Citalopram

[cookies92]

Hi,

I've struggled with anxiety on and off pretty much all my life. I've been anxiety free for about 4 years but a few weeks ago it hit me like a tonne of bricks and I started having panic attacks. I made myself ill with it, couldn't leave the house, could barely eat or sleep, was throwing up. I phoned the Dr who prescribed me 20mg citalopram. I was on 10mg at the beginning of the year for low mood but I came off it very quickly as I felt I didn't need it. This anxiety is different and much worse so I am willing to do anything to get myself better. I'm a single parent to 2 kids aged 8 and 3 and having to rely on family and friends to care for my 3 year old which is making me feel so much worse. I just want to get a grip of it.

When I was at my worst I phoned NHS 24 in tears and they gave me some diazepam which did help but I know that's not a long term solution plus it made me drowsy for the first hour or so so not ideal with a 3 year old.

I then had a few days of feeling really good but it suddenly hit me on Sunday night and I was up most of the night and ended up having a panic attack and was sick. I've been on the 20mg citalopram for a week now and wondering if this is the side effects as I was told it could make anxiety worse initially and also make sleep difficult and make you feel sick. I also have a very dry mouth.

My question is for those who have been on the same, did you experience the same side effects, did they eventually pass and how long did it take for them to pass?

Thanks

Hi Cookies, sorry to hear you’re struggling right now. I was also taking citalopram at the start of the year and it really did help but I only took it for a few months and decided I felt better so stopped it. I’ve recently been under a lot of stress again so my anxiety has reared its head and I’ve just restarted it again.

my experience is that it does heighten my anxiety for the first week or so, my sleep gets even worse too and I have no appetite and a clenched jaw. From memory, these symptoms do not last long although I previously started on 10mg and have restarted at the same dose with a view to increase to 20mg soon.

I wish I hadn’t stopped taking them earlier in the year now as the start up really is quick unpleasant but stick with it, it did eventually work for me and I’m sure it will for you

Thank you so much for your reply GoRicky.

I was originally on 10mg and didn't have really any side effects (apart from sexually) and I was seeing someone at the time so I came off them as it was putting a strain on things in the bedroom. I'm in a much worse place now so that is so far from my mind I don't care 😂 but these side effects (I'm assuming that's what it is) are pretty horrible but I will bear with them if it's going to help in the long run!

Sorry to hear you aren't in a great place either. Hopefully in a few months we will both be feeling differently 🥰

I had a terrible time on citalopram years ago and went on to fluoxetine. I'm in my first week of increasing the dose and running a bit of a diary on another tread on here.

We can support eachother on that if you like?

Sounds good overthinker what's the link to your thread?

Hand hold for fluoxetine increase www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed/4649629-hand-hold-for-fluoxetine-increase

I needed to read this thread so thank you for sharing!

I've been on 10mg citalopram for over a year but just increased to 20mg a week ago as started a new job last week that was a bit more of a shock to the system than I expected. I got so anxious on day 1 and 2 of the new job that I decided to up my dosage on day 3. Since then I have been feeling AWFUL! Funnily enough it was only today that I thought "maybe this is just the side effects of upping my citalopram" rather than just my original anxiety from the new job escalating.

To make things worse my DH and two DDs have all come down with a sickness bug in the past week meaning time off the new job, a 4am visit to kids A&E and v little sleep. We are also moving house in a few weeks too.

I spoke to my GP on Monday when things got really bad and he prescribed 40mg propranolol to take twice a day alongside the citalopram. It def helped take the edge off but the citalopram symptoms are still there. Today they're really strong which I'm hoping means they'll fade soon. I've been really nauseous, absolutely no appetite and have just felt really spacey and dreamlike. Started yawning and getting heartburn today too.

Really hope we'll be over the worst in a few days 🙏🏻

@bananabreadbatshit oh wow you're having a time of it! Actually that is what tipped me over the edge, my kids had a sickness bug, I'd just got a kitten and I was like oh no if I get ill what will I do?! This is when it really hit me that I'm a single parent and I just spiralled!

It's so hard to know if my symptoms are from my anxiety or the tablets, but considering I felt better last week and have now taken another turn I'm hoping it is the tablets and eventually it will be worth it! It's sooo horrible tho!

I was on citalopram for years, came off it a year ago but have struggled since so started taking again this week. I’m trying to get through the first week of side effects as I know it will get better in a week or two. But it’s really hard isn’t it

@HateMyJob12345 aww did you find it helped when you had it? I have a dr appointment soon and going to ask for propanalol as apparently that's really good for the physical side effects of anxiety which is what I struggle with most of all

Hey I just got prescribed citalopram today. I’ve been really struggling with anxiety and depression. I feel worthless all the time and am convinced that my partner will leave me and my mind keeps racing. I took a tablet at mid day today and initially felt calmer (I know they say it takes a few weeks to work but I felt the effects straight away). Now though, a few hours later, the anxiety feels more intense than normal. I hope it calms down over the next couple of weeks.
I had been hoping that the doctor would prescribe propanalol but she didn’t. I think I probably do need an SSRI though as my low self esteem is probably a symptom of depression.

i am having counselling too but I accept that this will be a slow process and that I need to deal with the physical symptoms.

I take propranolol, but I was on citalopram for a long time. in y case it's primarily to prevent migraine-like headaches. I'll admit I can't remember any particular side effects that I didn't have already!

I take so many pills and have progressed up the scale frm low dose X switching to hugh-dose and then moving on to a stronger pill ltogether beause X was no longer strong enough to control my ms.

now I know that seems not v helpful, but the point is that it didn;t stand out as 'the worst s/e ever', which tells me they can't have lasted too long.

I really hope you feel better soon.

Yes helped me be a lot calmer and generally more positive about life. I just can’t seem to cope with life’s challenges without iy

Now on day 2 of taking it (in the morning). I read that apparently it’s at its strongest 4 hours after taking it and today it was then that massive uncontrollable anxiety set in, which felt worse than what I’d experienced before. I had the day off work so stayed in bed watching Frasier. I then went for a long walk and it seems to have eased off a little - not sure if it’s because the concentration in my blood has decreased or whether the exercise and fresh air helped. I kind of want to take it at night instead but I have trouble sleeping and it seems to say that you should take it in the morning if that is the case. Must say I am looking forward to it starting to work because I am sick of feeling anxious.

I’m on day 5 of it. Had panic attacks all morning but now finally feel calm. I’m hoping the bad side effects are peaking now and I will start to feel better next week…I know from being on it before that I just need to push through the first week or so and then it will make me better in the long run. Just so difficult keeping on top of work when I feel like this.

I know the feeling @HateMyJob12345 ! I hope you are through the worst now and that you will start to feel better. It’s so hard sticking it out the first week because I don’t want to feel worse than I felt when I went to the GP (ie when things got intolerable).
I am now on day 3. Felt jittery and unfocused after 3-4 hours rather than extreme anxiety like the other days, which was actually welcome, although I wasn’t too efficient at work. I am hoping the anxiety stuff has gone now and I can start to feel better. Good luck to everyone else taking it.

How's everyone doing on it now? I'm now on day 11 but yet to take the pill. I definitely feel less anxious than I did but I'm still noticing it during the night I'm really restless and mornings are worst but I'm doing better than I was.

Glad you’re starting to feel better @cookies92. i am on day 4 and going to take the pill in an hour or so. My sleep was better last night although my head feels a bit fuzzy this morning. I had an upset stomach last night which could have been another side effect because I’m pretty sure it wasn’t something I ate. I think it’s too early to say whether my anxiety is better, although yesterday I didn’t have the increase in anxiety that I’d had on the first two days.

@cookies92
I'm glad the symptoms seem to be settling down. I've been on Citalopram for nigh on 13 years, dosage ranging between 20mg and 40mg (on 40 right now)

The first month is not amazing, feeling very jittery and panicky, but for me it wore off and I can say taking it has saved my life and my marriage.

I feel 'normal' on it, if that makes sense, as I have a friend that said she felt like she was wading through treacle while she was on citalopram.

All the best 💐

I’m on day 6 now and I feel awful. I’ve been on citalopram on and off for 10 years and don’t remember feeling this awful the other times I’ve started it. Will I feel this bad for a whole month? I’m regretting starting taking it again as had panic attacks all yesterday morning and same is happening today and can’t seem to calm myself down. I’m taking 20mg which is lower than my usual dose of 30 mg

@Puncturedbicycle85 yes probably too early to tell but hopefully after a month or so you'll know. My anxiety initially increased around day 5/6 which was horrible.

@Frogsareflyinginfromthewest that's very reassuring 😁 I really hope I am able to say the same soon!

@HateMyJob12345 my anxiety got worse around day 5/6 so don't worry . Easier said than done of course! I'm feeling a bit apprehensive today but I've just got my kids back and have to take my son to football and entertain my daughter whilst he's there so I'm feeling nervous about it all. Ridiculous really as it's something I've been doing for years but ever since my anxiety hit normal things feel scary.

Did it peak around day 5/6 then start to get better?

@HateMyJob12345 yes it did. As I say I do feel more anxious today but probably because I'm going out my comfort zone and back to the crazyness of the kids.

Thanks @cookies92 thats very reassuring. I’m just desperate to feel calm. And worried about how I’m going to get through another week at work feeling like this. I hope I start to feel better tomorrow.

@HateMyJob12345 I understand how you feel. I had my kids for 2 weeks straight due to the holidays and I'm a single parent it was a huge struggle and I had to get my parents to occasionally have my daughter as she's only 3 and I couldn't look after her! Let's hope this is all worth it for us 🤞🤞

Thanks @cookies92 it makes me feel less alone that other people are going through it too…not that I’d wish this on anyone of course