Citalopram- side effects already?

[alicemac83]

Hi, I was prescribed 20mg citalopram yesterday and took my first tablet at work. Within an hour I was feeling spaced out, dizzy, hot etc so I came home. I took my second this morning and I feel quite shaky, dry mouth, fast heart beat. I also struggled to sleep last night. Is this normal, I feel like I'm going mad! X

[WhatAFeline]

Hi Alice, that doesn't sound abnormal. I felt queasy, sweaty and sick from the first day of taking them. If you are already feeling anxious sometimes the anxiety and the side effects are difficult to tell apart.

Keep at it, the side effects do settle down after a few days.

[Thegreatunslept]

I had quite bad nausea when I started taking citalopram lost a few pounds in the 1st month of taking them but after 2weeks I had no side affects at all.
You could try taking them in the evening or before bed see if the side effects are more manageable that way.
Try not to worry too much about the side effects I have found the good from taking citalopram greatly out weighs the crappy side effects at the beginning. (I have taken citalopram from 2009, weaned off them in 2012 by doc as mental health had improved, back on them 4 months ago months after ds 7 months was born)

[HowBadCanThisGet]

I take them an hour before bed as they make me really sleepy (I mean really sleepy, I fell to sleep at work the first day I took one in the morning).

I have been on them six weeks now, and I am really happy with them.

[Blossomflowers]

I have just been prescibed 20mg and wondered when I should take start taking, have to drive and pick ip DS from School. Also what is the deal with alcohol ? Fancy a few glasses of wine tonight

[alicemac83]

Thanks everyone, I have certainly felt more anxious on them but I think that's because I find the side-effects quite scary. It's funny because I took it 3 years ago after pnd and had no side-effects but I think I started on a smaller dose. I will try the evening idea, I would love to sleep better! Xxx

[Thants]

When I first started taking them I barely slept for a week. I also very dizzy and had mood swings. They do go though. Are you taking them for depression or anxiety?

[EmpressOfTheWellOfLostPlots]

I read on the accompanying leaflet that alcohol's a bad idea, Blossomflowers, I think it's meant to hit you much harder.

I'm on 10mg and taking them just before bed with food, the two nights I've skipped food I've woken with headaches.

[alicemac83]

I'm suffering with both I think, but I think it's mainly anxiety and the symptoms are making me depressed. It's come out of the blue, I've been fine since the pnd 3 years ago and now I'm devastated to be back there again. X

[SlappyQueen]

If they work though....is it good? I mean, do you feel better but still yourself?

[ScottishPies]

I took C 10mg for the first time at the end of Dec'13 and within 4hrs i started vaginal bleeding & continued to bleed for the next five days. I also had frightening vibrant dreams after day 3. I had the dry mouth and painful teeth within 4 hrs of taking the first tablet aswell.
The bleeding scared me, and the dreams! After 5 days i decided to stop taking the tablets and go for a herbal remedy instead, St Johns Wort.The bleeding stopped and no more dreams.
The SJW seems to just take the edge of things (no more empty churning stomach when i wake).
I've got anxiety due to making somebig changes in my life.
I've also started clling - went private as NHS had 6wk wait. Clling is good.

[BigBirthdayGloom]

I had the side effects very quickly-by the time I woke up the next morning having taken at bedtime I felt as if I had morning sickness and was retching. But luckily I felt calm for the first time in I don't know how long and realised I'd been spending my days trying hard not to shout at people. So the side effects and the good effects came quickly.

[BigBirthdayGloom]

My gp prescribed 20mg but said to take 10mg for the first week to minimise the side effects, btw.

[alicemac83]

That's reassuring that you felt better so quick, I'm 4 days in a really struggling with my depression. I keep having ideas about overdosing but I love my family too much to do that to them. This is so hard, I'm just praying to wake up one morning soon feeling better xxx

[Sparklingbrook]

Totally normal, it gets a bit worse before it gets better. I take mine with breakfast.

other side effects were-

Constant Yawning
Feeling hot especially in the mornings.
Weird dreams
Clenchy jaw

Once it does work, in my experience it was brilliant. You do have to push through this bit first. x

[BigBirthdayGloom]

I found the depression took longer to shift but six weeks in I feel like doing stuff and seeing people. I think it was more gradual and so harder to notice. The anxiety just went as if someone had waved a wand. The depression went little by little and it took the gp asking how it was for me to twig. Partly because I'm long term sleep deprived because of my two year old so don't skip through the days!

[BigBirthdayGloom]

Last thing! I think the anxiety going kind of un masked the depression. I'd been so on edge with anxiety and all consumed by it that I think I hardly noticed how low I was. And once that had gone, I realised just how low I was. So I guess the depression ring bad four days in, Alice, might not be unusual. Hang on in there.

[EmpressOfTheWellOfLostPlots]

Just over 3 weeks in, I'm not bursting into tears all the time like I was before starting them and I'm starting to get control over the panic attacks. I still don't feel hugely enthusiastic about life on general but I'm feeling more capable of doing something about it and less inclined to kill myself.

[Sparklingbrook]

An unexpected but brilliant side effect for me is being braver in general. I used to get all in a panic driving round town centres, but no more. I am very calm. Also way more assertive.

[BigBirthdayGloom]

Oh, me too, sparkling! I was offered a job opportunity a few weeks into citalopram and managed interview, planning, paperwork sorting without a flutter. First day tomorrow and I believe I can do it. I have never had this experience before and feel my brain has been lying to me for years. I may actually start believing dh isn't mad to have married me soon!

[EmpressOfTheWellOfLostPlots]

That's fantastic, Big. Good luck.

[Sparklingbrook]

That is brilliant Big. I feel instead of worrying myself into a frenzy about it I just get on and do it. Not like me at all. Very productive. Good luck today.

[BigBirthdayGloom]

If it weren't so normal feeling I'd be unnerved by it! Had to ring about lost driving licence to pay speeding ticket today and instead of procrastinating and imagining all sorts of calamities I rang at 9.30. And all was well. This is normal life I believe.

[Sparklingbrook]

How did it go today Big?

This brave thing is brilliant isn't it? I even take things back to shops.

[BigBirthdayGloom]

Normal, sparkling! I went to work, I taught, I left. All possible IT went wrong chez Big today so I erm... Did it another way. I did not think it was my fault along with everything else that had gone wrong in the entire world. I got on with it. The students played up a bit so I thought "normal-they're testing me out" instead of thinking I'm a rubbish teacher! All good and thank you magic pills.!

How are you doing, Alice? Sorry to have sidetracked a bit-well a lot!

[alicemac83]

Hey, I'm very up and down, yesterday I felt suicidal but today I'm on an even keel and even feeling quite positive. I'm on day 6 of citalopram, could it possibly be having an effect already?
Xxx