Citalopram please help!

[Treetops12]

Hello all

I have a horrible form of anxiety where I am just never tired. I feel alert all the time. No longer have any need for caffeine and I canf sleep for long at night.
Can't nap. Can't relax.
I see colours brightly / everything looks too sharp/vivid. Derealization and sometimes panic attacks if I have to go into an appointment (doctors etc)

Some days I get overwhelmed with anxiety and aggitation (especially just before my period) and I stay in bed crying the whole day. Can't look after my kids and have constant thoughts of there is only one way out of this. And cry for my old self and old life. And for my kids.

Had trouble with many meds. Can't get one that doesn't make the anxiety a thousand times worse.

Ive read so many good things about citalopram. Ive been prescribed it once but i couldn't get passed the first day because it literally had me bed bound with sickness. Such awful stomach pain and diarrhoea. I actually felt a lot like I had very bad food poisoning.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced the same kind of symptoms of anxiety I have. And if citalopram has helped? Does the awful poisoned feeling pass? If I had some childcare in place I think I could try again.

Anyone?! 🙏

I've been in it for several years. Tried to come off a few times (have been told never to try but obviously I ignored that a few times!) and regret it as this first couple of weeks with the side effects you describe are hell. Then the mist clears - the side effects ease off and I feel amazing. No more anxiety, I sleep, I relax and I feel like the "normal" me

Try to persevere, for me at least, it's been well worth it.

I second that. I have quite severe depression and started having panic attacks a few years ago. I was already on a low dose of citalopram so my Dr upped it. It's true the first week or 2 it feels like your symptoms are worse but when it does pass (and it will) I felt so much better with the anxiety. I haven't had a full on panic attack for a long time

@Neu thanks for replying. Just so I know what's 'normal' were you literally feeling poisoned and in bed? I had stabbing pain in my stomach.
My family (who will be looking after my kids) keep telling me it can't be right if it makes you that sick! I feel so guilty needing to ask for all this help.

@TeamSpike thank you. Did you get the awful stomach pains too? I take it your anxiety was worse also at the beginning ? Gosh it's hard!

I got on really well with it but the first fortnight was awful! I had a couple of days of dodgy belly and a couple of weeks of really high anxiety! My doctor gave me diazepam for 2 weeks when I restarted after a break and that made it more bearable.

If you're wired all the time mirtazepine or amitriptyline might be better, but I appreciate that you may have already tried these.

I had stomach pains and a terrible headache, but it did pass after a few days and once I was taking it regularly for a couple of weeks I honestly felt like a miserable black cloud was removed from above my head.

OP I didn't get the stomach pains you describe but it can be different for everyone. If it's too unbearable I'd say talk to your Dr to see if they can give you something along with it as pp said. My anxiety was very high to begin with but after the first couple of weeks you'll just realise you feel a bit better every day. And please don't feel ashamed for asking for help. That's how we get better, with support. Good luck

@MardyOldGoth thanks. Yeah tried mirtazapine for 10 months all the way to 45mg. Made depression and anxiety way worse unfortunately. Maybe amitriptyline would work.

Thanks everyone. I'll definitely take diazapam with it next attempt. I'm always so scared to use it regularly but its the only way I'll be through it.

Oh and did you take it at night or morning?

Every morning x

Every morning

I have to eat my breakfast before taking mine, otherwise it makes me vomit. I've been on them about 3 years now, and they have done wonders for my social anxiety. I've been able to go back to work, and to socialise. I'm much calmer at dealing with my DC too.

I was on citalopram for years until my mental health, mainly panic disorder, got out of hand. I was prescribed escitalopram and propanalol and it helped a lot

Random question - when you got settled on citalopram did you get big stomach bloating? I tried venlafaxine and my upper stomach got so bloated I couldn't do up my jeans! It never really went away.

Following this as I just took my first 20mg dose today and not sure if I can continue with it to be honest. Extreme nausea, dizziness, anxiety and palpitations all day. Feel like I've been poisoned. I don't know if I can take it and then safely drive to work in the morning.

Prescribed for persistent low mood following relationship with father of my 2 kids breaking down, and death of my Dad 6 months ago.

It's the first time I've taken an antidepressant. Not sure it was the right decision.

Your body is just getting used to it, it will settle down and you won't feel any of this in a few days.

Once I got through the physical symptoms, I felt like a dark cloud had literally been taken from above my head and I could see and think straight for the first time in ages.

It was well worth putting up with a few days of feeling crap.

I've been on it just over a year, and never had any problems.

I found it takes a while, to get working, but definitely worth it. Feel much better.

With antidepressant prescriptions there are a lot of hoops to jump through.

First of all, they prescribe an SSRI like sertraline/ citalopram. They are the cheapest drugs and generally safe as well. Some people are OK on them but quite a few get side effects (like you).

Once you've tried a couple of SSRIs, they'll then move you onto something like venlafaxine which you've tried as well and didn't work for you.

You will only get the drugs that are actually good (and more expensive) once you've been through this whole process of trying several things.

Go back and tell them that you don't want another SSRI. Tell them to put you on something else because they are not working for you, it's about time they gave you a decent antidepressant that works for you.

Citalopram is OK for some people but if you've had horrible side effects I don't recommend going back on it. I took it for several years, stopped about 2 years ago and I actually still have the remnants of the side effects which it caused, these things do not get out of your system quickly at all.

Good luck.

(BTW, the reason for all of this is purely cost - that's why you need to demand they put you on a better drug, it will be more expensive for the NHS but you obviously need it).

DH is on it, told to never come off it.
It relaxed him, best thing he ever did. No other side effects.

Thanks @strawberriesandcream that's really helpful to know. I will give it a few more days as it's the weekend now, and try taking in the evening instead.

@cookiemonster2468 is there in any particular you'd recommend? I've tried mirtazapine, venlafaxine and setraline.. All made anxiety unbearable 😭

@Notsomellownow how you feeling now?