Bad side effects on Citalopram 20mg

[AnikaMum]

Hi all, I know there are lots of other threads about this but they are quite old so I would like to know other people's experiences with this meds.
I got prescribed Citalopram 20mg for my anxiety and panic attacks, this is my 2nd day on them and I take them in the morning. First day on them I had a massive panic attack where I called the GP crying saying I was feeling weird and I was dying. He then got me to go there and prescribed Diazepam 2mg to help while Citalopram is not working. Took the Diazepam and helped calming me down (makes me really quiet and talking is a mission). Today it happened again, I felt highly anxious and really struggled to not have a panic attack, also have a really dry mouth, shake a little and I'm completely off food, feels like everything tastes disgusting. Has anyone experienced this too and how long did it last for? I'm so worried that with Xmas being next week I'm not going to be able to cope with all the family and my panick attacks. Today my mum came from abroad for Xmas and I went to see her, I lasted 3 hours there, kept fighting my anxiety and ended up calling my husband to pick me up and take me home. I dont want to ruin everybody's Xmas :(

Hi OP - yes I had an almost identical experience when I started taking Sertraline. I got restless legs and didn't sleep for two nights straight; really panicky and weird feeling. But after a few days the side effects started to ease and within a few weeks I started to feel better mentally. Hang in there - yours sound like fairly normal initial side effects of SSRIs from what I've heard about, and from personal experience x

@Yodabrussel oh God I'm so glad I'm not going crazy. I thought maybe my body was rejecting the tablets or I was allergic to them or something (which was making me panic even more). Thank you so much for your reply. Hopefully tomorrow I wont let the weird feelings get to me and I will feel less anxious... also I hope the side effects pass quickly.
Merry Xmas x

I had horrendous sleep paralysis on this!

@MissLadyM oh no, it sounds horrible! I'm not having that so far but I'm finding it hard to fall a sleep. Just tried sleep meditation for the last hour and it worked on the husband but not me lol

I've been on Citalopram for 13 years. I remember going to my GP getting similar to you in the early days and he said "your taking a psychoactive drugs, you will feel rubbish for a bit." Now, if I ever need to increase my dose, I write off the next couple of days and sleep as much as I can, add it's the only way I can get through the side effects. It's grim, but it should get better, though it may take a while. Take it easy over Christmas, listen to your body (and brain), plenty of rest, sleep, and fluids.

@Chienloup makes me feel at easy that you had similar side effects, it sucks so much. I'm on my 3rd day and dreading it. Also did your taste get affected too? Everything tastes like cupboard

Citalopram doesn't work immediately. I am on escitalopram and like you, at first, I called the doctors surgery because I was in a state. They told me it was my anxiety causing my symptoms, not the meds.
My anxiety settled down after a few weeks but they gave me propanolol beta blocker, to help with the anxiety symptoms. The dry mouth is normal on these meds, and dry skin but that settles for many people. It never went away for me. Yawning is another early side effect. Everything tasted salty to me, so yes, taste can be affected. If these don't settle in a few weeks, see about switching to another medication.

@Limensoda no way it was just your anxiety... I know my panic attacks were 10 times worse since taking this tablets. I must admit today is my 3rd day on them and my anxiety has been much better. Still cant taste anything, a bit shaky, sweaty and feel ligh headed but definitely no panic attacks today, fingers crossed the side effects might be getting better.

@17AnikaMum

I was very worried about taking any medication so that's why the doctor said it was my anxiety that was making me panic more. They said the medication wouldn't have that effect.
Now I'm coming off them slowly I've had a few wobbly days but the side effects, which never really went away for me, are improving.
Everyone has different reactions. My daughter was on Citalopram for 8 months. She had no side effects apart from yawning and just stopped taking them and had no effects from stopping...It's been totally different for me.