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Mental health

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Original poster

Day 1 of citalopram - anyone any positive stories please?

17 replies

passthewineplz · 29/04/2015 11:36

So today is day 1 of citalopram, after months of struggling with depression and anxiety I've finally seen my GP who showed lots of empathy which was good.

I've previously tried fluoxetine for 6 months and felt no better, and sertaline which sent my anxiety through the roof.

Does anyone have any positive stories of citalopram, all I can find are threads about it making you put on weight and giving the same adverse side effects such as fluxotine ect

OP posts:

Original poster

passthewineplz · 29/04/2015 11:38

I've also self referred for talking therapies, I've previously had some CBT which didn't really tell me things I don't already know - but was good to talk. Just wondering if there's something that would help me manage anxiety better?

OP posts:

anonymice · 29/04/2015 11:42

fluoxetine was not good to me. citalopram was good and worked, and I did not pile weight on. Good luck OP x

Original poster

passthewineplz · 29/04/2015 11:49

Thank you - I've just taken a tablet and feeling a bit woozy. Is that normal? x

OP posts:

treaclesoda · 29/04/2015 11:53

Citalopram has changed my life, and all for the better. I have had very few side effects, nothing worth worrying about, and I feel like I have got my life back. It is not all horror stories, there are good outcomes too. Good luck with it.

treaclesoda · 29/04/2015 11:55

The wooziness could be a side effect of the tablet, or it could be a symptom of the anxiety. I know that when my anxiety was at it's worst, I would have felt light headed, woozy and panicky even if I took something like a paracetamol, because my anxiety was telling me that I was going to have a terrible reaction to it, or be allergic to it, so my brain went into a sort of panic.

chickensgirl · 29/04/2015 11:56

Hi I'm back on it for crippling anxiety. 3 weeks in the side effects have worn off and I'm feeling better. I'm having a bad day today but there are some things even citalopram can't control! Good luck I hope it works for you x

SevTSnape · 29/04/2015 12:00

Hi! I was looking for another thread, but couldn't pass this one by.

The first medication I tried was citralopram. I didn't feel like it was working at all, personally, but don't be discouraged by the this. I'm now on setraline and that's the best one I've had. So, it might be the the complete opposite for you.

There was one medication I tried in between those two and can't remember the name of it. It began I with m. However, that one was truly awful for me.

The wooziness is normal, I had it really bad on citralopram so switched to taking it at night so that all the side effects will wear off by morning

Let us know how you get on

stevienickstophat · 29/04/2015 12:15

I've been on it for about six months. The side effects were bearable but weird (tooth grinding, yawning) but they soon wore off.

It's changed my life - in fact I'd say it's given me my life back. I was plagued by health anxiety and intrusive thoughts. The HA is much better and the intrusive thoughts are gone! For the first time in my whole life I'm in charge of my thoughts rather than vice-versa.

Good luck OP - hope it works for you.

Rosalie43 · 29/04/2015 12:55

Hi - have been on a couple of threads here about citalopram. I have actually lost weight on it - not really that welcome, to be honest, but I was also concerned about weight gain. I have had loads of side effects - also increased anxiety - but three months in I think it is beginning to be really positive for me. The nausea and acid reflux were the worst side effects, but think they are gradually subsiding. I have never taken any other ADs - took me a year to work up to taking these - so can't compare with any others.

Flingingmelon · 29/04/2015 13:01

I found citalopram really useful to help me get better, but I think it was talking therapies, exercise and other lifestyle changes were what has actually improved my quality of life, rather than the drugs themselves. I think if you use them to help you get well enough to get well, if you see what I mean, they work.

I have put on 5 kilos in four months though and the first ten days all I wanted to do is sleep.

Original poster

passthewineplz · 29/04/2015 17:42

Thanks everyone for your kind words.

I've struggled for months, and should have seen my GP ages a go tbh. I feel really exhausted, and fed up with feeling anxious all of the time so hoping they take the edge of a bit so I can function.... x

OP posts:

Varya · 29/04/2015 17:45

Citalopram is very good and I hope it helps you.

Varya · 29/04/2015 17:47

Citalopram is very good and I hope it helps you.

Nayville · 29/04/2015 17:52

Citalopram lifted me out of a very black depressive and anxious time. I was on it for about a year, it really helped me.

Just a tip for when/if you choose to come off them: be extremely gradual. I shaved off a small piece of the tablet each week until they were down to nothing.

EmpressOfJurisfiction · 29/04/2015 18:14

I've been on Citalopram for a couple of years, 40mg at the highest point. I'm being slowly weaned off now, and it's literally been a lifesaver. It took two or three weeks to kick in at the start and I put on a bit of weight but not enough to bother me. It got me to the place where I could get the most benefit from talking therapies and then rebuild my life.

I take it before bed too, and I know some people who get on best taking it with dinner. Maybe experiment and see?

Also my pharmacist told me to avoid decongestants and ibuprofen while on it.

Original poster

passthewineplz · 29/04/2015 19:37

Thanks everyone for the advice x

GP said to take them on a morning with food, but I'm willing to try them before bed as I've felt a bit sick all day, and had the hungry feeling.

Feel a bit like I did when I started fluxotine, totally forgot about the weird unable to cry feeling....

OP posts:

ProfessorPreciseaBug · 30/04/2015 06:56

I used when I first had a full blown mental breakdown..

I didn't put on weight a d after it kicked in, I felt a whole lot better. I took it for about a year before .i decided to wean myself off... very slowly.

I can't remember why I wanted to come off it but the idea made sense. When "clean" I began to sufferr from mood swings and was eventually given Valproaic Acid which .i like these days..

Good luck.

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