Massive memory problems and faigue with Citalopram Increase !!!

[melanie174]

Hi
I increased to 30mg 7 days ago. All great at first, however I am becoming increasingly forgetful and today the fatigue is off the scale!!! I am so bad sometimes that my partner keeps having to help me out finishing sentences! I literally struggle with remembering words! Please can someone tell me if this is normal? Will it pass?!

Thank you! xx

Bumping, in case anybody can relate/reassure. Thanks x

Hi @melanie174. I have started back on citalopram as of a week ago. I'm having the same symptoms as you. People at work are noticing my constant yawning which looks so unprofessional and I couldn't remember what I did at the weekend when I was asked.

I do hold hope this will pass though as I've previously taken it and don't remember feeling like this. I did a cheeky google and apparently the tiredness is a common side effect in the first few weeks. Hope you feel better soon.

Thank you for your reply. It’s hard going at first isn’t it? I didn’t really suffer many side effects when I started on 10mg, then when I increased to 20mg. This increase to 30mg is really tough! The anxiety is a little nightly too, but manageable. I just feel like I want to curl up in bed for a week!! Hope you feel better soon x

I just wondered from reading your post if this is perhaps your anxiety/depression (sorry I don't know what you have been prescribed it for) rather than the medication. Because anxiety can cause memory loss and extreme fatigue as the brain is essentially exhausted by all the stuff running through it. I just wondered if you are having any therapy or anything else to address any underlying stuff? During darker periods I have had memory issues and just wanted to sleep continuously, medication worked in different ways but didn't contribute to those issues for me.

@Woollycardi hi thanks for your message. I’ve been having CBT, I’m due to have my last session soon. I have to say that I don’t really feel overly anxious...it does niggle some days but I’m not feeling so bad that it stops me from doing things. I’m probably doing more these days than I have in a long time. I have read that adjusting dosage of antidepressants can cause fatigue etc x

Have you tried taking the medication at night? Doing it this way really helped with my fatigue. Good luck!

I take 30mg at night but still yawn all day! Does take a while to get used to the dose but eventually settles down

Hi, yes I take it at night. I am hoping it’s just my body adjusting to the new dose :)