Citalopram - newby!

[justwantsunshine]

Hi,

I’ve not long been on here but have always read the threads and found them really helpful and comforting.

I’ve been prescribed 20mg Citalopram after I hit my lowest point in December, but have only yesterday been brave enough to take them! Because I was so nervous about taking them - I took half of a tablet yesterday and felt very very spaced out and out of it. Today, half of a tablet and feel nothing really, maybe slightly out of it but overall quite normal.

I’ve read a lot about awful side effects almost immediately. Am I not feeling these because I’m taking 10mg when prescribed 20mg? Has anyone else done this?

I know everyone’s different, just looking for other people’s experiences and a bit of comfort

Thanks all, hope to hear from you soon x

Thanks @Kar, mine hasn't been great for the last couple of years and I was hoping it might pick up! fingers crossed..

@badgerread yep same here! Wasn’t great at all beforehand but think it’s worse at the minute. Was hoping it would help.

Haven’t posted in a while, I think I’m day 12 on the full dose (20mg). I overall don’t feel too bad at all. I know everyone is saying differently and that it takes a month etc, but I feel a lot better in myself I think.

The odd blip yes however much better in myself.

Hope everyone is doing good. X

I’m just checking in.

Two weeks now and most side effects have lessened.

Still feel a little tingly/shaky on the inside and I fall asleep on the sofa most nights at 7 pm. Otherwise feeling a lot less anxious.

Hi....glad you're anxiety is much better @Pollyhops! I'm 6 weeks in on 10mg. My anxiety is much more under control...though I do still get some symptoms which aren't too pleasant. But as I say, it's under control. I'm sleeping better too! I am trying to build up the courage to ask
GP to increase to 20mg. I'm just so scared of the side effects, although I didn't really have many bad side effects going on it in the first place!
In answer to the questions re libido from others...thankfully I don't seem to have been affected

Day 17 today on 10mg and am feeling SO much better (touch wood I'm not jinxing things!)

Went to see the Dr after two weeks and she's keeping me on 10mg for 6 months and then we'll review how I feel.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

I'm nearly off citalopram after almost two years on it and it worked wonders for me! I started off on 10mg, then up to 20 and finally 40 - been back down to 10 for the last month and planning on stopping all together next month!

Gradual increase is great for avoiding side effects (as is gradual decrease to avoid withdrawl), and I was lucky enough to not feel any side effects.

Fingers crossed you find taking it helpful!

@puppy23 I so want to increase to 20mg as I am sure i have a little room for improvement! However, some people on line have put me off saying the side effects are awful! I can't handle side effects whilst working full time! So did you not notice any change in terms of side effects when increasing? What about when you went on 10mg? I didn't really get any bad side effects starting on my 10mg x

Hi @badgerread ....how are you finding 10mg? X

@Alicia44 I don't remember any side effects for either 10mg or increasing to 20mg - I think increasing gradually like this helps your body adjust better than were you to start off at a high dose.

Let me know if you have anymore Qs

Hi @Alicia. I was lying in bed Saturday and thought how different I felt to 3 weeks previously. 3 weeks ago I felt I couldn't go on and now I just feel so much better, maybe a tiny anxious stomach once a week but it soon goes. How are you doing?

Thank you @puppy23 that's fab. I'm sure I'll have more questions!

@badgerread that's brilliant that you feel so much better! I honestly feel so much better than I did too. I very rarely feel anxious. My ONLY issue is that I've been left with one of my symptoms (trying to get a deep breath). I think this has just become a bad habit...as I say, I don't get the anxious feelings like I was. If I can unlearn my bad habit I will be top dollar!

Hi everyone! How are you all getting on?

I’m 6 weeks in now - overall I feel a lot better in myself. However I am getting bad days recently. In the past week and a half I’ve been really bad 3 days. Woke up today feeling really badly anxious and stressed and shouting at my other half for no reason! So panicky. Has anyone else felt this? X

@justwantsunshine it happens. Even on medications, there are still bad days. I have them. Keep persevering - you can do it have some cake

@justwantsunshine sorry to hear you've had a bad few days. I think that is totally normal, though if it turns into a week it might be worth talking to your GP about dose etc. Is there something in particular going on that might have affected your mood? Also, are you having any treatment alongside the meds, or using any self care strategies? 6 weeks could be a good time to think about therapy, exercise etc if you are not already... I found a multi pronged approach worked best for me once i was out of the initial hellhole. It's still early days so try not to be too hard on yourself if you have the occasional setback 💐

I still get one or two days a month when I want to kill people for breathing!
It tends to be ovulation day!! I get really shouty and have to properly shut my mouth or dh and I will have a fall out

The rest of the month I am fine. I had about 2 weeks of side effects and then felt fine. But headache and couldn't sleep / dry mouth.

I still don't sleep half as much as I used to but I'm no longer tired all the time.