Citalopram tiredness

[Poorkitty]

Hi all.

I've been on citalopram 20mg for a little over four weeks.
I feel like it's working well for my anxiety and depression so I'm happy with that but my god I'm so tired.
I'm sleeping well at night (finally!) Getting at least 7-8 hours but during the day I'm so tired and have been having naps in the afternoon (sometimes for as long a 3 hours!) I have no motivation to do anything, I want to exercise but cant muster the energy, I dont even want to go out for walks. I can just about manage day to day stuff at home and my part time job but nothing more than that. All day today I've been on the sofa snoozing on and off. This isnt like me at all I'm usually always on the go.
I've also noticed my memory is quite bad, like I cant quite remember what I was doing yesterday or the days before, it's like it's all a blur and I really have to concentrate to remember what I've been doing. I'm wondering if this is just because I'm so tired I'm not really taking in life? Like it's just passing me by and I'm not paying attention?

Anyway. Like I said I feel like its helping with the anxiety and depression but I cant go on feeling like this either, although it is early days too so I dont know if I should give it more time or ask to be prescribed a different medication?

Any experience?

It took me about 4-6 weeks to feel less tired on 10mg citalopram. The more active I am, the better I feel.

Interesting that you should say that, I was very tried yesterday (as per..) but I had things to do so rather than just laying around I got on with stuff and felt so much better for it. I guess I need to push through for now. I'm really happy with the effect they're having on my mental health so its worth putting up with for now I suppose.
Going to drag myself out on a walk soon and see if I perk up a bit.

The other thing to say about citalopram is that it can lower sodium levels, a symptom of which is tiredness.

When do you take it? I've taken it for years and have to take it before I go to bed if I take it in the morning I'm wiped out

I couldnt deal with the fatigue on citalopram, i felt like a zombie.
I am geeting on much much better with fluoxetine

I take it after dinner at around 5pm.. I wanted to take it as late in the day as possible but also at a time when I would be at home to give me a chance to get rid of the side effects by the following day. If I took it at bed time its likely I'd still feel out of it by 8am the following day.. saying that, I'm past the worst of all that now, the first two weeks I was absolutely useless now it's just a constant tiredness.

Today for example, I went to bed at 10pm last night, up at 7am this morning, got home today at 10am after dropping dd off at school and went for a hair cut. Fell asleep at 11am and woke up at 2pm I cant keep wasting my days like this but I'm just soooo tired i can't fight it off, on the plus I'm loving all this sleep after months of broken sleep from anxiety but also really aware I'm just wasting my days/life. Also it's the 6 weeks holidays coming up soon I cant be like this during it! 😱

I spoke to the gp today, I asked again if I can be changed to sertraline, I asked if I could be put on that the first time (so 4 weeks ago when they started me on citalopram) as I was on it a few years ago and got on fine with it after the first couple of weeks adjustment period but was told no as it's too expensive now he said to give it a couple more weeks and if I'm still the same hes going to try me on estiropram and order a blood test 🤷‍♀️

*escitalopram

Had to google the proper spelling

I am just the same in 20mg dose ... I used to take in the morning but by mid afternoon I was just exhausted so I changed to taking it around 8pm and I don't get that awful tiredness now x

Well I've just spoken to a gp again, shes really nice and seems to know her stuff and straight away understood what I was saying.

Shes changed it to fluoxetine 20mg as of tomorrow so I'll see how I get on with it.

Has any one had any experience of swapping over meds before? She said it's just a direct swap but not sure what to look out of as far as side effects go, I'm assuming the antidepressant/anti anxiety effects will continue to work as it's been left off? As in I'm not starting from scratch it's just a different medication taking over.

How did you get off swapping? I know this is an old post but I’m considering swapping my citalopram. After 8 weeks I’m so tired, not sleep and still anxious. Increased dose yesterday so I’m going to give in another few weeks and see how I get on x