I was started on citalopram 10mg 11 days ago
and feel awful I have no appetite it is a struggle to eat and I have lost weight I also have no energy I just dont know how long I will have to feel like this before I start to improve
It varies from person to person, some take a few days, some take weeks.
If you're still suffering, particularly side effects, after 2 or 3 weeks then let your doctor know.
If the side effects subside, it can take several weeks longer before the medication really begins to help - there's no way to predict how long it will be for you but this medication does, eventually, help a lot of people.
thank you I think I will cope better once I can eat again
Do you make sure you eat even with no appetite?
(sorry, just realised this wasn't aimed at me - will leave the reply here anyway in case it's useful!)
Yes, little and often. Just graze on healthy snacks if that's all you can manage and if you're seriously struggling to get enough calories in (and risking your health) then consider using some of those 'meal replacement' drinks that some people use when on a diet. (make sure you're getting your vitamins too)
Thats okay. I also was going to say eat even though the appetite is not there. B vitamins and D3 are also important.
I am less nauseated today but more anxious but trying to eat more snacks
I was exactly the same the first 2-3 weeks. Forced myself to eat little and often and just tried to accept the fact that I probably would have to take a few days/ weeks to allow this to work and recover. I'm now 10 weeks in, started to feel better around week 5 and now I can't stop eating. Tiredness and nausea and loss of appetite are very common. Just try and tell yourself this is only temporary (it is) and just plough on through. You won't feel like this forever.
thank you it is reassuring to know that other people felt the same way when they started on it, today has been slightly better just hope it wont return tomorrow
horrible day today nausea dry mouth and anxiety its day 11 just cant seem to do much
Hi hope, your comment has reassured me as well as Ive been on citalopram for years but almost 4 weeks ago was upped to 40mg as I started to feel very anxious every day again but as of yet I haven't felt that much improvement so I'm really hoping there is still time for it to settle in and kick in. I also feel very tired all the time. Im so pleased for you that you're feeling better.
It should definitely work if you've had an increase, and yes it'll likely take just as long as it would if you've just started out. But time will help and this horrible feeling will subside. The tiredness is a killer isn't it.
Youre in the thick of it right now and you need to just go through the motions. Allow yourself to feel the feels. Remember this is side effects caused by the citalopram and that in time it will subside. Anxiety has a very clever way of making us just catastrophise everything and make positive thinking difficult. But just try to look to the future and just know you will feel like your old self again.
Thank you its been a tough day I have just been having milk and complan another day of not doing anything but I Know you are right and it will eventually get easier but it is hard to stay positive when you feel so awful
thank you for your reply. your positivity and reassurance is honestly so helpful! I have even screenshotted some of your replies to others so I can look at them when im feeling really anxious. this evening I went over to a friends garden that I haven't seen for a while and I knew there was going to be 5 people there, ive been so anxious overthinking it all day getting myself really worked up but and very nearly didn't go. I wont lie I found it quite hard at first feeling very uncomfortable and anxiety was high for probably the first couple of hours and I wanted the evening to hurry up so I could leave but after the first 2 hours I started to settle in and could enjoy myself which was nice. i just wish this anxiety would go away permanently so i could have enjoyed my day instead of spending it dreading this evening and then only being able to enjoy half of the evening. i miss my old care free self so much.
its so hard very little sleep last night as pain in stomach and nausea, day 12 and i feel so wobbly I am trying to stay positive but its so hard I dont know if my side effects are worse than others have experienced
its so hard I used to love going out but not lately with these horrible side effects, it sounds like you are doing well
I used to do that too. There was a lady who used to speak such sense on another group I was on and I used to screen shot her replies, it really got me through, so I'm glad that I can help you somehow with my words.
Hey, you did it, you went to your friends with anxiety in full swing. You never let it beat you. That's amazing. Keep doing the stuff that makes you feel anxious, it's the best way to overcome it I promise. I never once allowed myself to stop doing the things I always loved before anxiety, I refused to allow it to win. That is a massive achievement, don't dwell to much on how you felt and the fact you couldn't enjoy yourself as much as you would have before, because it doesn't matter. What you did was a big step in your recovery and each time you do it now it'll get easier and easier.
any tips on how to cope with the nausea
thank you Angela and I hope you dont mind me jumping on your thread. yes I guess I did do well and it was an achievement but I woke up today with anxiety again. and I've had negative thoughts wondering if anybody noticed I was anxious or acting strange last night. how are you doing today?