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

@kizziee
I'm so sorry that your day has been awful, mine has been up and down but I've had those days of non stop crying and fear, I know you feel like you can't keep on fighting but you can, just reaching out for help and support is your way of fighting this, it's going to take time and for the moment just tell yourself that the meds are making you feel this way whilst your body is adjusting to them, allow yourself to have these feelings it's completely normal whilst adjusting, so many other people are going through the same as us right now and it will get better, just take it slowly and you will eventually turn a corner x

Thank you x

@buddyb5 @kizziee

How are you both doing? x

@Sara1235
Hi, well I'm on day 6 now and feeling really anxious today but it's not getting to the point of panic, which is weird, I even tried to have a panic attack earlier, told myself go on then if you feel this anxious but it just didn't happen, also my mind feels calmer, really tired too, tight chest still lingering, just hoping things will level out soon, how are you doing? X

@buddyb5

It's shit the anxiety is still high but good to hear the panic hasn't come on today and you feel a calmer hopefully over the next few days the anxiety starts to reduce I'm keeping everything crossed for you amazing you took that step to increase! xx

I'm ok had a little wobble, I was anxious yesterday morning my initial reaction was oh god here we go but I understood why I was anxious accepted it was OK and went for a walk on my lunch and it soon subsided xx

@Sara1235
Thankyou, yes it took a lot to increase, so I'm praying it will work, I think the blips of anxiety are normal as the body adjusts to the increase, good that you got through it though, I took myself out for a walk today too, the sunshine was lovely, hope your day is better tomorrow x

@Sara1235 thank you for asking. I ended up taking diazepam yesterday. Also having horrible lows but trying to dig in. With the ad I'm taking the physical side effects are quite significant when starting / increasing too.
I still wonder whether i should have switched to try citalopram but it's always difficult to know what to do and I keep telling myself that I could always try that in future if needed (although praying that this works.)

Hope everyone is doing ok.

@buddyb5 & @kizziee

Hello, how are you both?

Thank you for asking @Sara1235 . Everything still very difficult here. Severe anxiety and depression plus lots of physical side effects from the tricyclic. I’m really worried about ever getting better. Sorry not a more positive message. Hope you are ok.

@Sara1235
Hi Sara, I'm doing pretty well thanks, days are getting better, still a little morning anxiety but it soon goes away, feel really tired all the time but I think that's just my body relaxing with the meds, I'm definitely seeing improvements more and more each day, how are you?

@kizziee

Please don't ever say sorry for being honest. Quite frankly it's the absolute pits feeling how you do whilst we all have our own individual experiences I can safely say I had weeks when I didn't think I would ever feel myself again and i was scared and felt hopeless.

Have you got any more appointments to discuss next steps xx

@buddyb5

That is sounding positive I'm really happy your days are better and the increase seems to be having a positive affect 😊

I am OK thank you had a few periodic anxiety moments but I am controlling it from spiralling so feeling good about that x

@Sara1235
It sounds like you are still doing well, I think it's completely normal to have ups and downs as the meds are still doing their job and the fact that you can handle the anxious times better shows that the meds have given you the head space to do that, it can only get better ❤️‍🩹

It’s good to see that you are both doing well. As well as the anxiety / depression I’ve got a lot of physical side effects too from the tricyclic. If no improvements soon it’s likely that they will say for me to change AD.
I had stayed on a low dose long term to try and avoid this happening.

@Sara1235
@kizziee
Hi, just checking in to see how everyone is doing? 😊

@buddyb5 thank you for checking in!

Hi I've been ok, recently had a few nights of waking up with panic and morning anxiety, but I'm not sure what it's about tbh.

How about you and @kizziee how have you both been doing?

@Sara1235
Weirdly so have I, the past couple of days have been pretty tough, really anxious on wake up and through out the day, was doing really well the past couple of weeks before that, I've just finished week 6, so I'm hoping it's a bit of a blip, hate having those feelings back again.

@buddyb5

I honestly understand I just don't get it why its started I'm getting anxious about being anxious I've got so much on this year and the thought of going down the rabbit hole is doing me no favours.

Has anything triggered your anxiety or has it come out the blue?

@Sara1235
I think it's the fear of having the anxiety back how it was at the beginning, also I am currently on my period and a few days before that I had to have my smear test done, so hormone and stress wise, I'm in a bit of a anxiety inducing place, I think I need to start tolerating the anxiety so it starts to have less of a hold, I think all the time I'm worrying and adding thoughts to it, it's just going to hang around, it's just so bloody tough though, I'd love to just wake up and it not be there at all but in reality, it is always going to be there, we just need to learn how to turn it down a notch, what week are you on now with the 40? That can take a few months to settle. x

@buddyb5

That makes a lot of sense, and you're absolutely right about accepting and trying to turn it down!

Would also make sense with your hormones being heightened and awaiting some results back it'd always a nerves wait after having a smear done, but I am sure you will be fine x

It's that time of the month for me too and I've just had a new hormone coil fitted so maybe it's that!

Sometimes I think to myself what is wrong with me i am scared of an emotion and feel silly but it feels so powerful and all consuming!

We do need to take some of that power back And kick it on it's a$$!!

@Sara1235
Sounds like we are both hormonal messes😂
Yes the feelings of anxiety can be so debilitating and no one likes being in a constant state of fight or flight, I think it's about saying to ourselves yeah I'm feeling anxious, jittery panicky etc.... but what's the worst that could happen, also taking it with us everywhere we go will help to desensitise it little by little until it becomes a background noise that we are comfortable managing, it's a long long process and it sucks that it takes so long to recover as well as dealing with what the citalopram has to throw at us, so I think we are doing pretty darn well, just got to take each day again until it levels out and the days get better more consistently, which I'm sure they will, keep in touch when you need to, we can do this! x

@buddyb5

I meant to say it's 3 months for me now on 40mg.

Thank you so much for reaching out today. I feel a lot more positive than I did after your messages. I am going to really try and practice what you've said. You speak so much sense the anxiety goes and then when it returns we get the panic because it's back but like you say its not the right way to deal with because feeling anxious is a feeling that can be natural and its up to is to control the strength and length of it. Never thought of it like this before honestly thanks for today x

100% lets keep in touch and see how we get on!

@Sara1235
Awww you are very welcome, it's something I've been really looking into as I've just had enough of it rearing it's ugly head, if you like listening to pod casts, listen to disordered-anxiety help with Joshua fletcher, he makes complete sense and was a sufferer himself and is now a psychotherapist, I hope you get a better night tonight, speak
soon and we will get through this x

@Sara1235
Oh and 3 months is still quite early on the path of complete recovery, hang in there! X

@buddyb5 @Sara1235
I'm a few weeks into taking my AD now. Unfortunately it's given me insomnia (complete - no sleep at all.)
I'm taking a sleeping tablet every other night just to try and get some sleep but obviously can't keep doing that.
I'm still feeling very shaky and off work so will need to decide soon if going to switch. I'm so disappointed and also worried about the possibility of maybe needing to switch and start again.
I'm really glad that you have both had some better time but agree with everything you've said about anxiety. If you can accept it to a certain extent this reduces its power over you.
Thank you for thinking of me.