Anyone have any experience with Citalopram?

[gettingbetter33]

So after a pretty crap year and trying to deal with low mood and anxiety myself, I decided to call the GP who have now prescribed Citalopram. I'm on the lowest dose (10mg) and go back in 2 weeks for a check up.
They asked if I wanted talking therapy but I've declined that for now.

I've never taken anything before so just want to know if anyone else has experience with the medication?
I know all antidepressants are from the same family of meds.

Yes, I took the lowest dose for a year for anxiety and it sorted me right out. I had a lot of significantly stressful things going on. I've been off it for about three years now.

I was put on 10mg of Citalopram and then increased to 30mg of Citalopram as I had a full mental breakdown and had attempted suicide - it really does help me - I've now decreased to 20mg but I've gone from wanting to be dead to actually being very calm (but not dazed), level-headed and actually finding enjoyment in life again.

I did also have 6 sessions of talking therapy and it really did help

I've been on Citalopram for 5 years now, mine is for anxiety (mainly health anxiety). I've not had any side effects but have to say that 10mg did nothing for me and I had to go up to 20mg after the first 2 weeks. I'm now on 40mg and have been for over a year but I do feel a lot better.

DH has been on it for years - he started on the maximum dose and it helped him massively. He has been on it since about 2005, 20 years. He has really tried to get off it but he can't. He's stuck on a very low dose now but can't get off it. He thinks it's wrecked his memory over the years and slowed his thinking. But, on the other hand, it's allowed him to carry on in full time work - he's never really had much sick time off at all in 20 years; odd day here and there for viral and such.

Maybe a good one but just try not to be on it for 20 years!

I started on 10mg at the end of May, it did nothing so I went up to 20mg 6-7 weeks ago, it's sort of having an impact but not enough so I'm thinking I probably need to speak to the GP again and see if they think I should go up to 30mg. Mine is for health anxiety and PTSD.

I was on 20mg on and off since 2007 but in 2022 had a huge bereavement and my GP put me up to 30mg in Feb 2023. It did help - I'm also going through peri and have a very stressful job - but the pharmacist/doctor who did the phone consultation renewal earlier this year told me I needed to try and come off it so I got down to 10mg every other day until a few of weeks ago when I realised that the brain fog, lack of concentration and generally feeling low and miserable was back and worse so I've gone back up to 20mg daily and will go back to 30mg at the end of this week. I'm also going to take Vitamin D again as that helped before the lack of summer sunshine!

I've been taking it for over 10 years for severe anxiety and it's been life changing. I don't plan to ever come off it. It did take a while to settle when I started - about 3 months iirc. I couldn't stop yawning which was an odd side effect!

The side effects are minimal, which is why it's the GPs go-to for a first antidepressant.

I didn't experience any side effects, they really helped me at the time.

Citalopram made me vomit, so I was changed to Escitalopram which is very similar, and it has changed my life. How did I cope with having severe panic attacks every day? I wanted to die. It is such a relief to feel better now. Honestly, I never intend to come off it.