Please tell me I'll be ok, citalopram

[changeofseasons]

I've just taken my first dose of 20mg for long term depression and anxiety, I HATE taking medication as it sends my anxiety through the roof and I convince myself I'll get all the side effects and die. Id reached a low point of get better now or never and dp will leave me if I don't as I've become unbearable to be with. I'm panicking already though as the side effects list is huge, tell me I'll be ok and this will help me :(

I took a much, much higher dose for years and had no side effects at all. Most people don't experience side effects, which is why that's one of the first medicines to be prescribed to people.

Take it, and then put it out of your mind. I have to do this with all of my tablets because my anxiety takes hold otherwise and I make myself feel the side effects even if I'm not really having them. Don't let yourself think about it. Have a distraction technique.

You'll be fine, honestly. This will help. It's helping you, it's not the enemy.

Hi op don't panic I know lots of people who take citalopram and it has really helped them. Give it a try and if you don't find it works for you they can try another anti depressant. I took citalopram and found it made me feel sick so I was put on fluoxetine which suited me better and really helped with my anxiety and depression. However my cousin said fluoxetine made her feel spaced out and feels much better on citalopram. Stick with the medication and say how it goes. I hope you feel better soon I know what an awful condition this is. Good luck

Nobody has ever died from taking 20mg citalopram (or if they did, it wasn't the citalopram that killed them)
It's a very safe drug, it has some side effects associated with it, but they are generally mild and tolerable. I got on really well with it and the only reason I stopped taking it was because I put on weight, after I had been on it for some months (longer than many people take it)
Please give it a chance

I've taken citalopram for 6 years. I'm fine. You'll be fine. I take it for anxiety and depression too. It honestly changed my life. I did feel a bit odd for the first week or so. My GP warned me about this. I felt bloody awful anyway by that point so it sort of didn't matter. I did feel like I was getting worse for a few days. Then that great cloud that had been hanging over me lifted. The crippling anxiety started to go. I realised how awful I'd felt for so long.

Thank you so much for the replies. So I took my first dose yesterday with dinner and within the hour felt extremely sick and spacey for the rest of the evening. I really struggled to get up this morning and have shooting pains in my head. I've just taken the second dose to see how taking it in the morning differs because I cant keep waking like a zombie, not sure if I can keep this up, mood wise I feel worse than ever I was starting to improve with online CBT and trying really hard to think positively but how can I be positive about life when I feel like this :(

Could you try taking 10mg and building up?

Unfortunately I am extremely sensitive to medication & got every side effect but most people I know on it have been fine and it has really helped them.

Take it in the morning, rather than the evening, as it can affect how you sleep. I have been taking it for the past (nearly) five years, and 20mg seems like quite a high starting dose. I started on 5mg, then 10, and over time I built up to, and still take 40mg. The side effects wore off after the first few weeks, but it did take at least 4 weeks to get into my system. I find I have really bizarre, vivid dreams taking them.

Thanks for all the responses, its day 4 and I feel terrible, still sick and dizzy but today every move I make feels like my brain is shaking around in my head, I feel really slowed down and detached from everything. I wish there was an easier way to get better

You've will be fine I've been on it before , I'm not gonna lie the first cple of wks of starting an AD can be rough but if you can ride it out with the support of your DP you will reap the benefits be kind to yrself and get plenty of rest xx

How are you doing? I've taken my first Citalopram today 10mg so empathise with you - waiting with bated breath to see what if anything happens!

Hi magnum I've decided to stop them and have spoke to my gp. I was feeling sicker and lower with every pill having full body muscle spasms, zaps in my head unable to drive etc there I can't function like that.
Go recommended trying st johns wort so considering that. Hope you have a better experience

Sorry to hear you've had such a bad time on them. Good luck with the St Johns Wort or if not that something that works well for you.

Don't necessarily feel you have to stick to St John's Wort. I had exactly the same issues as you both times I tried citalopram. I've never had any issues with other ADs.

Many people take it fine, but it really doesn't agree with me. You might find something that suits you better.

Hi

I take this medication as well .. Last year they began me on 20mg once a day (I chose to take of a night) , ,immediate side effects were severe fatigue, weight loss (luckily I seem to have stabalised now at 8.7 stone) though that could well have been stress induced as well. I had constant runs (don't know how to spell the d word lollll) and kept waking up.

In February they put me on 40mg .. Fine , However lately I have been feeling very low again, and nostalgic (have a thread on AIBU re that one) so I have no idea what Doctor will say as 40mg is now the limit as they found higher dosages could cause heart issues ..

How you feeling now OP ?

Hi Rachel

I'm feeling mixed right now, the citalopram is out my system and I feel clearer for that, I'm doing some free online CBT courses and went to see a herbalist who prescribed some vitamins and herbs for me to try, I think I'm in the right place now to start getting better but know it will be a long battle.