Citalopram

[Screwballs]

Just reaching out. I'm on day 3 of 20mg Citolpram, I started Sunday night, didn't sleep amazing but well enough, then Monday night slept like hell and spent all day yesterday out of my mind feeling really drugged and nauseated. I skipped last night to swap to this morning so I've just taken my latest dose but after yesterday I'm just scared. Yesterday was so horrifically difficult, I've managed to bag an extra day WFH but I'm meant to be in the office tomorrow and Friday and if today goes badly again, I dont know how I'm meant to cope tomorrow. I don't want to tell my boss about the tablets, I feel like I've been a complete liability since I started, I've just had the best part of a week off at my grandads death bed, plus I lost a baby last year at 16 weeks, I've had covid twice and I've only been there 2.5 years so all feels like a lot of time I've not been in for someone who is meant to be senior. I'm prattling on. Life's just been really hard the last few years and it's all caught up. I didn't want to cave in to the tablets, I've been in therapy since January but have found it's stagnated and I just dread it now so put it on hold. I just need help and now I'm facing all these horrendous side effects, I'm worried about gaining weight as I always try so hard to keep it off and have only just lost a stone, I'm worried about feeling numb. Etc etc etc. I just don't know what to do with myself at the moment.

I found starting at 20mg too much and did a week at 10mg (just broke the tablet in half). I take it at night so I'm asleep if I get side effects . Have just had my dose increased to 40mg but persuaded Dr to let me try 30 first then move to 40 so I could avoid side effects.

Your body will definitely get used to them, and on the whole they do work. So 🤞🏻

Definitely take them at night, I still find a few years down the line that taking the in the day leaves me unable to functional very well.

Day 4 - yesterday was less painful taking it at 8.30am. Didnt find that it really kicked in till 2, its the "other side" that I seem to be struggling with, so by 8/9pm I was shaky and feeling sick. Going to take it at 10.30am today to try and make the ill feeling post bedtime and sleep through that. I am really shaky today and in the office, feel really anxious about taking the dose today, dont honesty feel like Im up for this at all, having to appear to be absolutely fine when Im spinning, I want to lock myself away until this stops. Fretting about a work do I have next Thursday night where I'll have to socialise with existing and potential clients. If I feel like I do now, I'll barely know my name. This is really crap.

How are you doing? I started about the same time as you and am still feeling totally unpredictably weird. I have occasional normal days surrounded by random crying/ feeling flat/ tired/ not able to move.

Im ok, barely notice it anymore! I do think it might need upping a bit so I've booked in, but I am feeling better than before. Have you spoken to your doctors?

Obviously different for everybody, but I found it really with sticking with it has helped considerably. Good luck.

Hey
I take citalopram, have for a long time. I feel like it helps enough but I’m by no means happy and my anxiety hasn’t gone, I can just cope a bit better.
I decided to look into alternatives to take alongside and perhaps if they work wean off citalopram but that’s a long term goal that I have no desire to rush.
I managed to get an appointment with this place;
https://www.sapphireclinics.com/

I had to send over my doctors notes but I have a consultation soon, so fingers crossed.
The biggest side affect with citalopram for me is loss of libido and upset stomach. I tried sertraline but I felt totally out of control on that one.

hope you are all well

@Screwballs I have an appointment booked with the mental health nurse next week but the GP hasn't checked on me at all which seems a bit weird! Have had a few slightly better days so maybe it is settling down.

It's hard to know isn't it, I'd never had them before and I sort of thought they were going to make me happy, I just feel better. But I'd like the anxiety to go too, it's better but not gone

I was constantly terrified before I started them unless I distracted myself with stuff. Now I feel anxious or sad or sort of ok but with a weird heavy feeling or very occasionally normal. I think it is better than no meds but I am not sure. My brain iants working very well but it wasn't before.

I tried sertraline a couple of years ago and didn't get on with it at all. Totally killed my sex drive.