Citalopram

Treatment and medication
1

Hi

I have been on this for a week now 20mg I'm generally feeling better but I get waves of panic & still my head sometimes goes off on it's own which again bring on fear & panic is this normal? The reason I went on them was because I was feeling tried, not sleeping great & feeling low, also heart flutters

2

Yes that's side effects which wear off after some weeks. It often takes months to feel completely well and the journey there is often up and down and you may sometimes feel like you're going backwards. That's normal.

But give these meds months to work.

K x

3

Hi Malcolm

I had all them side effects when I first started on Citalopram the first 6 days I got much worse before i got better I had heightened anxiety and panic but your very early into it and it does get better, I had waves of panic and felt hot for a few seconds and in the end I stopped resisting it I went with it and imagined it going passed like a cloud this helped but I'm 4 months down the line and take 15mg and feel great and back to my normal self, hope you feel better soon it just takes time

4

Hi Debbie, how long for you before the side effects subsided? I am 2.5 weeks and feel Wretched! Started at 10mg for 6 days then 20mg since then. Thanks!

( ALSO IS 20 MG A HIGH DOSE FOR A 110 POUND WOMEN) all new to me. Thx

5

This stuff is good, however I think the dose is very important, I was improving only slowly until I upped the dose to 30mg the wosh I was great.

I think you must stick with it for longer yet, when you get it right you will know.

6

Thanks Peter. I will hang in. Will be 3 weeks on Monday. Does your appetite improve. I can barely eat anything. Morning anxiety is horrible too! Gotta improve right!?

7

Hi Debbie, just want to say THANK YOU for your encouraging post... I have only been on Celexa (Citalopram) Since Apr 1...a week, and for at least 4 days of those it was rough...I thought I had the flu (all the symptoms) and maybe it was, but I have also had 'sick' and flu like reactions to other SSRI's... Thankfully, my Dr did warn me the first week my anxiety might be worse but only my morning anxiety was (awful!) I am only on 10 mg for one month before Dr will up it to 20mg... So I'm not yet feeling 'better' exactly...but not WORSE, either (except for mornings) so I will remember your post and keep encouraged. Again, thank you. I know we all can have widely varied reactions to medicines... so I am not trying to sound critical of anyone else whose experience has not been good. Good luck to all of us!

8

Hi Betty

I have had so much help o this forum especially when I first started on them and it's good to help others if I can. Yes you are only early on and it takes time and mornings where hard for a while and waking up with a nervy tummy I thought would never go away but it did and it does, I could not even take my 3 year old son to nursery it was awful but after a bit if time I took him to nursery went shopping, walking and aalsorts if other things and if I get an off day I accept it and it's ok. You will get there we all will with each others help. I started doing 500 piece jigsaws to keep busy and help my wondering mind and I still do them now when I have time lol it's really thereputic x

9

Hi Shane

I started on 10mg and felt awful for 5 days then slowly got better then went to 15 and felt side effects again but not as bad so don't forget you've started on 10 then went to 20 do you got the side effects again as well as still dealing with the effects of starting them so you've done well just keep telling yourself your doing good as our mind is so powerful and negative e thoughts can creep in I tell them to sod off lol or watch them pass like a cloud. Hope you feel better soon x

10

Oh and I weighed 8 stone when I started so you should be fine but now I'm go srantly hungry that's the only downside lol I've put on 10 pounds!! But I'm not ready to reduce yet!! All my clothes are tight 👀

11

yes, appetite is definately a problem to start but that soon improves.  You start getting your appetite back and enjoying your food again.

12

Thanks Anna. Definitely words of encouragement from all of you on this forum make it all more tolerable.

Kind Regards.

13

Hi, I know what you mean. I can handle quite a bit but the anxiety & panicy feelings are brutal. Especially in the morning. Try taking at night. I find I sleep well at least.