I want to share some positive news and give hope to anyone starting on citalopram. I'm coming up to one month on this medication. one month ago I was crying, unable to eat or leave the house without feeling terrible, I was physically sick most mornings,I didn't want to take care of my home I felt hopeless and like giving up. I did not enjoy anything that I used to enjoy. When I started citalopram I felt worse for around 2 weeks heightened anxiety, disturbing thoughts, in bed my 8pm every night so tired emotionally. Morning anxiety was horrible the worst part of the day. Did not think the meds would work. Fast forward to yesterday..I got up out of bed feeling fine, had a banana and my medication and took my son to nursery. Drove down the the shops to get something for tea that evening. I didn't feel anxious in the shop. I felt lightheaded on the drive home but i think it was because I actually felt hungry. When I got home I had a cake and toast. My appetite has been amazing this week. cleaned my house, picked my son up went down to my brothers for lunch and then came home to prepare dinner. the thing I notice most is the amount of energy I have. I'm not saying that I'm completely cured I still have negitive thoughts come in to my head but I do not focus on them and let them pass. This is something my counseller taught me and I think this has also helped. I still get dizziness and pressure in my head but I'm so much better. I think a mixture of the meds, counselling and pushing myself to do things even if I really didn't want to do them even when my anxiety was telling me no you can't do that I just did it. this is the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with but I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I'm so glad I started citalopram.
Thank you, so nice to hear some really postive news. I am coming up to week 4 and this is so helpful in the struggle with anxiety. Hopefully I will feel like you very soon.
I hope you do too. I know everyone's recovery time is different. I've still got a long way to go but the difference in me in 4 weeks is great!
Hi Leah
That's great news I was exactly the same the first month or so but I e had counselling an on 15 of Citalopram and been pushing g myself but now after nearly 3 months I feel great and only think about anxiety fleeting and do everything I did before this and am now enjoying g life it's great and it will get even better for you, the only thing is I eat everything in sight lol x
Hi Debbie so glad to hear that. This site has been amazing I like seeing everyone's journeys. maybe I will have set backs but I am just happy to be feeling this good! tomorrow will be my biggest test as I start lone working at my new job so far I'm not feeling worried or nervous so that's good x
That's good I'm sure you will be fine, I have a job interview tomorrow and looking forward to getting back to work part time. This site is amazing h your right and it's great to give back especially to people who are in that bad space but hope will help them out people helped me a lot
Yes definitely this is the stuff I liked to read when I was at my lowest. Literally every morning and most of the day searching for answers. I notice as I've felt better I've been looking less and less. Oh good luck what will you be doing?
Yes me too I now get up and get on with my life it's great. I used to work it a financial adviser company full time and one of the girls knocked and knocked st my self esteem and confidence and wasn't nice and eventually I got really ill through it and had to leave but I'm just looking for a little part time admin or reception work which tomorrow's interview is for and I have a 3 year old son. What do you do for work do you enjoy it? X
Oh right that's not nice what happened to you fingers crossed for tomorrow I think part time is good I only do 3 days a week. I had to leave my old job as a support worker as the long hours were making me feel worse. Just recently started as a carer for the elderly which I had to train for while going through all of those horrible side effects it was awful don't know how I managed it. I have a 3 year old son too
Good to hear it is working for you. Cit. served me well before I started losing too much sodium.
Oh dear did cit cause you to loose sodium? How are you now?
Yes, it did. I'm now on 10 mg daily and am waiting to see another doctor to manage my psych. meds, because the shrink I was seeing - his office blew me off when I told them what happened. The only way to speak with the doc was to see him in the office. But, I could not get there to see him, because I had a broken leg. I had taken cit. for many years prior to this happening.
Oh right god I hope that you can get it sorted . How did you know you were loosing sodium?
Well done for sticking at it you will be stronger through that and that's a great rewarding job too x
I am still struggling. Im on 20mg now for 5 wks. Im still feeling blah dont want to do anything. But interesting enough I think I have a gene mutation where I cannot convert Folic acid to L-methylfolate which helps with Seratonin, norepinephrine an dopamine usage. I haven't been tested for it ( its expensive I think) but Im treatment resistant. Citolopram is the 7th med Iv been on. So fixing yo go get lowest dose of L-methylfolate fr health food store. I cant just take AFolic avid supplement because I cant break it down to L-methylfolate. Some symptoms of this gene mutation os Fibromyalgia (i have it), history of miss carrying, an depression among others. So Im gonna try lowset dose with Citolopram. Some get rx called Deplin to take. Just sharing some info. It might someone. Goodluck fr USA
Hi zio10 that's interesting to hear. I hope you have some luck with the low dose of citalopram I started at 10 but I'm now at 20 and I think that's where I will stay hopefully. I was totally convinced that I had fybromyalgia for months. I have many of the symptoms of fybro but my doctor said that she does not think that I have it she said she thought it was anxiety related.
Hi all, I have been on 20 mg of citalopram for a month +1 day, and would like to thank this forum for getting me through to today! I have never taken anything to help me with anxiety and depression, but a month ago I was truly desperate. It has been a difficult journey with side effects, but I was fortunate to not work and rest. I didn't think I would ever feel positive or happy again! To anyone starting this medication please persevere, I am so happy I did 🙏 Good luck and best wishes x