those of you who’ve tried Citalopram

Hi, welcome to OB

After the birth of my 2nd daughter I suffered from severe anxiety and I'm on 40mg of citalopram. I've never had a 'drugged' feeling - happy or otherwise. I just feel like the regular me. I started on 20mg.

What you've described sounds a bit strange for how I've been told the drug works...
I say this because I thought the drug needed to build up in a persons system before taking effect (anti-anxiety) but my GP did tell me in the 1st couple of weeks, your anxiety can increase slightly. My GP also started me on 1 tab straight off but I do know that some people start on 1/2 tab.
My GP has told me that 1/2 tab is not enough to make any difference and it's just a beginning point for introducing it into the system so it just seems odd that you've had such intense feelings from only taking 1/4 tab once.

What does your GP say about how you've reacted?

I was told to stick with it as it can take a while to adjust. I assume everyone reacts different, so if your GP says to stick with it then I'd follow their advice. There are other short-term, yet immediate to work, anti-anxiety meds that can be taken while you wait for citalopram to kick in. I was also given sleeping tablets until I got a bit more 'healthy' lol (can't think of a better word)

Hi there!

Sorry to hear about your bad experience so far with Citalopram. I would definitely give it another go. Sometimes purely the feelings of starting a new medication can make you a) relieved, happier, hoping that it will help, or b) anxious, worried, stressed, wondering about side effects or, c) a bit of both!

I have been on a lot of meds for PND (last count 13...eek that sounds like a lot!) so I consider myself somewhat experienced with them. Pretty much every medication out there has side effects, ranging from annoying to scary to emergencies. Generally NZ is a bit behind with meds so even though some of the latest anti-depressants are new in NZ they have been used for years in other countries- meaning a huge amount of people have been on them. The more serious side effects only occur in a small amount of people and I found comfort knowing this- also knowing that if I had a bad side effect and it didn't go away, I could always talk to my doctor again soon and stop taking them.

I think this is where having a good doctor comes into it. You need to be able to trust them and also be able to trust that they will hear you. In the few times that I have had a serious side effect I remember one lady who told me "don't be silly, that only happens in 5% of people who take this"...well *duh* I was part of that 5%! So yea, having someone you can trust and that listens to you helps.

I also found that some doctors/nurses etc might say something like "there's no point doing it at that small an amount" but I think if it's what YOU need to do to feel comfortable about taking it, then do it (as long as your doctor knows). it can be helpful to have someone else that knows you to know what's going on with your meds too. Sometimes we are the last to see what's going on and it can be great having someone that knows you for you.

My personal experience on Citalopram: I found it was pretty well tolerated (eg not many side effects!) it wasn't til I was on a high dose (4 tabs a day) that I got quite bad anxiety and couldn't sleep or sit still but this got better once I dropped the dose back down.

It's a tricky one! You've got to be comfortable with what you're taking but sometimes it can be the depression/anxiety that stops you wanting to take them, sort of like the problem stopping you from getting a solution. I would encourage you to give it another go and to keep in touch with your doctor

Good luck, and hang in there!

Hi Honeypeaches,

I was prescribed citalapram for anxiety and reacted HUGELY to my first whole tablet (I should never have started on such a big dose!) I had the worst 24 hours with MAJOR anxiety and a huge weight on my chest. Maternal Mental Health (here in Akl) suggested I start on 1/4 of a tab and ease myself into it, which I did. I went a week on a 1/4, a week on a 1/2, a week on 3/4 and only then on to a whole. Although I felt a definite increase in anxiety, it was manageable. And after two weeks on a whole tablet I hardly felt it at all. So it definitely takes a while to settle down if you are sensitive!

Try to ride it out and you will notice the difference!

Glad to hear you coped ok with the 8th of a tab! Hopefully feeling more normal means you're body is getting used to it. In my experience I found that the first dose I started on with a medication the side effects were the worse then, and when I upped the dose I still got them but nowhere near as bad. Hopefully it's the same for you (or you get none at all!)

I'm glad to hear your doc is sweet with you easing yourself into it and not being too pushy. You gotta be comfy with what you're taking! Hopefully you'll see more and more good things from the meds helping too

With the alcohol, if you're sensitive to the meds anyway I reckon you'd be extra sensitive to the mix of meds and alcohol. Some lucky people are fine drinking on them (like me) and don't notice that much of a difference- just getting drunker a bit quicker and getting very drowsy with them- but take it easy and start slow- you might be surprised how much one drink will effect you while on meds so maybe just start with that.

Hi Honeypeaches, sorry to hear you are having such a tough time getting onto meds! So understand that feeling of not being able to interact with people! I explained it a being really blank emotionally.

Just so you know your not alone, not that it affected me that badly. It took me 6weeks to get to the right level, 60mg. I started on 20mg (whole tab) Had one great week (bit 'high' but enjoyed feeling high over low!) then struggled for 2 weeks and incresed to 40mg was on it for 2 days(feeling super flat) and had a full blown panic attack, took 9mg diazipam to bring back to earth, then upped to 60mg and the last 3weeks have been sweet at this level, feel better than I have in ages!! Not high, just 'normal'. Please don't give up! And don't settle for just better, keep pushing it till you get there. Alot of people I know have got to a point with meds where they feel good, but could be better. I certainly did but I'm glad I increased again.

Hopefully your Dr is onto it as to how the drugs work! Strange as it seems, you can get increase in axiety as a short term side effect till your body gets used to it.

Just had a thought too.. Have a chat to the pharmacist at your pharmacy, they tend to have a better understanding of drugs than some GP's.(not to imply that your GP is no good of course!)

Knowledge is power as they say!

Hope that makes sense, have typed super fast!!!!

Goodluck!!

Good adivce amme_eilyk.. Def not something to be messing around with, but will be great when you get the doseage etc right!

Thankyou so much guys for your support, I really appreciate it!. I am going to try the 1/4 again but am going away with my partner for the weekend first, I know i will have to start again but i'm ok with that. Have been feeling a bit weird since stopping the 1/8th but nothing bad, feeling heaps better than I was on it actually.