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

Hi everyone, I started on 20mg to help with depression brought on by trying to cope with really difficult life events and my DH's OCD.

My GP upped my dose to 30mg after the first month as I was still feeling very depressed. I have been taking them for 7 weeks now and I honestly feel happier than I have for years, it's like the world is in colour again instead of shades of gray, it's amazing. I still have the same issues to cope with but most of the time the things which used to floor me and reduce me to tears now seem to just slide off.

For the first 2 or 3 weeks I had awful headaches, the shakes so bad that I could not pick out coins from my purse and I kept feeling sick, I completely lost my appetite and lost nearly a stone. These symptoms have all disappeared but I still frequently have a bitter taste in my mouth and am off my food however weight loss is a good side effect for me as I am about 4 stone over weight.

I think I had actually been depressed for years but didn't realise it until I started to feel better. I am due to go back to work in a few weeks and that will be the really test, it's easier to cope with everything else without work adding to the stress.

Sorry about the huge post..

Got in really well with it and supressed my appetite so I lost a bit if weight too (put back on now though). Made a real difference to my frame of mind in a positive way. I did get a weird numb feeling in my jaw though- but didn't bother me that much

No orgasms!

I don't remember the beginning on side effects

Started on 10mg, then 20mg, then 30mg, now 40mg
...
Take 1 every morning...

If I forget for 2 days or haven't managed to get a prescription. (happened afew times)
man, I feel rough, sick, dizzy, headache!!!!

Another one in favour of the support thread!
I know what you mean, Friedbrain - I could miss one occasionally when I started without a problem but when I forgot three days ago I felt utterly shit.

Good luck everybody.

My GP says he thinks I have an anxious personality which I agree with and I have suffered with reactive depression since having a miscarriage in 2006. I've been taking Citalopram for about three years I think. I was taking St John's Wort for several years with my GP's knowledge but when I had problems at work to do with my health (which eventually ended in my losing my job) it didn't seem to be enough so he prescribed Citalopram instead.

I started on 20mg because my GP thinks 10mg is not really enough when you first start on it, went up 30mg after a few months and then to 40mg which I was on for about two years. The side effects at the beginning were it made me feel 'buzzy' and a little high, bit like I did when I was on Morphine after an operation then as it levelled out I found my appetite went totally and I wanted to sleep all the time (and since I was a baby I never slept more than 6 hours!). One of my cats at the time was on pallative care as she had renal failure and although she wasn't a very affectionate cat normally, when I used to fall asleep, she used to come and find me and sleep on my chest - which was weird!

During the last year I have been on decreasing doses from 40mg to 30mg to 20mg and am now on 10mg. I take mine in the morning. I do drink alcohol with it but not a lot as a lot of the time I just don't fancy it.

I am now thinking of coming off it which my GP is happy for me to do, he has suggested trying taking it every other day to come off it when I decide to do it. I had to wait until the weather improved though as I also have SAD and didn't think it was a good idea to try coming off in winter when it was very dark and still in the long nights and short days!

When I lost my job I took them to a tribunal and although it didn't actually go all the way because they offered a compromise agreement, I think being on Citalopram helped me to cope with that very stressful time.

I think it helped me detach and step back from the situations that were making me ill. I also had some counselling at the same time, I was not a fan of counselling at all having had some bad experiences in the past with it but now I think it really helps if the counsellor is good.

However, a friend of mine found it didn't help and she had go on to different stronger medication.

Sorry, that's a bit long!

For any of you TTC like I am, all GPs I've ever asked told me Citalopram was safe to use throughout pregnancy (I take 20mg) which is fantastic x

Natasha I hope it works out for you when you do come off it eventually.

I do feel a little better. DH & I had a child free afternoon which is a once in a blue moon occurance and we talked, I laughed, we shopped and it felt nice and stress free.

Both my girls are home and in bed now so early night in front of TV for me. DH downstairs having some Xbox time.

Euphemia I'm interested hoping the orgasm thing doesn't completely disappear!

Um, all ok in that dept here while on Citalopram-so not sure it's universal IYKWIM.

Anorgasmia is permanent in my experience, but when I came off Citalopram for a year it stopped!

Thanks Queen , I'm still trying to pluck up courage to do it but my GP said I can try it and go back on it if stopping turns out to be too much.

Euphemia.

We have just got back from taking our girls to Marwell Zoo. We all had a fab day and now I'm shattered and my hips and knees are killing me :( but worth the pain to see the smiles and laughter on my girls faces.

Hope you enjoyed the peace Might have to get DH to help me with the orgasm thing later

Sounds good to me

It's now Day 4, 20mg and I've had some shaking but that's it. Does the nausea hit when it's been in your system a while? I hope everyone is doing ok.

MrsB I've had no side effects except extra tiredness due to starting on a very small dose and going up in 5mg increments every 7days till I get to 20mg. Hope the nausea goes soon.

I started 5mg on Tuesday and felt pretty tired and a bit spacy for about 3 days. I also felt a bit 'off' - not exactly nauseous, but just yucky and a bit indigestion-y. I noticed yesterday that I didn't feel tired any more, and today has been fine too. I'm thinking of upping the dose to 10mg tomorrow. Nausea is the side effect I was most dreading, so I'm hoping it doesn't get any worse than it when I started, as that was manageable.