Citalopram, does it really cause constipation? Any Ads that don't?

[stirling]

My bowels and bladder have been horrendous for too long now. I have a tendency to be constipated and slow motility is a problem. Also had slow flow and urine retention when I took sertraline and amitriptaline.

Read so many good things about citalopram and need to be on an ad, but what's your experience in terms of bowel or bladder situations? Thank you

Personally I have never had that issue on any SSRI and to be honest I didn't even know it was a known side effect. Do you know why you've got slow digestion? Has stuff like autoimmune hypothyroiditis been ruled out?

Goawayangrymani haven't even been tested for that. It's just dismissed as ibs.

IBS is usually the other way round... Fast transit time and diarrhea.

I was just thinking that there could be more to it if you are both depressed and have sluggish digestion. A simple blood test for thyroid stimulating hormone and T4 / free T4 could be worth doing.

It's not right that they just throw up their hands and go 'oh well, bit of IBS, eat more fibre'.

Dietary intolerances can also cause slow transit time - my son had this with a milk intolerance as a baby. Not lactose, it's the cows milk protein.

On your original point I wouldn't put off taking citalopram if you need it. If it does make your constipation worse then you can revisit.

Sorry you're having a crap time.

Thank you for coming back to me on this
Just recently had full bloods and all OK including thyroid. Ibs can be ibs-d or ibs-c and it seems I have the latter. But also have pelvic floor disfunction and prolapse so that doesn't help!

I’ve been on citalopram and had no issues. I was on setraline for a while and that did upset my stomach.

No issues on citalopram, bowel or bladder wise. Didn't help with my MH tho so moved to sertraline ... sorted out MH issues. Experienced weight gain (c 1 stone) and massive Mosel disruption whenever I increased or decreased the dose but when I was steady it was fine. Good luck.
Also - they affect people differently. Always worth a try even if others have had side effect s

I've been on citalopram for 8 years. I get alternating constipation and diarrhea but I have diagnosed IBS so I don't know if it's connected. The IBS started a couple of years after I started citalopram so I assume it isn't connected.

No issue with it here.

I never had any such problems on citalopram.

I have never had a tendency to constipation (the opposite was much more likely) unless I didn't drink enough. However I do find that as I get older I seem to have slower throughput, regardless of how much water I drink. Slower, not necessarily harder. I have 1 or 2 spoonfuls of milled flaxseed every day, and really notice the difference.

When I take codeine I get horribly constipated. So then I add Macrogol every day as well.

Citalopram can make such a positive difference to your life. If you are worried about constipation, why not try these two supplements?

I've never had an issue with Citalopram, all I can suggest is you try dried apricots....

I was briefly on Citalopram and it gave me the shits (as part of serotonin syndrome). There are quite a few serotonin receptors in the gut and thus SSRIs can make people windy or loose. Certainly all three of the ones I tried had that effect.

The only AD type thing I can think of that causes constipation is amitriptyline but that's not usually used as an AD any more. It is sometimes used for sleep and nerve pain.

I really thank you all for sharing your views and experiences. Maybe I'll try it then .
I was wondering about weight gain ...had it badly on Prozac twenty years ago. Also hideous weight gain on amitriptyline

Easing my depression enabled me to look after myself better. Which included dieting. Citalopram has never caused me to gain weight. Disordered eating as a result of being mentally unwell caused me to gain weight.

Was has Delicates thanks that is interesting

I haven't had weight gain due to citalopram. I mean, I have slowly gained some weight in the 8 years I've been on it, but that is definitely due to me eating badly because if I sort out my diet I can lose it again - I just put it back on from eating junk again 🤣

Honestly citalopram has been amazing for me. The only side effect I've really had is needing more sleep, I sleep so deeply and for so long.. but honestly I don't see that as a bad thing! My partner says I have a "sleep superpower" because I can sleep so well since starting citalopram.

i would love more sleep! Mine is totally wrecked again since coming off hrt

I was on it for years and have been on various ad's none have causes me constipation. I've never heard this before actually.