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.

Cupoftea if you are inclined towards nightmares anyway, then being on something that makes your dreams more vivid is possibly not going to be helpful.
I get vivid long complex dreams but I always have done. I remember the first time I started taking citalopram I started having very dull dreams, the one that stands out was being in morrisons and getting the wrong change. But they are back to normal now.
Reading this has explained the excessive sweating I had over the summer, it makes sense now! But for the most part I just get an attack of the night sweats every few weeks.
And I get the jaw clenching, it's even worse not I'm on bubropion as well.
Does no-one else get difficulty peeing sometimes? Or is that just me?

The jaw clenching is getting on my nerves a bit frida. It gives me earrache. I have to stop myself doing it and tell my face to relax.

Not had any trouble peeing yet.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/a1382104-Strange-symptoms-side-effects-or-something-else#29451912 We all seem to be sweaty but can anyone advise? Is it anything like you feel with the cold brooker?

I have the special deodorant you get from the doctor. Cupofteaplease, I get scary dreams too. I also get sex dreams, where I'm a man, or having sex with someone who is not dh, or a friend's husband. I have only ever told dh about that. I feel guilty because they seem so real. I also get dreams where I start pulling a hair or chewing gum out of my mouth and end up pulling my guts out. Also have my teeth crumbling and choking me or them falling out and finding new ones underneath. Horrid horrid. I promise I'm quite nice and normal really. only dh and you know this!

hi, i'm on Citalopram and have gone thru the 10mg to 60mg phases. On 20mg per day at present. It's the Hotness that gets me, unless it's the 'change of life' starting! (i am 42). But to counteract this, as we all know seratonin levels need to be raised and my running is the only thing that keeps me sane. I've even set up a local running group and take Beginners out on a Saturday morning, 9am, under bridge at Newton Train Station. Why don't you join us, it's only £1.50 per session. We have a laugh, that's what it's all about. Once you've done that, you're home by 10am, feel as though you've achieved something (which helps with 'feel good' factor) and the rest of the day is still yours. Then hopefully you can drop the dosage like I did.
Take Care. KTM1 x

Where is Newton? I'm in n.e hants.

I have a lot of sex dreams, had one recently where I was a lesbian but the other girl had a willy, very strange. And was really horny afterwards!

I just came across this article and felt the need to share the information. There are plenty of alternative ways for healing why choose the dangerous way?

truththeory.com/2012/01/12/anatomy-of-an-epidemic-psychiatric-drugs-and-the-rise-of-mental-illness-in-america/

Morning all. How are we today?

I am very well, about to make cakes and have lunch. Glad it's not just me seratoninbutterfly! I thought yesterday, that no-one had commented because I had been discovered to be a freak! I probably am, but I keep it secret. Sparklingbrook, even though it was -3 this morning and I was cold, I arrived to be Parent Helper, and as soon as I was inside my face was shiny with sweat. I have no weird dreams to report today. Rosi7, can you do your link so when I click on it it takes me to the site please? I have to say, I didn't want to take medication, but now I feel very attached to them. I needed something as I can now feel how wrong my brain chemistry was. For the cold amongst us, try a hot water bottle.

Hi spanky. I went for my walk and was frozen and sweaty at the same time. I had a very frantic dream but can't remember it.

I'm glad you went for a walk. I've hurt my back so I thought maybe I should go for a run tomorrow. I take ds1 for a short run. He was sure he was fitter than me, so I took him for my usual 2 miles. He was worn out, and conceded at the end that maybe I was fitter. He thinks I'm an idiot! I was very worried that he would grow up lacking confidence like me, so I've always told him how amazing he is, now he thinks he is!

The good thing about the walk is I get home and feel able to do stuff spanky. I do get a bit of a post-lunch slump where I feel like a kip though. How old is your DS1?

He is 7. He didn't tantrum and was a lovely toddler. We're getting it now! I go with the post lunch slump. I knit and watch t.v. I think I need the rest before the madness of the school run and hearing ds1 and ds2 read then cook tea, and wrestle them into bed. I do abit rest abit! I'm always motivated after the run. How old are your dc? I am having to turn the computer off and take dss to visit their grandparents, so I won't be back 'till later. I have an old phone so can't MNet while out. I'm too busy separating the constant attention seeking competitiveness between dss anyway. It's all that crazy testosterone!

DS1 is 12 and DS2 is 10 I know all about the testosterone and attention seeking spanky. We are getting the pre-teen nonsense. I am coping with it better though.

Glad it's not just me with competitive boys!
Ds1 has started anger management classes at school today (at schools request) and I'm really pleased. Lovely I have a school who supports me.
I've found it much easier to be firm and not get involved in the bickering recently.
Life is looking good again

I find I am dealing with it better too. I did say to the doctor that while both dss are at home it is unlikely I'll want to come of my tablets.

Where is everyone? I can't stay long as I have to go and see my Dad because he is 69 today!

Well day 7 of Sertraline, I saw an immediate change in my anxiety so I am over the moon about that.

But....I haven't slept for 6 days
I have no energy, I am so tired but cannot sleep.

I take the tablets in the morning.

I hope this doesn't last long

I'm only on 10 mg back to dr tomorrow she mentioned upping it to 20 mg this month. Saw my counselor at crisis centre on Saturday she thinks I need them upping as I'm not coping very well. Slept ok last night but that was because I was on the settee.

I am still here. Full of cold, headache and coughing. DH got me some Beechams but reading the leaflet I can't have it because of the ADs. Any idea what I can have? First time I have been poorly since starting.

MadJaffa Hope you continue to improve, it does take a while to get up to speed so to speak.

Dotty sounds like you will be doing the right thing to increase the dose. I started on 20mg and now on 40mg.

I have just been reminded that Cialopram isn't tricyclic (sp) but SSRI, so going back to the Beechams leaflet.....

Dotty please ask the doctor tomorrow why you are not on sertraline seeing that that is proven to be the right AD for most women with PTSD (and I don't care you have not been diagnosed with those specific terms, you have nightmares, flashbacks and everything else).

madmouse the nightmares I've had most of my life and I can avoid them if I sleep downstairs and the flashbacks aren't as bad now. I think I needed them to happen in order to remember things, I avoid a lot of what was happening by staying home so should be ok. As I've said to you I have been told to tell her what's happening but it makes me worried to be to honest I've always dealt with this in my own way until now.

Hello lovely ladies, can I join you? I've posted all over MN this last week but I think that it's really hard for people to understand if they haven't been there themselves IYSWIM? Had some lovely replies but not many so I've come to speak to some kindred spirits

Ok, so bit of background...been on citalopram for 2+ years, started on 20mg, now on 40mg but some days lately I feel like even that's not enough. Unfortunately though 40mg is now the maximum dose. My mood has been spiralling down since about xmas, nothing definitive; I think loneliness is the worst part. I am a single mum of 3, have been single apart from the odd date, for 5 years and am suddenly finding life so hard to do alone. Because we have been through some bad trauma (abuse) and come out the other side people perceive me as strong, and therein lies the problem...I am seen as not needing help and able to cope and outwardly I do cope, I paste a smile on my face every day, I put make up on, wash my hair, laugh and joke but inside....I don't know, it feels like something has died. I have no support in RL, I text my mum the other day to tell her how I was feeling ad she text back asking was I watching dancing on ice! And this is why I don't open up to people...because when it gets dismissed like that I feel even worse about myself, invisible.

I just feel crap.

I have 3 lovely kids, which of course then gives rise to 'well what do you have to feel down about? You should count your blessings'. Well, I know how lucky I am to have such beautiful kids and they are my lifeline but no matter how hard I try I cannot shake this black cloud that's over me. I was on citalopram for anxiety (post abuse trial) but I do feel that this has now crossed the line into depression. I went to GP on friday and told him how I was feeling...he asked how often I cry. I said I want to cry all the time but am unable to, that the need to cry is there but I am physically unable to. I tried to explain that the feeling builds inside me, rises up until it gets to my face and then it's like something is blocking my actual physical ability to cry. But because I don't shed actual tears he dismissed it, gave me sleeping tablets, said 'I see you've abandoned your slimming campaign' and then ushered me out of the door.

I'm not looking for or expecting answers, but maybe just people who will listen and empathise with how crap it feels to be like this.

Thanks

x