Advice from people who have taken Citalopram

[Sara1235]

Hi everyone

I am now on day 3 of taking citalopram and I've started to think I've made a big mistake these side effects are horrible nausea, no appetite, stomach ache, burning sensation, intense anxiety, faster pulse, dizziness, just want to cry all the time.

Does anyone have any advice on how they got through the first week / 2 weeks? How long is it this intense for does each day get better?

Thank you

@buddyb5

Amazing strength 💪 you are doing so well!!
Sleep has been much better this week I have woke with any panic through the night. Morning anxiety is still high but I managed to shake it off by mid morning! How's your sleep?

I think I had a wobble because I know 40mg is max on the meds and I don't think this new hormone coil helped x

@Sara1235

My sleep has been good, getting around 7 hours a night, the morning anxiety is still shit but like you say, I just get up and get on and I'm better in the afternoons.
I'm certain hormones are a big factor in all this, I'm due on soon and feel a bit more jittery than usual, I think we are both doing so well, more power to us x

@buddyb5 @Sara1235 would love to hear how you are getting on now! Better I hope. I’m on week 7 and reading everything I can to give me hope x

@Mpmd

I hope your journey with citalopram hasn't been too terrible and is getting easier for you! How are you doing?

It can still be up and down but I'm now grasping the reality of anxiety and understanding even if I didn't have a diagnosis of health anxiety certain times in our life anxiety will appear for everyone and when it does come along it's not that I'm losing control. It was @buddyb5 who mentioned that and I've been working on accepting anxiety since it's not been easy but it has certainly helped no end! It been a rough few months with family personal problems and normally I would not be coping and be in a very heightened state of anxiety but it's been much more bearable.

Sarah x

@Mpmd
I'm on week 15 now and am still having good and bad days, although I can manage the bad days an awful lot better than right at the beginning, it takes a really long time for some for these meds to work and whilst they do, my advice is to start accepting the anxiety and not trying to get rid of it, which is the hardest part as none of want to feel this way, the more you accept it the more quieter it becomes and the citalopram will help you from spiralling if that makes sense, week 7 is still really early days but if you have been noticing good moments here and there then the meds are working, just stick with it, I recommend that you take a look at Kate Cogs on patient uk, she explains the process so well, I think I've put a link to it somewhere on here and remember you are not alone, there are so many of us going the the same and we will get through this x
@Sara1235
Hey Sara, lovely to see you on here again, and really proud of you toughing it out especially with so much stress going on, unfortunately life carries on doesn't it?whether we feel good or bad but feel good that you managed to do it with all the anxiety feelings, lord knows how I've got through some recent stresses but I did and it just goes to show that the meds are working and we are slowly but surely accepting the anxiety and soon enough it will be a quiet background noise, keep doing what you are doing, again really proud of you x

@buddyb5 @Sara1235
i started on 10mg for 4 weeks, 15mg for a week & have been on 20mg for 13 days now. I’ve found that going up to 20mg was really hard. My anxiety went to what I can only describe as hell & negative thoughts spiralled. I suffer from dp/dr and it became manageable but got bad again from upping the dose. Today is the first day in weeks I have been able to get straight out of bed & not lay there for hours feeling crippled with panic and anxiety so I guess that’s a good sign.. I am also keeping very aware that this might not be the same tomorrow and I might have more blips but for now I’ll take it.
im glad to hear you are both doing a little better. Forums like this have really pulled me through this. I think I’m trying to do the same and wanting to understand and accept the anxiety more so I don’t fear it. It’s extremely difficult when such negative and absolute bizarre thoughts come along with it and sometimes make you feel like you’re going mad! Do you both also suffer with these thoughts and negative feelings? X

@Mpmd
So when you increase your dose, you are basically starting over again, so you've been on the 20mg for 13 days, so count that as 13 days, so all the feelings you are getting now are completely normal, yes I do get the negative and bizarre thoughts, it's all part of anxiety, just tell yourself that its only thoughts, thoughts are not real it's just your brain reacting to a overly sensitised nervous system, this will all calm down once the citalopram kicks in and the thoughts will become quieter, hope that helps x

@Sara1235 did u stick with it ? Did it help yhe migraines? X

On citalopram 7 days on 10mgs 2 on 20mgs just feel wired terrible anxiety can’t sit still heart racing all the time and terrible tinnitus. Shaking like mad all day weak and struggling to concentrate. Any comments that tell me this might go away?? The worst is the wired tinnitus feeling and constant shaking x

@Vicksterj
Yes! It will get better. Take care of yourself and keep going.

It will improve can take up to 6 weeks to settle fully . I nearly gave up lots of times but keep going through it. I use escitalopram and it made a huge difference to me . If citalopram not help this one is worth trying I got on better with that one . Keep going . Day by day . It’s horrible and you feel worse before better.

Maybe do 15 . I went really slow second time and that helped. Just half it for a week or 2 then gradually build up

@Vicksterj I'm sorry you are having such horrid side affects, how was you when you took 10mg?
The side affects do subside everyone is different on how long they last but they will go away, and you will have better days that turn to weeks and months it is a bumpy ride.

@buddyb5 how are you doing?

@Starrrz Hey how are you?

Yes it has helped the migraine and tension!

@Sara1235
Hi, how are you? Nice to hear from you, well I won't say it's been an easy ride, it's been a hell of a few months adjusting and with perimenopause thrown in the mix, I've been trying to optimise my HRT, saying that though, I'm definitely in a much better place than I was this time last year, sleeping all night, minimal morning anxiety and getting on with my days a lot easier. I hope you are doing better x

Just checking in, I hope everyone is doing ok.

I’ve been on 20mg for some time now and seems to be working well. I’ve been starting to think about the future, I don’t want to be taking them forever. I’ve experimented with taking every other day which hasn’t had much negative impact but I did notice my mood changed when I missed a few days.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I go back down to 10mg?

@buddyb5 Sounds like you have been on a right roller coaster of a journey.
Great to hear you are more settled and your anxiety has somewhat sub sided.

I am on the max dose of 40mg now and the anxiety has settled down since moving up I've had a good 6 months despite some home stresses and planning my wedding i got married last November I don't think I would have without Citalopram so I am glad I stuck with it 😊

@bendmeoverbackwards that's great that you have settled down.
I hope you don't mind me asking but what makes you want to come off them completely? How long have you been on them?

I suppose it depends on what your anxiety is caused by and if you feel you have it under control have you spoken with the doctor about reducing?

Hi all, I’ve read this entire thread and although no one has been on in a few months I just wanted to see how you were all getting on? I’m on day 3 of citalopram. I’m also taking propranolol as and when needed. Although not formally diagnosed I suffer from GAD, and death anxiety since the death of my stepdaughter. When I’m in a heightened state I’m convinced all my family are going to die (kids, sisters parents) and that I won’t cope. Side effects are nausea, loss of appetite and tiredness. I’m still quite flat emotion wise, have been like that since July so I’m hoping that starts to sort itself out the longer I keep taking the AD. I’ve been on Sertraline previously for around 17 months but I would always forget to take them so just stopped altogether in May this year (didn’t taper off but should have done) was absolutely fine anxiety wise until 22/07 when I caught covid which set my anxiety off and has just got progressively worse since then.

I,m on 10mg of citalopram. The problem i have is that my hair has become very thin and seems to be getting thinner to the point where i can see my scalp. I,ve spoke to my gp but he says its very unlikely that citalopram is causing this but it seemed to start around about the time i started taking it. Has anyone else experianced this ? I m 63 x

Evening,

Hair thining is a less common side affect of Citalopram but can be i would go back to the doctors

Hello, I’ve been reading this thread because I need some support. I’ve just started taking citalopram. I was on them for 5 years and they were amazing then I came off and it’s been almost a year off them and I just couldn’t manage (lots of life stuff happened). So I started taking them again yesterday. Last time I do not recall any major side effects but this time I am struggling and it is worrying me.

I feel a bit spaced out, heavy head, my arms are prickling and burning and I keep getting intense waves of anxiety and panic and feeling like I’m on red bull !

I don’t recall this last time at all, so I am worrying myself that I’ve developed an allergy or something. But I’ve tolerated citalopram twice before very well.

I have two small children and I worry that in the morning I won’t be able to get up. Or that I’ve done the wrong thing.

@littleme21 I took it at night time to try and sleep through the worst but not sure if that’s a good idea or not. I have some nausea but I can manage that, I’m struggling with a very heavy fuzzy head and waves of prickly heat and anxiety. I just feel really wired but can’t relax. I hope it passes soon. I honestly don’t recall the side effects being this strong last time I took it, so I was surprised and it worried me. Trying to push through but I am so exhausted and just keep staring off into space!

how are you feeling about it? I’m sure we just need to allow ourselves to go with it and hang on for the light at the end of the tunnel!