Hi I have been taking citalopram for 12 days now and I think the side effects have passed apart from feeling tired all day I take 20 mg just before I goto sleep which is normally about 11 pm I sleep ok maybe wake up about 3 am but soon drop off again the problem comes at 6.30am I am awake but can't get out if bed as I feel anxious and tired . I have to get back to work next week and I am worried I will not be able to . Does anyone have a solution to a better time to take the pill ? I was reading in the morning makes you very tired during the day so does anyone take it about 7 pm and if so how does that work out for you in the morning ?
Thanks in advance shane
HI, I take it around 8am to 9am always after breakfast & have no problem !
Hi Jan
Have you ever taken it before bed and if so how was that ? Also how are you at getting up in the mornings as I struggle like mad I need to be up at 6.30 and some days I can't move until 9.00 . What mg do you take as some people say taking in the mornings makes them tired all day ?
Thanks shane
Hi, Shane, Have never taken it at night, with the Fybromyalgia & Polymyalgia l struggle to get out of bed, I count myself down from 10 & when I get to 1 I get out of bed, then sit for a little bit then basically force my self to have a bowl of cereal so I can take all my meds, as I don't like taken them on an empty tum, I take 20mg. I don't know because I take it with food that it doe'snt make me tired, I don't know, if it makes you that tired why don't you reduced it to 10mg in the morning & 10mg at night then at least you system is get 20mg, check with your G.P first though to see what they say.Hope this helps you!
I experimented with the times and read everyone else saying it works better at night, so I tried that, as taking it during the daytime made me unable to concentrate and feeling sleepy. Night time before bed is perfect for me. It not only helps me sleep, keeps me asleep, but also the side effects are much milder and I usually have more energy.
Yes i was wondering the same, just got them morning or night? pharmacy said take in morning but can make you drowsy so you might want to take at night but then said you take it in the morning because it can keep you awake? makes no sense.
Hi, i'm on my forth week and got to work each day too, so know what you mean. I tend to take at night just before bed, but am trying to keep bedtime the same time each night so in a consistent routine and up at same time each morning and follow the get up pattern. Knowing that i have to be up for work helps during week days, at weekends when have nothing to do can sleep all day happily still.
I'm not a great sleeper still
Hi, I'm feeling pretty panicky at the minute. I've been on 20mg for five weeks now and the panic attacks are getting more frequent. I've been back to the Doctor and she tells me to just continue as I am. Has this happened to anyone else. I'm running on adrenalin at the minute and can't stop my heart from pounding to get some rest. Any replies would be greatly appreciated even just to reassure me I'm not going mad!
Wow this has been a while since i started this thread..
Anyway i have been on citalopram for over a year, i now take mine in the morning before work it does not make me tired but a few times i have forgot and wow does it make me feel ill...
Lifechanging thats how i felt my legs were on the go all day you have to keep with it..
take care
Hello,
I have just picked these up from the Pharmacy today, I was on Sertraline but they didn't agree with me.
I was wondering if, like sertraline, you can have a drink with these tablets ? I mean like 1 - 2 beers on a weekend or a glass of wine with a meal, not getting drunk.
Any advice is appriciated
You might want to ask your doc for Diazepam, (2mg I think, they are tiny) I used to have really bad panic attacks and thought I was having a heart attack (to the point I called an ambulance on 3 occasions). They got rid of them pretty quickly, you can't stay on them very long though as they are addictive.
Shane, Ive always taken in the morning but was not sleeping i was on 20 doc put me up to 40 with other meds i take im kind of really tired come 2pm, I find all these meds are a round about of god no's what. Anti depressants should not give you any withdrawals when you come down or off because they are not addictive, every doc has told me this. But its also hard to no if they work, right so as i read here and on other posts a lot of people are having problems why not just give a course of valium or clonazempan which instantly fixes the prob, onlly stay on for rec period. I just dont see the point for the people its not working for. for those who it is working for Great to see.
Hi I'm currently on the lowest side of citalopram been on them for 2 weeks. Before I took them I was sleeping/feeling sleepy all the time however, I take mine at night and now can't sleep lol! I toss and turn and think about wierd things like how to do percentage in decimals etc or I'm too hot then I just can't keep still. After reading this I think it's time to try taking it in the day time.
Hi. Out of interest did you hit a real low point after 2-3 weeks? I feel like I've hit an all time low and it's quite scarey. Feel like my brain is all over the place.Thanks.
I've been taking it for a few years and it usually helps me, rather than hurting me, but everyone is different. I've never personally had a bad low while taking citalopram but your feelings could be related to the side effects as well. for example; I don't know about anyone here, but I have a HUGE drop in sex drive when taking it. If you have a partner, a loss in interest could cause strain on a relationship, and therefore, a drop in your morale.
As for me, doctors have told me that drowsiness isn't a side effect of citalopram so finding this thread is a relief! I'm not crazy! For me, sleeping less than 10 hours on a regular basis is really hard. I've started a job that has me up at 5:30am when I often don't get to bed until 12 or 1 because of my other job. So now, every Friday night I end up sleeping 14-16 hours.
Hi there. If the panic attacks are getting worse, I would maybe seek another opinion. Cetalipram doesn't work for everyone. By this time, they should be helping a bit. Maybe it's your circumstances that are causing the panic attacks or maybe you need something else just to get you by this period. The doctor should be able to assess your condition and give you something to help with these attacks. Praying for you
Hey you are not going mad :-)
But i would try another dokter that listens..these 5 min apointments is crap and costs thousands..mine has changed me from this to that and things got worse..i have now aranged that i will not pay until the right meds work for me..im on citalopram morning at 6.00 and at 13.00 20mg each but with or without sleeping stuff..adco alzam 1mg and and Dormanoct 2mg a wake up 2 to 3 hours an write you this message at 01.40 South African time...Citalopram works for me but please dont stop searching for better docter or let him understand you will phone in and he must change your meds at no cost to you...or see a different 1...monday is my 5 or 6 apointment...he better sort me out cause this cost money and he must do his job properly!!!!!!!
Remember there are many many other meds you can try also..i made a list and sat down wih him..asking whats this and this and he actually saw a problem between what he gave and what he should have givin..
Hang in there my friend..dont stop fighting..your the customer!!
GOOD LUCK
In 2 weeks you should see difference - bad or worse..to high or 2 low dose..maybee wrong meds for you.. what are you drinking now?
Every person reacts different to the same meds..you should try different ways..i drink 20mg in morning instead of 40mg and dink the other 20 at lunchtime..you can try tripiline 25mg or 50 mg at nite will make you sleep good nut gives drie mouth all day..start with 25mg tripiline 1 x bedtime...hope this helps!!
Regards
Jeremy
Debends how strong you take in morning and are you active or doing office work..drop dow to 20mg in morning if you are on 40..or spilt 1 morning 1 lunc or bedtime!!