Citalopram

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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

@HateMyJob12345 I totally agree! I have lots of friends on various tablets but they've all been on them for years. You said you've been on citalopram before didn't you?

Yes been on it on and off for around 10 years. Stopped a year ago to see how life is without it. Didn’t work out so started taking it again on Monday. Just don’t remember it being this hard before! Feel so jittery and can’t stop my mind racing! Just desperate to calm down and stop overthinking everything. I thought about calling the GP yesterday to ask for something to calm me down but didn’t in the end

@HateMyJob12345 I think some people need it. I have a friend who says she will probably stay on it for life, I have another friend who was on it for 2 or 3 years came off when she fell pregnant and never went back on and that was 18 months ago. I'm sure we will come out the other side 🤞 I still feel anxious from time to time but definitely so much better than I was.

Day 5 today. Yesterday I had bad nausea and diarrhoea which was pretty horrible but the anxiety was better. I have just taken the tablet this morning so we shall see what happens.

Day 7 for me and I still feel awful in the mornings. I don’t calm down until the late afternoon / evening. Constant panic attacks all morning. I don’t remember it being this bad last time. Not sure whether to persevere or to just stop taking it 😞

I was the same at your stage. Today is the first day I've woken up not anxious and I'm on day 12! I would try to get through the first 2 weeks if you can 🤞🤞

Thanks I know I’ve got to push on through…it’s just really bloody hard!

@HateMyJob12345 how are you today?

Not good. Woke up at 2am and could not go back to sleep. Constant anxiety attacks. Called the GP but no appointments so they advised me to call 111. Called 111 and they put me through to my county mental health team. They said they’re going to send someone from the mental health crises team to my house in the next 4 hours. My mind is racing, I can’t sit still, I’m starting to think this could be serotonin syndrome? But I’m only on 20mg. I just want them to give me a sedative or something to calm me down

@HateMyJob12345 oh my goodness I'm so sorry you're going through this! I've never heard of that. Let me know how you get on. When I was like you I was given diazepam which helped. Also could try propanalol

A councillor called me and that helped. But now my heart is racing again. A mental health nurse is calling tomorrow. I kept asking for something to calm me down but they won’t give me anything. I just want some respite.

@HateMyJob12345 I would ask the GP to prescribe some diazepam. How are you now?

Ended up in a and e. I’m desperate for something to calm me down but they wouldn’t give me anything. Don’t know what to do as can’t get appointment with GP.

How awful for you. Have they explained why they won’t give you anything to calm you? It seems pretty cruel. Have they told you to reduce the citalopram dose at all?

Wow I can't believe they won't even give you diazepam! Have you asked for it? Have you stopped taking the citalopram?

Saw the mental health crisis doctor today and finally they have given me some diazepam. I don’t know why they couldn’t have just given me some in a and e, I asked them but they kept saying I have to ask my GP…who I can’t get an appointment with. But at least I have some now. They said I can take it for 7 days and then hopefully the citalopram should kick it. I’ve just taken my first diazepam tablet and feel better already…just needed some relief. Thanks for all your messages.

@HateMyJob12345 I'm so glad you've finally got something that's going to help. Fingers crossed you get better soon. When I was at my worst I thought I was going to end up in hospital too, its awful and scary but I'm now 2 weeks into taking the tablets and feeling a lot better. And that's dealing with 1 child with chicken pox 😂 a few weeks ago I wouldn't of managed that!

Thanks for your support. The first diazepam dose seemed to wear off after an hour so I took another one as the Dr said I could take 2 per day and I feel ok now. Hoping this gets me through the next week and then the citalopram should have kicked in

I take escitalopram which is very similar. Citalopram didn't agree with me
I found the occasional 2mgs of diazepam really helpful while I settled on to the SSRI. Just enough to take the edge off but not enough to cause drowsiness
Stay with it

@HateMyJob12345 how have you been today? I found that as well that it wore off quite quickly.

Felt awful this morning, so much nervous energy, but by lunchtime or so I felt normal. It’s so frustrating that I feel fine in the evenings but awful again in the morning.

@HateMyJob12345 my anxiety was worse from the evening all night and until morning. I've had a minor set back this evening but I think it's due to tiredness. Still nothing like I was experiencing but I am feeling slightly on edge. How many days have you been on citalopram now?

Hope everyone is doing okay. I am on day 9 now. It’s hard to tell because I currently have both period pain and a bad cold so I’m not feeling good due to them. But the side effects seem to have calmed a bit. No longer getting diarrhoea or nausea which is good. I am also feeling less anxious. It could be placebo as it’s early days but it’s good to not be freaking out constantly.

@Puncturedbicycle85 that's good you're feeling less anxious. Not good about feeling unwell and time of the month tho! My anxiety seems to have come back a bit. Definitely not as bad as it was but I had about 4 or 5 days completely anxiety free. I'm on day 16. Wonder if that's normal?

Day 11 here. Trying to push through but it’s so hard because I feel so nervous and on edge in the mornings. Given up on the diazepam as it doesn’t seem to do anything. The dr has discussed switching meds but I think I should persevere a bit longer really