Citalopram - Memory problems after a year?

[DamnFreddos]

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone had a similar experience to me with citalopram, or whether I should go and see my GP.

I was on citalopram for acute depression from around July 2014 until July 2016. Had the usual side effects, but one of them was memory loss. I think I had an average memory before starting the tablets (ironically, I can't really remember , but I can't recall ever worrying about my memory). I'm 26 now.

I've read that short term memory loss while on the tablets and shortly after is normal, but a year down the line I'm still about the same. Probably not quite as bad, but still forgetful. For example, I was asking my partner for something yesterday evening, and he had done it a week ago. I genuinely have no recollection of it.

I also have some memories from the months before I started citalopram (a certain situation led to my depression over a period of time, all the memories are to do with this situation) but I either can't remember events/conversations that others can, or can't order them. So I can remember that event A, event B and event C happened, but I can't work out in which order they happened.

I wouldn't go as far as saying it has a huge impact on daily life - I try not to dwell on events from the past anyway, and I make shopping lists and stuff so I don't forget things etc., but it's frustrating when I can't remember things! Has anyone else experienced this in the aftermath of citalopram?

I've had memory loss similar to what you describe (and worse) as part of PTSD just wondering if it actually was the medication as it's not resolved with stopping it. Could it be part of the underlying condition instead?

Quite possibly - I hadn't considered it from that angle. My dad was concerned that I was having a bit of a breakdown (I don't particularly like the term, but wanted to explain it from another's perspective) at the time, so maybe that would explain the inability to place events from that time in the correct order. I just don't understand the current memory loss.

My depression is as gone as I think it'll ever be. I'm not on any medication and I feel so much better, but this last part just won't leave!

For me my memory has been improving gradually. I've also found treatment for my PTSD has helped. You could discuss it with your GP.

Depression is a common misdiagnosis for pernicious anaemia which causes memory problems.
Ask for blood tests for B12, folate ferritin, fbc, and full thyroid panel.

www.b12deficiency.info/what-is-b12-deficiency/

YNK Thank you for the link - reading through the symptoms, I have a few of them which I had just accepted as things I had to live with - restless legs, for example. I'll go to the doctor and ask for the tests you recommend. Thanks for your help.

The best info you can get can be found in this FB group.
Good luck with the test - but don't supplement before it!

www.facebook.com/groups/PAB12DSupportGroup/

Yes. Chronic memory loss and chronic cognitive deterioration during the years I was on Citalopram. I actually felt like I got stupider. Happy, but so dopey. Had to give up my PhD because my brain just couldn't work at that level. Been off it for two years now, and on Prozac which is much better cognitively. It will wear off eventually, OP. Good luck.

I have been taking Cipramil long term and have for some time noticed low concentration (start a task and move on to another before completion). Short term memory loss (not near as sharp as I was) I am unable to find a definitive answer on the cause.

I have been taking Cipramil long term and have for some time noticed low concentration (start a task and move on to another before completion). Short term memory loss (not near as sharp as I was) I am unable to find a definitive answer on the cause.

I think it does. Diane my mother passed away on the 29th of April 2017 (strangely the starting date of this thread), she was only 71 and had a very healthy life... until Citalopram was prescribed to her to treat her anxiety shortly after loosing her husband in 2003. The process was slow but combined with a double dose it could have led to severe brain damage with similar symptoms to Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

The first significant signs of memory loss appeared in 2012 and after only 5 years she was affected by all sorts of accelerated ageing problems, including losing her swallowing functions and passed away after two months in a hospital bed.

I'm not sure how long she had been taking Citalopram for, perhaps 10 years from 2004 to 2014 when I slowly took her off it after a shocking visit to her General Practician which I've recorded on audio. I asked her Doctor if she was to take 20mg or 20 drops, as she had been taking rigorously... the Doctor said they were "equivalent", a very big mistake as each drop of Citalopram corresponds to 2mg, so 20 drops are double the dosage at 40mg, a limit considered dangerous for over 65 years old, at least from what I've read on other websites.

I haven't followed up this suspicion, as it could be the other way around, where depression causes alzheimer or vice versa, but it still haunts me and the only way to find out if this is one of the many potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals lucratively commercialised is to publish our own experience.

In this case, I strongly sustain that Citalopram causes memory loss or more generically it causes brain damage, as most drugs do, proportionally to the quantities absorbed and the period it is used.

Hi, I am also taking citalopram. For the first 6months or so I was taking 10 or 20 mg (I can’t remember) but slowly up to 50mg) I managed to come off them gradually with help of doctor successfully for 6 months but then started struggling massively with irritability and severe insomnia so I’m now. Back on them but managing on 10mg. I find I sleep really well BUT I feel overly tired for most of the day And my memory and learning is definitely effected. My memory since taking citalopram overtime has become really bad! It led me to doing a google search. All it said was study’s show that memory and cognitive function was “severely” effected with tests on rats but further studies are needed to determine the impact on human. I even needed to recheck the arrival to remember the word “cognitive” which I use all the time in childcare assignments for college. I’m also a trainee gardener and although I’ve been doing the job since April, all efforts to learn plant names are failing. I haven’t remembered even the ones we see on a daily basis. It actually worries me. I don’t know if the effects will be permanent as the 6 months I came off the medication my memory didn’t get better. My memory wasn’t as bad as this before the medication.

Btw I am 35 years of age