Citalopram Users Forum

**Posts:** 32 · by **Citalopram** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:13 pm

Hi everyone, I have decided to make this new forum because i want people who have been prescribed Citalopram (to help them with anxiety/depression and panic attacks) to share their experiences so that we can help eachother understand what we are going through.Knowledge is power!

First of all i would like to share my experience, I'll try and cut it down a little so no one falls asleep.

In the last 2 years my granddad, mother and stepdad have died and I have had to move house etc. basically i've had a really bad couple of years and have had anxiety and 2 mild panic attacks, then 2 weeks ago I had my first major panic attack, I was lying in bed and couldn't get to sleep and felt very odd, I then started to cry for no aparent reason, then all of a sudden I rushed to the lounge because i felt like i needed to be in a bigger room, i paced around for a bit and started feeling like i was going crazy and felt as though i needed more space so i cleared all things lying on the floor to the side, then started crying uncontrolably and started hyperventilating, i felt as though my mind was sinking into a black hole and i was really scared. My brother calmed me down with slow breathing techniques, and for about 20-30 mins i was tingling all over especially around my face and was shaking like a leaf.

I told the doctor and was prescribed Citalopram 20mg. Ive been taking them for 9 days now, not sure if they are working yet as Citalopram doesn't realy kick in for 2 weeks. I have calmed down a bit but have been yawning alot and feeling as though i need to stretch. I also felt claustrophobic on the underground the other day and thought i was going to have another panick attack, when i got off the train i felt dizzy and unreal.I have also had a headache for a whole day and have big pupils most of the time. But one thing i do want to say is this, i was scared of taking Citalopram at first because i read all the negative side effects, but after asking the doctor about all this he reassured me that they were ok.So if you are scared about taking them just call your doctor.

is anyone else taking Citalopram for Anxiety, if you are, give me a reply and we can all help eachother through it.

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**Posts:** 2095 · by **scampo** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:48 am

Hi - this is my first post here and, after having registered with the forum, I then managed to post it initially in the wrong thread - whoops.

My experience is that the side effects of citalopram (I'm on 20mg) can last for at least three weeks. I'm certainly still feeling v-e-r-y panicky at times and this is my third week. The thing is you can never know whether it's the citalopram or your anxiety state that's causing the panickiness - what I do know is that the citalopram is certainly not yet working.

I am beginning to worry that the drug is not going to work, but, sadly, I'm sure I have to take it for a couple of months before I can really come to that conclusion. I also find it amazing to believe that a tiny tablet can have the necessary effect on something that causes me such a problem. You can guess that I am really hoping it will work as life has been especially bad for about seven weeks now with daily panickiness and a total lack of enthusiasm for doing anything.

**Posts:** 25 · by **kings49** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:04 pm

i was prescribe citalopram exactly a week ago today, this morning i took my seventh doseage at 10mg. i dont feel that much different except maybe my mood has been getting a bit better over the past couple of days, but i think other things help that, such as keeping myself busy all the time so i don't have to think about feeling like garbage. excercising a lot is good for you and takes my mind of things for sure. also i think so far out of anything talking with people and just making conversation helps tremendously. i'm hoping the citalopram begins to work fully soon, and make my head feel less confused and stupid and help me actually get a good nights rest.

**Posts:** 32 · by **Citalopram** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:54 am

The doctor told me it takes from 2 weeks to a month to start working properly so i guess its just the waiting game now. Its now been almost 2 weeks since i started taking Citalopram, havent noticed a big difference yet, but in the mean time i find i can take away the anxiety alot more if i do something im really interested in, i try to keep my mind busy and not dwell on the feelings of anxiety, So i totally agree with the message by Scampo and also find that being immersed in conversation helps too, thats good info Kings49. It would be great to hear from somebody who has been taking them for a month! because i had another panick attack 2 days ago and i really want to hear something positive.

**Posts:** 64 · by **Geezer7348** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:04 am

I've not long started Citalopram and have been going up 20MG per week and am now on 60MG which I have been for a few days. I was curious, the higher the dosage I take could that make me more nervous/nauseas than if I was on lower doses?. The only reason I ask is because I felt slightly better at 20MG I think than I do at the moment.

**Posts:** 20 · by **Jinx** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:33 pm

My partner takes Citalopram and has been taking 20mg a day for the past 2 weeks. He still feels very anxious and depressed. As for side effects he was not able to sleep for about a week and a half but is back to normal now, he was off his food for a week, he did not fancy eating and had to force food down but is back to normal now, he feels sick all the time, has dreadful wind and diarrhoea, always yawning and needing to stretch. How long should these side effects last and is anyone else suffering from the same?

**Posts:** 29 · by **racey1976** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:52 pm

Hi there

I started taking citalopram 3 years ago for exactly the same symptoms that you suffered recently- it only feels like yesterday! I started off with 20mg,then was on 30mg for a year before they cut it down to 20 mg again and I still take 20 a day now, recently Ive started to wobble mentally abit, not sure why. Im going to docs tomorrow to see if you can becpre 'tollerant' to it although i dont think you can. Havnt had a good year really, my grandma died recently and got alot of money worries so wonder if thats the reason that its happening.
Keep going with the tablets- they do work, I hope things are improving daily although it will take you upto 3 months to adjust more than likely.
Its so awful to have a ferocious panic attack like you described. dont think will ever fprget my 1st 'prper' panic attack. Have come to the conclusion that some how you have to learn to live with them.
Good luck

**Posts:** 29 · by **racey1976** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:53 pm

Hi there

I started taking citalopram 3 years ago for exactly the same symptoms that you suffered recently- it only feels like yesterday! I started off with 20mg,then was on 30mg for a year before they cut it down to 20 mg again and I still take 20 a day now, recently Ive started to wobble mentally abit, not sure why. Im going to docs tomorrow to see if you can becpre 'tollerant' to it although i dont think you can. Havnt had a good year really, my grandma died recently and got alot of money worries so wonder if thats the reason that its happening.
Keep going with the tablets- they do work, I hope things are improving daily although it will take you upto 3 months to adjust more than likely.
Its so awful to have a ferocious panic attack like you described. dont think will ever fprget my 1st 'prper' panic attack. Have come to the conclusion that some how you have to learn to live with them.
Good luck with your quest for normality
Racey1976

**Posts:** 29 · by **racey1976** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:53 pm

Hi there

I started taking citalopram 3 years ago for exactly the same symptoms that you suffered recently- it only feels like yesterday! I started off with 20mg,then was on 30mg for a year before they cut it down to 20 mg again and I still take 20 a day now, recently Ive started to wobble mentally abit, not sure why. Im going to docs tomorrow to see if you can becpre 'tollerant' to it although i dont think you can. Havnt had a good year really, my grandma died recently and got alot of money worries so wonder if thats the reason that its happening.
Keep going with the tablets- they do work, I hope things are improving daily although it will take you upto 3 months to adjust more than likely.
Its so awful to have a ferocious panic attack like you described. dont think will ever fprget my 1st 'prper' panic attack. Have come to the conclusion that some how you have to learn to live with them.
Good luck with your quest for normality
Racey1976

**Posts:** 196 · by **Anybody** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 3:34 pm

Geezer7348 wrote:I've not long started Citalopram and have been going up 20MG per week and am now on 60MG which I have been for a few days. I was curious, the higher the dosage I take could that make me more nervous/nauseas than if I was on lower doses?. The only reason I ask is because I felt slightly better at 20MG I think than I do at the moment.

Nausea and headaches are side effects of starting citalopram; I think it's fair to guess that this would happen when increasing the dose too.

**Posts:** 1 · by **Paul W** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:01 pm

Hi,
Im new to these forums, i began taking Citalopram in april this year, to an extent it has worked/is working, i started on 10mg daily then about 4 weeks later onto 20mg then 30 shortly after as i returned to work.

Side effects seemed to effect me quite heavily to start with even on the lowest dose of 10mg, mainly a sudden onset of feeling very sick at about 2pm after taking the drug at 9am.

Other side effects were sudden yawning episodes that would last 10 minutes or so roughly around the time the nausea set in.
Another side effect was simply anxiety from taking the medication which brought on a severe anxiety attack but that was only a week into taking the medication.

I still get the yawning problem but the nausea has passed although it would probably come back if the dosage was increased.

**Posts:** 64 · by **Geezer7348** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:50 am

Anybody wrote:
Geezer7348 wrote:I've not long started Citalopram and have been going up 20MG per week and am now on 60MG which I have been for a few days. I was curious, the higher the dosage I take could that make me more nervous/nauseas than if I was on lower doses?. The only reason I ask is because I felt slightly better at 20MG I think than I do at the moment.

Nausea and headaches are side effects of starting citalopram; I think it's fair to guess that this would happen when increasing the dose too.

Hi Anybody,

I have now been told to drop me dosage to 40mg by my GP. I am feeling really nervous and sick on this meds, whether or not It needs longer to get into my system or not but I've been feeling quite panicky since I started going up on the meds

**Posts:** 32 · by **Citalopram** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 1:36 am

Hi guys and gals, i have been on Citalopram now for just over 2 weeks now, not really feeling any changes but what i do want to say is this.. I have read all these threads on alcohol and Citalopram, and i accept that everyone reacts differently, but i have recently started drinking alcohol whilst taking Citalopram, and i have found that i feel fine with no hangovers apart from the usual side effects. I had 4 big cans of Heineken and felt no side effects. I dont know whether its the best idea to drink whilst on Citalopram but it doesn't seem to affect me. Does anyone else feel the same? Do you know whether it affects the good things that Citalopram is supposed to give you?

**Posts:** 11 · by **ScarletPimpernel** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:43 am

I have been on Citalopram for 5 months now. Started on 20mg then went onto 30mg a couple of months ago. My verdict? Pretty useless. It does not stop my panic attacks, it does not stop my anxiety, it does not stop my blushing, sweating etc. I don't really see the point of it!
Does anybody actually think it works?

**Posts:** 2095 · by **scampo** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:21 am

ScarletPimpernel wrote:I have been on Citalopram for 5 months now. Started on 20mg then went onto 30mg a couple of months ago. My verdict? Pretty useless. It does not stop my panic attacks, it does not stop my anxiety, it does not stop my blushing, sweating etc. I don't really see the point of it!
Does anybody actually think it works?

There are people who have posted to say that they have had a good response to the drug - in fact, I've read more than one person say it has turned their life around. If the reports are anything to go by, it is supposed to be one of the best drugs to treat panic attacks and anxiety. That said, I've been on it for a month with no good effects as of yet - in fact, I've had two bad panic attacks while I've been on it, and hadn't had one for ages before that. Yet, I live in hope.

I would say that after five months, you can be pretty sure it's not going to work for you. I would go back to your doctor's as there are surely other medicines available that work differently and might give you some relief. Having to start all over again is a real disappointment, though - you have my sympathies. I just hope it works for me.

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