CELEXA ( citalopram )
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I have suffered from depression since having a second baby age 21 my mother died when I was eight. I have had several severe depressions where I seriously tried to kill myself. I took 100 Paracetomol but drank it with milk so I survived.Since then I have been on antidepressants Anafranil Lithium. Venlafaxine which was fantastic it worked straight away. Took it for two years then it stopped working.I took prozac for while when that stopped working. I took Duloxetine 60gm for six months then that ceased to work. I have also spent time in mental hospitals I was sectioned. I do not know why these depressions occur I have no real problems. I use Ativan for anxiety first thing in the morning.I have recently started taking Celexa for a week I have taken 20gm then increased it to 40gm at night. I suffer sweats in the morning and cannot stop crying for no reason I take the ativan to counteract the crying but since I have started taking 40gm I feel really drugged. Should I go back to 20gm as I only gave it a week. I do not know what to do I can still walk my dogs and run my house. But I just want to be my normal self. I am so tired of being like this. Can anybody help. Should I take Celexa in the morning as I did the Venlafaxine?
my email is jonwat@ntlworld.com
There are good things and bad things about my experience with Celexa. I have severe panic disorder as well as a reumatological (joint) condition. I find that if I miss a dose of Celexa, I am a mess. Worse than I was before I started the med, which frustrates and scares me. While on it, I find that some days I feel better than others. It does increase my anxiety, but nothing else seems to work. It gives me hand tremors, muscle weakness, heart palpitations, and makes me very tired. Coming off of it is tough. It helps with racing thoughts and depression quite a bit.
i am female aged 63 and have been taking 60mg citalopram for 3 years. the results are that I am well again, to the extent that I never ever imagined I could get my old self back again. new GP says high dosage and long time, but lets not rock the boat, I agree with this and I am hoping after Xmas and New Year times are past, to start cutting down and stopping altogether. I have a good mindset, once I decide what I am going to do. I was ill with what I would describe as a pretty major nervous breakdown due to several horrendous happenings in my life and sufered from agorapgobia for more than 2 years. Since May this year 2007 I started getting out and about again and I feel well and blessed to be enjoying life, and looking forward to what's in store. Previously I had the same illness and was prescribed Seroxat but I dont want to go there to talk about that experience as it was dreadful.
When I took 20mg citalopram I found that my anxiety levels were raised so high that I could not sleep. I became a shivering and shaking wreck. I began to have hallucinations and paranoid delusions. At one point I could not move and became catatonic. My legs would not stop shaking. After three nights without sleep I became extremely paranoid and had to be sectioned. I was all right before I took citalopram just a bit depressed about my situation. I thought the doctor and his pills could help me. Boy was I wrong. Once in mental hospital nobody would listen to me when I said the citalopram gave me these awful side-effects and continued to drug me with various stronger psychoactive drugs until I was in a right mess taking four different drugs at once. Now it could be that I am a poor metaboliser of citalopram and other drugs. There is a test for cytochrome P-450 2-D 6 which is the liver enzyme that metabolisesis most psychotropic drugs. I think it would be useful if doctors started using this. Also I think doctors should use proper informed consent with their patients and warn them about these side-effects. If a person doesn't know that these drugs, I mean SSRIs, can make a person hallucinate then that person's anxiety is going to be so much worse by which time it is going to be too late for them to read the patient leaflet in the drug packet.
i,ve been on citalopram 7 times always with doctors recomendation.i have ptsd and was assured by competent health professionals that this drug would work.first time i took it i managed to go up to 30mg but could not handle the shaking,sore heads,and racing thoughts.it made me more paranoid and increased my anxiety,i could not sleep and when i did i had lsd like dreams.i had flashbacks of things i had just done and felt depersonalised.the second time i tried it i stayed on 10mg still had same effect but after 2 months i had the adrenaline kick i was trying to get rid of,i managed to change my thinking so nothig was bothering me and felt brilliant(if the adrenaline is there all the time it doesn't get any worse)i was manging to overcome my fears then doctor took me of it as i wasn't sleeping.now im back at square 1,cheers doc
i am coming off of celexa; i have been taking 20 mg a day for the past 8 months and started to decrease to every other day for a week to every third, and when i got to every 5th day last week i tried to cut cold turkey. i am now experiencing being extremely paranoid and scared that somebody is watching me. i have a horrible stomach ache which is not helping, and don't know what to do. please help.
I started taking Celexa 2 weeks ago, and I still don't feel any better! But after reading the horror stories from people that have taken it, I would have to say I don't want to take it! I need to find a way to cope with my panic disorder other than crazy meds! It makes me feel slow, like I can't concentrate on anything! Celexa Sucks!
I have been on citalopram (celexa) at 10 mg/day for just over a month. I was scared to take it at first after reading all the negative posts; however, I figured I should try it since I was so tired of feeling sad, angry and hopeless otherwise. The first week I felt very tired, mild nausea, muscle tension, and mild headaches. Now, after a month I only notice some muscle tension and my appetite is low. I am incredibly HAPPY that I started taking it. My mood has improved immensely and I feel grateful that my Dr. prescribed it for me. It is as if the darkness was lifted to uncover a more relaxed, happier self. I am able to feel genuine joy yet I still feel sadness when appropriate. I am much more patient and calm with my children and I interact with them more. There are not enough positive stories about citalopram/celexa out there. I wanted to post my story to encourage others to give it a try. It might make a huge positive difference in your life. I understand that some people really do have bad reactions to it and shouldn't take it. I am grateful that I have a good story to tell.
I came off citalopram about 2 weeks ago. i never reduced the dose just went cold turkey. Ive never felt so ill in my life, i have been getting constant head aches, nightmares, ive been finding it difficult to go to sleep and extreme dizzyness, ive also been really anxious. Im still getting all these symptoms and most recently heart palpitations which i find really scary. Last night they were so bad i thought i was having a hear attack which made me even more anxious and i nearly had a panick attack! I cant go on feeling like this its driving me mad. please help
I am 16 and was perscribed citalopram .I started taking my tablets on the 1st of December 2008 after I had been run over in a moped colosion on the third day of year eight. Later I developed Post traumatic Stress Disorder.I did not speak about it for three years until the symptoms of my P.T.s.d became such that I felt that I could do anything or take on anyone because I had nothing left to lose.As I had been bullied for the majority of my life (and saw my bullies watching me lying on the pavement after i'd been hit at the time of the collision) it did suprise me that only one friend came to visit (i'd known her since i was four).I did not know it yet but what i considerd the worst was yet to come.A couple weeks after I was discharged from hospital and at home in a cast I experienced a shock from something that i had seen and began to worry about it but the feeling of horror stayed with me.A couple days later my right hand started to become numb I thought it would would eventually just go away but it didn't.After a few weeks it became possible that I could pick up a pen and not feel like I was holding it completely and I knew that next week and the week after that I would feel the pen in my hand less and less.I really wanted to tell some one but it sounded absolutely crazy and I didn't think that any one would beleive me.I didn't tell anyone and that is what hurt the most knowing that this thing was happening but people the chances were high that no one would understand.Even worse still after my shattered ankle healed I returned to school where I took a test I had always been a good student I had my wits about me and would acheive level 6 grades (which was the top grade)I was good in every subject but maths.When I came back to school and took the test I received a level 5 when the top grade was now level 7.When I took the test I found it hard to read information pen and then answer the questions under neath my mind felt different because the numbness in my hand had traveled to the rest of my body and I was beginning to feel a slight bit of a drain in my energy.The only explanation I can think of as to why I felt this way when I think about it now is that I was in a major transition from being physically drained to mentally drained.After this my grades began to dip slowly bullying increased my head teacher called me infront of my peers and told me if I continued to use my crutches she would sent me to a mainstream school.After then I left but I kept quiet about my illness and continued to get sicker. After then my touch sensation started to slowly dissapear and when I joined my new secondary school bullying was worse and only added to my condition . I since developed hypervigilance on the roads ;touch sensation only occured when I felt a really hot or cold object;I did not feel any part of my body was really mine and I in turn felt incredibly detached ,I felt dead litterally like a walking corpse and my mind started to feel like bits were being killed off.After I leaft my second secondary school because of the bullying,toilet paper being set on fire,alarm bells being rung ,flung in to chairs and many other acts that I will not mention.I joined my Third secondary school at fourteen people would say hello to me and I would answer but then go sit alone in the libary and avoid everyone,of couse more bullies one of them said that they were driving to school and they saw me turning back and forth.I made a story up of how I thought I had forgotten something and so was wondering if I should go back to get it.Hiding of course my o.c.d.I finally told after years of hinting.and told my Mum we then booked an appointment with the doctor who tried to convince me that I did not have a problem then I spoke to another doctor who booked me an appointment.Then after seeing someone else I finaly got the help of a psychaiatrist and psychologist .My psychiartrist helped me reduce my hypervigilance.I still felt that amoung all things I wanted my sence of touch back he seemed to ignore this when I brought it up as did many in the medical profession .Since then my class hates that I am not in eventhough i'm on citalopram and find it hard to sleep not that my sleep patterns regulated after the accident .I tried fighting and having no medication to stick it out at school but the pressure from my teachers making snide comments and ganging up on me when i'm well enough to come back is so much to handle .I am taking 9 Gcse's and am constantly catching work up.I feel bad most of the time and go through a few months thinking things will be okay but I realise I had just been ignoring my feelings and letting them build up and they would be eating me away but it has been with the citalopram that I actually think about death .My death more and cutting myself (which I have never been able to understand why any one would want to)I want to sleep but can't,I find myself talking more to my made up friends (sad I know) ,my mind begins to do crazy things as usual but I have more contol over it and when I know that I really need to do something I have a lot less will to do it even though I want to. Although a lot is worse within the first few days of taking the Citalopram I was so happy because I began to feel my legs and arms again however as I continue to take more tablets the feeling leaves me. I still do find it hard to make a permenant descision as I am so torn between my rocky emotions (although recently all I feel is sorrow)I am on a Christmas holiday now but when I start School again in a couple of days I know i'm going to have to deal with the medication and other people and I know that what ever my class mates dish out on me my teachers will just think well she's not here all the time (even though my psychologist has written in and my Mum)and will let them do what ever they want to me.I know that I will go in and have to accept low grades and people thinking i'm stupid but worst of all I will know that when I was young I was picked on for being polite and smart and I haven't to this day ever stopped being strong. Even if i'm alone but I don't know if I will be able to make the most of my time on this earth as I once was able to. I am strong inside and with God I will be okay in the end despite all.
I have been on celexa for 1and a half years. I thought it was wonderful! I not only felt a sense of well being i also looked very healthy. That was until recently. I started having headaches, nauesa, bad dreams and looked as though i waas sick. I was wondering if any one ele experiance the same problem and what if anything they got that worked as good as celexa once did. Also hes changing me to celexa the brand name not the generic.
I've been taking Citalopram for about one week and cannot stop shaking. I can barely do anything. My sister said she went through the same thing when she started taking this medication and it will stop. Is this true? Should I continue taking the medication till I see my doctor in a weeks time?
i took this medication 3 times and just couldnt handle it my teeth started shattering together for about 3 hours and i just couldnt controll it and my leg and arms were shaking like made for days i also find it extremley difficult to sleep and felt constanly ressless i hated this medication all it did was made me worse and i also now suffer from hullicinations and nightmares. im only 15 and i would rather be deprssed then be on this medication.
I started on citalopram 3 days ago and i almost immediately felt a difference. I was still aware of what was making me sad but i wasn’t feeling it as intensely. I was great the second day and almost felt on top of the world and then now on the third day i feel like i’m back to square one. I feel depressed and im crying and miserable and i don’t feel like i’m in control just existing. I felt like i was making progress and now it feels like it was all in my head or that it wont really work for me. I know that’s probaly very premature to say but that’s how i feel. Has anyone had this experience and had it pass? Now i’m beginning to wonder if the feeling better was all in my head…help please…
I stopped the celexa 20 mg after 4 days the anxiety was worse, nausea was horrible don't know if the cure or the illness is worse. I shouldn't get any side effects was only on them for a week. Please advise
Hi people. I have been taking 10mg Citalopram for just over two months now and I don't think the pills are really helping me too much. The first 2 weeks or so that I bagan taking them I felt really tired and nauseous and had a really strong heart beat that made me feel sick and scared.
Two months in the symptoms have subsided a bit, my heartbeat is still pretty strong but not all the time; my problem now is bad headaches all the time and weird dreams-very vivid dreams.
I still get into down moods for no reason, the other day I felt like crying and I didn't really know why. I feel anxious and paranoid alot...I have always been anxious and paranoid but lately I just get into funny moods and I get all frigged up over nothin
I don't know whether to wean the Citalopram off and try seeing if I'm ok without them as my circumstances have changed alot since I bagan taking them, ( I got out of a very stressful relationship and am now very happy with a really great guy) or if I should up my dose to 20mg. This may help or it may just increase my side effects and make me worse. Has anyone got any advice for me please?
Hi
I have recently started taking (citalopram) day 2!! I'm not enjoying the weird, vague feelings I'm having. Feeling very detached and tired and a bit disorientated and a bit anxious of going outside as my panic has increased becuase of how I'm feeling, the very symptoms that made me anxious in the first place. I have been signed off work for 2 weeks and I'm beginning to wonder if I should've gone on these as I was able to function with the anxiety and now I'm housebound!! I'm hoping that it's just my body and mind getting used to these meds???
Can someone please help, frustrated and tired :)
I took citalopram for about a year (for anxiety attacks mostly). I developed shakiness in my left arm, hand, and leg a few weeks into taking it. My doctor told me in early March of 2009 to slowly wean myself off. I did---however, I still am experiencing the shakiness, but not as intense or frequent. My doctor wants me to see a neurologist as he thinks my shakiness is not related to the citalopram. However, I do not want to go to a lot of expense and testing to find out that that the shakiness is still a result of the citalopram and will take a little longer to completely leave my body. I never had any shakiness until I started taking it. Can anyone share some insight with me from personal experience or knowledge? Thank you. My e-mail address is smckee07@embarqmail.com
I have been taking Celexa for about a month and a half now. I can honestly say that the effects have been great!!! I was having problems with social and general anxiety in college, but never sought the correct help. I began ordering Ativan online and did so for over two years. Ativan, and other medications like it are what I call mood numbing meds. They make you feel better, because while you are under their influence you are just extremely happy. Long story short, I stopped taking the Ativan and went to a doc, who prescribed the Celexa. I just wanted to add this little bit of advice to the page… Because anxiety and depression are MENTAL illnesses, medication cannot be your only source of relief. You should use the medication as an aid to help you change the way you think about and perceive the world. There is no magic pill in life. As with the Ativan, while I didn't FEEL the effects of my anxiety, they were still there, and because I was numb, I was unable to learn how to deal with life in a healthy way. My suggestion would to the augment the Celexa with religion, spirituality, or study psychology. Use these are tools to explore yourself and learn how you tick. Then go out and conquer the world!! Please, please, please anyone who reads this, use my experience as a tool to make your life better!!
P.S. The best way to deal with the side effects is to take the meds at bedtime. I found that the side effect; orgasm (inability to reach or harder to reach), nausea, and even the muscle tremors are worse when the med is taken in the morning. I take mine every night around 7ish and stopped having side effects within a couple days. Just remember to be as open and honest with your doc as possible. Let him know anything and everything. Stay proactive in your treatment!! Good luck and GOD bless!!
I have been taking Citalopram for two weeks now. My doctor prescribed 20mg every morning. The first day I took the drug I was overcome with drowsiness and a tingling feeling in my head. I had to call my mother to come watch my children. The next day I felt wonderful (which is a feeling I have not had in a very long time), but I switched from taking them in the morning to taking them at night. Now, my life is great. My depression is gone and I enjoy everything 10 fold. I now have the energy to be extremely involved with children, and because I am happier so is my family.
I have been taking Celexa 40mg for almost a year now. The first 2 weeks when you start celexa are going to be hell. It will pass though i promise. You may have horrible headaches, stomach aches, nausea, dizziness, and feel extremely tired. Take celexa at night before you go to bed. This helps with the side effects. Your sleeping so you don't notice them. By morning the worst part is over. After a few weeks I began taking them in the morning so that i could get the full benefit of the drug. If I skip a day or 2 of celexa I get awful throbbing headaches. So i don't recommened you skip any doses. Hope i helped!
I've been on Celexa/citalopram for only about 6 months, but I think it has been helping me. I had some of the negative side effects mentioned on this post, but only for about the first two weeks. I started out for about one month on a 10 mg dose daily. When I took it at night, I was very anxious, had night sweats, and weird dreams, and when i woke up I was too anxious to go back to sleep. However, both when I switched my medication time to the AM, and after a few weeks, that has gone away, and I'm able to sleep normally (although I remember more dreams than I used to). I also had some GI problems for the first two weeks, but that went away after 2 weeks. I also lost weight during the first month I was on it (which rocked!)
I feel like it has really helped me, although this is the only antidepressant I have tried so possibly not. I don't have moments when I am depressed and cry for no reason, I overall feel like I am in a better mood and feel more outgoing and less anxious that I was before (and I am currently taking 20 mg daily). Even feels like I am a bit less paranoid and OCD than before. My concentration seemed to be better during the first few months I was on the medication, so I'm not sure if there has been a big change there, although I'm taking generic citalopram currently so that might be the reason for the change. I actually really like Celexa, so I would recommend it.
I have been taking celexa for a few months now for an anxiety disorder that I developed after taking the Chantix drug to quit smoking. Don't take that stuff let me tell you. ruined my life and I did not even quit smoking.
The first couple weeks of Celexa were very difficult. I just didn't feel right. I wanted to stop it, but my doctor urged me to give it more time and we actually increased the dosage to 40mg. Now, I love it. I feel more like my old self than I have for a long time. No anxiety. No panic. Generally more happy than ever before. It is great. I worry about having to go off it, or that it will one day quit working, but that is just something I will have to figure out at that point.
I just started citalopram (Celexa) about 4 days ago. I am noticing that I feel nausea and my appetite has descreased (which is kinda nice). I am worried about sexual side effects, however. Any other men out there taking this drug?
I am trying to get p[regnant and my doctor advised me to stop taking celexa...I have been off it for over a week and I don't know if it is stopping the medication or what but I am feeling sad all the time for no apparant] reason...has anyone else felt this way or is it just me?
I was put on these after trying Zoloft for a week, which landed me in ER because the tremors got very bad one night. I have been on Citalopram for 3 months. I could not go above 20mg because of the side effects, tremoring etc. I cut back to 10mg after a month, and a lot tremors stopped. For the last week I have cut down to 5mg-so far I rarely have a tremor and feeling much better. I got second opinion from another doctor as the doctor I was going to insisted there were no side effects on this drug and wanted to increase me to 40 mg, I know my own body and felt strongly that they were causing me the tremors/headaches, sure enough once I started cutting down on them, they are basically gone. Two other doctors told me that it's not common with the tremors but not unheard of,every persons body and makeup is different,especially with SSRI's. I don't think my body can tolerate, and I will not try another one. The first several weeks on Zoloft/then Citalopram were TERRIBLE and scary for me...... I never want to go through that again. I am a stresser, big time stresser,within the last few years my father passed away, my children have grown, one has gotten married and I took on my Niece to live with me. I have learned to deal with stress much better, things will happen, life changes, we can't conrtol everything, and just try to look at the bright side of things. When I think of my children not being babies anymore and grown, I think, well I am blessed my children are still here and healthy, and I have lived to see them grow. I give myself pep talks all the time. Even with economy, and worries of my job.... what is meant to be is meant to be, in the end, I have a loving family and friends......and in the very end, that's all that matters. Everyone is different....... but this meds or SSRI's were not for me. I have always been a fighter ... maybe that is why my body fights these meds, hopefully i can continue to be a fighter without these drugs. I do realize some folks must have them, and good luck to them. I have read a lot on these..... lots of folks have no problems at all when starting these, but I have read where some do, I am sure some have it worse than others in the start.......and I feel so sorry for anyone that deals with it, it does get better as far as how you feel in your head.....but my body tremors,etc didn't get any better and I could no longer tolerate. Love yourself, take care of yourself, and realize at some point, you have to take care of yourself before others, if you don't take care of you, who will..... no one can take care of your mental health BUT you. Peace to all.
i have been on celexa for about a month, it has helped with my depression and oerwhelming feelings of sadness but it has also given me more panic attacks, insomnia, agitation, my mind feels wired at night and my body feels tired, headaches so severe i cant sleep. so it has helped make me happy but also given me alot of side effects
Had been on Celexa for over four months, it was working. I was no longer having panic atttacks or nightmares, I was losing weight gradually (a good thing as I was overweight to begin with), had tons more energy and felt happy moments for the first time since memory.
Then I stopped, without letting my doc know, when I began to feel like I had a handle on my life. Boy was that a stupid move!
The depression I have suffered throughout my entire life returned ten fold, I had been worse only once before. I slept all day, spoke with no one I didn't have to, almost got fired from work, stopped paying bills, ceased any communication with friends, and attempted suicide.
After three hard and long months, I forced myself to call my doctor and have the Celexa perscribed again. It took me another four days to make it to the pharmacy, but I got it.
Eight days later, I'm feeling like I can live.
I WAS TAKING 20MG FOR A WEEK HAD TO GO BACK TO DOCS AS THEY MADE ME FEEL 10 TIMES WORSE HE LOWERED MU DOSE TO 10 MG BUT THAT HAD NOT HELPED SO I JUST CAME OF THEM STRAIGHT AWAY HAD A FEW BAD DAYS NOT SLEEPING SO MANY VIVID DREAMS FEL MUCH BETTER NOT TAKING THEM STILL GOT STUFFY FOREHEAD HOPE I WHERES OF SOON HAS ANYONE ELSE COME OFF THESE QUICKLY
Took only one half tablet 20mg or so just once and have never been so sick in my whole life I have hallucinations all the time wake up hot cold and shakey my heart races my pupils are huge from hallucinations and my whole body is soar all over I would not reccommend this drug as it reminds me of being on a constant lsd trip its has been over a week and im barely able to function on top of this i quit smoking and caffeine for fear that all 3 would put me over the edge I wish the feeling would just end I feel like a zombie i cant feel pain sadness pleasure and my sexuall desire has decreased a large ammount I dont think I was depressed to begin with so the pill might have not helped me for those it does help I dont know how aslo I quit a.s.a.p right after one half tab you would never think one little thing could make you feel so shitty ?- Thanks BJZ
Been off my prescribed celexa prescription for 3 days now cold turkey, reason being didnt have the cash until next paycheck to renew subscription. The cannabis Sativa is currently doing a wonderful job keeping my mood in check, also on another prescribed medecine, no the herb was not prescribed yet was stated by my Dr that it would and could and does help with my anxiety issues. Suffer from G.A.D, generalized anxiety disorder. Not sure why DR has me on Celexa.
God bless Marijuana and it's healing effects. Natural from our mother earth, from the creator whomever, whatever he may be.
I have been on celexa for 5 months and have noticed a drastic change (for the better) I do not think of my anxiety on a daily basis and can do things that would have made me panic before. I did not gain weight and my sex life is still healthy. The only side effects I have faced is lose of appetite for the first couple weeks, and vivid dreams. The dreams are nothing to be afraid of and are nothing close to nightmares; I just remember my dreams better. I was that person that was afraid to go on medication and now wish I didn't wait so long. There are so many horror stories out there that I read and it scared me. But medication works differently for people and if you don't like it you can go off of it easily. I am hoping to decrease/go off the medication after being on it for a year. I am not too worried about going off of it. I missed a day here and there with my meds and did not notice any difference. I think if you are working with a good doctor they will know how to get you off without side effects (going off slowly). If you are just starting the medication give it time. I did not notice a difference for the first couple weeks. It will not be a light switch turned on, but all of a sudden you realize you are not worrying so much and things are slightly different. You have to trust that it is working because during it you don't realize it is working but then looking back on it you can see that it has worked. :-)
i have been taking citalopram for a week now. Ive heard it takes up to two weeks to really start feeling any relief from my depression but i must admit that i feel great. I havent had any shaking or any other bad side efects ive read from other users. Today is actually my 6th day and i feel great. My problems already dont overwhelm me anymore like they did. I am on 1 20mg. a day. Hopefully in another week ill feel even better. I have never taken any anti-depressents before but im glad my doctor suggested this. Good luck to everyone else. God bless you all
I've taken citalopram since 2002. Initially at 20 for the first 2 months, then 40 for the next 5 years and finally 60 mg in the last 2 years. Over the last 6-12 months its effects seem to be lessening. Could there be a more effective medication? thanks
I was suffering from depression since age 19. I am currently 21 and am taking Celexa for a little over 3 months now. I am so grateful for making this choice. It has helped me so much. I felt so much better about myself and almost everything around me. My anxieties went down a lot and I am having more social interactions with everyone. I am smiling more each day now!
I suffered form sever panic disorders when I was anywhere other than my home. I became basically house bound at a very early age. Docs had tried Paxil, Prozac and I could take nothing for more than a week and could not handle the side effects. Doc tried Celexa and gave me my old life back. I can do anything withour any fear, anxiety, panic or depression. It has been a miracle medicine for me. Never any side effect just wonderful to feel alive. I work, I travel all over the world and hold a great career. Without this drug I am afriad I would still be hiding in my home letting the world pass me by.
I was on this drug for about 4 or 5 mo. to combat my severe anxiety/panic attacks. Previous to being on the drug, my panic attacks had gotten so bad that I began to shy away from social activities and went out less, after being on the drug for 4 mo., I didn't leave my dorm room ever in exception for exams or other necessary reasons. I gained 45+ pounds, and literally lost all control of my emotions. My mind state was so bad that I did anything to take myself out of it meaning i drank and smoked pot very heavily after the first 2 mo. because that felt better than the way i felt sober. The worst part was how unaware I was that I was even depressed. Not until one of my friends told me that they thought I was going through a serious period of depression did the light come on for me that I in fact did not feel as terrible as I had in the mo. before. The one thing I will give the drug credit for is that although I was severely depressed while on it, my panic attacks diminished (i now happily take them in comparison). I have now lost 65 lbs. since going off of it, and realize that my issues with panic attacks will have to be resolved by myself addressing their underlying causes. I was prescribed this medication by a university health center psychiatrist, who I now see was totally incompetent. I have extreme anger over this experience and do not think that the drug should be written off (since it really is a miracle worker for some people) but my advice would be to be CONSCIOUSLY AWARE of how you felt before taking the drug, and after being on the drug for a few months. Prior to being medicated I had never considered suicide in my life and I literally began to plan a date and way to do it after being on the drug for only 4 months. It all seems ridiculous to me now.
Ive been taking citalopram for four days now. I havent really noticed any beneficial effect yet. Perhaps because i am too busy focusing on all the bad effects. Muscle tension in my neck and shoulders which leads to horrible headaches, muscle twitches in my arms and legs and stomach aches. I also have diabetic neuropathy (muscle and nerve damage) so these side effects only intensify my existing physical problems. I switched from AM dose to PM dose after these side effect presented the first dosing. It hasnt eased the issues any so ill give it another week before talking with my doc. Hope this helps but as of now im more stressed and feel worse than i did without the meds.
I was prescribed citalopram/celexa last week. After reading these terrible stories I am beginning to worry, however most of the stories do not include warnings your doctor might have told you. My doctor forwarned me that while taking this drug I will experience feeling much better taking two steps forward and eventually taking two steps backward, three steps forward and maybe two steps back again. The drug itself is not a drug that you are going to take and feel instant happiness. That's not what it is meant to do. When you are as low as I am/was you should be able to notice a difference but maybe not right away. I do feel a little wired at night but notice I am yawning a lot more than I used to. Also, I found taking the medication early in the morning before work with a HUGE glass of water the nausea has went away. The first few days were not so good. Hopefully for my case I will only have the side effects for a short time.
I took citalopram and in the first week i had very vivid terribly scary dreams. I woke up shaking and was scared to go back to sleep because I didn't want to get back into the dream. I don't know if I should keep taking it?
Citalopram has done nothing good for me so far. I've had terrifying dreams, hallucinations and it makes me feel worse then before i started taking it. I think I've had one good day on it but I'm definately trying to get on something else.
hi i am currently on my second day of taken 20mg citalopram an feel bad , i didnt sleep much last nite an my doc told me he would give me tablets to help me sleep i am feelen quite panicky and funny has any one got any addivice that would help
After finding out the guy I was involved with for 5 months was still with his girlfriend of 2 years. I had a major meltdown and went into a state of depression. For two weeks I was a train wreck! I had a nervous breakdown everyday. The lying cheating guyfriend was the least of my problems. I had bottled up my emotions for too long. (a year before I was raped). So an meltdown was inevitable.
My doc diagnosed me with major depressive disorder and i think it was melancholic subcategory. Prescribed me celexa, my mom has despression too and she takes paxil and warned me against taking it. But its my senior year of college and my depression was getting in the way of my school. First i took 10mg/day and it worked for a while but wore off and i was back to being depressed, then i upped to 20mg in the morning, at first it was horrible waking up in the morning and waiting for the pill to kick in (it takes 3 hrs). and the muscle tension in my neck and shoulders is kind of annoying. but to have myself feeling like my old self its worth it. im still in the first week of my 20mg/day. hopefully my morning sideeffects go away, when i first take it i feel queasy and out of breath.
for me the benefits outweigh the side effects, but as i type this now im so tense in my shoulders and neck ughh!!!
I have suffered from depression since a small child and have been on medications on and off since I was a teenager. I may only be 24 now but I feel like the expert. I have been on citalopram for over a year and a half now and on the whole I have to say it has been one of the best anti-depressants I have been prescribed. When I started on it I was in a terrible state, feeling very suicidal and could not have gotten through that time without the help of some talking therapy as well - I thoroughly recommend people do not rely solely on the medications. If talking therapy isn't for you then there are some great books out there (Buddhist teachings, even if you ignore the religious aspect can be very helpful) and websites. But don't just use medication if you are contemplating suicide, or are severely depressed. Anyway, for well over a year the Citalopram did work well. There were times when I had to increase the doseage from 20mg to 30mg, or sometimes 40mg (taking one 20mg at night and another one in the morning). But these increases were short and just to help get through tougher times. Generally I felt pretty normal. However in the last few months the pills seemed to stop working. I couldn't stop crying all the time. I didn't feel as depressed as I had in the past but still could not stop crying. At the recommendation of my manager at work I went back to my doctor who put me on 40mg. One tablet. It made me so ill I couldn't move. First week my stomach hurt so much and I was so dizzy and nauseous I couldn't move or eat or anything. The nausea did subside but I my appetite was lost altogether (along with my libido). I was also getting increasingly
I have suffered from depression since a small child and have been on medications on and off since I was a teenager. I may only be 24 now but I feel like the expert. I have been on citalopram for over a year and a half now and on the whole I have to say it has been one of the best anti-depressants I have been prescribed. When I started on it I was in a terrible state, feeling very suicidal and could not have gotten through that time without the help of some talking therapy as well - I thoroughly recommend people do not rely solely on the medications. If talking therapy isn't for you then there are some great books out there (Buddhist teachings, even if you ignore the religious aspect can be very helpful) and websites. But don't just use medication if you are contemplating suicide, or are severely depressed. Anyway, for well over a year the Citalopram did work well. There were times when I had to increase the doseage from 20mg to 30mg, or sometimes 40mg (taking one 20mg at night and another one in the morning). But these increases were short and just to help get through tougher times. Generally I felt pretty normal. However in the last couple of months the pills seemed to stop working. I couldn't stop crying all the time. I didn't feel as depressed as I had in the past but still could not stop crying. At the recommendation of my manager at work I went back to my doctor who put me on 40mg. One tablet. It made me so ill I couldn't move. First week my stomach hurt so much and I was so dizzy and nauseous I couldn't move or eat or anything. The nausea did subside but I my appetite was lost altogether (along with my libido). I was also getting increasingly paranoid, anxious etc. Although I was tired all the time and was completely zombified I really struggled to get to sleep at night. And when I did the nightmares came. When I was awake I was often not really there; I seemed to disappear into another place (hallucinations?) and was easily confused and forgetful. You get the idea, it wasn't good. My mother dragged me back to the doctor and I am now back down to 30mg, despite me asking to try something else entirely. We'll see how I get on but I have lost my confidence in Citalopram now. I know a lot of people it has worked wonders on (including me for a time) but cannot help but feel it is only good as a short term solution. In my opinion your body will get used to whatever you're taking and at some point you will need more or something else. I don't recommend taking 40mg or more (unless you have a strong tolerance for such drugs). The side effects are not worth it.
I started with the 10mg dosage for 4 weeks then was increased to the 20mg dose. The side effects I'm feeling are chills, restlessness at night and sleeping all day. I was put on this due to anxiety, or in my words, feeling weird when going into crowded areas with many people. This came on me all of a sudden in my early 40's and I thought, anyone would think strange for a 6'4 230lb guy. Turns out my doc says this is more normal then I thought. My libido is gone, and my girlfriend wonders why I don't find her attractive anymore. my doc gave me Viagra, but it isn't covered under my insurance, and is expensive. It takes $46 worth to get my libido working.
I love my girlfriend of five years, and I don't feel any better on this Celexa. Should I stop taking, after talking to my doctor? Any advice would be appreciated. A friend, who is also a doc, just not mine, told me Xannax would be better for what I have
Thanks for any advice
I've been taking Celexa for about a week now and I don't know. I think the stuff is fake or something. I feel NOTHING. no side effects no well being, NOTHING.. I am on 20mg.
I found some citalopram belonging to a friend of mine. (He does not like to take pills.) I had been having trouble sleeping and a bit of panic due to events beyond my control.
I bit off half (10mg) of a pill and it seemed to calm me down.....a placebo probably would have worked just as well, because I was READY to try anything.
As the above comments have shown, EVERYONE'S METABOLISM is DIFFERENT! A drug can work wonders on one person and be a total disaster with another.
Be careful what the 'AUTHORITIES (i.e. medical personnel, hospitals, CAMH etc.) TRY TO FORCE DOWN YOUR THROAT. Always remind them that YOU are IN CONTROL OF YOUR OWN BODY and BEFORE YOU TAKE ANYTHING YOU WANT A DETAILED LIST OF THE EFFECTS/SIDE EFFECTS that can be expected.
TOO MANY TIMES, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH ROUGH TIMES ARE GIVEN medications that are TOTALLY TOXIC for them, possibly interacting negatively with something else, ONLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TIME TO LOOK AT YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY!!!!!!
Good luck, folks, It's a jungle out there!!!!!
I started getting anxiety attacks and panic attacks so the doc prescribed me celexa ( citalophram) 20 mg, I dont feel any better..after 3 wks I started getting an itching/sunburn feel on my skin and head rushes, headaches...which is giving me more anxiety, its just making it worse and the doctor keeps telling me its my anxiety causing the burning and itching and stress causing my head pressure and headaches...BULLSHIT! I guess I am going to have to wean myself off this med, i just want to wake up and feel normal again!! If you have any of these symptopms please let me know Im not crazy lol mrstyrrell07@hotmail.com thanx
My name is Brandy and I am 23 years old. When I was 14, I got depression. In the years to follow, I was in the psychiatric ward countless times, attempted suicide countless times, was an avid self mutilator and had Bulemia Nervosa. I didn't have any explanation for anything I did. For me to function as a normal human being was impossible and it left my family wondering, Why are you like this? I cried about everything because everyone was personally attacking me. I couldn't keep a job for more than six months without having a mental breakdown. My last hospitalization was two years ago after my daughter was born. My psychiatrist prescribed me to, what would be the 26th psychiatric drug I've taken in my life, citalopram. Let me tell you something, for the first time in eight years, my mind actually felt clear. I could think rationally, logically, I could laugh genuinely and I could function in society as a normal human being. I've been on citalopram for two years now and I will be on it for the rest of my life. When I stop taking it for even a few days, everything goes back to the way it was. I cry. I want to die. I want to drop out of school. I want to lay in bed. I want to quit my job. It's when I won't leave my bed that I realize it's because I'm not taking my Celexa and when I start taking it again, I'm a pleasant, sociable, hard-working, motivated person that's proud of her accomplishments. Call me Dr. Jekyl, Mr. Hyde, but realistically this medication makes me the complete opposite of whom I hate when I'm depressed.
I was having serious symptoms of depression and paranoia (thinking people were going to kill us while we slept, or kidnap my stepdaughter from school, the house burning down.....for HOURS AND HOURS every day), the doctors thought it could be a side effect from my birth control. They started me on Celexa and all was fine for a while. My problem was that I drank beer to try and calm myself down, which brings in a whole other host of problems LOL! I know that is NOT the way to fix things, so I went on the Celexa. For about 3 weeks I felt alot better, I did not want to drink as much (alcohol counsiling as well) and the only side effects were me being a little loopy about an hour after I took my dose (10 mg)....I felt a little high and slurred my words a bit, even some drool (JOY! heheh) but it went away after about a half hour or so. I would say in the past week and a half the same symptoms came back, with a vengance. Obsessing for hours about leaving a door unlocked or someone trying to hurt my family. NOT NORMAL! I went back to the drs and they upped my dose to 30 mgs a day as well as some xanax to calm me down. Today I feel pretty good, but more like a zombie than anything. A happy zombie, but the roof could fall in on me and it would not bother me that much. *Sigh* WTF depression! Also, like many of you I got the shakes something fierce! That part really sucked, but I am working through it and trying to stick with the Celexa. Wish me luck! Good luck to all of you too!
i developed depression after having my baby and i suffered loss of appetite and i lost alot of weight (not good) considering i am tall and slim already. so my doctor put me on celexa. i have been on it for about 2 weeks now and i do feel much better i notice i am very happy now. the only side effects I've expirenced is feeling overly relaxed and alot of gas but other than that i feel fine i also notice my appetite has picked up some which is great for me i think celexa is working for me so far i will update later
I am 18 years old and have been suffering from depression for about 4 years. I quit doing things I used to enjoy, stopped leaving the house except for school because I had to attend and gained weight. It got gradually worse over the 4 years, going from occasional periods of feeling bad for no reason to just feeling bad all of the time. Slowly everthing got harder and I was faking being happy or interested in almost everything. The change was so gradual I didn't notice that I felt bad all of the time, it just felt like my neutral and I had to try so hard to be even remotely happy.
About the only thing I can do at the moment is watch tv. That's the only thing I can get enjoyment from and laugh at. Once I realised I had depression I realised alot of personality traits I have now I didn't used to have before the depression started. Such as now I cry when I'm angry, sad, frustrated, talking about something in the past that doesn't even make me sad anymore - I still cry and it's uncontrollable (my GP says this is called retrospective crying and it's common with my type of depression I was so relieved to have it explained!) - or how I'm paranoid about everything, how lazy I am now when I used to be so active, anxious around people or walking down the street I'm uncomfortable because I'm worrying about everything from the way I'm walking to how my hair looks, all at the same time. Also my energy slowly got worse and worse until getting out of bed was hard and all I want to do is sleep because I feel like it's the only thing I can do.
I finally went to my GP a couple of weeks ago and he gave be Citalopram. He started me on 10mg and told me to take it on alternate days to lessen the side effects then to start taking them everyday after a couple of days. After about a week and half he upped my does to 20mg a day and that's what I'm on at the moment. I've only been taking this drug for 2 weeks and it does disturb my sleep like crazy and has given me a few vivid dreams and I think it's made me even more tired but it's nothing too bad. Because I think it just might work. I had an arguement with my brother and afterwards I came into my room and waited to cry, like I always do, and the tears didn't come, I feel like...well not good yet but not as bad as I usually do.
Also my GP says that citalopram doesn't work in a straight line. You don't see an increase in mood that is rising constantly it's more like rising and then dipping, rising then dipping but still all the while rising. So you will feel low days. It sounds like some of your GPs haven't explained to you how the drug works, it takes a while to fully work and the side effects normally subside.
When I first got them I wanted them to work but I really didn't think they would. Now I'm hopeful that they will.
I've been taking 20mg Celexa for two and half weeks now. The first two weeks were wonderful, I felt like a new person....I was able to control my anger, felt more positive and happy. A really good side effect, I was able to control my appetite, and I've actually lost 6 pounds! I attributed this to emotional eating issues I may have had that were now being controlled. The only negative side effect was a little increase in nervousness (biting my nails a little more, and shaking my leg when seated). Well, almost two weeks from the start....my 'good' mood seem to diminish a bit..feeling a bit irritable. I've also started having major trouble falling and staying asleep these last few nights. I've never had a history of sleep issues, previously in my life. The doctor said the 'full' effect of Celexa won't be felt until taking it for 4-6 weeks, so I'm going to hold out to see how I feel at that point. I'm hoping this last few days is just temporary and I'll be back to feeling great again!
I have used citalopram for about 5 weeks. I am a 28 year old man with a young family and I am a secondary (high school) teacher. I hit a low point where I wanted to harm myself so Dr. prescribed citalopram and signed me off work for 3 weeks. Now that I'm back at work things seemed to be improving but 6 days ago I started suffering immense muscle and joint pain. I have not done anything out of the ordinary but I am struggling to move. I can't open doors easily, I struggle to wash, to dress, to grip anything, to carry anything. It feels like I've had a massive work out at the gym. Except I haven't! It's as though my muscles are already at their maximum working point and I'm really struggling to do anything. I'm shuffling around like I'm much older and much more ill than I actually am. I'm not happy that this drug has done this. My Dr. can't see me until the end of the week and I don't know how long it will take for effects to wear off. I telephoned my Dr. and he advised me to stop taking citalopram. I'm worried how I might respond though having read about cold turkey etc. I don't want the dark clouds to return.
I took ONE pill and 5 hrs later thought I was dying! An overwhelming feeling of anger washed over my body. Panic set in! I felt as though I was losing my mind or having some type of psycho breakdown. I fell to the floor with cold sweat, shaking, and a hot tingling sensation that flowed through my veins. It was terrible! Lasted about 20 min, and then repeated (to a lesser degree) off and on throughout the night. NEVER TAKE THIS CRAP!
I began taking generic celexa about 2 years ago. I'm only on 20 mg. 3 Days or more off and I begin to have increasingly high anxiety and depression worse than I have ever had. I also have headaches, body aches, and insomnia. I describe the initial withdraws as the beginning of a sinus infection or cold, turning into the flu, but then becoming something completely different all together. I don't want to be on something the rest of my life and want to stop, but the side effects or withdraws have been to severe for me to be successful.
If you have not started an antidepressant like celexa and are considering it, I recommend you weigh the negatives and positives. If you are only experiencing mild problems with depression and anxiety you may want to try alternatives first. I think eating right, exercise, being outside are possibilities to help in a natural way.
I had two goes at ending my life, in January -- too much life pressure ~ splitting up with partner, being made redundant, rejection from parents for being a gay man, loss of income made me homeless, constant severe physical pain from a bad road traffic knee injury etc, and I tried (i) jumping in the sea from the end of the pier and (ii) ingesting 200 yew tree berries. The coastguard saved me once and the A&E team the second time.
I was put on observation on a very kindly, caring mental ward for a fortnight, and they decided for me to try citalopram. I'm taking 60mg per day by now. In addition, I am on 30mg of valium (but I have been on and off that -- sometimes off for years, ever since I was a kid -- not hooked, but I feel that I trust it) and 15mg of Zopiclone at night. I have to have diclofenac for the knee, which has no discernable phychosomatic side effects but also need to take omeprazome as it is very harsh on the digestive tract. And I have 30mg codeine phospahte pills to take as needed.
Of anything, I think the citalopram has worked wonders. I had been prescribed amitryptaline once for insomnia, and the side effects were loathsome. I don't get on with fluoxetine as they make me jittery, and then I am inclined to hit the gin bottle.
They are re-housing me now, and for the first time in about three years, I feel as if I have some kind of say or control in my life. I know it will be an effort to stop, but hey, look -- I'm here typing this, I've been out and bought the newspaper, done the crossword and housework, and am looking forwards to meeting a couple of friends for drinks later. None of those meds mixes with alcohol, so I'll be on lime cordial with soda water, but it's an unbelievable transformation from January, and I'm staying on them for as long as it takes for me to get my roots back firmly in. The diazepam frankly I am not worried about -- I know how much to take of it without it getting out of control.
I also used to drink about 1.5 litres of gin per day, BTW -- and I entirely put down to citlaopram my complete loss of interest in the booze these days -- last time, about a fortnight ago, I had just one glass of white wine when there was a little party at a friend's house, and I was enjoying myself on the fruit punch (no booze) the rest of the time.
The only side-effects worth mentioning are very very very strange dreams (I've started to leave a notpad by the side of the bed, and who knows if it's not the Zpoiclone doing it) and a loss of appetite (wanted to lose a couple of kg anyhow, so not bad)
In all, I think citalopram = eight or nearly nine out of ten.
I recently started taking Celexa for the second time. I went off it about two-years-ago after being on it for about four years. I'm taking it for anxiety and in the past it has helped tremendously.
For those of you concerned with side-effects you need to understand one very important thing: Celexa and almost all SRI's are not instant cures. If you're expecting Celexa or any other type of SRI (Serotonin reuptake inhibitor) to act instantly you're wrong. You've been completely misinformed. They are not pain-killers. They are not tylenol. They aren't anything even remotely similar. Meaning, they do not work instantly. These sort of medications take time to really show results and all the terrible feelings will eventually dissipate as you continue taking them.
Imagine taking a pill like this as a pendulum on a clock. The goal being that you want the pendulum to stop swinging and rest in the middle. The left being anxiety, the right being depression, and the middle being normal. This pill can be summarized similar to that. When you start taking this pill it will almost undoubtedly make you feel worse. You will feel sick and anxious. Maybe lose sleep. All sorts of really terrible feelings. This is completely temporary and is the pill pulling things back into balance. You'll have highs and dips until everything balances out in the end.
This will not take 1-week. This will most likely not take 2-weeks. Generally speaking, you'll start feeling noticeable change at about the 3-4 week mark. At least that's around where I found myself feeling better in the past. You just have to be strong and really tough out those first few weeks to get there.
If you find yourself unable to do so you can always ask your Doctor to give you some additional support medication. The first time I went on Celexa (years ago) I almost gave up. I couldn't take it. He prescribed me Ativan to take at night before bed. I immediately noticed a huge difference from the Ativan helping me get a good nights rest.
In closing. I'm on Day-5 of Celexa for the second time. The side-effects have me feeling awful and I have more anxiety than I know what to do with. Along with thoughts that I have nearly every terminal illness known to man. But I know from past experience that once I clear this hump things will start getting better. I'll be able to better differentiate what's really wrong with me and whats not. I won't be such a nervous wreck.
Nearly all side-effects should fade with time. So be patient.
Once again, anyone thinking Take on pill and poof! All better. you were completely misinformed and should speak to your Doctor. This medicine will take time to get the most out of it.
I started taking Celexa 50mg for body dysmorphic disorder. Unfortunately, my hair strands are coming out quite regularly - not in clumps mind you, but in irritating loosening strings that if you look down and see your hair uneven and pull on one of the uneven ones then it comes out all the way quite easily. I'm in despair over this for sure, but I read up on all the SRIs and they all have this side effect. So as long as I don't get a bald spot I guess I'm going to continue on Citalopram because my bad depression is a bummer and even my cat gets depressed when I'm depressed - poor fellow!
Stay the course and see what develops. Maybe taking vitamins and Zinc and Selenium will help. Best of luck to anybody else getting hair loss on Celexa.
Took Celexa for one week - awful sick feeling but great energy improvement, was on 20mg a day. Stopped two days ago and have slept all day - the hardest hitting low after what I guess was a manic week. Should I go back on it or stay off. I stopped as I felt I was putting on weight. Please let me know what is best.
early monday am ,i awoke to go to the bathroom,i was chilled to the bone. i was shivering so bad by the time i got back to the bed i couldnt move. i was short of breath and shaking terribly. i am taking celexa 80 mg in the morning up from 60 mg for about 2 weeks for depression. i also have a past history of panic disorder. i also have heart failure and wear a icd,so i am well aware of the difference beteen a heart attack and a panic attack.i would rate this panic attack the other nite as by far the worst one i have ever had. i could not move to open up the xanax bottle. the previous panic attack was about 2 years ago as a passenger in a car and it was nothing like this this last one.as far as helping my depression,i would have to say its just been so-so.i have a call into my doc. im confident in him and he will figure it out,any advice welcomed mr.haz1203@yahoo.com
I have been on celexa 20mg for 5 years, i did not have any side effects that are posted other than tierd in the morning after taking it. I am 51 year old female who is the care giver for my 52 year old quadriplegic husband of 33 years and he has been injured since 1994. he does go to work and he is a happy guy and he has never been on any antidepressants what so ever. i just found I had trouble coping with 2 teenagers and a 8 year old at the time and i could not find my happiness no matter what. also being his caregiver is hard work and we live on a farm.we have help now and that helps me alot. I find i feel tied down and i have to make arrangements with a nurse if i want a day off. The celexa helps me to feel good about life and it took 5 months before i really noticed anything different..but My family sure notices when i miss a pill..i get anxious and kind of hyper. sometimes i think i should wean myself off of it, but i am worried on how i would feel after a while and i like me and my family and freinds like me too..that is important to me for sure. so i will stick with it and hopefully i will never get the side effects that some of you people are having.
i have just taken my first 20mm of citalopram about 2 hours ago and feel strange, very strange... dizzy, cold, nauseus, cant concentrate and spent about 10 minutes yawning. my doctor said i wouldnt feel a thing for 2 weeks, shall i stop now? i have a busy, stressful next two weeks and need to be as good as i can be. not worse from this pill.... any advice? thanks, ru
I was going through pre-menopause symtems to the extreme, 2 weeks of anger and at time smurderus anger at that, then 2 weeks of sobbing and severe sadness, then along came 2 weeks of feeling like a nervous wreck, something had to be done, so I went back to my GP who a year earlier when my symptems were not quite so severe but still and issue for me ( he blew my concerns off that time). Well this time you take paranoia, anger, nervousness and add them all together while sitting with the GP and you finally get them to believe you are in trouble. Luckily for me and everyone around me he prescribed Celexor 10mg. Day one wow I was back to being me again, yes I was a bit hyper for a few weeks but also dropped 10 lbs, my sex drive returned, and I felt wonderful. Now 4 months in the symtems are starting to retrun, drying for now reason, tension and anger. I do have mild headaches and I dont sleep well, but over all I was feeling great. Warning, vodka and Celexor will knock oyu on your ceester. I may call my lovely little GP and see about increasing the doseage
I suffer from Social Anxiety and depression. I went to the doctors and he gave me citalopram ( generic celexa) The first day I took it I woke up drenched in sweat, my head was even soaked by morning. I thought it was a normal side effect. The second day I took it my muscles in my legs were very stiff, usually I jog everyday, couldn't that day. Third day extreme muscle rigidity in my thighs, felt as if my muscles were going to pop thru my skin.. They would not relax no matter what I did. It also felt like fire was going thru my veins in my legs and calves, like I was boiling from the inside out.. I had to stop taking it and the symptoms went away. I agree with some that say we each metabolize these meds differently.
On a positive note I instantly felt calmer even with all this going on. I could think clearer, I wasn't as sad. This med works right away it does not take 2 weeks to feel any differences. Doctors know very little about the drugs they prescribe. If you are able to metabolize this drug I do believe it will help. My advice is to start very low like 5mg, break the pill in half. Find out what it does to your body first. Thank God I didn't start at the recommended dose of 20mg's it probably would have given me a seizure if not killed me.
My daughter attempted suicide 1 year ago at age 15. After a couple of different rx's she has now been on celexa for 10 months. Doing fairly well, gets headaches alot. 2 months ago she decided to quit taking it (of course she didn't tell anyone else), she was horrible, mean, spitefull, grades plummeted, lying, stealing, you name it she was doing it. So of course we immediately made her restart. The problem is she wants to join the military and she can't be on any antidepressants. And I was never informed of these withdrawl symptoms from her doc, so I'm pretty pissed off, because they told me she could be off this med in 6 to 12 months. Has anyone stopped this med and led a normal life after or is this going to be a life long committment? I'm really pissed off that the doctors never told us about this.
This drug was HELL for me. I took it for 5 days and nearly went insane. The anxiety levels were off the scale. I could not sleep, think clearly, was dizzy and made my skin crawl. My body functions went out of balance, could not go the the bathroom.
This drup is like being on acid (I grew up in the 1960') without the hallucinations. It's like being wired for sound 24 hours a day. I had to stop taking it after 5 days.
I have taken every SSRI in the past. Prozac gave me migrains, paxil made me want to buy out every sweet in the store ( so that wasn't going to work), Zoloft was good but made my blood pressure rise to dangerous levels, Pristiq same thing, High blood pressure. Natural alernatives like 5--htp and st. johns wort, not strong enough. I started to have sever anxiety/panic attacks when i was in my 30's, later to find out i had low thyroid. was put on thyroid meds, but the panic never want away. eventually i started staying home all the time. I noticed over time i was affraid to drive my car anymore too. As i stated above , then came the antidepresants. I took them but nothing worked or had sidde effects I couldn't handle. I was tired of not having my life so i decided to give it one more shot. I went to the Dr's and he put me on celexa. he told me it worked great for his anxiety/panic patients. I decided to give it a try ( this one last attempt) It worked better then what i could ever have imagined. I had very mild headaches the first week, but that was it. I was moving in the right direction toward freedom within the first two weeks . I was feeling happy for the first time in many many years. I started to get out more and even started driving myself to the store. It has been the BEST SSRI for me and i am forever grateful for taking one more shot at it. Panic is none exsistant now and i can live my life again. Just want to remind people that there are many SSRIS out there and if one doesn't work keep on trying. Taking the chance again gave me back something i thought was gone frome me forever....my life.
Ive been on Celexa for the past 2 years. For about 2 months now I have been slowly weening myself off of Celexa and the withdrawal symptoms are pretty bad. I am down to taking just a 1/4th (5mg) of the 20 mg tablet every five days. Today was actually the worst day I have had yet experiencing withdrawal symptoms and it has been 7 days since I have had it last. It got so bad today I took another 1/4th of a pill. I am hoping that with time I will get to the point where the 5 day, 7 day, stretch without any celexa will increase to longer periods to the point I don't need it any longer. All I wanted to do today was lay around and not move.
Personally, when I first started celexa I was in really bad shape. I was severely depressed, severe anxiety, and felt like a dark cloud of confusion was over my brain making everyday normal life extremely difficult.
I first started taking Celexa and didn't feel ANY side effects or ANY positive results for at least 6 weeks. On the 6 week mark I really started to feel better and then all my problems seemed to go away. The cloud had been lifted.
I am now trying to get off Celexa because I don't really like taking medicine on a regular basis.
Although the withdrawal symptoms for me are harsh I think it is because I have been on Celexa for 2 years.
I was put on Celexa by my family physican. I told him that I was suffering night sweats,restless leg syndrome and mild depression. That is when he prescribed the Celexa. I started out on 20 mg. I have never felt so good. It has stopped the night sweats(menapausal) and the leg jumping. Recently he upped me to 40 because I was starting to feel like I was falling back into a funk. Still doing great. Celexa, the multi-purpose anti-depressant. I wouldn't leave home without it.
To whom it may concern:
Im 29 years old and have been taking Celexa for 2 years. I was prescribed Celexa because I was suffering from depression and anxiety from what my pyschiatrist believes was my use of Ecstasy when I was 18-20.
Anyways, Ive been on it for 2 years and recently decided to stop taking it. As all of you have posted here at first it was absolutely hell. But, it I only reached a point of feeling like absolute crap only a few times and I figured out a way to stop it along with weening myself off.
I was taking 20mg's a day. When I decided to stop I started taking 3/4th's of my pill everyday. I just took a sharp knife and cut the pill in half, then cut those two pieces in half totaling 4 pieces and then I just took 3 of the pieces a day which equaled 3/4ths of the original pill. I did this for a 3 weeks.
Then, I cut down to half a pill for a period of 3 weeks. Then I cut down to 1/4th a pill for 3 weeks. Then I started skipping days. I would take a 1/4th pill every other day for a few weeks. Then I started taking a 1/4th pill every other 2 days, 3 days, etc.
I pretty much would not take the medicine until my withdrawal symptoms were fairly bad and then I would take a 1/4th of a pill. Now, I am taking just a small flake off the 1/4th pill every few days (I havent had one in 3 days) until my withdrawal gets bad.
I did this without the advice of my pyschiatrist as I cannot afford to see him which is why I decided to stop taking it anyway.
So, now I am at the stage where I am almost completely off of it.
I hope this information helps as it did me. =)
In my opinion there is no need to suffer from the severe withdrawal symptoms, if you are feeling them, take some of the medication, and slowly cut that down over time. Keep doing that and you will be off of it in time.
Godspeed-
I have been on citalopram now for 5 months. MY side effect with citalopram is that my arms and hands are numb in the mornings when i wake up. Sometimes the numbness is so bad that i wake up in the middle of the night with pain in one of my arms. I have went back to doctor with this complaint and she said that it was nothing bad. I am on forty mg.I take one in the mornings when i get up. As far as helping me with my depression it has done that,but i don't like this numbness that i feel in my arms and hands. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I am on my third day of 20M of Celexa for Panic Disorder. It has been hell..Dr. said it had sedative effect so take at night..Wrong. Kept me up first two nights. Took a sleeping pill last night that gave me some relief (4 Hrs) I hope I make it to the 2 Wk mark. If I am not feeling a little more like my old energetic self by then, I am going off slowly and looking for something else more effective and with fewer side effect.
I would recommend citalopram to anyone that suffers from depression and/or anxiety. After spending years dealing with anxiety, which manifested itself as extreme nausea, I went on 20 mg of the generic. Within a week I was eating and going about my day as if panic never existed. This drug gave me my life back. I also HIGHLY recommend that one should couple the use of drugs such as celexa with other methods to cope with panic and anxiety. For example, I began practicing yoga and meditation. Best wishes to all.
I am going through a separation of being together with this person for over 16yrs because of alcoholism. I got angry, depress, panic, anxiety attacks. I have tried different prescription DRUGS but nothing seem to work. This friend told me citalopram made wonders for her and she has been on it for a year and no side effects well I was tired of feeling depressed and not enjoying the simple thing in life like a walk in the park, a movie, my kids. Nothing! I tried two pills first day everything was ok but the second day of my God! I woke up at 4:00am suddenly when i was in the bathroom my hand could not stop shaking and I felt this sensation of hot and at the same time cold running through my veins.Heart palpitation for a few minutes and felt out of myself. That day i did not eat i had no appetite i had nausea and headaches. I got so scared that i decided not to take it again. Now i arm myself with the holy spirit and pray sooo much and been getting closer to God. I attend any event that has God in it that for a few weeks i been ok. The word of God Has helped me tremendously that i wouldn't of been able to do it without God. Sometime God puts this things into our live so that we can reach out to him. I challenge you to do the same and I am so blessed that I am wiling to give out my e- mail to here stories of salvation. May God Help Us All! Mcruzontar@aol.com
I have been taking Zoloft for the last 12 years and had great success for OCD and panic disorder until just recently. My doctor is in the process of switching me from Zoloft to Celexa. I am taking Zoloft 50mg and Celexa 10mg for the last 3 days. Tonight I am suppose to go up to 20 mg celexa and Zoloft 50mg, but I am scared! I have severe panic when I have to take new pills. I also take xanax as needed. This is the worst panic I have ever experienced in my life. I hope something starts to work soon! Any advice or support would be appreciated.
I started to take Citalopram for my depression. I was feeling suicidal and constantly low, and hoped that taking pills will be a quick fix for my problems. I was very excited about this, because I thought IT HAS TO MAKE ME FEEL HAPPY.
the first month was sort of ok. I didn't feel great, but i didn't feel as low as usual. Had a lots of vivid dreams, it was quite crazy, many times i was not sure what I dreamt, and what really happened. Right from the start i had problems sleeping, so i changed the time of taking the pill, but didnt help.
My 2nd check up with my Gp, i told him i am feeling a bit more suicidal than before, and that i self harmed myself. I also told him about my sleeping problems, but he told me to keep taking it. so i did, and things got only worse.
I think i have never been closer to actually killing myself than while taking this. It changed my personality, i did not act like myself, could get violent, I was crying a lot, it was just weird.
After losing my boyfriend, due to me behaving mean and strange, i went cold turkey on this. I had the feeling of electric shocks for about two weeks, spasms, being light headed, vision problems, but after that, i felt like myself again. I know it works wonders for some, but i know for many it is a living hell, which is hard to cope with, when you expect it to help you.
I wish i had never taken this.
hi have been searching for anybody who may have had similar experience as me.I took citaropram for the first time last week and within the hour was 'high'.This feeling stayed with me but i also became incredibly tired and lethergic.I lost intreast in driving,getting a job and essentially anything that required moving.But the most strange effect was that i began having incredible religius feelings,that its all true ,god and jesus as exactly stated in the bible is correct and i really felt it and coudnt stop praying and searching out god and for the first time in my life felt that life was immaterial,whats important is the relationship with god.....this may not sound strange but i never ,ever had this conviction before?????i was scared because i was loosing intreast in my son and wanted to dedicate everythng to geting close to god.Also a fear in my mind wa that i would ed up psychotic.can anybody help,or offer their opinion???i was prescribed for anxiety which was hugley alleviated with the drug,with the anxiety lifted i feel that shame,guilt ,rumination,wory,self loating ,body issues were all connected to the anxiety cos now thats all gone....its so strange to feel 'normal'.when off the drug it will all come back rite?????????not good.anxiety is a poison,but in a way so isnt the drug?????i believe psychotherapy is an alternative answer but its expensive.next time u hear from me i mite be wearing a habit?
Hi. I have been prescribed Celexa 20 mg for generalized anxiety. I took my first one about an hour ago, splitting it in half so it was 10 mg. About 30 minutes into my first dose, I noticed a little bit of feeling of hot then cold. I got a little shaky, but that subsided fast. I do have an overall funny sort of spacey feeling,making it hard to concentrate on my work (thankfully I work from home). It gets more intense about every 15 minutes or so and then eases off a little. I have a weird taste sort of bad taste situated in the back of my mouth, and it did cause a little bit of diarrhea, but no cramping or nausea. I expected to have some side effects, especially with the first dose, but overall I think that I can deal with them at least for the first week. My doctor says these side effects will most likely subside, and if this medicine works well for my anxiety, I am willing to give it a chance.
After trying this drug after going through some very stressful financial times...it's not worth it. I've never taken any drugs other than antibiotics and ativan a few times when I had an anxiety attack. The body is not meant to have foreign chemicals in it. These compounds do not occur in nature...our body is going to have bad reactions to it.
Even if this stuff works...there is no end to it and NO ONE knows the long term effects. Why not try every natural solution first? Exercise, no caffeine, no high sugar foods, no nutrasweet, take vitamins daily, fish oil, don't smoke, don't drink, meditate, talk to friends and try everything else natural you can.
I'm surprised I tried this crap and I feel like I've done harm to my body by putting this disgusting foreign chemical in my body.
My side effects were anxiety, extreme exhaustion, muscle soreness and NO DESIRE to do anything productive.
I'm sure after a few weeks it would make me feel better but the reality is I can do this naturally. Invest in your body and in high quality organic vegetables and natural foods first. Watch the movie Food Matters and Food Inc.
I first started being depressed when i was about 13, because i was sexually abused as a kid. i felt really guilty about everything in my life, i felt dirty and like i shouldn't be alive. I had about 5 really bad episodes (18 now) lasting a few months each. untill earlier this year i dropped out of school and didn't leave my house for 2 months because i felt so bad. i didn't talk to anyone and just locked myself in my room and cried constantly. i went to hypnotherapy and i felt better for a while. i then re-joined school but i started feeling depressed again. so my doctor put me on 10mg citalopram 5 days ago. it's the first time i've had any type of anti- depressant. i haven't felt any benefits yet, in fact i have been feeling worse the past couple of days, crying a lot and feeling really listless and thinking about death. my doctor said it should take about 3 weeks to kick in and i'm really hoping it starts to work soon.
I am 22. I have had dysthymia (moderate but longterm depression) for 3 years. Over that time I lost all my friends and totally withdrew from all social interaction. I don't even remember what it feels like to be normal, to enjoy things or be happy. I started taking celexa last week. In the first 4 days I noticed something was changing. I had moments when I suddenly felt like I could think clearly, I also felt feelings that were very familiar and which I hadn't felt in years. These moments only lasted a few minutes, but they gave me hope that Celexa may actually help me. I can tell that something is going on in my head. On day 5 I started feeling very tired and started having even more trouble concentrating then before. Now is day 7 for me and still feel tired and unfocused. I wonder what is going to happen in the next few weeks. It usually takes up to a month for Celexa to start fully working.
I've been taking Citalopram for 4 days now. I went to talk to the doctor about an extremely low libido and we ended up talking about how stressed I am. I get very easily stressed out and very anxious.He prescribed me citalopram even though I was just hoping to get some testosterone but he said it would raise my libido. Starting yesterday I have begun to have this weird headache...it's like the beginning of a headache but it never fully gets there, which is almost worse. I also have constant forehead tension which is driving me mad. My jaw is also clenching a lot. I shouldn't be anxious at all, but I feel like it is worse then when I started! I'm scared to keep taking this...anyone have this happen?
I was taking the generic citalopram (Celexa) for a year. when I had my prescription refilled, the pill is a different shape. I called the pharmacy and they said it is citalopram, made by a different manufacturer. The internet says there is only one manufacturer and they only show the oval pill I used to take. Could the pharmacy be wrong? Comment by Flov
If it helps, citlopram has several manufactures-I am a pharmacy technician in a small pharmacy and even with a limited stock of prescriptions on hand we have at least three different manufactures of citlopram at all times. All of which have distinctive shapes and colors.
However, if you still have a question, go to your pharmacy and ask to see the stock bottle and pills that you recieved. This is something I have done on several occasions for customers who had received a different a prescription for an extended time and simply changed manufacturers.
I hope this helps a little at least.
Whitney
Hi. I read many of the posts on this blog and thought I would like to give you a positive side to taking Celexa(Cialopram) I have been taking Celexa for 5 years. I started taking it so that it would help me deal with the stress and anxiey and anger before PMS. I began with 10 mg went to 20 and ended up for all these years on 40 mg. Let me tell you for me it was the difference between sanity and murderous rage. I have a son who is disabled both physically and emotionally and the senerio went like this before the celexa. He would tantrum and rage for hours.. I would lose it eventually and be up there right with him both of us in the Red Zone. After my cousin told me how much it helped her, I asked my gyn about going on it and she started me. It saved my life. It opened up my mind and I was able to see much clearer. I think in my situation it was able to keep me at an even keel.. maybe even alittle sedated.. not much.. just enough to be able to cope with my situation and still go through my day.. being mom.. wife and employee. Recently I tried to come off of it because I thought maybe I could deal with situations that are going on in my life without it. i started to ween myself from every day 40 mg. to every other day..for weeks I worked myself down to 20 mg a day. But I didnt feel good. I felt sick..stressed and impatient. I began to SCREAM again at my kids.. when I measured the cost of family harmony and me coming off the Celexa.. It was not an option to me. I saw both sides and know that if I didnt have my Celexa I am out of control! Thank Gd I didnt have the beginning side effects that many of you have.. My son is now on Celexa 20 mg 1 x daily with 5 mg of abilify. he had the side affects that are described. But his Psychiatrist told him to hang in there. We are now past most of the side effects Thank Gd. My neice is also on the same dose of Celexa as I am for PTSD and she too had the side affects. which eventually subsided. My sister who like me has alot of stress and anxiety of dealing with emotional issues of her children was just put on Celexa 10 mg this week and had such a sever reaction she had to come off of it today. Head spins.. headaches, rushes of heat, neaseau, passing out. The worst of the worst. I guess its not for everyone. The only thing we can do is go on a trial. If the side affects are not sever and you can manage to hang in there for a week you may find that they diminish totally. If they dont.. call your Doctor Immediately. My heart goes out to all of you. We each have a story of pain, and suffering. May you all be blessed with Love, Light and Peace.
Lori New York
25, I have been on Celexa for five days. I have felt better in these last couple of days,than I can remember. So far, the only side effects I have exprienced is a disgusting taste on my tounge, very sick , gassy stomach , And restless nights which is good becouse I slept to much anyway! I guess I will try to stick with it becouse I was very depressed. I had a hard time doing anything like taking the kids to school, cooking dinner and more. I'm doing these things with ease. Well I guess!
I am 20 years old and have suffered with depression since I was 16. I have been taking 20mg/day citalopram for about a year, though my doctor just changed the dose to 40mg a few months ago. The medication has seemed to work well up until recently. Lately I feel just like I did before starting the medicine, if not worse. I am completely apathetic, I'm tired all the time, I have no happiness and I look forward to nothing. All I want to do is sleep so I don't have to face another day of feeling like this. I skip school often, and sometimes call in sick to work just because I can't get out of bed. I feel completely hopeless. I am going to schedule and appt. with my doctor soon to possibly change medication, and I may start seeing a therapist again. I hope no one else has this experience.
I have been on Celexa for 2 years for clinical depression and general anxiety disorder. I have to see my doctor everytime I need a new prescription. I had about 3 weeks worth of meds left and was unable to make my appointment, so I rescheduled for the next week, which I was unable to make also, so I rescheduled again! My next appointment was for 3 weeks later and I ran out of meds about a week and a half before my appointment, so I called my office and they said my doc was out until my next appointment and they were unable to do anything because I had cancelled my last 2 appointments and had to wait until my doc was back!!! So I had to quit cold turkey as I didn't have any left!! It has been the WORST experience ever! I've been nauseous, had splitting headaches, super dizzy, having bizarre dreams and super irritable! I hate this! My appointment is in about an hour and I hope my meds kick in quick!! I guess I've learned not to EVER reschedule my appointments!! I just don't see how my docs office can do this to a patient. All I needed was like a weeks worth to hold me over until my next appointment.. It just doesn't seem right to me.
I have been taking 10 mg of celexa for one week. (8 days actually, because I skipped a day) I am supposed to take 20mg today but do not want to . I feel awful. I do not have depression and I had my anxiety pretty much under control. Don't know if I need to wean myself or not since I was only on it for one week... any thoughts?
I started taking citalopram 20mg a day for depression and lethargy. First pill I took made me feel highly wired but at the same time able to sleep. Over the first 4 days had anxiety mixed with episodes of extreme calmness and well-being, but overall I felt pannicky and had a physical anxiety reaction with heatbeating heavier and whole body on edge. It made it almost imposible for me to make decisions about things. I came off it on day 5 thinking I hadn't been taking it long enough for me to have any withdrawels or after effects - boy was I wrong!! Its about 4-5 days since I came off and I still feel very anxious, racing thoughts continuosly and high - but not in a good way! Brain almost feels like its gonna explode. Would not recommend!! Thought I was going mad until I read these other similar experiences on here!!
i sufferd from anziety and bipolar depression i never felt normal i never wanted to hang out with my friends or be close to family, they started me on vivance a deprestion medican i took it for five days had a body reaction i broke out every weres, so i just quit it. mounths later they perscribed me zoloft and it worked well for a few mouths almost a year but i started feeling better and felt if i quit the medicain i would still be fine because i felt perfect, i through it away and told my doctor, a year later i started going into a deep depression and felt like commiting suicide every day i couldnt ever get it out of my mind it was like stuck. so i talked to my doctor and she put me on clexa it was the best medication ever i thought for a year almost two the celxa started getting to were it wasnt helping me id have a burning like feeling go through my body and thoughts of suicide and harming others and like i was evil. i seen my doctor about it, she said it was just anziety.. bull crap i diddnt know what the hell it was so i stopped taking it because id rather controll my self not have a medicain do it for me i want to feel alive not down and depressed becuase of the mummyfied depresstion medications. now im starting to feel better and to let every one know defferent medications react deffrent to every body no ones are the same.
i had the worse side effects with this medication. i was taking lexapro 20mg and i was doing fine,then i gave a try to citalopram(generic for lexapro too) and it was a mess. my arm ,my shoulder my neck was in pain, it was so painful that i could not take it anymore, after 2wks trying citalopram i went back to lexapro 20mg and today is my 4th day ,i am feeling better ,however i went to the Dr. yesterday and he send me Flexeril and arcoxia for the muscle pain,especially in my neck, i could not move.
After the loss of my grandmother and a difficult strain in my marriage, my mind felt tired of trying to take on so much. In between bouts of happiness and feel- good moments were fits of uncontrollable crying and feelings of nervousness in the pit of my stomach (like when you are riding on a roller coaster). I decided that I would need further assistance to aid in dealing with those strange feelings because I could no longer do it on my own. I have never been on an anti-depressant and was very hesitant to try it but my doctor insisted that it would be good for me.
The first few weeks all I felt was sleepy so I made sure to take the drug at night. The nervous feeling in my stomach disappeared but after a month and a half new symptoms began to appear, ones that scared me. I had burning hot sensations running down my arms and legs, profuse sweating, chills, and high anxiety---all of which I had never experienced prior to going on this drug.
I stopped taking the drug and feel a sudden relief. I would not recommend it because of the side effects. I still believe that trying natural methods is best. Exercising, eating right, resting, and even counseling are better choices before considering a drug like this.
Sorry, but it did not work for me.
So Like many kids I grew up in a strict family, I was not allowed to hang out with friends if it was not on my street. My older brothers fought constantly and my dad use to beat my mum up. I remember being awake every night, crying because I could hear them fighting. At school, I had friends but only a few but I didn’t mind because they were the best. My home life was the problem really, being at home 24 hours except when at school, I would cry every day and night, feel suicidal and lonely. Fell angry and just sick of my life. My started feeling like this when I was 12. I would have rows with my dad about what I wore, going out, religion the lot. I started to hate him for what he put my mum and us through. He walked out on us and left my mum for another women.
At school, I was a shy kid, didn’t ever put my hand up to answer a question, even when I new the answer most the time. I hated reading out loud. Had issues with my appearance. I was a good kid, bright and had plans for my future. I wanted to be a mental health nurse. But little did I know I was depressed, I just though I hate me and my life full stop. I hated meeting new people, I could not speak to anyone without feelings of being judged and hated. My heart would start pounding, chest would ache, sweat, get a headache and feeling sick would come on all together. I new everyone hated me, everywhere I went everyone was looking at me, laughing and pointing. Could not eat in public, speak on the phone, answer the door or phone. I started university, but the social demands that came with it caused me to quit and let my dream of becoming a nurse go.
After seven years of feeling like this, I had the courage of visiting a doctor, I was diagnosed with depression and social anxiety disorder. He put me on many drugs but lastly celexa. I started feeling better, happier and less suicidal thought ran through my mind. Its not all gone but there are improvements, I cans speak on the phone to strangers without reciting it in my head first. I don’t worry about what others think of me as much as before. I can eat in public and I get along with my family more better without snapping at them. I go out with fiends now unlike before I would avoid social situations. I don’t get the physical symptoms of social anxiety anymore, no more panic attacks. I don’t stay in bed all day now. Basically, I didn’t know my feelings of s.a.d and depression were real until I was diagnosed. It took over my life and still does. I missed out on being a kid and fulfilling my dream. However, this drug helps me cope, and I hope I can be better one day and get on with life. I am currently on 40mg and like I said my problems have not vanished but I’m coping. . Anyone out there need to ask for help, please don’t suffer alone.
I have been taking Celexa off and on for the last three years. Recently I have been experiencing lower back pain, inability to care and hostile and violent thoughts, suicide ideation,,and my hair is thinning. Need I say more? I have yet to talk to my doctor about this. My biggest fear is that I wont be able to maintain or I might get worse. My husband tells me that when I am not on it I am worse and have outbursts and such. Really dont know what to do and it seems everyone has an opinion about it. My mother in law takes it as well as my Husband. I am able to distinguish between the feelings I have that are real and what my celexa seems to magnify, so I know I have some insight into it. Just kinda scared right now is all, and not sure what direction to go in.
I am 29 and have suffered with depression/anxiety for a long time. I don't realy like to take medications because I am very sensitive to the side effects, however, I decided it was bad enough that I need to try something. I tried paxil, prozac, zoloft, and finally Citalopram (celexa). WOW. The initial side effects were really hard to get past I won't lie about that. The nausea (ginger and saltines people!), headache, GI discomfort, sweating, and I didn't sleep well the first two nights. I started with half a dose (5mg)which really helped me get used to the drug slowly. I just started taking 10 mg a day. I didn't sleep well the first two nights. I was so miserable and was about to give up, when on day 3 I slept like a rock. My anxiety has always kept me from sleeping properly. Just that alone was enough to convince me it was all worth it and to keep going. I am now on 9 weeks and I really notice a difference. I noticed a difference after about two weeks, and it just keeps getting better. I smile and mean it, I'm not so edgy, and dare I say my anxiety has really decreased. I even improved my performance at work because I am getting enough rest and can actually concentrate. I used to get very physical anxiety symptoms that I do not get anymore. The only thing that comes and goes now is the stupid nausea and occasional GI upset, though I have found that acidophillus seems to keep that in check as long as I dont eat anything too outrageous. The nausea I treat with ginger products (ginger ale, ginger chews that I found at Target in the check-out line) and saltines. It's not every day, so I just deal.
The patient information pamphlet doesn't tell you this, but I find that it doesn't mix well with caffeine. I had to cut back on the amount of caffeine I consume in the morning, which isn't a big deal, but just be aware of how much you consume while on this. I guess it makes sense since the drug is considered an upper.
I know that the initial side effects can be tough to get past, but hang in there because you dont know how your body will react once you are used to it. I am so glad I didn't quit, I was very tempted believe me! OH, also I recommend taking this in the morning, at least until you get used to it. I was told I could take it at night to maybe ease some of the nausea, however, I worry that it wouldn't allow me to sleep since it is an upper. Once I get used to the higher dose I will pop back in and update you all on my success. Additionally, if you have a weak stomach like me, make sure you take this with a meal. It will decrease the nausea. Good luck!
I have been taking Celexa (aka Citalopram) for about 6 months now and have seen no real side effects other than the fact that it does take longer to reach orgasm. The good news is that when I do climax, it is much more powerful than before I took the drug. I do have a feeling of being a little on the 'numb' side from time to time, but overall I feel this drug has helped me cope and I plan to continue taking it. A lot of these updates scare me and I feel for the people that have the side effects, but I can state that at 60mg I see little if any of these.
I suffer from Bipolar Disorder and have been taking Apo-Citalopram for over 5 years now combined with Apo-Divalprex. I take 20mg of the Citalopram and 750mg of the Apo-Divalproex every day. I also take Clonazepam if I'm having a bad time which happens especially during the time of the month when my hormones are out of wack. This illness surfaced in me after giving birth to 5 children. My sister suffers from it, her son, and our grandfather. It took 7 years before doctors found a combination of medication to keep me stable and allow me to lead a normal life. However, I have still been hospitalized numberous times over the past 7 years for suicide attempts when there has been deaths in my family or other traumatic instances. Over these 7 years I have gained more than 40 pounds which adds to the depression. However, my sister who has recently switched her medication, and also suffered from weight gain from the medicine, lost over 80 pounds. She switched from Citalopram to Loxapine. If you suffer from weight gain from these medications, ask your doctor. That is exactly what I'm going to do. I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing. Christine
I started citalopram a month ago, now taking 20 mg a day, and I cannot believe how easy it is to take compared with the old tryclics. I had taken dothiepin for 30 yrs and it never worked as well as this. I wish I could have had a drug like this at the start of my illness (severe recurrent depression perhaps bipolar), because the side effects of the old drug were terrible in comparision.
With citalopram I have had 2 days of indigestion, some constipation, and 1 broken night's sleep.
I think patients do not realise how bad treatment was just a few decades ago.
I think the key to starting Celexa is starting slowly. My dr said a lot of GPs start people off at 20mg which is much too high for most anyone...this will cause extreme anxiety. I was started at 2.5mg, 5mg, 10 over the first few weeks (eventually to 20mg) and I had very little if any side effects. I don't think enough people know this. Celexa has saved my life.
I've been on Citalopram 10 mg for a month now. I was terrified to take anything because of a nightmare experience I had with Paxil but I finally decided I had to try something because anxiety had taken over my life. I have a phobia of riding in vehicles, I have to drive and be in control or I'll have a panic attack. I started taking Citalopram and really haven't been able to tell it's done anything besides make me drowsy and have headaches.....till last night. I woke up extremely dizzy, nausea and felt like I was on the outside of my body looking in.....really weird feeling! I haven't taken it this morning. I'm going to see what kind of night I have tonight....It could be something else that caused this but after reading some of the post, I'm thinking it's this. I'm gonna continue taking it because I've got to do something. Anxiety sucks!
I'm a 60 year old business owner (bakery.) In 2006 I told my Dr. that I am in constant pain(I'm a survivor of a Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm, usually fatal) and have alot of back pain, being on my feet all day. He put me on an antidepressant!! It was AWFULL! I stayed on Celexa for 3 years then suddenly started experiencing NIGHT VISIONS that scared me to death almost every night, waking up my husband with my screams. I am off this medicine from hell now, but have been diagnosed with Central Vestibular Disfunction (CVD) and I really believe this is the aftermath of the Celexa. I am not a depressed person by nature and should NEVER have taken this medication. Now, due to a mis-diagonoses I now have this other condition (CVD) which is far worse than Vertigo, with no cure.
For about two years I had some serious setbacks that cost me a career, a girlfriend, and my brother almost died. It's been an uphill climb since for me to feel good about anything anymore. I was prescribed Citalopram about a year and a half ago and have had an overall neutral experience with the drug. the positive affects I've had have been lessened anxiety, dwelling less on negative events, and a more relaxed state of mind. Unfortunately, the negative affects cancel (or maybe even outweigh) the positive changes I've had. The negative changes I experienced were constant tiredness (taking frequent naps and sleeping 10+ hours a day on average), avoidance of social interaction and functions, lack of interest and emotion, and significant weight gain. Also, a missed dose would bring on extremely unpleasant and vivid dreams.
I have been on 20mg of celexa for almost a week now, and I could tell a difference within the first day. On the 4th day, I noticed I kept clenching my teeth together and my pupils were extremely dialated, to the point my fiance noticed and asked me if I was on drugs! It felt exactly as if I were on a low dose of ecstacy (which I have past experiences with so I know what it's like). I then began doing a little research and to my surprise there are a lot of people out there that compare this medication to ecstacy. I'm having a tough time deciding on whether to keep taking this or not. I feel better, but I feel WEIRD!
I was in a very, very dark place when I went for help, a combination of depression, and anxiety.I had to quit my job, because I just couldn't handle life anymore. My doctor prescribed me 20mg of Celexa. I had awful side effects,I had headaches, very bad trembling, legs wouldn't stop jumping around, and lots of sweating. I wanted to stop taking them, but I read so many articles about giving it a chance to work, I hung in there. After 2 full weeks, possibly close to 3, I woke up one morning feeling pretty good. I actually remember when I smiled, because I hadn't done it in so long, it was nice! So now I am going into my third month, I feel no anxiety, and my depression is better, but I still feel tired, like my body has gone though a very serious accident or something. I recently saw my Dr., and although I am progressing, I am still in depression, so he upped me to 40mg.. So, I would say give it a chance. I really did not enjoy the side effects, but, I'm glad I stuck it out! Best wishes to all of you..
For the first several (5-7) weeks of taking Celexa, I didn't think it was working. The change is very slow but gradual. I am no longer having crying spells, I feel angry much less and when I do become irritated, I don't fly into a rage like I once did. I feel more sure of my self, It caused appetite decrease which helped me lose weight. Before, I would spend all of my free time napping and I would constantly oversleep at night even when I had slept 10-12 hours. Now I rarely sleep that long. I have more energy, increased concentration, and a overall feeling of connectedness and content. It's helped wonders.
Side effects were not too bad overall, although I had a lot of trouble being able so sleep for the first month. I'm not sure that I slept two hours a night for the first week. I suggest taking it in the morning for that reason. Also, alcohol definitely affects your body differently. I am a 5'7, 150 lb female-21 yrs old. Before taking Celexa, I could drink 3-5 drinks over a few hour period and be tipsy-but not drunk. Now, I'm tipsy after 1 drink, drunk after 2, and trashed after 3. Be careful!! Also, If taken with stimulant recreational drugs such as Ectasy or Cocaine-the combination can KILL you-it gives you a SSRI overdose of sorts.
My son started seeing a therapist 2 weeks ago and it has helped. He still says he can't seem to focus on things, his memory seems faded, and he feels sad. He was referred to a psychiatrist who saw him for approximately 15 minutes, and gave him citalopram, 20 mg. He took 1/2 pill last night, per his doctor. This is the first time he took it and it was at bedtime. He said he didn't sleep, tossed and turned, felt sick...said he felt better before. We are going away for the week-end but when we get back I am going to encourage him to start again with the 10 mg and see how it goes. My son smoked pot off and on for 3 years and quit 2 months ago. Within a couple of weeks he had panic attacks, lots of anxiety, and was very depressed. He now feels regrets for bad decisions and lost opportunites. He wants to enroll in college, but not sure if he can do it. I hope the therapy helps, but all bets are off until I see how side effects are for citalopram. A person who is already feeling beat down, does not cope well with sleeplessness, nauseau, etc. Thoughts??
I have been on this for 1 week now and i muat say that i noticed a huge difference in me the very first day i started taking the drug. i am taking 10 mg of the pill and i got it prescribed to me for PAD...the overwhelming feeling that i am going to die in my sleep along with my only child just completely getting on my nerves and my anxiety was out the roof i had to do something. i was on paxil for 3 years and took my self off of it about 7 years ago and never felt any kind of side effect from the paxil. this stuff on the other hand has made me miserable. for a week now i have been exetrmely nauseated, slight headaches, very tired, increased anxiety at night, heart does funny every now and then which makes the anxiety attack worse and i just dont feel well. i have xanax to take for anxiety and this is how i was controlling my PAD for the past 7 years...i would only take it when i needed to but here recently my hormone levels in my body being produced by my ovaries have caused my anxiety to kick into high gear and have made my life hell. i am going to stay on the med for now and see if the side effects get any better because i can really tell a difference in myself...i am not as keyed up as i used to be which is a relief to me because i was always stressed out. i smile a lot more now that i am on this medicine. i hope that this medicine works for me and i hope i can tolerate the side effects enough to stick it out because i feel like it will help me in the long run. just ready for the nausea to stop oh and the diarrhea yeah that sucks too. i am just ready to be the person i was before my body decided it needed to get out of whack. when i start to really feel bad i take a half of my xanax and it seems to make it better just more tired than what i was but the xanax has been a life saver for me and i am glad that i have it to counter act some of the anxiety related side effects of this medicine.
Hi everyone! I've taken this medication (citalopram) for a 6 months and the first time I ever took it I had these side effects: more panic, more anxiety, crazy thoughts, weird vision (mostly my right eye), numbness, feeling edgy, insomnia, body temperature going up and down, shaking, no sexual desire, and more of those FUN symptoms you get with anxiety.
It ALL went away after 3 weeks, After that I felt AMAZING! I had no more anxiety or depression. For the first time I was comfortable. I had confidence. Unfortunately It took a while for my body to get used to the medication. I did have one or two panic attacks but those were MONTHS APART! In the end I had to help myself get stronger because the medication isn't really a cure.
I recently started taking it again, I stopped because I tried another medication that wouldn't get rid of my sex drive (to help my relationship). But in the end I said NO WAY to the new one, and went back to Citalopram and once again am going through ALL the symptoms again LOL. But I'd rather give up sex than to feel panic. Luckily I have a wonderful man that understands. Hope this helps you guys!
I was upset when the Doctor said,lets try celexa,pmdd is the problem and alot of stress was in the works last year with my Dad being very sick,I went on the medicine,Yes I wasn't very hungry,made me a bit tired at first,but I adjusted very well take it at night,First time in my life I hit the pillow and my brain stops working and racing,I sleep!!! Helps with pain I have,and the premenstrual problems!!! If you go off of this medicine DO NOT STOP COLD TURKEY you will have problems,I ran out was having a hard time getting through to the Doctor and let me tell you,was one of the most horrible experieces I have ever had,So take your dose follow what the Doctor says and the feelings you have at first even out and it helps alot!!!
I started generic celexa a week ago. My heart has been racing and my blood pressure went sky high. I have been taking Klonpin for anxiety two years and it stopped working. I have lost about six pounds and have to force myself to eat. I have suffered anxiety my entire life and was hoping that this drug could help me. I have not had one thought in my head the entire time, feel like I am on automatic pilot. I sleep very little. I do not know if I should stay on it or not. I am scared.
I had anxiety, which may partially have been exacerbated by pain meds withdrawal. I have a real injury long term and was on vicodin, but experienced panic between dosings. So started taking Xanax once a day. I told my Dr. and he said since I had a history of anxiety he thought it was not just from pain meds. I felt like every decision I made was a life or death decision and had to ask my boyfriend. Because I couldnt make choices like what to eat or wear or buy I would call him. First I was supposed to start at 20mg Celexa but accidentally took the 40mg. I was loopy and under a fog and dry mouth which tasted like blood or iron. I felt stifled. Then on day 3 I realized i was supposed to take 20mg for 1st 2 wks. So I did that and it was less side effects, then none the 2nd wk. Then when i went up to 40mg some of the side effects came back but not as bad. After a week I felt normal no side effects. But sometimes it takes much longer to experience orgasm, though I still feel pleasure sometimes if I engage sexually right after my dose, I will feel close for hours but unable to climax. So I take it when I am ready to sleep every night, if I am with boyfriend I take it after sex, this helps.
Over all, I have little to no anxiety and feel like I can manage things easily like a person should, like who I was before anxiety. I am not afraid and trust I am capable and things will work out like a chill person. But I do still have my sense of initiative and goals and motivation, I just can manage everything calmly. Other than the sexual thing no other long term side effects. I have heard others it prevented from sleeping. I am much less insomniac now and taking it at night has not kept me up like anxiety or mania has.
My dr. started me on Celexa....was suppose to start at 10 mg, but I started at 5 mg. about 8 days ago. After 5 days I went on 10 mg and did that two for days and now I am back on 5 mg. I felt so weird and just so tired. Celexa seemed to help a little for the first couple of days, but I had diarrea in addition to the fact that my anxiety got worse and my heart pounds out of my chest. I do not want to drive or go out shopping......I know this is anxiety. I was afraid to start the medicine but my dr. assured me it would make me feel better. I trusted her suggestion of Celexa.....after one 37.5 Effexor nearly drove me nuts. I just do not like the feeling Celexa gives me and I am thinking of just going off this stuff. I see my dr. next week and am telling her I am going off the Celexa. I will just have to cope with the situations that are causing me the anxiety and depression. I just want to feel better......it is so strange how this stuff (anxiety and depression) sneak up on you and then it just seems to take over your life. There has to be an easier way to handle this time in my life. It is so bad when it is difficult for our loved ones to understand what we are going through. Some say, Just shake it off! If only it were that easy. It is plain Hell......I am just not me. I just keep praying for help from above.
I went in to my doctor to help deal with the increasing pain of my arthritis. Once in the office, she determined that I was suffering from depression, which once faced with it, wondered how I hadn't noticed - I've been going through an extremely stressful time dealing with becoming my mothers caregiver until her death, losing my job to become caregiver for my father who has dementia, going through menopause and what seemed to be one stress factor after another.
My dog waking me up in the middle of the night because I was crying was a wake-up call that I needed help. I thought if I could just get rid of the pain, I would stop being depressed.... endless cycle isn't it?
Anyways, I was prescribed celexa. I started on 10mg and will work my way up to 40mg within 4 weeks. 1st day had extreme diarrhea. but after that started to feel energized again for the 1st time in a long time. But my doc told me that any such feelings in the 1st couple of weeks were really just placebo effects as the drug doesn't really take effect at these low doses nor so quickly. Yet from the posts above many are feeling effects at only 20mg.
basically from reading the above posts it seems like a crap shoot. roll the dice and hope for the best. meanwhile, i'll stick to meditation, journalling, hot baths, exercise and other supplemental 'feel good' things in case this doesn't work out.
First to all the post that said they are within the first week of taking celexa & feel the difference or they don't.. you guys are full of it! it takes a week or 2 for the drug to get into your system and you to be able to notice a difference. I have been on it for a little over a yr now. I was at 20mg daily & a month later 40mg. I have noticed some good things since I've been taking it... 1. I'm not so bitchy!! 2. I don't seem to stress so much about the dumb things.. 3. I don't cry hardly EVER! that isn't always a good thing though....Once I started reading these post..I realized I'm not as screwed up as I thought! It is the CELEXA!! I have anxiety like a MOFO!! I am always jittery and shaking, I talk way fast, somedays I'm ready to take on the world & other days I want to hide & not talk to anyone except my 2 1/2 yr old son. He seems to be the ONLY person who knows & understands me! I sometimes feel like I don't have any feelings towards anybody but him (that's bc he is my heart)..I hold more things inside. Well, anyhow..whatever you do, DO NOT QUIT taking this stuff cold turkey! To make it short...my mom wanted me to go to a psychiatrist to just make sure it's just depression..(who doesn't have up and down days..??? it's life!!) well, this quack spent 15 min with me & diagnosed me with Bi- polor, mood disorder, anxiety, & depression!! haha He tried to put me on some crazy shit & he lowered my celexa to 20mg instead of 40mg. Well, I didn't take the crazy med and just took 40mg of my celexa like I had been doing. Then I ran out & my PCP decided to tell me on the day of my appt that she didn't accept my insurance anymore. Well I stopped taking my celexa 6 days ago today. The first few days I was good..then I started feeling the dizziness really bad..& just thought I would let it go away. Then day 5 (yesterday) I lost it! I was like somebody else! I got into a fight with my parents & I said some hateful things & I didn't even cry or anything!! Then today (day 6) I couldn't even get my butt up and go 2 class. I cried all morning and dwelled on EVERYTHING that I had said. It's normal to have feelings like this, but some people can control them better than others & I'm not one of those people. I love my family & friends, so why hurt them emotionally when I have a way to control it and not be that horrible person??? Even if it means having little side effects??? So, I started back on my celexa around 5pm & I feel like I'm normal again. If you feel like it isn't working for you or are having crazy side effects, please talk to your doctor before making any decisions to stop it!!!
After reading all the bad stories about celexa, the one thing I've noticed is everybody starts off way to high on there dosage. Start very low, maybe even at 5mg, and take your tablet at dinner time when your stomach is full. Nothing happens over night. Starting to high (20mg and up) is what is making you feel shitty. I'm no doctor but it's common sense. I've started at 5mg a day and worked my way up the ladder. Exercise and and use your mind, don't think about the celexa you just took, get past the side effects and then raise your dosage. I feel wonderful on celexa!! It's worked wonders but a pill will not take your problems away. Stay active and exercise; I hope my posting has helped someone.. Really, start low and stick it out.. Celexa does work!!
(ps. Wellbutrin with celexa actually work very well together, but if you have severe panic attacks, I wish you the best of luck, wellbutrin is very very harsh when first taking..
After reading all the bad stories about celexa, the one thing I've noticed is everybody starts off way to high on there dosage. Start very low, maybe even at 5mg a day. Take your celexa at dinner time when your stomach is full. Nothing happens over night. Starting to high (20mg and up) is what is making you feel weird. I have noticed that by yawning and feeling numb means your dosage is too high. I'm no doctor but it's common sense. I've started at 5mg a day and worked my way up the ladder. Exercise and use your mind, don't think about the celexa you've just took, get past the side effects and then raise your dosage. Celexa takes a good six weeks to work. I'm tired of hearing people say they have started for the first week and now there running back to the doctor to be taken off. You have nothing to lose by just trying. Lower your dosage! I feel wonderful on celexa!! It's worked wonders but a pill will not take your problems away. Stay active and exercise. I hope my posting has helped someone.. Really, start low and stick it out.. Celexa does work!!
PS. Wellbutrin with celexa actually work very well together, but if you have severe panic attacks, I wish you the best of luck, wellbutrin is very very harsh when first taking..
50 year old woman. Have been prescribed 20mg daily for mild depression - was a bit worried and mulled it over for a couple of days - I have been very fortunate so far the only side effects have been a little bit of a spaced out feeling and an odd taste in my mouth. I noticed today that I was singing and cleaning something I've not done in a while - I also like a glass of wine in the evening, am giving it a go tonight just a small one to see if there is any adverse affect will update
I have taken 10 mg of Celexa for 3 days now and the only side effect I have felt was not being able to sleep real well. But that actually got better last night. I felt a little shaky on morning 2 with hand tremors that lasted about 20 minutes and maybe a very slight headache that didn't last long. Yesterday, day 3, I didn't feel anything worth noting good or bad. I think this may be a good sign for me that I won't suffer from any terrible side effects. My Dr said in 2-4 weeks I will feel the Celexa 'working' for my depression. I wish I could fast forward because I am anxious to see how it will help me. I go back to my Dr in 1 month and will possibly increase my dose depending on how I did this first month with 10 mg.
I started taking Citalopram 20mg after having panic attacks, dry heaving, (which I feared vomiting anyway), and shaking, and not being able to think about life in a happy way. I had all these dark thoughts and worrying that God didn't hear my prayers, etc. So I got on Citalopram. Things that were going on in my life were, my sister got married, so it could have been that I wasn't used to her being gone. And I thought I was pregnant and told my mom that I had been having sex. So those were two huge things that could easily cause panic in my opinion. Anyway since I've taken it, I have missed more class due to sleepiness and inability to wake up. I take them at night every night. I have also felt like it is harder to concentrate, and I don't seem to care about anything. I'll get my work done, but at the very last minute and even then I don't really care how the outcome is. It's like I'm TOO relaxed. I am thinking of getting off it. I have had very few symptoms when I started taking it aside from dizziness, nothing I couldn't handle. So i'm thinking it's time to return to my normal self. I have noticed a somewhat decrease in sex drive, (I've never felt so turned-off since i started taking them), although I still have a sex life it is sure lacking in the pleasure department. And like I said, my schoolwork and attendance has dropped rapidly. I'm hoping to talk to my doctor so I can get off them. They are good to have around for people when they need them , but I think I am done needing them.
I'm 56 and this is my 10th day on 20 mg of celexa. My anxiety and depression have gotten worse than before I started. I don't know whether to stick it out longer or if this just isn't working. Can celexa make you feel worse because it gets better? I just want some relief and to feel O.K instead of feeling scared of what another day will bring. I hate to give up when I've already put in this much time. Can it kick in suddenly, or should I have seen some improvement by now? Thanks for any advice and good luck to all of you who are struggling with this.
Hey,
A little background. I was diagnosed with clinical depression about 16 years ago. Luckily I've been with the same Doctor through all of this. My Doctor is very careful about what anti-depressants he prescribes. He is also very careful when it comes to weening off the meds. However, I don't think that I'll be doing that again. I've tried many times with the help of my doctor but to no avail. No matter how good things are in my life; the beastly depression manages to rear its ugly head.
I was quite suicidal in my 20's and I made a few attempts. One in which I almost lost my life. However, once I hit 30 my wife (at the time) and I had a beautiful daughter. Now, I have no option but to suck it up as they say. I had a friend who took his own life and left a 5yr old son behind. I can't imagine ever breaking my daughter's heart like that.
I've noticed a lot of people taking it upon themselves to decide when and how to stop or start taking these meds. You should never stop cold turkey; this could bring on Serotonin Syndrome. I won't get into an explanation of it but you should definitely google it.
I hope I'm not coming across as condescending. It's just that I have been dealing with this for a long time and have learned quite a lot from my experience.
Anyhow, on the subject of Celexa. I guess it really depends on the person. Everyone's chemistry is different. Celexa works great for me. Getting off it or missing a dose is however is horrible. The side-effects I get are migraines, insomnia (or the opposite), loss of mojo.
Some other anti-depressants I've been on over the years are: paxil, zoloft, prozac, effexor, cipralex and now Celexa. I think that's pretty much the order that I tried them as well.
One of the hardest things I have found when trying to ween off of anti-depressants in general is that there isn't really a support group out there for us. At least that's the way it is where I live. I won't say where I live but it's not a remote area. Has anyone else found this a problem? I mean the online thing is great, but sometimes you just need to let go with someone in person who understands.
Another thing I've noticed with any of the many anti-depressants I've been on over the years is that I become quite apathetic towards certain things in my life. Also, I find it has an enormous affect on my concentration. Has anyone else experienced this? I'd love to hear if you did.
Anyhow, I probably wrote too much already. Thanks for reading! Good luck!
I am 26 years old, and have now been on Celexa for almost 2 years. Prior to taking it I had been suffering from extreme Agoraphobia and was terrified even inside of my home, but was also unable to leave. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Through my own exposure therapy and with the help of Celexa, I have been able to come out of that fear cage and lead a relatively normal life. I still have panic attacks every once in a great while, but they are now manageable and mild compared to what they used to be. I have been trying to find the right medication since the age of 17 and Celexa is the only thing that has worked perfectly for me. Initially, I did experience tension particularly at night, decrease in sexual drive and excessive drowsiness, but I believe that when this medication is given the proper chance to work to its fullest, it is a lifesaver. The other symptoms have lessened over time. I do still experience the drowsiness but do not notice it as much and would honestly much rather deal with the sleepy feeling than to be trapped in a place of intense fear. The only thing that I believe to be a major downside of Celexa is that running out of the medication or going without it for days has, in the past, caused me to be overly paranoid, have a shocking/buzzing sensation in my head, nausea and dizzy spells. However, I can also admit that I should have consulted my doctor before deciding to immediately stop taking it and much of this can be avoided if the person taking Celexa has a trusted doctor whom they are willing to work with over an extended period of time. The time and effort is well worth it in the end. Celexa obviously will not work for everyone, but I suggest giving it a chance(especially for more than two weeks as I'm seeing in many posts). It is especially important to not rely on medication alone to do all the work. Yes, it's terrifying and yes, it can feel like recovery is impossible, but there IS hope. Whether it be Celexa or not, finding the right doctors and working with them (and yourself!) is crucial to your recovery. I wish you all the best of luck on your journey and hope that you find what it is that works best for you!
~Lindsay~
I'm a 24 year old female. I have been on Zoloft at age 17 and Lexapro at age 21 (had to stop both times for health insurance reasons..) and didn't feel any side effects because I was started on a low dose and gradually moved up. So it was like, blahhhhh.....oh, hi! So I think I'm feeling the harshness of the side effects becausee this is my third day on 20 mg of Celexa.
The reason I have been on antidepressants is because of random anxiety attacks, social discomfort, and general low self-esteem and well-being. The biggest things I noticed when I first started at 17 were that when a problem would start, I wouldn't get all shaky and my stomach wouldn't tighten up like before, I wouldn't cry over stupid things like a broken bracelet, and I could think more rationally.
So about the effects so far...the first day I took it, I felt kinda drowsy a few hours after. Kind of a numb depression. My head was achy and full of pressure. Every now and then I'd get a little jittery, and at one point my pupils were dilated for about half an hour. Felt nauseous for the rest of the afternoon. That night, I suddenly felt energetic. Started cleaning out my car, then about halfway through said screw it and went inside. Woke up in the night about three times with panic attacks. Next day was similar...numb depression, occasional slight panic moments, headache and steady nausea; no appetite. Had to force myself to a cup of Cheerios. That night, had another panic moment that had me crouched on the floor and made my kid sister ask if she should call for help.(sorry, hun!) Fell asleep a few minutes later and slept through the night.
Now today...woke up (off from work) feeling just okay..then the anxiety started building..about two hours later I was trying to lay and breathe from my belly to suppress a major panic attack. All of these horrible thoughts kept popping up..about how my life is going nowhere and my friends aren't really true..all kinds of ridiculous, paranoid ideas. This went on until early this afternoon..then I decided to force myself out of bed and start moving. My head got that pressure feeling again when I sat up. Walked around the house like a zombie. Mom begged me to come out to Friendly's for ice cream, even though the thought of food or filling my already-tense stomach any more was repulsive. When the car got to the first light I seriously considered getting out and walking home. I hated everything..the sunshine, the trees, the road signs, the radio, you name it. I gradually felt more accepting as we sat in the booth talking. By the time we got home, I was glad that somebody had finally pushed me out of the house. About an hour later, while on the computer, I randomly got really happy. No lie, it was kinda scary..like a rocket of endorphins launched in my brain! I was making up random songs and everything. this lasted an hour, then it started to cool down gradually. Talk about some sweet relief, if anything. I like to think of it as an omen of good things to come if I stick it out. Especially now..it's nighttime, and I've been fluctuating between calm/content and anxious..
Ow, my head.. Who knows what I'll wake up to on Day 4. I'm gonna stick this one out, though.
I went to my doctor with high stress levels and anxiety he asked if i wanted something to help he offered sleeping pills or something else that will help i chose something else citrolapram he said to take half in the morning but i was so wound up i took it straigt away 4pm that night i had severe anxiety with crazy thoughts about the new job i had just accepted and suicidal thoughts if it all went wrong i took another half in the morning and felt extremly wired and then asked my boss if i could keep my job and phoned my new boss and said i wasnt coming as i was sreessed! WTF i had been trying to get out of this job for years! Anxiety fried my dreams from citrolapram! Now in kicking myself for what happened and that has caused depression what an evil cycle i an now on seroquel which i shoud have been on and all this stuff may not of happened!!
My doctor prescribed me Celexa and even said it is okay drink alcohol when you are on it. I have not taken the drug because all the awful information I have researched in regards to Celexa I was on herbal Supplement that actually worked for me, until just recently I am feeling different ( light dizziness, anxious, lack of breathing, and sometimes twitching). I decided to stop taking Nero-Natural Serenity supplement and now I don't know what the next step I should take. I just wish doctors could be beyond honest with their patients, because it is not them going through this horrifying journey.
After taking Zoloft for several months i experienced severe diahorea with 20+ visits to the toilet every day. My Doctor suggested i swap to Celexa but after only a few days of taking it the diahorea was back but this time accompanied by terrible stomach cramps, headaches, nausea and worsened depression. I couldnt bring myself to keep taking it as it was making me so sick. Ill be going back to the doctor very soon and hopefully theres an antidepressant out there that will work for me.
taking this for depression. it is running me into the ground. im going on week 2 and cannot sleep. i can barely get one foot in front of the other as if me legs don't have the energy to move. i feel like hammered dog crap! when i exercise i turn pale and feel like i am going to fall out any moment. it has dulled my emotions but is killing my body.
i am a 43 yr old female. I have been severely depressed for years. I had lost one family member after another way too fast. When I was in a wreck with my daughter and granddaughter and grandson that killed her and my granddaughter and almost me it was the last straw. I just couldnt function at all after that. Started seeing a psychologist trying to get my life straight. She tole me i had severe depression of at least 10 yrs or more, that i had PTSD, and several other things. I talked to my doctor and he started me on 5mg of celexa twice a day. After it aot helping much after 3 months he took it up to 20 mg twice a day. Started getting severe anxiety at this point so he also put me on xanax. Helped some, but doc said give it a chance. I started getting headaches and trembling in both legs. Sent me for all kinds of tests but to no avail. Told my dr. i felt like i was going crazy so he then ups my celexa to 40mg twice a day. I have been on celexa for a little under 3 yrs now. Besides the side effects ive listed i have had insomnia, severe sweating, gained 65 lbs, delusions, hallucinations, rapid speech, dropping things, bad swelling, hospitalizations on several accounts of very low body temp and very high white blood count. Have talked to the doc about changing my med but he said its not the celexa. I have been very slowly weening myself off and things have begun to get a little better. i would not suggest this med for nobody. Just trying to hang on and take one day at a time. After reading almost everypne of these posts at least i know im not crazy. Good luck to all.
Hey all you people out there its nice to know that I am not the only one with issues. I HAVE PTSD,PANICK ATTACTS,ANIETY,DERESSION,EXTREMELY PARANOID. I WAS PRESCRIBED CITALOPRAM ITS MY FIRST DAY ON IT. I am excited hopefully I can sleep tonight. lol. I FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARENT FOLLOWING DOCTORS ORDERS AND NEED TO IT IS DANGEROUS TO STOP COLD TURKEY. IM SHOCKED AT SOME OF THESE STORIES. IT STRESSED ME OUT AND GOT ME PANICKED AT THOSE STORIES. I ALREADY HAVE A TRUST ISSUE IT MKES ME NOT WANT TO TRUST ANYONE PLUS DOCTORS. WHATEVER WHATS NEW? I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO CHILL OUT FOR A WHILE FEEL BETTER. I THINK I CAN DEAL WITH THE DREAMS I SEE THINGS ALL THE TIME.I NEED TO CHILL OUT. IS THAT A KNOCK ON THE DOOR?
Ok, so I was on Celexa for about 4 months. I started taking it and it went somewhat well. The problem is that on the pill bottle it says drowsiness or dizziness when on the medication while drinking. So I didn't get the effect. I got extremely happy to the point i just wanted everyone to be happy. That got me into a lot of shit. Later on my girlfriend broke up with me and I was mad about it but then when I saw her I flipped shit and got more angry then I ever had in my life. I hadn't been drinking or anything. I got kicked out of college for the shit I did (no i did not hurt anyone). I feel that Celexa should have never been FDA approved. I have hear of so many of these stories. I also found out that if you stop taking it you still have the chance of having the anger side effect.
This is my sixth day of taking cetalipram 20mg. Mentally I feel as if I have just taken 10 cups of coffee and I am shaking all over. But yawning a lot at the same time. To be fair I dont feel depressed any more but I can scarsely write the shaking is so bad. Am waiting for a doctor to call me back I dont think that this is the solution for me.
I'm a 28 year old male who has been on 20MG of Citalopram for the past three months for social anxiety and depression. You'll want to take the drug for at least six weeks before you gauge its effectiveness. It is definitely not a quick fix and the first couple of adjustment weeks can be rough. I had horrible insomnia and felt a bit panicky when I first started taking it, but now that my system has adjusted, I am very happy I finally decided to take medication for my condition. As my doctor said, it is an aid to get you off of dead center. We all have a gift and the ability to contribute to the world, but sometimes we think ourselves into trouble and dig ourselves a rut that's too hard to climb out of by ourselves. This drug has helped me do that. I don't obsess over things like I did before and going out and about my business does not cause the trauma it did before - I am better able to see reality for what it is.
I had my three month followup appointment with my doctor yesterday and I did put on 8 lbs. during my time on Citalopram. But in all honesty, I would be hard pressed to blame that on the drug. I have not been watching what I've been eating as much as before and my workout regimen has really fallen by the wayside. My weight is still perfectly healthy for my height however. I'm planning on returning to my healthy habits to see if I can rebound in spite of the drug. That should give me a good indication what caused the weight gain.
Also, both the top and bottom numbers of my blood pressure went up by about ten points. This I actually do believe was caused by the drug. But again, they're still within a healthy range, so no big deal. And who knows, that, too, could be the result of less exercise.
I never dreamed much before Citalopram, but now I often wake up with stark memories of some pretty vivid dreams. They can be somewhat bizarre in all honesty, but it's actually been a somewhat interesting side effect rather than a cause for alarm. :P
All in all, I would recommend taking Citalopram for anxiety or depression. It has helped me get off dead center more than anything else I've tried over the past four years since my condition has really emerged as a significant issue in my life. I've heard people that are reluctant to take medicine as they fear it will become a crutch - this exactly my feeling a year ago. You know what I say to that now? Screw it! :P If there is ANYTHING out there that can help you get over that hump and back into life, I say go for it. When I feel comfortable enough to taper it off, I'll cross that bridge then. For now, I am just delighted to finally have a tool in my arsenal that's actually working to get me back out there. Even if it's psychosomatic and I'm actually blowing the benefits up in my mind, who cares - every new success I achieve is a new step in the right direction. That's what really matters, right?
I've been on citalopram for a year and I feel like I did years ago. I quit taking it for a few days and my husband asked me to get back on it. I had quit listening to music and only listened to religious radio but I love music again. I pray it never stops working for me. When our last child starts college this year I will try once again to quit. Or maybe I will wait until I retire. It is a miracle drug as far as I'm concerned.
My doctor threw this prescription at me after Lexapro was too expensive on my new insurance. I wasn't given a list of side effects, just a few quick sentences from the pharmacist about when to take it and how much. I have since weaned myself off the medication on my own. I have felt disoriented, in a dream-like state. I was in a head on collision 2 weeks in and that was the breaking point. The night before the car crash I had 3 simple partial seizures (a form of epilepsy in the brain), which caused me extreme hot flashes and a great feeling of fear. The episodes lasted about 2 minutes each. This was the scariest/weirdest feeling I have ever felt in my entire life! When I paged my doctor on the Saturday after these two freaky occurences, she called back about 3 hours later and asked, Have you been drinking? I was appalled. That Tuesday the office called me back wanting to know if I'd like to move up my appointment so I could discuss the medication with her. I let them know I had already started the weaning process and would not be back to see her. After the car crash (which by the way, left me in a neck brace and my car sustained $6,000 in damages) I researched the relationship between Celexa/Citalopram and epilepsy. Simple partial seizures ARE an actual side effect of this drug. How scary! I suppose when drugs like this mess with your brain activity they can also mess up good brain functions as well. My lessons learned: if you don't feel right, you probably aren't. If your heart and mind are telling you that something is wrong, it probably is. If your doctor treats you the way mine did, get a new one or say eff you to medication completly.
I have been taking Citalopram for 3+ years and have been mainly pleased with the results. It should be understood that the worst part will come BEFORE the meds start to help you. It is a crappy but inescapable part of the process. Your body is adjusting to the change.
I realize everyone has their own reactions, however, I was experiencing debilitating anxiety to the point where I couldn't even interact with co-workers (face would flush when anyone tried to talk to me). I was getting extremely anxious and stressed over everyday tasks and this was on top of generalized anxiety. Despite efforts at eating better and getting regular exercise I found that it ultimately wasn't enough. Citalopram has in effect ended the panic attacks and social/generalized anxiety. I do feel more tired than I used to, and if I had the chance could probably nap all day... but all in all I have normal energy levels and feel like a normal person again.
If you just started taking the meds you probably have a reason for it... so stick through and give it at least a month. It could be even longer before the process takes full effect but this isn't a sprint, it's a marathon (yes, running the risk of sounding completely cliché).
Wishing you all the best.
I am on day 4 of taking Celexa, 10 mg. I am a 31, female. I feel extremely weird as well. I was on xanax for the past 3 years, for anxiety-my doctor advised that was not healthy so prescribed me this. I also suffer from PMDD. I have been told by 2 friends to hang in there. I feel stoned mostly. I went to school and felt self- conscious in class. I felt better when I got home. I am an avid excerciser and have found it hard to work out. The last 2 days I took it around 2pm, after I am done with work or school, so I can feel retarded at home ;) I was afraid it would keep me up if I took it too late, but I have also been taking ativan before bed. I haven't had any problems sleeping and no weird dreams, just mostly the stoned feeling that's bothering me. I also have not been very hungry and quite gassy. I kept wondering what I had eaten but after reading all the posts I see it is the celexa. I am going to hang in there for a couple weeks.
For the last nine months i've been on citalopram after suffering panic attacks, sleepless nights and very negative out look on life brought on by the stress from work. I've read some of the posts about how people have had some really bad side effects whilst on the drugs for which i would say i'm really sorry to hear as when i read the leaflet i felt my god this could go horrible wrong for me but thankfully it hasn't and my life is some what back on track. To those who have had the unfortunate side effects stick to your guns and make your docoter see sense or simple see another doctor if possible who may listen to your concerns.
Also to bear in mind that taking such drugs is the first step for most people. I've found that take up the doctors offer of councilling has really helped me get out of the negative thought processes that i had fell into at the time i had seek help. Talking is a strange but and important process that maybe very hard to do at first but it honestly does help and everyone who i know and work with know of my problem and can even spot im having a bad day now and help lift my spirits.
So if your reading this and you've been just perscribed citolapram then do not fear just try it for yourself and go from there after all we are all different. Plus remember your never alone as you make yourself believe. Good luck and wish you all who read this the best for the future.
Ive just hit my 1 week mark taking Celexa and I cant report any real change in the depression levels. Im 24 years old and the doctor prescribed me Celexa for just general anxiety and mild depression. The most obvious changes are the side effects which I felt within 30min of the first dose. I was super tired and actually napped for like and hour and half which is unheard of for me because I never nap. The tired feelings last pretty much throughout the day for me and I get spells of nausea every now and then. The worst side effect so far was the diarrhea. It was about the second or third day when it started and oh my god it was bad (sorry for being gross). That went on for about 4 days and now has mostly subsided, with a episode vary rarely. I honestly dont care how bad these side effects get I will go through whatever I have to to shake this depression, so if this drug is the way then Im sticking it out! Figured I'd ad this post to offer any information on the drugs effects as I could. I know when I started on it I was all over the web looking for stories on it!
I started taking it when i was 50...and having a horrible time with menopause.I was arguing with people at work, drinking in excess, depressed....just everything.. My Dr prescribed it in June 2009, 20mg per day, well i started taking it half tablet (10 mg) every other day.. It didn't work. When i finally settled down and took it as prescribed I was actually happy again. Work was great, I was having positive experiences with other human beings,, the downfall is.. I have gone from size ten to a size 16. The weight gain happened rather quickly, in less than 6 months. Its virtually impossible to drop one pound. I have just stopped taking the drug and am having the usual withdrawal symptoms..upset stomach, insomnia, electric shocks. It worked for me when i really needed it.
After my little brother committed suicide back in 2002 I was a mess. I fell in to a dangerously deep depression. Being a single mother of two young children, I couldn't afford to stay in bed all day. I had to feed my kids, take them to school and go to work everyday but being as depressed as I was I couldn't function. I cried all the time, was angry and everything looked ugly and dark to me. I finally went to see a pyschiatrist and I can still remember his words as he was writing my prescription for Celexa, You are never going to cry anymore and your never going to feel sad anymore. and handed the prescription to me. He was right, I used Celexa for nine years and never felt as happy and normal. I realized that I was depressed and anxious before my brother's death, infact I can trace my depression since childhood. With Celexa my racing thoughts subsided and my mood improved drastically. I was finally enjoying life. About 8 months ago I tapered off of them because I wanted to lose weight with an herbal supplement system and I was afraid of an drug interaction. I lost 50lbs but my anxiety came back and with another recent death in the family I felt like I was falling back in to a depression. Fortunately, I knew that Celexa was there to save me. Got back on it and got my life back!
Citalopram was prescribed to me because I expressed concern to my doctor that a 30- day supply of Lexapro was costing me a whopping $70. I have anxiety. I'm a worrywart since like age 5 (I'm 22 now). I stress out about a lot of stuff and would never describe myself as easy going. The Lexapro was working for the eight months or so that I was on it, but I was getting jaw problems from grinding/tightening my teeth so much. So jaw problems + seventy dollar prescriptions led me to Citalopram. I hated it! I was on it for about three months. It made me very dizzy all the time, made me gain weight like crazy (about 15 pounds in just 3 months), and now I have these annoying things called auras which are like epileptic simple partial seizures. I live at the beach with my kitty and my boyfriend and went to a metaphysical stop and picked up some Bach flower essences. White Chestnut, Impatients, and Aspen drops. Don't know if it's a placebo effect, but I'm trying to do it the holistic way now! Also just bought some natural Stress Relief Blackberry Pastilles from my local health food store. Go natural! Don't give your hard earned money to the pharmaceutical companies! Chemicals are not good for the body. Natural is the way to go. Just look at me... now I'm stuck with seizures. :/
A few weeks back I posted the results I was having on Celexa after my first week. Now I have just hit my Three week mark yesterday and I would have to say somethings have certainly changed. First of all on the deppression scale I could say that htings may be getting better for me. I know that people say it doesnt normally work this soon but I have noticed Im a little happier then I used to be. In terms of the side effects I can say without a doubt things have gotten better. I never get nausea anymore and Im not as tired as much either , plus the diarrhea has completely stopped (THANK GOD). So now its just keep on taking it and see how much better things get with a little more time. So far I am happy with what Ive seen!!!
I'm a little reluctant to post already (I don't want to jinx myself) but i'm going ahead anyway. I was prescribed the Celexa for anxiety. I've been anxious for a very long time now, finding it hard to sit down and eat meals and enjoy simple things like television shows or activities that I used to enjoy. So 3 weeks ago I started on Celexa and oh my god, it has made such a difference so far. The first week and a half was rough, I had headaches all the time and felt like I was in a fog. I had diarrhea the first day or two and my stomach felt incredibly gross for about a week and a half, almost 2 weeks. I would be sick and depressed, anxious and miserable for about the first half of every day (I took it before bed) but I noticed myself feeling a little more calm in the evening. Anyway, 3 weeks in now I feel fantastic. I don't feel foggy-headed or numb at all, and I am MUCH more calm than I used to be. I'm so glad that I can enjoy little things again, I feel like this has pretty much saved my sanity. I was such a mess for so long, I don't know why I didn't get help sooner. This feels so much better. Anyway, just wanted to add my positive experience!
I am taking 10 mg daily due to memory issues that my Dr. believes to be anxiety related. I have had a lot of stress the last couple of years, and have developed some serious stomach problems. I took the first dose yesterday at 7:30 PM, and had some trouble falling asleep. Today I felt nervous, yet spacey at the same time. That lasted most of the day. Around 5 PM it turned to depression. This could be related to what's going on in my life, and I wonder if I'm being hyperaware because I read all these posts last night right after I took the first dose. If I'd read them before, I probably would have had second thoughts. But - I've started now so I'm going to see it through for the first two weeks. I've tried other meds in the past, but cannot deal with the flat line feeling. I'd rather feel agitated than to feel nothing. But I tend to not give the medication a very long trial period, usually about three days. This time I'm going to really try to give it a chance. My stomach, and my ability to completely forget extended spaces of time - not to mention the lost things - deserve a better chance.
I just stated with this a week ago, I have anxiety here and there, no bad depression. I feel like a crackhead. I was sleeping fine now I can't sleep, I wasn't depressed and now I feel depressed. I feel like hell on earth and I am 100% tired. I was gonna try and give this a shot but enough is enough, this is for the birds. only 10mg too.
About 5 years ago now I started having extreme panic attacks and anxiety. My GP prescribed me Citalopram, Celexa, which I was reluctant to take but after a bad bout of Panic I decided on taking the medicine. Which I actually love, It has helped beyond belief. I have been on it now, on and off for about 4 years, 20mg and sometimes 40 mg although that dosage was too high. So now back on 20mg.
After 2 years of taking the medicine I decided that with the support of my GP, Support worker, and Psychiatrist I would stop taking my medicine and tapered down slowly. It took me around 2 months to come off of the medicine and I was sober from it for around 6 months.
The worse 6 months of my life. Life is much better on the drug. When I stopped taking the medicine I began to feel suicidal and incredibly depressed, feeling's I had never experienced before.
My doctor advised me to go back onto the medicine and said that my brain was used to the chemicals released by the tablet and that I may have to take it for the rest of my life. Something I did not sign up for. I will happily take the drug as it makes me feel good, although my concentration is not what it was. Life is more enjoyable, I seem cool, calm and collected around others, my anxiety is far less.
When I discontinued it I was crying frequently, over eating, lethargic, irritable, anxious, Isolating from the world around me, literally sat in a room on my own with the curtains drawn binge eating take out pizza, extraordinary. I was never like that before taking the drug, just literally had occasional anxiety.
When stopping the drug I did have nightmares, night sweats and extreme depression, life felt grey, cold, lonely. It was an incredibly desolate time for me. When beginning to take the drug again after about a week I felt much better. So life is good on the drug, maybe too good, I enjoy taking it, it is one of the safest drugs on the market BUT coming off of it is quite scary, I became a different person, although they say these drugs are not addictive, it is very difficult for ones body to adjust to no longer having the chemical components of the SSRI circulating around.
Over the past 2 years I started to develop panic attacks - never knew what they were just the sensation that I was dying. My doctor had prescribed me Ativan .5mg, twice daily to relieve the stress he claimed i had. Funny thing - I don't see myself as a stressful person nor a very anxious one - this is probably one the first things people who have depression or anxiety/panic disorders say about themselves! Nonetheless I didn't take the Ativan as prescribed - only as needed. As time passed my attacks were frequent to seldom then frequent again - I am convinced that my symptoms may be physiological and not psychological - so I switched doctors and my new one prescribed me Celexa 10mg. From the get go he seemed convinced that I had an anxiety disorder - people get anxious all the time (giving big speeches, moments of anticipation etc...)I asked him for alternatives to pill therapy and I started meditation, acupuncture, massage and psychotherapy - the latter being important to me, to be clear that a specialist could tell me that I had some form of psychological condition warranting Celexa. After a few sessions i decided to take it and after 6days - I'm off of it.
When your doctor tells you that there are no side affects - don't believe them - do your own research. Everybody reacts differently to no matter how high or low the dose. For 10mg: the first two days - very drowsy and yawning, my appetite waned dramatically, by the third day trying to concentrate at work triggered a panic attack! Day 4 woke up feeling panicky, cancelled all my meetings in the morning still not eating well at all - struggling to maintain 2000 CAL diet, feeling on the edge, easily agitated, Ativan breaks the cycle and helps calm me down. Day 5 - I'm losing weight, not hungry, feeling more nervous than usual, heart races from time to time, trying to string a sentence together with a co-worker triggers a panic attack! My head feels heavy and tingling - it must be the Celexa - Doc's office calls me to try and stick with it - strange because the warning labels state to call your doc immediately when you have serious side affects! Found this forum last night debating if I should stick with it -- after reading it and weighing my options - i did. Then I was woken up at 530AM with a pounding heart beat, tremors, night sweats and agitation - popped an Ativan and went to the ER. After about 30mins - left the ER shakey, edgy and was advised to stop it all together.
Celexa may work well for people no doubt from what i have read - but for others if the side affects are too much to bear and it exacerbates your condition and makes your life debilitating - then I would think twice.
When I was prescribed Celexa, they told me to take it at bedtime. Big mistake. I was going through all of the symptoms that the majority of you have. Couldn't sleep, sweats, heart pounding etc. So I decided to take it in the morning (20 mg)and haven't the side effects since. Maybe if you give this a try it might help.
Over the past 2 years I started to develop panic attacks - never knew what they were just the sensation that I was dying. My doctor had prescribed me Ativan .5mg, twice daily to relieve the stress he claimed i had. Funny thing - I don't see myself as a stressful person nor a very anxious one - this is probably one the first things people who have depression or anxiety/panic disorders say about themselves! Nonetheless I didn't take the Ativan as prescribed - only as needed. As time passed my attacks were frequent to seldom then frequent again - I am convinced that my symptoms may be physiological and not psychological - so I switched doctors and my new one prescribed me Celexa 10mg. From the get go he seemed convinced that I had an anxiety disorder - people get anxious all the time (giving big speeches, moments of anticipation etc...)I asked him for alternatives to pill therapy and I started meditation, acupuncture, massage and psychotherapy - the latter being important to me, to be clear that a specialist could tell me that I had some form of psychological condition warranting Celexa. After a few sessions i decided to take it and after 6days - I'm off of it.
When your doctor tells you that there are no side affects - don't believe them - do your own research. Everybody reacts differently to no matter how high or low the dose. For 10mg: the first two days - very drowsy and yawning, my appetite waned dramatically, by the third day trying to concentrate at work triggered a panic attack! Day 4 woke up feeling panicky, cancelled all my meetings in the morning still not eating well at all - struggling to maintain 2000 CAL diet, feeling on the edge, easily agitated, Ativan breaks the cycle and helps calm me down. Day 5 - I'm losing weight, not hungry, feeling more nervous than usual, heart races from time to time, trying to string a sentence together with a co-worker triggers a panic attack! My head feels heavy and tingling - it must be the Celexa - Doc's office calls me to try and stick with it - strange because the warning labels state to call your doc immediately when you have serious side affects! Found this forum last night debating if I should stick with it -- after reading it and weighing my options - i did. Then I was woken up at 530AM with a pounding heart beat, tremors, night sweats and agitation - popped an Ativan and went to the ER. After about 30mins - left the ER shakey, edgy and was advised to stop it all together.
Celexa may work well for people no doubt from what i have read - but for others if the side affects are too much to bear and it exacerbates your condition and makes your life debilitating - then I would think twice.
I started taking 10mg just over a week ago. I went to the doctor after putting up with my hands shaking for around 6 months and was told that I was suffering with anxiety. However, I didnt feel anxious until after I began taking the tablets and now I am getting around 3 hours sleep a night and cant function!! Im feeling so ill and want to get better. Will it get better soon or am I stuck feeling like this until I ome off the tablets? PLEASE HELP!
I have only just started taking Citalopram 10mg tablets, it is my second day on them and already I do not want to take them, I am 18 years old and female, I have had depression since February 2010, It came about since my granma was in a really bad way in hospital with a 1% chance of living through a operation, I took it upon myself to look after everyone else which put a lot of stress on myself, i didnt have anyone to talk to, and I had a really bad break up, due to both of these I ended up taking a over dose, I took 30 paracetamols and 30 iberprofene before passing out, I would not have survived if it wasn't for my mam taking the day off work.. Since then I have always had depression never getting over the over dose. I met someone who made all the depression go away, and practically made me forget all about it, and I have recently broken up with that person and my depression has came back worse than ever.
I have never until now admitted to having depression through to being scared no one would understand. I took my first tablet yesterday and within 10 minutes I started to feel light headed, and fell asleep straight away after days of not sleeping, I had a really bad headach, and when i woke up after a few hours I was really restless and could not concerntrate on the tv, i was really hot and I had nausea most of the night and ended up throwing up 3 times, I am so scared of being on these tablets because of the stories and how they make me feel but I know now ive had them i cant come off them.
This drug is no good. I have been on this for 8 months. Normally, I am shy and a bit worrisome about things. However, Celexa took it to a whole new level. I would not recommend this drug to anyone from personal experience. One day in my doctors office I was told I seemed a bit anxious…she started me on 5 mg. When I returned a month later she increased it to 10mg. The first few weeks nothing happened. Then mood swings began to set in. For 3 or 4 days I would do okay. Then suddenly I would become angry, agitated, and then sad. I would have thoughts of killing myself. I would cry for hours on end until I was so sick I would just fall asleep. I lost interest in everything I had interest in before.
Then going to another doctor she upped my dose to 20 mg. My anxiety became worst. I wondered if my parents would die every time they drove away. My sleep was full of loopy dreams and very wakeful. Little things became very hard to do. I would find myself staring into space for hours. I would find myself grunting answers rather than speaking or having an opinion. And I was always scared. I could get nothing done today become I am too busy crying about tomorrow.
It is very alarming to know you are not yourself, then not to know why. I have other medical problems that this has only contributed to and not once did my doctor say anything. I went to a counselor and she informed me and my mom that Celexa is not even for people with anxiety but depression and it could be causing a lot of these behaviors. Specifically because in someone young (im 20), it can make you severely depressed or suicidal. She did not want to discredit my doctor but after reading about such horrible experience on this site I am just going to discontinue using it.
I'm on day 8 of Celexa, and I have to tell you that a support system is so important. Talking about it is the key! My first weekend on the medication was awful, I didn't know if I wanted to scream, run down the street or curl up in a ball and cry. My family helped me so much, the best thing to do is talk about what you're feeling, don't internalize your feelings. You may be scared or ashamed of your depression/anxiety, but as you can see from this discussion board there are many many people just like you. It has been a roller coaster 8 days for me and the only thing that has brought me through it is all the people around willing to listen. Talk to your family, coworkers, friends, dogs, find a counselor, call a risk center - the point is it's always better to talk about it. Notice that something is not right and catch it early. This medication takes time to get into your system, but before you know it you're at 8 days, then 10, then 50 and you can look back and be proud of where you are. Depression is so tough, that's why I suggest finding someone to talk to.
I have suffered from panic attacks for around 12 years and originally was tried on lots of different tablets which none worked. I was then given 20mg citalopram which was ok for a while then I felt it wasn't working so they put it to 40mg which again helped for a while. Again they increased it to 60mg which was fine, I have been on and off it for the 12 years but I recently stopped suddenly but had no side effects as I was drinking a lot of alcohol. I have now started them again they gave me 20mg for around 5 days then put it up to 40mg, I am very shakey and dothering and it doesnt seem to be settling I have been on them for around 16 days now. Has anybody else had these side effects and if so how long did they last HELP!!
i'm 59 years old and take citalopram. i had mild depression for years but i kept trying to overcome it myself. i started with 20 mg which i couldn't handle. it gave me heart palpitations and i think i had an axiety attack. i called the dr. and she said to just take half a pill a day which would be l0 mg. i feel much better and haven't had any side effects. the muscles in my legs seem to be tired and burn when i walk but i keep going. i don't know if this is from the citalopram or not.
I suffer from IED (intermittent explosive disorder) and I was prescribed Celexa. The doctor started me off on 1/2 pill (10mg) for four days, than one full pill for two weeks and then two pills thereafter. However I cannot get pass the 1/2 half pill because I am suffering from nausea and I am extremely tried. I wish I can get a full night of sleep without having these weird dreams. I get really hot, shaky and restless throughout the day. Sometimes I feel like everything is going 80 miles per hour and I am going like 40. My mood is ok so far but it seems like I went from enrage to feeling blue at time at other times I am little paranoid. But I have to say so far it is far better than Prozac.
this drug is bad news for me. ive been on it 4 months at 20mg. i awake every morning after barely sleeping at all, in a state of terrible anxiety with horrific thoughts running thru my brain. i feel cold and shaky. many times i am soaked in sweat. i feel physically tired but mentally on overdrive. i cannot drink coffee in the morning as i used to to have a productive day as i am so on edge already. i smoke alot of cigarretes now when i used to smoke very little, to try and calm myself down but it dosent work. i take the pill in the morning and within about 2 hours i can feel the anxiety overwhelming my body even worse than when i woke up. i have no appetite until night time and become shaky from not eating. my stomach is in constant distress with constipation and constant gurgling noises and i feel gassy and naseous all the time. the anxiety i get from this pill is making it very difficult to leave the house or drive or be in social situations comfortably. even just to relax seems impossible. this is the exact opposite of effects that i was hoping for. i was on paxil before and was feeling fine exept for the sexual side effects which were severe, was switched to this, my doctor told me it was basically the same thing. totally wrong. instead of feeling calm and happy i am now feeling anxious irritable and ill constantly. sure the sexual side effects arent as bad but... its not worth it.
it has stopped my crying spells but i feel like i want to cry inside and i just cant. until i drink alcohol then the tears come.
i am amazed when i read that other ppl feel like this drug is sedating or calming them how can that be, it doesnt make sense to me.
im going to try and come off this again i have already tried 3 times but after about 3 days the withdrawl sets in, severe fatigue and depression and have had to start up again ;(
I'm 41 years old and I start to take Citalopram almost 6 weeks ago and the last ten days i've been experiencing nausea and sore head, did any body had the same sympthoms with this drug. During the night I can sleep very well and I don't feel any pain. please if any body had experience that let me know
I hope that it is ok to post an escitalopram experience here. I made 2 videos and posted them on YouTube about my experience taking Lexapro and my somewhat rare and serious reaction. I have posted links to them below. A basic statement about what happened to me is written under the videos.
I took One 10mg pill of escitalopram in 2006 and had a severe adverse reaction. I still have horrible symptoms presently. The akathisia is the worst. Please e-mail me if this post is improper, I will change it if necessary.
My YouTube alias is wdtony.
Video 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw7t-e6NqZ8
Video 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_4gLZrqlik&feature=related
My youtube videos are titled: LEXAPRO Brain Damage #1 (and #2)
wdtony@hotmail.com - e-mails are welcome.
Thank you,
Tony
First off, never stop any antidepressant cold-turkey unless you want to feel like crap for a while. I've been on just about every antidepressant known to man to try to treat anxiety. I now take a high dose of Xanax. My switch from Klonopin to Xanax coincided with my detox off Celexa, and that was the reason I thought I was feeling this way. I finally put 2 and 2 together and realised that these feelings were from the Celexa detox, just like all my other antidepressant detoxes. There wasn't one that didn't give me sexual problems. Also, metalic taste, shock-like sensations and dizziness are common side-effects in all SSRI's, SNRI's, even when taking a normal dose and not detoxing. All in all, they didn't do s**t for me. Recently my psych put me back on Celexa after the passing of a close relative and detoxing off opiates, which made me feel kinda depressed. Celexa was chosen because of the supposed lack of side-effects compared to others out there, but the w/drawals are just about the same as all of the other antidepressants I detoxed off of, which was all but the MAOI's,(with the exception of Paxil and Lexapro). Those two have the worst side- effects to come off of. I was told that Celexa would be easier than the others to get off of, but this is not true. I was at 40mg's/day and dropped my dose to 20mg's for 10 days per my psychs instructions before stopping. According to him, this should be plenty of time to ease the w/drawals. One week later and I feel so dizzy, off balance and tired because of insomnia and waking up a dozen times a night. Also, very vivid dreams. I wake up exhausted. A slow detox is definately recomended off any antidepressant, even Celexa. According to the research I have done, people with anxiety problems are more sensitive to meds that effect the brain. So a slower than normal detox should be done, and get down to the lowest dose possible before jumping off. Remember, the slower the detox, the less side-effects you'll feel, but you're not going to be able to avoid all of them. Don't forget, Celexa is a med that changes the amount of certain chemicals in the brain, mostly seratonin, so it's no wonder that it effects how you will feel, whether on it or getting off it.
Day 29 I'm on day 29 20mg.of citalopram I started on 10mg but was also taking diazepam which I reckon was just masking the anxiety..nice drug but too addictive. Like lots of other people on this forum I have suffered with generalised anxiety for as long as I can remember ..about 10 yes ago it reached a peak and I was immobilised by it. I didn't take any antidepressants and it took me years ( and I mean years) to feel anywhere near normal. This time around I hit the wall again and was offered citalopram plus cbt by my gp..I was so desperate not to feel like I did 10 yrs ago I didn't hesitate to take them Side effects from 20mg were/are horrendous...but I know that I feel so much better even tho I still get panicky and for the last couple of days I have been crying non stop for no reason. The difference is I have long periods in each day when I feel almost normal and that feels worth it. I think I'm a slow burner and it might be another couple of weeks before the drugs,plus my determination, kick in properly There is no quick fix..anxiety is the pits...talking to people on these meds really helps..plus a good doctor who takes you seriously This forum has really helped when I've felt at my lowest..thanks guys
I am 37 yrs old. Have had panic attacks, mild depression, generalized anxiety disorder since I was a teenager, however I did not seek treatment until I was in my middle 20's. I was rx'd zoloft at that time and took it for 1 yr. and discontinued due to side effects. My doctor rx'd Celexa recently due to increased anxiety and dx of severe PMS. I do not like taking meds and usually prefer natural methods (Also buy organic, no dyes, preservatives). So it was a huge decision for me to start this rx. I held onto it in the medicine cabinet for 8 months prior to seeing my dr again after a significant panic attack. He told me to take the celexa because it is the mildest med in that class of meds. (He also gave me an rx for Xanax, which has not been filled.). I finally decided to try the celexa, my dr said to start with 20 mg for 2 weeks then go to 40 mg. From my experience years ago with zoloft I knew I should start lower, so I cut the 40 mg into 4 pieces and took 1 (10 mg). After a few hours I felt dizzy, lightheaded, heart rate increase, dry mouth (severe). It was like a panic attack w/out the panic. I have to admit I immediately felt better in the sense that I wasn't angry or irritable anymore, just kind of numb and that felt good. Most of my anxiety stems from prior heart surgery (catheter ablation) for SVTs, so feeling my heart rate increase was a bit scary, but I could live with that. The really scary side effects started about 5 hours after taking the pill. I was sitting playing cards with my grandmother when I got this FLUSH through my entire body, hot and cold, tingly sensation. Freaked me out. I ended up timing them and felt it every 2 mins for about 30 mins (each one lasting less than a min, but long enough to scare me). I lauds down and felt better. Once I realized it was a side effect and not impending doom I ignored this flush but it did continue off and on the rest of the day. Then came a terrible headache and more racing heartbeats, shaking, felt like my eyeballs were shaking and loss of appetite. I could not sleep at all that night, total insomnia. The next day I decided it's not for me so I did not take the 2nd dose. I still felt the effects the entire next day and tonight (day 3) I just had a severe night terror (I have had night terrors off and on my entire life but had not experienced one in a long time until tonight). I honestly believe the night terror is a result of this medication as that was one of the reasons for discontinuing zoloft many years ago (in addition to sexual disfunction).
I would rather exercise more often, spend more time with friends and loved ones, get outdoors more often and not drink stimulants than take this medication that makes ms feel even more crazy.
I know everyone is different. I have a predisposition to anxiety, panic, night terrors and I have to deal with it. I also have a low tolerance for meds and caffeine (one cup of decaf makes me shake).
Best of luck to anyone dealing with disorders.
Yesterday was the first time I have tried Citalopram.I know that supposedly I am not suppose to feel any effects from this drug for at least a week...so I've been told.However I swear I felt it and it was a horrible experience.It's like my body morphed into this horrid anxiety beast.No matter how hard I tried to talk myself out of the panic that overcame me it did no use.In fact it seemed to add more fuel to the fire...Never again.
I was prescribed Citalopram for depression and anxiety. It started working after 4 weeks (first month was awful even if i started gradually). Now it works cyclically, good for 20 days and then I feel worse than before taking it for 5 days. My doc doesn't know why. I'm on this med since 6 months. Last month I decreased from 30 to 20mg/day.
Hi I have taken Citalopram twice over 5 years, the first time was for a year. It worked okay for around 2 months, then I started to forget things, and have weird burn feeling's in my head due to not wanting to withdraw suddenly I kept on taking it. Needless, to say as I write this it is, as if I am mentally retarded, I have a Degree but I struggle to remember anything, my anxiety has not altered, I have visual problems. I took it again a couple of months back due, I think to some sub- conscious craving for it, lost most of my short term memory. Do Not take this stuff it causes mental retardation.
number one, dont scare yourself by reading horror stories on the net, number two, EVERY ONE REACTS DIFFERENT DO THE SAME MEDICATION SO ULTIMATELY READING HOW SOME PEOPLE WENT THROUGH HELL DOES NOT MEAN IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!
I have been taking Celexa 2 years now, 20 mg, and it took about 2 months to kick in, and about 5 months to FULLY work but once it did, MY LIFE IS BACK TO NORMAL! It has brought me peace, i have NO side effects, and im the sketchiest person on this planet. Take what you read with a grain of salt and understand you are putting chemicals in your body and everyones body will react DIFFERENT some will work with it some will reject it! farther questions email me. princessilianad@gmail.com
So, about a month ago i started talking 10 mg of Citalopram it worked wonders for me until it stopped working... i was worse then before! i called my dr and they raised me up to 20mg a day it has worked ok until today i can feel it stop working a little more day by day. i am 14 years old & a suffer from a Mood Disorder & High Anxiety. my birth Father has bipolar disorder (Thanks dad) i am in a struggle and hope to figure out how to manage and push threw!!! I Wish You All Good Luck!
My boyfriend has been taking Celexa for anxiety for over 4 years. I started dating him 6 months ago and we have never had a normal sex life. The first few times were fine, but after that he was unable to reach an orgasm or simply had little to no desire to have sex with me. He briefly discussed the problem with his doctor, who lowered his dosage. He has been taking the lower dosage for a little more than 2 months and although it has helped him reach an orgasm (finally!) it hasn't helped his desire. He still rarely, if ever wants to have sex. We are in the beginning of this relationship and a once/week sexual encounter is just not enough for me.
I have been very understanding about this being a side effect of the medication, but I am starting to get concerned. He recently told me that, in all his time of taking the medicine, he has never had such a problem with it before. He would occasionally have a hard time with orgasms, but it is worse now than ever before. Is it possible for the sexual side effects to get worse after being on this for so long? Does anyone have any experience or advice with this?
I know this isn't a relationship board, and I am certainly not asking for that, I am just starting to think it might be more than just the Celexa.
I AM ON CELEXA FOR 7 YEARS FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY I am talking 40 mg for over one year. Try to go down to 30 mg for about 2 weeks and tried 20 mg. Since a few days, I fee down, depressed, feels like crying. I am going back to 30mg a day. I did not talk to my doctor yet.
I was on citalopram for 10 weeks and came off them cold turkey ( i now know this was a bad plan) i have been off them 13 weeks and it has been terrible, i am still having withdrawals symptoms now, they just come out of the blue - funny head tingling,anxiety, dizzy spells. I am very sensitive to medication and haven't got a gallbladder, i wondered if anyone else has experienced this, is it because it changes your brain chemistry for 10 weeks and your brain is trying to cope with this. thankyou
Hi i at 25 years old. I have been on Celexa for about a year. I had absolutly no clue until reading these blogs that i wasn't going insain!!!! I expierenced anxiety, extremely paranoid and always nervous of my own shadow let alone being in public and trying to live a some what functional life.. I was taking 40MG the doctor wanted to amp it up to 60MG. I figured he didnt know what the hell he was talking about. I felt being on this made my depression way worse, towards the end i was trying to find ways to end it and ended up in the hospital. I did some research and found ways to withdrawl from this medication on my own and did research for a few months before going through with it. I was on 40MG went down to 30mg, 20mg and so on. I found that way to be easier for my to just get it over with. Little did i know TODAY is my FIRST day completely off it. Ive been in the toilet every 10 to 20 minutes, exiting every way possible. I cant eat. I tried to take a nap and had horrible nighmares, i thought i was still in the nighmare minutes after i had woken up. Im seeing blurry, dizzy if i get up to fast i literally loose my balance and will black out. Cramps so painful i feel like im in labor again!!! This is very scary i never wish this apon anyone. I have no clue how im supposed to sleep tonight. i just hope these symtoms do not last long. Im a HOTT MESSS....!!!!!!!!!!! please comment i need help. thank you.
I started on these two days ago and now I can't sleep and I'm shaking, tired, and feel like I'm on speed all at the same time! I was having anxiety/panic attacks so I went to the doctor and she gave me paxil, but that made me feel about the same as the citalopram has. I just want something that works!
I WOULD LIKE TO CAUTION PEOPLE WITH THE USE OF ANXIETY DRUGS.I WAS A PRETTY NORMAL WIFE AND MUM HAPPY IN RAISING MY CHILDREN AND BEING A WIFE,THEN DISASTER STRUCK OUT OF THE BLUE. MY HUSBAND AND I DIVORCED,HE SUDDENLY DIDN'T LOVE ME ANYMORE. ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SET IN AND THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBED ATIVAN. THIS TABLET CAUSED ME THE LOSS OF MY CHILDREN AND MY HOME AS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE MIGRAINES SET IN. PAIN LIKE I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. I THEN WAS PRESCRIBED STOPYN FOR THE MIGRAINS AND RHOHIPTANOL TO SLEEP AT NIGHT. NEED LESS TO SAY THE CONDITION WORSENED UNTIL I WAS UNABLE TO FUNCTION ANYMORE.WELFARE TOOK MY CHILDREN AWAY AND I ENDED UP LIVING IN SHELTERS BEGGING PRESCRIPTIONS FROM PHARMACIES AND DOCTORS. ALL THE WHILE I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE STRESS CAUSING THE INTENSE DAILY PAIN. EIGHT YEARS LATER I GOT THE CHANCE TO GO TO A REHAB AND TURN MY LIFE AROUND,THAT WAS 14 YEARS AGO. I LEARNT THAT THE MEDICATION I WAS PRESCRIBED WAS THE CAUSE OF ALL MY PAIN AS IT CAUSED A VICIOUS CIRCLE. THE MORE I TOOK THE WORST THE SYMPTOMS BECAME. SO WHEN I HEAR OF PEOPLE TAKING MEDICATIONS SUCH AS ATIVAN I FEEL I NEED TO CAUTION.....BE VERY VERY CAREFUL AS ONE CAN BECOME A SLAVE TO SUCH DRUGS.
Hi There,
Today is prescribed celexa to help me through the loss of my dad and the failure of my marriage over the last month. I have never taken an AD and outside of 1 ativan tablet in the ER when I freaked out yesterday I dont know much about this.
I do know that I am depressed and anxiety filled most times, and that is no life for me. My doc explained celexa and even though the side effects scared me I think it is a risk I need to take. I took 20mg today in the morning and my stomach feels gross, mouth has awful taste and I have a really awful pain in my forehead, its also 1am and Im wide awake.
I will try to hang on as I see these are common, I hope this helps me and doesnt just hurt me more.
Hello everyone,
My name is Elsie and I'm 21 yrs old. I've been on citalopram for 5 months now. In the beginning I did feel better. I took 20mg everyday. Then as months went by I became very forgetful with my meds and would take them on and off. Recently I've been having so many digestive problems including intense nausea almost daily, to the point where I can't eat, or if I do I vomit :/ Do you think the reason is because I don't take it everyday like I'm supposed to? I've also hit a depression about 2 weeks ago with the start of my senior year in college. I am just too overwhelmed and find myself crying for absolutely no reason. I cry myself to sleep, and my panic attacks, although mild, are returning. I get so worried that I start hyperventilating and my face gets numb. What should I do? Should I continue the medicine or stop? Do I need a stronger dose? Is it my depression? I'm so confused, scared, and ready to give up! I just want it to stop. Please someone help me! I've been restless every night and waking up with night sweats and extreme hot! Just the thought of something I have to do that I don't want to face will make my stomach curl! My email is elsie.arce@yahoo.com. Thank you.
P.S. I also have Ativan for when I have panic attacks but I haven't taken it lately because I'm trying to not need it! However, I am on the verge of just taking a whole bunch to make my worry stop! Advice PLEASE!!!!!!
I've been on Citalopram/Celexa for 7 months. A comment on anyone worried for the beginning days: they're hell, it's normal. Celexa starts working after minimum 1 month, and this month is awful. Hold on!
BUT my experience isn't perfect. For me it works ok for 20 days, then for 5 days I have anxiety at top level, then it begins again this cycle. I'm keeping a record on this, I wonder if anyone has similar experiences. I'm also wondering if getting occasionally drunk can be a trigger for this 'non working days'.
I have really high anxiety. For the past 6 years, I've had anxiety attacks pretty much on a daily basis, usually related to pressures at school or work and social situations. I was put on Prozac, which took away my sex drive, elevated my mood, but did nothing for my anxiety. Then I switched to Buspar, which made me twitchy and hungry all the time. Finally, I started taking Celexa.
For the first few weeks, it does feel like you're sick. My throat would hurt and for a couple of days, I felt like I had a fever (and I did). I stopped taking Celexa after a couple of months, and when I picked it back up again, the same initial side effects came (soar throat, feeling sick, fever for a couple of days), so I knew it was the Celexa. It also made me sleep about 12 hours a day, and I would sweat more easily (like just sweeping the kitchen floor). This all stopped after a few weeks. Now, my anxiety has really decreased (it hasn't disappeared, but I feel great). Sometimes I zone out/daydream, and I feel numb sometimes, but to me it is worth it. I also still have a sex drive, unlike on Prozac. It's also only $10 for a 90-day supply, which is nice. I take 20mg a day.
I recommend trying it out for anxiety.
Hello everyone reading this. Today is my 3rd day taking Citalopram. 20/mg daily. I have not had any bad side effects yet. The only issues I'm having is feeling tired & yawning a hundred times a day...my anxiety/nervousness is a bit worse, but my Dr. informed me this is normal & will soon pass. I read some of the above horror stories about the night sweats, panic attacts & other weird things. (hands shaking & numbness) I've had none of this. My advice to anyone out there who is a new user (like myself) is to hang in there as long as you aren't feeling like your world is coming to an end. I actually feel a bit happier about things. My email address is Flacutie1024@aol.com if anyone would like to email about this medication. Please indicate in the subject line CITALOPRAM.
Hey guys! My name is Kristina and i am 20 years old. I am a mother, house keeper, and a junior pyschology major. I have always considerecd myself a very positive person with a great outlook on life, until recently. It started about a year ago when my life started falling apart. In December of 2010 my parents who had been married for 21 years seperated and would soon be divorced because my father was caught cheating on my mother with her best friend of 30 years. This really sent me over the edge because at this time i was 5 months pregnant and still had not told my parents for fear of causing more tension between them. I felt so alone and had no one to turn to. I told my parents about a month later that they were going to be grandparents and introduced them to the father of my child who they did not approve of because I am white and he is black. My mother eventually came around embracing Me, the father of my child, and her unborn grandson. My father on the otherhand did not. As soon as he found out he turned over my car payment, insurance, and phone bill to me and quit speaking to me at all and we were very close before this. April rolls around and i find myself in a new apartment and out of a dorm room getting ready for my son to arrive. I gave birth to a very healthy baby boy i named Landon Isaiah on April 27th. I adjusted to motherhood well. I found as my ties with my family members dwindled i got more and more anxious. I started crying a lot for no reason, wanted to sleep all day, and i was having a hard time coping with my father not wanting to be apart of his only daughter and grandsons life. It has been 5 months now that i have been dealing with these symptoms. About a week agao i was at the fair and i had a severe panic attack that put me in the er. Thats when i decided to do something. I made an appointment 3 days ago to see my family doctor. i sat and talked to him for about an hour while he listened to how I felt. He then told me he felt likw i was dealing with moderate axiety and mild depression. He prescribed me Celexa as thats what he takes for depression. Today was my 2nd day and overall i was expecting much worse after the horror stories i had read. I have had pretty bad naseua but nothing a little Pepto and gignerale wont fix, muscle tightness (But i usually always have that on account of multiple injuries due to years of gymnastics), and im so tired. I would love to sleep all day. Im going to give it a few weeks and hope i see a positive effect. Thanks u guys for all the helpful posts. And i look forward to reading more!
I have just started my 3rd month of Citalpram, For the first 4 days of taking it I seem to have experienced the same effects as other people, it wasn't very nice at all. Then it was just like I got my life back...I could see all the positives that I couldn't see before, I could suddenly hear the birds singing and even small things made me smile...I felt strong in my mind and able to sort things out with ease and no stress, I had to report back to my GP who was pleased with what I was telling him.
The next month was the same, brilliant but then to weeks ago we went on what should have been a late holiday in the sun, sadly we had some huge problems while abroad on holiday when my husband had to spend 5 days in hospital, I was under a lot of pressure on my own sorting it all out and I knew normally I would not have managed this I was pleased with my self for staying positive, calm and strong but with on going complications (private hospital running up bill for our insurance...mobile cut off due to excessive use....insurance company needing to speak to UK GPto get previous medical report.... and red tape, ment we were stuck there...I was desperate to get home and it all got to much and I cracked under the strain. Well, we got home, much to ours and our familys relief, and I thought, phew, were home beautiful England..... I was feeling fine, but the last couple of days the crying has started again, and the low negative thought have crept back in, I'm starting to lose interest again in my life and I'm very sad and worried that this has happened. I wondered if it was the kick back from having put my self on overload during the problems that it has affected me know? I think I will have see the doctor again, I was suppose to be taking 20mg daily for 6 months, it never occured to me that the effects of the drug could wear off, has this happened to anyone else? am wondering where it will go from here.....up I hope !
When I was originally put on citalopram, I went thru a week of dry mouth but no other symptoms. I was still feeling slightly depressed and anxious. I told my GP and she suggested that we up the dosage. I have been on 40mg for a month now, and the only side effect I am having is with my sex drive. Not only the drive but the ability to reach an orgasm. So, I started taking provestra, it's a natural supplement that is supposed to help with women's libido. It seems to help...a little. I have to decided if it's worth losing my physical relationship with my fiance or losing the calming effect of the citalopram.
I have been taking citalopram for 10 weeks. I have suffered from depression and anxiety since I can remember. This is the first medication I have taken for depression, and I was scared to take medication at first...especially after reading so many negative stories. However, citalopram has helped me tremendously! I feel more motivated to get out of bed every day and don't feel like interacting with other people takes the effort it used to. For the first couple of weeks on the medication, I was very tired and yawned quite a bit. That has stopped and I do not feel overly tired, and I still take the medication in the morning. I have had increased feelings of being dizzy when I stand up since I started the medication. That is the only side effect I have noticed, and it is one that I am going to deal with as the benefits of the medication greatly outweigh that side effect. The medication doesn't make me feel high or manic. I still feel down at times but those times don't last nearly as long as they used to. I am a graduate student and still get anxious and stressed at times, but I have noticed that the medication helps me stay more balanced. This medication may not work for everyone and it may greatly help some. I am thankful that this medication is helping me not feel as depressed as I once did!!
i started taking prozac 20mg from the age of 12 for my depression im now 24 and had slowley self medicated and was taking 60mg a day, in the last 8 months i have benn prescribed clitropam20mg obvious reasons the prozac no longer was working for me this was a good alternative as my anxiety had risen i was also perscibed diazapam5mg which for someone like me who enjoys a good time and has a highly addictive personality was a great mix im also taking zoplicone which all round is a great fruit salad. in the last week i have come off the lot cold turkey,mind u ive had to go up nrth in hybernation to stay off them im experiencing bad dizzy spells,cold sweats uncontrolable shaking and mood swings any sugestions to help would b hugely appreciated. i have 5 more days before i head home in which im hoping ill keep on track would hate for the withdrals 2 b for nothing.
Hi, I have been taking Citalopram 10 mg since January this year. After a few deaths in the family voluntary redundancy from local council, which caused me horrendous text book clinical depression. Dr. prescribed the medication as he diagnosed me with a chemical imbalance caused by lack of Seratonin in the brain. No tests were taken for this. After awful side effects which subsided after 4 weeks I felt nearly normal again for 5 whole months. Then took a dive back down into depression after being afraid I would have a panic attack on a holiday flight we had booked. Cancelled holiday! Started to feel even worse, no motivation to get out of bed in the morning loss of appetite afraid to go out by myself! Briefly I was turning back into a Zombie again so asked Dr to take me off medication. This was only two weeks ago reducing every other day now been off Citalopram for 6 days and feel much better. Not 10%. Taking Pulsatilla a recommended Homeopathic remedy and have not had the dreadful withdrawal symptoms. A few anxiety attacks one headache but nothing else. Drinking lots of water. Am now eating better and able to get out of bed. Looking at some voluntary work and will never go back on antidepressants again. I believe I am not suited to these drugs as can't take many other tablets.
The doctor prescribed citalopram to me for PTSD, OCD and depression. The depression and PTSD symptoms came on very suddenly about a week ago and for no apparent cause. Having experienced these things before, though not quite with that severity, I was able to get help quickly. I got back into therapy and arranged to meet with my therapist once a week, and got an appointment with the doctor. So, I was prescribed citalopram, being a college student and poor.
Day one was fine - I took it in the evening with dinner, and went to bed. The morning of day two was also okay. I had a little nausea and gas, and that was the primary complaint. However, I knew that if that was all I had to complain about, I was doing well. I had a small headache around the afternoon, which steadily grew with the nausea until it was absolutely miserable by the evening. I went home directly after work and went straight to bed.
This morning I woke up, and I had a migraine and severe nausea. I had no desire to move, to smell, taste, hear or see anything. I was also very hot and tense. These last couple of days have been hellish.
I have found that there are some things that you can do to help yourself, though. The severe headache, I found, was partially due to the tension in my neck and shoulders and in my jaw. If I consciously focus on relaxing my muscles and not clenching my jaw, it helps. Also, for the nausea, caffeine free peppermint tea eased it enough that I didn't vomit and was able to go back to sleep. I'm going to attempt to wait it out for at least a week. I'm hoping these and the other symptoms - shakiness, dry mouth, drowsiness - will start to lessen next week.
I just took ONE pill last night y first time taking this medicine. I cannot stop vomiting. A half hour after i took the first dose i felt weak in my muscles, light headed, and could barely function or walk, i also started crying for unknown reasons, and i have been vomiting up brown coffee ground type looking fluid since last night well into this morning. She started me at 10mg and i am discontinuing it and will deal with my anxiety on my own like have been for years. I feel more paranoid than ever on this Celexa medication and i am hearing things that aren't there. I'm sure for some persons this medication works but for me it is no good at all. If you have a weak stomach or easily feel sick with taking pills i would not recommend this as the proper medication for you. Please be careful and with any prescription ALWAYS read the pamphlet that comes with the medication.
Doctors do not understand the severity of prescribing these serious drugs. I have been on Celexa for over a year and a half and I've developed secondary addictions (smoking). Although I've tried to quit Celexa (cold turkey) the withdrawl symptoms just increased tenfold by the amount of days that passed. Each day they got worse until I had to reinstate the meds. Now, I am in constant panic and heart is racing. I feel like a friggin IDIOT for letting a presciption drug ruin my good health! I am a mess.
I tried taking celexa for 3 days i also take alprozalm for anxiety, i just want to stop crying and hating life, but when i woke up in the morning i felt like passing out and my heart was beating rapidly, i want to try a lower dosage, but my anxiety is telling me not to I have had anxiety all my life i just want to stop being afraid of everything. is this normal to get more anxious and palpatations and passing out.
I have been on citalopram for almost 3 weeks now. The first few days were strange, I kept yawning and clenching my jaw and I had a tingly feeling all over, but it wasn't really disrupting my life. Then one night I was woken up by a panic attack, which is strange because I'm taking Citalopram for depression and I've never had a panic attack in my life. I was really tempted to stop taking it then but I kept going for another two weeks. First the side effects wore off (except for the yawning lol!) and 3 days ago I increased my dose to 30mg. Today I woke up and I felt AMAZING. I suddenly realised I was strong and I could do whatever I wanted. I felt like my recent break up was nothing to worry about and I could overcome it easily. Ever since then I haven't been able to stop smiling.
If you're thinking of quitting Citalopram after a few days because of the side effects I strongly suggest that you stick with it. Give it at least a month to work, everybody is different and this isn't a drug that kicks in right away. I was on the verge of quitting but I stayed on it and it was the best thing I've ever done.
I've been on Citalopram for 7 weeks now. Started with 5 mg the first week. Then took 10 mg for 3 weeks, and now at 20 mg. I had mild nausea the first couple of weeks, which has passed. I have battled depression, anxiety, and panic attacks off and on most of my adult life. I'm 60, and I wish I had tried Citalopram long ago. I now feel normal, more focused at work, a lot less fearful, calmer, happy, confident, and more outgoing. I've had social anxiety for years! I hope Citalopram continues to work for me. I feel very balanced. Just wanted to add positive comments for anyone considering trying it.
My doctor prescibed me to start at 40 mg. i took it for a week and all the side effects listed i experienced them even the side effects i was not supoosed to feel i felt them, i would wake up every morning with an anxiety attack, i would have to sit and meditate for 15 minutes just to calm down taking celexa gave me my first expeirience of a panick attack, i told my dr. i was anrgy all the time and this is what he gave me, i was scared to death of the side effects i was anxious sweating profusely my heart was racy and i felt like i was strung out on crystal meth or something, i didnt like this so i quit after 6 days of taking drug, a plus for me was the weight loss in those 6 days i lost 8lbs and i did have alot of energy to do more of the little things in life, i decided to find alternate ways to improve my anger like working out the shit wasnt worth taking and it was a very scary feeling to have gone through
I've been on Citalpram for around 3 years. It seems to help my anxiety but I wonder if it makes me feel like I have ADD. Seems like I can't stay focused and my mind jumps from one thought to another. Just wondered if anyone else experienced that. Or maybe it's my age? :) 54
I am back on Celexa again thank goodness. I had been on it for over a year and it was working OK for me. Not perfect but my days were improved. Then dr took me off as some posting said that celexa is trouble to your heart. I am 86, never any heart problems and yet I was forced to go off--at once. I was put on Cymbolta. For 4 weeks my life was not a good one so I decided to check with another physician. I did, I am back on celexa and beginning to feel good again. Each person's body reacts differently so I take comments lightly. For me Celexa worked and I am grateful.
Ive been on Celexa since christmas. I had extreme anxiety and heart palpitations. Since I started taking it, it definately decreases my appetite, I have a tingly feeling in my head, and I don't care about ANYTHING. the second day I took it I had an headache ALL day!!! :(
I take it in the morning and I have the tingly feeling for a few hours and I'm happy but don't want to do anything but sit here at the computer. After awhile, I start to feel better and I go to work at night and I feel fine. I'm only taking half a tablet, and don't want to start taking a full tablet cause I think the full tablet is working! I'm taking it for 4-6 weeks. so far so good, we'll see
I had bad moods,depression etc for years and could go into a depression at the drop of a hat.Finally my wife made me go (reluctantly) to a doctor who prescribed citalopram.I am sceptical about medicines but after a few days i felt alot happier and calmer.I seemed to be a lot less stressed about things that would normally send me into a depression, and got a better perspective of life.I had some minor side effects,these being a bit of nausea and being slow to orgasm,but these soon wore off.I went for 6 months with no moods or depression but stopped taking them when they ran out.After a month i had some wicked weird dizzeness that lasted about a week,but that stopped and then i started getting down again.So i got back on them and have been fine ever since.
I been taking celexa for 2weeks and a day now for anxiety attack, and slight panic attacks. My side effects we're nausea, dizzy sometimes when I get up, and light headness, yawning alot, and even weird thoughts about God ..it just weird! Every since I took celexa. And I hope this Med work good for me and make them thoughts go away. It just stuck in head like UT won't go away, sometimes it dies down, and then it come. I be having thoughts about where GOD came from, and why he put on this earth. I never experience this before. But when I went on celexa, it started happen couple days later. And I hope it go away, if it don't, ima tell my doctor can I stop it. I want to think normal again, band not weird thoughts! . Did one of you have experience the same thoughts I had while on celexa or something familiar??? If so email me at keonna_Johnson@ymail.com thankz I do have good days but mostly bad days. I try not to focus on the thoughts. But I think the celexa doing that! I want to be NY normal old self again. And celexa making me depressed kinda. And I never depressed before. That's why I went on celexa cause of my anxiety attack and my heart was racing outta no where. Cause I was eating to much salt and caffeine and not drinking enough water. I think I didn't really need to be on medication. I wished I just waited and see if my anxiety attack go away on. Cause anxiety attacks can be curedmy own
Hi! I am a 36 year female and have dealt with anxiety all of my life due to being a sexual abuse survivor. I was and still am doing yoga, meditation, seeing a therapist, reading positive books, affirmations and attending workshops on various topics but still couldn't shake my anxiety, particularly on the job. Therefore, my doctor perscribed my 10 mg of Celexa after I went to go and her. I was sitting in her office crying and feeling so numb to life AND let me tell you that it has done WONDERS for me. My anxiety has lessened and I'm better focused at work. When I first started taking it I was waking up at 4 am but that has subsided. I can't speak highly enough of this drug. I don't plan on being on it long term, just long enough for me to clear my head as I continue to go through therapy.
I am a 35 YO male who was prescribed Celexa back in September @ 20 mg/ daily. A few hours after my first dose, I was lying in bed and having hallucinations and an anxiety attack. I became very paranoid and did not sleep the entire night. I contacted my dr who told me to cut the does in half for a week until my body adjusted. I just decided to stop taking it altogether.
Fast forward two months- my depressed feeling was still there, so I decided to start back up. This time I did what the doctor said- 10 mg per day for a week, then up the dose to the recommended 20 mg. On my 2nd day of a full dose, I experienced a complete hallucinogenic trip. This was followed by insomnia, diarrhea, profound vomiting, cold sweats, trembling- and the list goes on. I thought I had the flu, so I kept taking the pill. One week later I admitted myself to the ER, where all tests came back negative. The ER doctor told me to STOP IMMEDIATELY COLD TURKEY. Within 24-36 hours i was back to normal. For everyone out there, please be careful and know all the risks before you start taking Celexa.
I'm currently getting off celexa and i am experiencing back pain, dizziness, brain zaps, jerky muscle reactions in my stomach and feel butterflys in my stomach as well (anxiety but not a panic attack). Celexa helped for 3 months to keep from freaking out and then a horrible depression of fog and feeling unmotivated, just no interest in anything.I have a restaurant and 2 kids and I have zero enthusiasm now more than ever. I'm down to 15mg now and my family and I have decided that I go get Ibogaine treatment from Dr.Mash. I'm feeling life again, happiness and sexual:). I feel way better off of it. Ibogaine is a comfortable thing when done with doctors after 24 hours my neurotransmitters will be reset. drugs and alcohol from my youth messed them up. I have a few friends that say Ibogaine is once in a life miracle. Too bad the states won't have it because it's a mild hallucinogenic. It cured my friends 15 yr heroin addiction and he is so happy. I am using it for my depression and alcohol issues. I am very excited and nervous. I let ya'll know how it goes
I had no idea what normal felt like. I thought that normal everyday life was supposed to be a struggle to maintain my sanity in the face of heavy, debilitating anxiety. I thought, maybe this is just the plight of the depressed artist, and that was my excuse for not seeking treatment for so many years. I had SEVERE morbid anxiety, obsessing over death, imagining every details of what would unfold in any given imaginary scenario. I had the occasional panic attack, and always had a constant burning of anxiety and worry in my gut for as long as I can remember.
My doctor started me on 5mg a day for a week, and then I am supposed to up it to 10mg. I am only on day 3, which I know some people may say is too early to tell - but let me tell you - that burning anxiety in my gut is GONE. I can't believe it. I had no idea what normal was like, and now that I know, I can't believe I suffered for so long in denial of my anxiety problem.
The first night I had a hard time sleeping but since then have been fine. My only side effects are mild headache (sometimes), feeling a little bit shaky and dizzy almost like a hangover, slight irritability in the evening with my boyfriend and some muscle tension in my neck and shoulders. I will take these symptoms over my anxiety any day. I am so grateful to be free of my crippling anxiety.
I've been reading up on user reviews of this drug, afraid that some of these bad reviews would deflate my little bubble of hopefulness, but now realize that everyone will react to it differently.
Only on day 3, but so far I think this drug may be right for me.
*fingers crossed*
-blue
I've been taking Celexa for almost 3 months now for PTSD and depression stemming from sexual abuse. I could have sworn I was close to having a nervous breakdown prior to taking this medication. It started working the first day forward. I started on 10mg and slowly got upped to 30mg (currently) to clear up excess anxiety I was still getting waking up in the morning. I never was able to sleep over anywhere since it was a trigger for me but I'm now staying at my boyfriend's about an hour away from home for up to a week at a time now. NO anxiety, no flashbacks, no fear of sleeping over. Most importantly, rarely do I cry anymore when I used to cry multiple times a day. 30mg might be a little much for me because I get dizzy and super tired within the first few hours of taking it but it eventually wears off enough so I can move around. I've found that I have a problem with my blood pressure if I walk too quickly or exercise. I also sweat VERY easily. If you have this problem, of course contact your doctor but take things slow. I have to take slower walks or else I'll feel like I'm going to faint. I'm not sure if it's low or high but it's a bad feeling either way. I'm still capable of feeling emotions and am doing much better than I was before, I actually feel more normal than anything. Sometimes I have cranky days and I cry for a little while to just let any built up emotions out which is a major release but sometimes I can get irrational about things that don't matter. Aside from the things listed, sex drive is good for the most part and everything else seems pretty normal. Obviously this is different for everyone but don't be scared off by all of the negative reviews because this does work for some people. I'm just glad I'm one of the people who it works for because I definitely needed it. Zoloft wasn't for me in the past, so I moved on!
7 days on Celexa and I'm NEVER taking it again. 1 hour after taking my first dose (20mg) I began vomiting. Threw up 5 times that night. I'm 5 month pregnant so that scared me. Went to the ER where they gave me anti-nausea meds and fluids and checked the baby. The next day I had unbearable nausea to the point where I thought I was dying. (Yes a bit dramatic but it was that awful). They told me to continue my meds. After 7 days I'm done. Had constant nausea, feel dizzy almost like I'm drunk, and off and on vomiting. I'm sticking to Prozac. Wish I had just gone back to that in the first place.
I have taken a couple of different anti depressants, but Celexa was the only one I didn't gain weight with. I have been taking 20 mg of Celexa for two years it did help me, but now I feel that I need to increase my dose. Instead I decided to stop taking it and start taking B12 and just some more natural things. I stopped cold turkey four days ago and I feel some like electrical charges when I run or do anything strenuous, but otherwise it's not the nightmare I hear from so many. The thing I did not like about taking it was I had very vivid dreams and felt like I didn't rest as well all the time. Every individual is so different I really wouldn't read a blog to make major decisions about my health. Good luck.
I'm giving up after three days. I took 10mg the first two days, had some strange side effects that didn't bother me too much - tingling in my extremities, kind of felt like electricity running through my fingers and toes, and a burning feeling in my skin when I laid down at night. These sound kind of alarming but I knew to expect some side effects. The third day I took 20mg (what I was prescribed in the first place) and had severe sinus pain a few hours later. I have sinus pain every now and then and I'm used to it, but I woke up at 6AM with the bridge of my nose and behind my eyes burning horribly. I took an Aleve and... apparently that can cause a drug interaction? The internet is very vague about this, but my doctor knew that I was also having back pain and had been taking it, and she didn't say anything. I became extremely nauseous and had shudders that kind of passed through me in waves. Really unpleasant, to say the least, I mean the reason I took it in the first place is panic attacks and these kind of experiences do NOT help. My sinuses still hurt 24 hours later. Just wanted to put this out there for anyone else that has chronic sinus inflammation.
i was on 20 mg celexa for two years due to panic attacks and anxiety, within last few months began to feel apathetic towards everything and lost all interest in activities i enjoyed. I also had terrible memory loss and slept all the time. doctors took me down to 10 mg and now i feel much better. beware, there are hidden side effects listed in the official forest lab report which i experienced.
I am taking citalopram for depression and anxiety.I am on day 7 taking citalopram. I was prescribed 20mg once a day. As of right now I feel tired and do a lot of yawning. I take it about 7p.m. I guess I will wait it out and see what happens. No major changes as of yet.
I have been on 10mg for about 10 weeks and the side effects were mild but settled down. Last week I had my dose upped to 20mg and I feel awful. I am suffering from nausea, vomiting, not eating, feeling shaky, a feeling of ice in my veins, fear, dizziness, no concentration. I want to get off these so have taken it back down to 10mg today and will talk with my doctor tomorrow. I hate anxiety but this is even worse.
I'm three weeks into taking 10 mg. I'm having crying spells, jaw clenching, headaches and nausea. I took cipralex before this and suffered two months of terrible side effects. I do find the celexa has lessened the obsessive thinking, but the depressxion hangs! Anyone have these similar effects?
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