Citalopram - what's everyone's experience please

[QueenofClean]

I've been started on citalopram for anxiety issues. Took my first dose last night 5mg a night for the first week increasing to 10mg next week.

What is everyone's experience of it and the side effects and how long they have lasted?

Thanks
QoC

I'm having to come off my Citalopram, which is sad as I have been feeling better on it. I've been feeling dizzy/faint and there is something funny going on with my blood pressure. It could be a co-incidence, as it has only been noticeable since starting Citalopram, but we need to find out if it's drug related or not. So starting to wean off now. Not sure what the alternatives are - apparently if it is SSRI related, then another SSRI is likely to have the same effect.

Good luck Oneway. I hope you don't get too many withdrawal symptoms.

I feel so much better. I have done for just over a week now. I feel like 'me' again - it's amazing. I had nearly forgotten what 'me' felt like (IYSWIM).

The Citalopram has really helped, but the final turning point: the decision to get a dog - and borrowing a friend's dog.

Worked for me for a while but it gave me the sweats

I drive a lot for work and it made me drowsy on long drives so I stopped taking it

That's fantastic, Donki. And yes, I know exactly what you mean - I never thought I'd be me again and now I'm happy so much of the time.

Dogs make a huge difference -my two got me through a lot of it. What breeds are your friend's dog and the one you're planning to get?

Thanks Donki. I'm feeling ok so far - I'm coming off very slowly. I'm sad though, as I was just beginning to feel more like me again - like I was having a holiday from myself - so I'm hoping that there'll be something else I can try soon.

The dog I am getting is a Toller.

Friends dog is a gorgeous (not so mini) mini Schnauzer.

My son (ASD and school/social anxiety) is really looking forwards to getting a dog of our own. He loves our friend's dog too.

Hi all. Can I jump in? I'm taking Escitalopram (was on Citalopram but GP changed it) as she said I would do better on this. It's a lower dose 10mg (was on 20mg Citalopram) but..... Seem to have an uncontrollable appetite. I also feel dizzy and exhausted as in, I crawl out of bed and could easily fall asleep all day long and am yawning my head off from 7pm til bedtime. I don't mean feeling a bit tired but totally knackered and like I have a hangover.

Is this normal? Should I go back to GP? I worked very hard last year to lose weight and it's creeping back at a vast rate.

My low mood (I hate the word depression) is caused by family difficulties and my ds who has ASD and OCD has been really poorly for a couple of years. I'm more heartbroken than depressed, I thin.

Donki tell me about your dog and your son. Does it help him? Am thinking of getting one for ds as a companion.

Oh, forgot to ask Donki, why the Toller? A Newfoundland? Looks like a beautiful dog. I'm thinking of Golden Retriever for gentle nature and biddable-ness

Hi. Can I ask how long it took everyone to feel more like themselves again please? I've been on cit for over 5 weeks, 10 for the first week, 20 for the rest. I can feel that the slightly depressed side feels a bit lifted but I still have horrible anxiety. Yesterday was dreadful. Today I feel better but I can feel it all hovering round the edges. I'm constantly fearing what I'll find to worry about next. I really want to be myelf again.

Tollers are good family dogs - smaller than golden retrievers, and very trainable. Need brain occupation somewhat like a collie but with less exercise requirement (although still definitely not sedentary dogs). They will happily play retrieval games (with my son) until the cows come home.
The ones I have met are cheerful and joyous dogs.

Thanks!

Sounds lovely Donki!

Meh, I started on 20mg in December and moved up to 40 a couple of months ago. After I'd been on the higher dose for about a month I felt like me again.
Is that any help?

Hi Empress thank you. It does help alot. I am wondering if my dose needs to go up. I'm getting so fed up now as I'm sure everyone with this does.

I think they say give it a month to six weeks.

I'm still getting my head round feeling happy tbh!

Empress, can I ask? Were you fuzzy/tired/exhausted? Especially with the increase to 40mg?

Hi Empress. I'm so pleased things are working out for you. I'm really looking forward to that happy feeling with out seeing a disaster looming around every corner especially as all my perceived disasters are always my fault.

Hello,

I started taking 20mg in March 2012 and I am still on it now. I had seven months on 20mg, where I was making progress every month and feeling better all the time, but then a wee relapse occurred, so I was put up to 40mg in October 2012. 40mg worked so well for me and just made me feel like I could do everything I wanted to do in order to get "my life back" and I did not even realise until starting to take Citalopram and receive talking therapy that I had not been "right" in myself since my first pregnancy which began in summer 2007.

I had been on 40mg from Oct 2012 until this Spring when I got myself onto 20mg. I am pleased to say I am coping perfectly on 20mg and that has been about 6 weeks now.

I would be quite happy to be on this wonderful drug for the rest of my life, as it just makes me feel normal after such a long time of suffering with PND and anxiety, but if I can completely come off next Spring, then I shall know I am completely better. I say Spring as my GP says reducing dosage is easier in Spring or Summer due to sunshine being more available and I believe this to be the case.

Side effects for me were minimal: dry mouth, nausea, thirst and constipation at the start. The nausea was only for about 3 or 4 days. The dry mouth and thirst for about 3 weeks and the constipation for about a month. When I increased from 20mg to 40mg I experienced about 4 days of nausea and that was it. Also, when reducing from 40mg to 20mg recently, I only had a tiny bit of nausea for about an hour the day after. I reduced slowly, though, which maybe helped. I took 40mg one day, then 20mg, then 40mg, then 20mg, and so on, for about two weeks.

I always take mine first thing in the morning at breakfast time. ADs are necessary for some people at some points in their life and noone should ever feel ashamed or worried about taking them.

I am taking citalopram 20mg. I have been taking for 2 weeks. I think I may be feeling slightly less anxious. My worry now is about weight gain, anyone have any advice?

I have not experienced weight gain but maybe this is because when I started to feel better after 4 months or so I decided to get fit as I knew this would help my mental health, which it has. From being a non-runner I have now done 2 half marathons. Please do not worry pinktoes, lots of people do not have weight gain. Glad you are feeling a bit better. I found I had one good day the first week, then two good days the second week, then three good days in the third week, and so on.

Meh Thank you. And yes, I think everyone gets very sick of this very fast. Maybe ask your GP what they think?
Eliza22 yes for the first week or so when I went up. I didn't really see any improvements for about a month and then it just happened all at once.
Readrun too right. Nobody feels ashamed about taking tablets for diabetes, Crohns etc and this is just another illness. Glad you're feeling better.
Mrspinktoes I'm glad it's starting to help. I did want to snack more so I dealt with that by leaving fruit all over the place.

Thank you for your replies. My weight has always been a worry for me. I am going to get more fruit in to have if I feel I need to eat.

Good luck everyone. Every time you do one tiny thing which you could not achieve before give yourself a huge Pat on the Back!

readrun I think from reading your story I either need to give it more time or more likely ask for an increased dose. I'm due to see the doc in a week but might bring it forward.

A better day today. I did the race for life this morning and that helped put the day on the right track. Can't be gloomy in the company of so much pink!

Re weight gain - I have actually lost weight. Usually I'm an eater but this particular anxiety has my tummy all churned up. The cit hasn't bought my appetite back and I've even lost a bit more on it. This is my silver lining of the whole experience! I do wonder if the low level of nausea makes people want to eat, a bit like morning sickness.

I hope everyone has had a reasonable day x

Meh, it does take a long time. That is me on my recovery path for two years and I am only now able to say I am almost better. I am going to keep on treating myself carefully. Have you started any talking therapy? Well done for Race for Life. These things are always inspiring. Please remember, "baby steps." x