SSRI fast heart

[Wmoejg]

I have been on citalopram for 2 days and suddenly while at rest felt myself become incredibly hot and my heart was racing extremely fast in my chest. It reached 145 and I called an ambulance because it just wouldn’t go down, despite me taking a beta blocker.
I had a similar experience with sertraline and the side effects just feel unbearable.
Is this normal? Should I be on it? As it’s near Christmas it’s really hard to get medical help when needed so can’t speak to my GP for a while. Feeling anxious, fed up and concerned

Do you have health anxiety, and are you prone to panic attacks? The fact that you are taking beta blockers suggests that you already have a vulnerability to anxiety that manifests in physical form. Could it be that anxiety, rather than the medication, that is causing your symptoms? I have been on and off several different SSRIs without those symptoms. However, everyone is different.

What did the ambulance team say/do?

Hi OP,

With the SSRIs and SRNIs they do give you that bit of an electricity flowing through you when you first start them and yes it’s uncomfortable but it’s also normal.

Assuming the paramedics let you be and are more qualified than people on MN, I would take their advice.

Kindly, as someone who has taken both types of drug, the worst thing you can do is sit and monitor your heart rate and become anxious about it. This is why smart watches are a curse as well as a blessing. Before them, we wouldn’t know our HR so we wouldn’t worry about it!

It’s early days, give it a chance. If you’re with family/friends it may distract you. It does abate.

@AlbertCamusflage I have health anxiety/ocd and have had panic attacks. This didn't feel like a panic attack as such but has since calmed down. Paramedics haven't come out as they're extremely busy and I spoke to a clinician on the phone who isn't concerned so I'm not seeing anyone today. I think I'm going to try and call my GP tomorrow (if I have any luck) and see if I can possibly try just beta blockers as opposed to an SSRI as I frequently have these symptoms when trying SSRI's. Thanks for your help.

@Eyesopenwideawake they didn't come. They're extremely busy atm, presumably with the flu issues. Instead a clinician phoned me and my heart rate has decreased. I am going to try and contact my GP tomorrow as this happens whenever I go on an SSRI

@FionaSkates paramedics aren't coming due to how busy they are, so a clinician phoned me instead. I think I'm going to contact my GP tomorrow if they're open. I have had this whilst on sertraline too - I don't know if it's panic attacks or what? It's sinus tachycardia according to doctors. It's so scary when it happens and makes me incredibly hot and scared to continue on them in case I have other episodes. It really scares me and I don't know what to do with these episodes of a racing heart.