Citalopram - just taken first tablet

[theowlwhowasafraidofthedark]

Hi
After spending months debating whether to contact my GP, and then whether to start antidepressants I’ve finally taken my first dose. After spending so much time procrastinating about all of this I’m worried that I’ve suddenly developed really high hopes of what this drug might do for me. There are several things in my life I need to change, some straightforward like getting my admin and home in order, and some much bigger like addressing my self esteem and family relationships. I would also love to stop SHOUTING and my kids and husband and become a fun person to be around again.

I don’t know if these are realistic goals. I’d love to hear some positive experiences if anyone has them.

Thanks

No experience op but I've been prescribed propranolol recently for anxiety. I've put off having them for so long. I picked prescription up last week but been too "scared" to start them. Hope all goes well for you and well done

My life was rosy when I was on citalopram. I was on the maximum dose, after a really awful time in my life, and it made everything better. Unfortunately new guidelines then lowered the maximum dose allowed and I wasn’t happy on less so they swapped me to a different one....then another.....I settled on the 3rd change but I’ve never, ever, been as good as I was on citalopram, it just really suited me and I was a happy fun person again for my family. I hope you get back to your happy self op.

I was also given propranolol-after I had to stop the citalopram! It does really take that panicky, heart racing, shallow breathing away and make everything calmer. However it can cause tinnitus! I’ve suffered for 5 years now and even after stopping propranolol, after taking it 3 x a day for 6 months, the tinnitus never went. I have recently restarted propranolol, Covid is causing an increase in anxiety, but I only take it as and when rather than x times a day. It can contribute to low mood though so I don’t know what’s best to do anymore tbh.

Thanks
Backtoback - sorry to hear you couldn’t carry on with your original dose. How stressful to have to switch from something that was working for you. I don’t really have anxiety but I’m constantly swamped by negative thoughts. All I want is for life to feel a bit more rosy.

WeddingPanic - i was stuck at the ‘scared’ phase for a while but slowly moved myself to ‘nothing to lose’. I’ve just had an attack of diarrhoea so actually things have got a bit worse🤦‍♀️ Hopefully it’s going to be a short term thing. Good luck with taking the next step

I took citrapolram for a while, only 20mg dose iirc. It definitely took the edge off the anxiety and depression (I think it was particularly effective for the anxiety), but I felt after a while that it was maybe also taking the edge off more positive feelings as well.
Having had a conversation with a psychiatrist about a very depressed friend sometime later, I learned that such antidepressants may have better longer term outcomes if patients continue to take them for 6-12 months after they "feel better". I then often wonder whether I stopped taking them too soon.
Might be worth noting that the first fortnight I took them, I barely slept and was strangely wired - I have memories of being sat on the sofa at 3am, completely knackered yet wide awake. Very unsettling, but it passed after a fortnight or so.....

Does anyone feel like the meds hve caused tinnutis? Xx

I've been on C a couple of weeks and it's been life-changing. I was suffering terrible anxiety and panic attacks and they have all but gone 🤞🏼 I do feel rather spaced out though, which I don't like. I'm taking 10mg a day but chipping off some of the tablet to try and reduce the dose & see how that fares. They did make me feel worse initially and I def still feel depressed, but without the debilitating physical symptoms.

@weddingpanic My friend is a nurse and takes/swears by them. They are good are slowing down your heart rate and lowering blood pressure, which isn't healthy for your body. They are a reactive drug so you can take them just when you are experiencing an attack - up to 40mg according to the leaflet. They helped calm my panic attacks for sure.

Just here to say that, as a PP has, antidepressants can make things feel worse before they get better. GPs often don't mention that. Hang in there though. Some years ago, similar pills rescued me from a very, very bleak place once I got past the first three weeks or so. Hope you feel better soon.

Spoke too soon! Woke with anxiety this morning. Maybe the dose is too low now. I haven't felt zoned out today so swings & roundabouts. Need to find a happy medium.

I’m also on 10mg. I’d been on them for about 4 months and had just weaned myself off them as I didn’t like one of the side effects- my sex drive just disappeared. It was weird as I felt so much happier but that element of me didn’t exist. Sure enough, it returned a week or two after I stopped.
But…I’ve started feeling quite manic again and there are stressful events in my life so I’ve decided to start taking them again. They definitely help take the edge off and at the moment I need that.