time, finally went to dr a couple of months ago, started on 20mg citalopram and now gone up to 30mg citalopram (as of a few days ago).

Had what felt like the whole list of possible side effects when I started but now it has levelled out, I just have nightmares/vivid dreams, difficulties sleeping through the night, extreme tiredness/no energy (from not sleeping) and massive pupils. Don't have the overheating problem, I get much colder than I used to - I used to be the one with the window open in the office and short sleeves on, now I'm sitting with a jumper on next to the radiator - even my coworkers have noticed! The not sleeping thing is really hard though, beginning to despair, seeming to wake up panicky too, not entirely sure why, never been a problem before.

Hello brooker and welcome. How did you escape 'the sweat'? You may find that you will notice the increase taking effect soon. Mine was increased due to 'morning anxiety'.

Sparklingbrook I'm glad you had a nice dream. I had a weird dream about my head being itchy and looking in the mirror to find big red toadstools growing out of my head. I think the 'can't be bothered' lack of enthusiasm could be the depression or just regular tiredness. That is exactly when I do go for a run. I always feel better for going.
I was so affected by Nikki on Restoration Man dying I've signed up to help out at Marie Curie collection sites! She was younger than me.

Brooker9 I am cold by the afternoon!

I am going to join weight watchers. I feel mentally ready to diet. I was too wound up last year. Why is eating sooo nice?

I think my walking helps too spanky. But i am v tired now.

Have thought of 2 other things that have affected me since starting Citalopram-

Haven't been able to cry-the tears won't come.
Gone a bit scatty terms of remembering stuff. Have gone shopping without my purse, left car keys in the shop, that type of thing. That really isn't me.

I left the front door open and took ds1 to violin lesson yesterday. When I needed to take some trousers back to M&S after the school run, I forgot them. Drove back home to get them, brought them downstairs, had a drink, got a reasonable distance from home before realising I had forgotten them again! I am better than I used to be! Last year I would have turned up at the shop thinking 'where are those trousers?' I can cry, easily! I am tearful very easily, but I think that is my character. I have to go as dh wants the computer. He had this idea to complete on-line surveys to earn extra money. We spend over £300 a month on petrol to get him to work. Bonkers isn't it? I am tired and I have hurt my sciatic nerve hoovering!

Sleep well weird dreamers!

I put the bins out on Monday. Shame the collection was on Tuesday.

Lets see what's showing at the Citalopram Odeon tonight!

I had a dream that ds1's teacher was allowing him to dress as a girl at school. What was showing at the Odeon last night?

Well I was choosing hair colours for someone I didn't recognise spanky. It was v. important to get it right apparently.

What did you go for in the end?
No wonder we are so tired all the time! I am trying to motivate myself to do some dusting. The dust is so thick upstairs I could draw in it. I have started knitting a jumper, I will reward myself with some knitting when I have done my job. I had a nice time yesterday knitting and watching Twilight Eclipse. It is difficult not to be jealous of Bella Swan! I feel abit of a Cougar liking Taylor Lautner as I'm old enough to be his Mum!

Red-like really red! All very strange spanky.

I have done a bit of light dusting/hoovering. The heating is on and I had to open the windows upstairs. Don't tell DH! The weather lady says it's going to get much colder in the next few days. Sorry brooker.

I dressed very lightly for the school run. I was cold but still had a red sweaty face. I also managed to pull into a parking space, forget to take the car out of gear, stall it while trying to figure out what was happening, I accidently turned the windscreen washer on. Ds1 thought it was hilarious!

Was she pleased with the choice? It's funny how dream choices seem perfectly sensible at the time.

Oh yes Spanky whoever it was was thrilled.

Haha I think I had my dose of sweating on the 1st night I took it sparklingbrook, was practically drowning in it.

Last night I dreamt I was giving birth to twin girls. They were lovely :) I blame one born every minute that I watched before going to bed - I'm so soppy, got quite emotioinal in that. Also woke up with period pains - so perhaps I thought I was giving birth?!? If the woman can give birth in a water bath without even yelping then maybe I can give birth in my sleep!

The dreams are so real aren't they brooker? They make total sense at the time though.

I just needed to share with people who might understand...! Last night I had the most horrific dreams. I was in a slasher movie with a cannibalistic maniac chasing my children and I. I woke dh up by screaming and shouting.

It's rubbish! I hardly get any sleep, then when I do I'm tormented by nightmares.

Hi cupoftea. That sounds awful. Are the dreams always horrific or just every so often? You must be exhausted. Do you think you need to have a chat with the GP?

Aw cupoftea poor you. The nightmares are just horrible. I have them maybe a few times a week at the moment, but that one sounds far worse than I've encountered. Sparklingbrook, you've hit the nail on the head - I really feel like I'm in the dream rather than just being part of it, so I think when you wake up you are really quite confused/anxious/scared, which makes it harder to get back to sleep. Apparently they're quite common on citalopram (so my Dr told me last week). I'd prefer the nice dreams to the nasty though :o

They are usually nightmares as opposed to dreams. Usually involving me fleeing from something awful. Yes I do need to see GP again. It's hard finding the time- this week I've been at the hospital with dd3 every day, add car problems, dentist, immunisations, older children's commitments... The usual for us busy mums!!