Citalopram ...

[Tups]

Hello
Have been prescribed citalopram but after reading the side effects on the net, am now really worried about taking them.
Prescribed for anxiety and low mood (20mg). Am now suffering anxiety about taking it which sort of defeats the object.
I have told no one in my family, not even my partner as he would not aprove, I know it's not good but am trying to deal with it myself.
Can anyone offer me any advice (apart from telling my partner as he would not understand and think a/depressents make you go mad).
Thanks

I took Citalopram for about 10 months about 3 years ago (like you, 20mg). I did have some mild nausea for the first few days I took them but no other real side effects.
I was terrified before taking them that taking something with the potential to alter my brain chemistry would turn me into someone who 'wasn't me' any more - I kept asking my parents (once I told them) if they thought I was still being like myself or if they thought my personality had changed, but I never stopped feeling like myself and they didn't notice any difference (apart from the fact they got the old version of me who wasn't depressed back!)
I think in the end it boiled down to the fact that I couldn't go on as I was, so it was worth the risk of any potential side effects. I guess this is something you have to weigh up for yourself. Around a year ago I felt that I was sliding back towards depression and went to my GP as a precaution. He prescribed me fluoxetine (Prozac), but this time after looking up the side effects I made the decision not to take them, but to make more of an effort to get exercise and do other things to make me feel better.
I do think you should try to talk to someone though - I hid my depression from my parents for a few weeks after I was diagnosed because I thought it would upset them, but the fact I didn't tell them straight away upset them even more - my mum still worries that I might be ill again and not telling her. The relief of having everything out in the open also made me feel tons better. If you really can't tell your partner then maybe try to think of someone else you could talk to?

Thank you so much
your comments have really helped. I really want to keep this to myself and the only people who know are on here who have read my post.
Thank you again and I hope you stay well. I still don't think of it as an illness maybe that's the problem
x

Taking citalopram was one of the best things that I ever did when I was first diagnosed with pnd and like you I was horrified at the thought of taking them. I had an idea that it was like a valium type happy pill when all it did was make me be me again. I had terrible side effects for the first 4 days of taking it but believe me it was worth it for how I felt afterwards. Please confide in someone and tell someone how you feel as doing that will help you get better..

hope this helps and hope you feel better soon

I also took 20mg for about 11 months for PND. I had a few side affects which lasted for about 10 days. I took them as I really couldn't find a way to feel better on my own & the depression was taking over my life. It really helped me to look at it as a chemical imbalance in my head and the citalopram helped to sort it out. My GP also said it may help to go for counselling so I tried that as well.

Thank you all x
Just need to find the courage to take it. Maybe tomorrow!
I have heard taking it at night is better, what do you think?
It's so nice that someone else has gone through this

I take citalopram too. This is the second time round for me. I can't remember much about the first time (long time ago and so much has happened since) but this time was for depression and anxiety.

I don't remember any side effects when I started taking it but then I took it at night so if there were any side effects I slept through most of them.

I'm on 40mg at the moment, and have had counselling for the issues that led to my anxiety and depression. If I miss a couple of days then I start feeling a bit spaced out but I'm not worried about coming off them eventually as I know I did it before without much bother and it needs to be done gradually.

I don't know whether there's something spcific that's bought you to this point or a combination of things but personally I think it's about helpng you to hav a better quality of life, even if its a case of only taking them until you can cope better on your own.

I would second the advice to talk to people about what you're going through.

Also, I don't feel any differently on them - I still get anxious and depressed but I feel better able to control it.

I hope you find an answer that suits you.

Also wanted to say that these medications have come along leaps and bounds in recent years. Someone once said to me that they wouldn't ever take antidepressants because they didn't want to see everything through rosetinted glasses. It's not like that. And there's less stigma these days so please don't be worried about what people think.

Thanks AuntieMaggie
think I have suffered from anxiety most of my life. only noticed it was bad in October when I was at work which prompted me to see the doctor.
I couldn't see my own doctor as didn't think I would be taken seriously

Hi there, citalopram can be associated with both sleepiness and insomnia in different people (will usually abate after first couple of weeks). So if you decide to take, you could start at night perhaps, if you get sleepy - bonus, if you experience insomnia - switching to morning dosing may help. Or you may not be affected either way.

Thanks all

Hi Tups

Just wanted to second what Takethattastic said - Citalopram made me feel like me again! It IS scary when you read all the side effects etc, but although I felt a bit odd for the first couple of days, and really tired too, I just feel completely normal now (been taking them since October). Please speak to someone - your GP, practice nurse etc if you are worried about the side effects and don't let websites scare you. Please think about telling your partner too - it took me a month to tell my DH if that makes you feel better . I suppose there is still that stigma about taking ADs isn't there.

Has your GP or whoever prescribed them to you offered you any counselling? I have been seeing the psychiatric nurse at our surgery once a month (more often to start with) and it was a huge help to just have someone to let it all out with as I didn't want to tell anyone else.

Hi childofthe70s
thanks for your post. I was offered counselling in October but trying to get the right time due to home/ child/ work commitments was a nightmare and the people from the counselling service were getting stroppy as can't be that flexible. This stressed me out even more (was for anxiety in October) and when they called me to arrange they basically said as I couldn't get to their appointment time then to cancel the service and took me off the list. Great help!
So now am not sure, partner really does not understand and does not get it. I'm ok typing it but not good with talking as not sure how it would help especially after my encounter with the last lot.
Have been offered conselling again this time round but am not sure. If I could go to the surgery and talk to the nurse or someone then that would not be so bad.
Still not taken any of the medication yet, probably tonight but still very anxious about taking them.

Oh God, just take one! Everyday you don't take one, is a day further away from feeling BETTER!

I've taken them for years on and off, and I have had no side effects either starting or finishing taking them.

Go on - take it. I'll hold your hand.

Ok - tonight!

I came off Citalopram at Christmas because we're about to start ttc and I didn't want to be on them and pg. But every single day I wish I was on them. Not only do they sort the depression and anger issues I have but when I was on them I was the person I wanted to be, much much nicer. My GP said she would be happy for me to stay on them long term if I wasn't going to have any more children. They were an absolute godsend for me, I definitely wouldn't have coped with dd and my pnd without them.

I am on 10mg of Citalopram for anxiety. I was in two minds about taking them as well for reasons already said by others on this thread. However, since I have been on them (about 2 months now)the edge has been shaven off my anxiety levels. Of course the root causes of the anxiety are still there but I feel much better able to cope with them. And very importantly as others have said I do feel a lot more like 'me' again rather than someone rendered unrecognisable because of chemical interference.

Wish you all the best

Hi Tups

hope you are feeling ok today. Sorry to hear you have had such hassle trying to get counselling. My DSs are at school full time so I was fairly flexible during school hours, but I know it can be really difficult to fit appointments in, not to mention the waiting lists. Please do go back to your GP and see if they can help.

Just wanted to reiterate what others said - it can take a couple of weeks for the medication to really kick in, so the longer you leave it, the further away you are to feeling better!

My GP recommended a couple of websites to help with anxiety - moodgym and mindgym. Must admit I didn't actually try them myself but they might be worth a look?

I started on 10mg of citalopram last year after really not wanting to have AD's but needed some help. Had that dose upped to 20mg after a month or so and have been on 40mg since last summer I think.

Once I got over my initial concerns about taking AD's I haven't looked back. I'm having CBT counselling as well which is also helping but the AD's have made a huge difference to my life and the anxiety and depression that I had.

I am still 'me' but a much happier version of 'me' now and I can cope with day to day things that I really struggled with previously.

My Dr's counselling referral had such a long waiting list that I contacted MIND as well. They also had a wait but came back to me quicker. Although I have to pay to cover the costs of the room hire etc it is really worthwhile being able to talk to someone about the issues I had/have and know that they won't judge me. It might be worth contacting your local branch if you have one so see if they can help you.

In relation to side effects, citalopram made me really sleepy in the afternoons to start with having taken the dose in the morning and I also had nausea. I've recently starting taking it at night before I go to sleep and I think it's probably a better option for me.

Good luck with it all. As many wise people on here say, if you had a headache you'd take a painkiller without even thinking about it. These days AD's don't have the same stigma in general and don't tend to have the same nasty side affects either.

Good girl Tups! I'll be checking in later to make sure you take the first one.

They make me a little sleepy so taking it at night is good, it helps you get a good night sleep.

Thanks everyone for you positive words x

Take it half an hour before bedtime and you will sleep like a baby. Well.. a baby that sleeps that is!

Your anxiety is making the fear of taking them worse, I was exactly the same. In three weeks you will feel like "you" again. Mark if off on a calendar.

(I sound like a drug dealer ..)

Love the last comment and yes, you are right.
I took the first one at 7pm so a step in the right direction.
Thanks to you all and for coming back and checking the post. Without your comments I would still be staring at the box! Which is hidden! x

Well done you! It's the first step to getting better.

(And in a month you'll be saying to DP "Oi you! It's none of your bleedin' business what I take!" )

Love it!!
Count down to 7pm tonight or would that be 8pm because of the clocks!!!!!
Thanks x

Day 2