Talk me through citalopram

[Nogodsnomasters]

I have so many mental health problems I don't know where to start, health anxiety, emetophobia, PTSD, germphobia and more. I've tried everything except for medication because I am terrified of medicines and their side effects. I've had counselling several times different types including being in therapy right now but it's not stopping this and my anxiety is getting worse year on year as well as physical health (IBS, acid reflux etc) and I'm struggling to cope.

I've decided today that I am going to ring the GP tomorrow and ask for medication. I've been warned off sertraline by 3 different people and recommended citalopram by a few friends plus hubby takes it so I'm going to specifically ask for it.

I am genuinely scared shitless of putting this in my body and it making me feel worse than I already feel right now as I'm honestly hanging on by a thread and can't afford to feel any worse than I already do. Nausea as a side effect scares me due to my emetophobia. I was wondering if it's worthwhile cutting a tablet in half and starting off on 5mg for a while to start off with.

Can anyone give me any good stories?

No, I’ve never taken anything, only thing remotely similar I have had is diazepam. I can see why you would want to cut them in half but for me (IF I can bring myself to take them) I would rather take the doctor recommended dose so that I could hopefully get the beneficial effects sooner. Although I know it can take weeks.

Good luck if you decide to take it tomorrow, I am hoping to do the same but I have built it up to be such a huge deal now that I am not quite sure how I will make myself.

I've only had propanolol which is a beta blocker and has no effect on the mind, I was prescribed a 2mg diazepam last year and it's still lying at the back of the drawer 🙈 that's good that if you're going to take it you'll take the full tablet. I'm going on holiday in 9 days and really don't want to be suffering side effects while I'm away hence starting off lower and seeing what happens first.

I've spent 15 years putting myself off AD's and I can't do it anymore. Are you planning to take yours morning or night? A lot of people say night time to avoid side effects but my friend said taking at night gave her restless legs so she switched to morning and it stopped, I don't need any less sleep than I already get so I'm going for this morning. We could do it together if you're about? X

Been awake from 6am and still haven't managed to take the half tablet. Every time I even think about it I feel panic rising.

You can do it OP! And what's the worst that can happen? You take it this morning, have a side effect, and then a day later the side effect has worn off?

Thank you. I got it down my throat at 9.45am. I am now sat in bed scared and waiting to be struck down by side effects which I know sounds ridiculous.

Well done for taking it! Might it be better to distract yourself from potential side effects by getting up or going out? Just remember, even if you do get them they will be temporary.

I ended up taking codiene and ibuprofen first thing as had awful period pains. Then didn’t end up taking the Citalopram as the internet said mustn’t be taken with either of those. Or perhaps this is more excuses. I don’t know and honestly can’t tell anymore! Hope that you are feeling alright now.

I’ve been told to take mine (if I ever manage it) in the morning, to lessen the chance of it messing with sleep.

Yes I've read you can't take codeine or ibuprofen with citalopram. You could try tomorrow with the citalopram and just take paracetamol and hot water bottle for the period? Well it's been 2hrs since I took it and I feel a smidge jittery, tired (but I always am as my sleep is rubbish). I got up and bathed my son and then dyed my grey roots but I'm laying back down again just listening to a podcast and trying not to think about the jitteryness

I took 10mg citalopram for around 7 months. No bad side effects. Took them each morning after breakfast with no nausea at all. Just felt a little tired for a couple of weeks but I started noticing positive effects - little glimmers of hope - coming through after two weeks and so I asked to stay on the low dose and it worked for me.
When you eventually come off them, taper over a longer period than they tell you to though.

Thank you, it's great to hear positive stories.

Excellent, good on you! The first step is the hardest, hopefully it gets easier from here.
Just try to rationalise any sensations you are having, ie jitteryness... is very likely to be a symptom of anxiety, and one I'm sure you've had before.

The anxiety has ramped up now and I've got a mild headache too, tiredness has also ramped up. I just hope it doesn't get any worse than this over the next few days as it's making me nervous.

Just remember that the anxiety you feel over taking the medication is going to be much worse than what you actually experience. Honestly, you are giving your future self a wonderful gift here.

Thank you, that's what I'm really hoping for. I know it won't be a miracle cure but if it can just make things seem a bit more manageable then I'll be happy with that result.

I think good things can spiral as potently as bad things if that makes sense. Sometimes, you just need enough of a boost to give you the energy to tackle other stuff. One good habit will lead to another and then another. Hang on in there - you’ve got this!

As your titrating up the dose slowly it will help minimise side effects and if this means your able to take it consistently it doesn't really matter if takes you a bit longer to move up the doses to get the full benefits when the alternative is you being too scared to start or anxiety increases perception of side effects and give up totally before body has even had chance to adjust.

My first time on it GP started on 20mg so did get nausea (like when over hungry), increased anxiety, clammy hands, vivid dreams (not bad just weird) but those side effects faded and wore off totally after a fortnight. When I re-started them some years later, like you I couldn't cope with feeling any more anxious and split tablets to 10mg for 2-3wk then full 20mg and was more bearable, eventually went up to 40mg, you do get less side effects from dose changes than when first start. It did help with my anxiety so I hope it works for you.

I did see a SM GP video saying they prefer to prescribe Escitalopram over citalopram as same family but feel patients have less chance of side effects. It is very individual which medication suits you, I didn't get on with Prozac at all but suited my friend.

I was on citalopram for years, started from 10mg up to 40mg at the end, had very little side effects until it suddenly made me feel very sick. Changed to Mirtazapine, had no side effects other than weight gain.

Sertraline had the same effect as prozac on me, I couldn't shut my eyes at night & was climbing the walls, never again, I lasted 4 days on it.

Thank you, that's my exact feeling, I'd rather prolong the period of getting to the higher dose (and the benefits) than risk having major side effects and panicking and stopping them out of fear.

It's a good plan, do what you need to for it to feel ok to try and it will get easier as it becomes more routine. When you're living with such high anxiety it can feel like you just clinging on by fingertips and have no capacity to cope with feeling worse.

I have anxiety taking medication and even now if I miss couple days of my meds or have something new I can feel the struggle again to take them.

Thanks! I'm on the 3rd day today of taking the 5mg, I am going to do that for 7 days and then try a 10mg on day 8. I'm comfortable with how things are going so I think I've done the right thing for my own needs.

Ok I have done 4 days worth of 5mg and my anxiety is sky high and I now have diarrhea which is freaking me out. I am not going to be able to up my dose on Saturday if these things don't settle as I'll just be far far too scared. Anyone got any words of wisdom before I become so frightened that I refuse to take my 5th day tablet today?

Kindly, you need to persevere. First time I had 10mg it took about 10 days for it to start working. I fear that you taking 5mg (when you have been prescribed 10) is just going to delay you starting to feel better (“normal”). I’ve had it for years, no side effects at all, 20mg a day.

And to add it’s been life changing for me, I wish I had started taking it sooner.

My goodness. People are very irresponsible, to warn you off a medication just because they didn’t like the side effects.

what works for your brain might not work for theirs.

I was on Sertraline for a year- it helped me immensely - I was tired, yes, but I simply made sure to take the pill at night. And then that went away. what was absolute bliss was the freedom from anxiety, finally - I felt so much happier.
(to be clear, this was in combination with therapy- these things aren’t instant miracle cures, but I swear I felt better pretty quickly, maybe because taking the medication made me feel I was doing something to help, and that gave me hope.)

I switched back to Prozac last year, because I suffer from ptsd, and while Sertraline is usually prescribed for that, my particular chemistry seems to work best with Prozac.

side effects happen, but they’re not going to be as bad as what you’re going through right now.

give it time. You’ll find out what helps you. Medication can be a life saver, it’s just a matter of what your brain needs.

wishing you the best, OP.