Citalopram

[cdjh]

Hi iv just prescribed 10mg of these citalopram and I'm wondering what people's side effects were like , I'm terrified to start them as iv had antidepressants before and gave up after the first day due to side effects, really need to stick these as I really really need to get better
Thank you x

I found them to be very mild. I felt a bit sick for a couple of hours after I took each one for the first 2 days. So I swapped from taking them in the morning to taking them at night that way I slept though the queasiness. Only other side effect I had was a few night sweats. Nothing major and totally worth the leveling off of anxiety that I took them for. Citalopram saved my life. Came off it about 3 years ago now but I will forever be thankful of the support it gave me.

My side effects were pretty bad but i rode them out for a few weeks and once i settled on them I've been fine. I have to take them at bedtime because otherwise i get really tired the next day.

I started off on 10mg in the summer for anxiety. Like you I really didn't want to take them. I think that was part of my anxiety though that I was panicking about needing them and not wanting to accept I needed them, and what if they made me worse, what if I had side effects etc. I actually got my DH to read and watch out for side effects rather than me, so I wouldn't become even more anxious about those.

In the end I didn't really notice any side effects other than not sleeping that well if I took it too late in the evening.

They take about six weeks before they start to have an effect, and you may find you need to go up to 20mg at some point as 10mg is just a starting point.

I've been on them since June and it's made a massive difference to my anxiety. I couldn't have managed without them. I've taken them while doing a combination of other things though like learning mindfulness techniques, using the headspace app, reading more, using my phone less, listening to relaxation music before bed, getting lots of fresh air, counselling etc.

Is it the negative thoughts your having or a mix of those and panic attacks? I found propranolol really helped for the physical symptoms as well.

Hi everyone thank you all for your reply's , iv really struggled for long enough now with the anxiety and depression, the anxiety is the biggest effect on my life as I can not go anywhere on my own and I spend every single day in the house unless my partner comes with me , this has a huge effect on the relationship and I think this is what makes me so depressed as I have no life and all tho I try I'm absolutely terrified to go out on my own becouse I always get anxiety and it's so bad sometimes I struggle to even get home as my legs just go to jelly on me , I take propranolol but theyv only really helped with the anxiety in the house they don't help me out of the house , so I really do need to give these a go I'm just so freighted of the side effects , fingers crossed I only get them mild xxx

The only side effect I had was constant yawning for about two weeks. It was very weird!

I, too, was terrified of taking them. Normally I read the patient info leaflet before I start taking any new meds. This time I really didn't want to know about any scary side-effects, so I asked dh to read the leaflet and only tell me anything I absolutely had to know (like ' take with food' or ' do not take X medication at the same time', if X was something I would generally use). Also dh was to keep an eye on me in case I developed any scary side-effects.

I'd be over the moon if the side effects for me were just yawns but my luck is never on my side I know I'm
Going to get the worst ones I'm absolutely dreading , I think I'm working myself up to much aswell 😥

Been reading some awful things on a citalopram group in face book , wish I'd not looked now xxxx

That's the depression talking. And why some of us did not read the info or do much research on it.

I’ve had only mild adverse effects which were a dry mouth for about a week after I first started taking them. I take 20mg.
Please don’t hang around on FB sites like that. The idea is that the pills help you and not cause you more anxiety!
Give them a go and see how you get on. There are thousands and thousands who take it with no problems at all.

I got zero side effects

My only effects are vivid dreams (which I actually really enjoy!).

That's really good to hear these reply's are just what I needed to hear thank you it's set my mind at rest , I'm going to delete that fb group as it's all bad reviews that I don't need to hear , thank you everyone x

I'm on 20mg and started off on them, only thing is vivid and sometimes weird dreams. They have literally saved my life. I take them for depression and anxiety.

I felt slightly nauseous for a couple of weeks- lost a few pounds though so was good in that respect! Now I feel fine and am less anxious.

DS swapped to them (from sertraline) a couple of weeks ago and has been pleasantly surprised so far.

This is great to hear I feel loads more positive about starting them now , I just have to be calm instead of working myself up once I take them , thanks so much for all your help x

@cdjh these worked really well for me (compared with other ones which had nasty side effects). The only side effect I got on these, like a previous poster mentioned was excessive yawning which was weird! I recall my manager making a comment about me yawning all the time so I had to tell her it was down to the medication. I hope they work for you and you feel better on them

I don't remember getting any side effects at all and they work brilliantly. I was reluctant to go on them but they stopped my anxiety completely and I remember wishing I'd taken them sooner.

@cdjh I've just come across this thread, and was wondering if you have started taking the antidepressants yet?
My DS really needs to take them, the GP has given him 2 weeks to think about it. Hes so scared of the side effects but has been suicidal so needs help.
The GP didn't say which AD would be prescribed.
How does the GP decide which one to prescribe I wonder?

How old is he, Frantic? I’ve only known Fluoxetine prescribed for under 18s.

I think the effects are quite individual to the person. DS would give citalopram a cautious thumbs up so far compared with sertraline and fluoxetine (though he’s on escitalopram, which is slightly different and thus half the dose).

He was very reluctant to try anything in case he ‘lost who he was’, and he is hyper alert to possible side effects, but so far it’s been pretty smooth going on this.

Sorry, what I meant was that the only one I’ve seen used in teenagers was fluoxetine (not whatever back to front thing I typed).

You must be so worried for him. Is he safe at the moment, though, and within hugging distance?

Citalopram was great for me. No side effects on 10mg at all, and it was like someone had lifted a net curtain from my mind, a net curtain I wasn't even aware I had. Everything was suddenly calm and clear.

However, 20mg was too strong for me, and I couldn't stop clenching my jaw! I dropped back down to 10mg and the jaw thing stopped.

I don't take them at all now, but I look back with fondness on those little magic pills that helped get me through a very bad time.

I found these very good and had minimal side effects

Half a tablet every day works well for me. I’ve been taking this for years and feel less irritable, less anxious and better able to cope. I do have less of a sex drive with them though, although in my personal circumstances that’s not an issue.

You will be fine and they will help. Also that's not a massive dose so shouldn't be horrendous. Every time I've been on it/changed dose I've felt a bit ropy for a couple of week.

My (and several other people I know) main sustained side effect is that, if I drink booze, I can have loose stools the next day. Sorry if TMI. But tbh booze isn't great if you're depressed anyway.