:confused:

Just finished a hefty course of anti-biotics and also been diagoised with anxiety (which I have suffered with for 15yrs) My Doc has prescribed citalopram 10mg for the first week then 20mg for the second. I was wondering if anyone has tried this med and what they thought of it. Also I have friends over this saturday and was looking forward to having a few drinks but my Doc says no drinking but I like drinking socialy and have been unable to do so for 2wks now. Advice needed cheers:yawn:

CITALOPRAM is also called Celexa. I was on it for about six weeks or so but could not handle the side effects so I had to switch. Drinking on any AD is a risk as the meds tend to multiply the effect of alcohol, 2 drinks equal 4 etc

trg247

I was on this for 3 months. I too went on 10mg then 20mg in a short amount of time. It really helped me, however the one side effect I had noticed was it was harder to orgasm (sorry tmi) but did get there eventually:) . That said, I quit alcohol all together after New Years Eve, when 4 oz. of champagne gave me a "small" attack. I cannot drink b/c of this. It is probably mostly in my head, but I have heard that caffeine, alcohol, etc. can increase anxiety. I DON'T need the increase, so I lay off from all of that. Of course, I have to have my chocolate now and then, but no coffee, soda, etc. Good luck. You can also look into Lexapro (same as Celexa, but w/o the side effects). My doc described Lexapro to me as "same as celexa, but they took the side effect branch off". Maybe this will help you. Good luck. :angel:

Took citalopram 10mg last night for the first time, within an hr I got a MEGA headache. Bad nights sleep and I feel totally wrecked today. What sort of side effect should I expect. Am wondering if to leave the meds alone, but problem is I am a long suffer of panic attacks and anxiety. Unsure wat to do?? Thanks for my feedback xxxx:) :)

I take Celexa. I am on 10 mg. I got the headaches for about a week. Advil was able to get rid of it. I take my meds at supper time, 4 or 5PM, I have no other side effects from the medication. I did gain 5 pounds. But that is at a stop. (most people lose wait from this med). I have been taking it now for about 5 weeks.

Hi Jules, I have been on celexa (citalopram) for a week now, i was originally on prozac for 2 weeks but side effects were really bad. I havn't been feeling great after taking this either, i am struggling to sleep and feel very tired and un motivated and feel more anxious and depressed than without. I am going to see if things improve in the next week, i sure hope so as i feel much better without meds and am considering going back that way.

Cheers for all advise xx

Benjy, I decided to stop taking them after 1 tablet and since wrote the post. Was wondering if things ave settled any as I am thinkin of trying them again:eek:

I was thinking of stopping yesterday but thought i would give it a little more time but i felt even worse last night, my head had a dull ache and i felt like there was pressure building up inside, i was so restless in bed that it was driving me crazy and i couldn't sleep so i think of today i am going to stop as i really don't want to carry on with these side effects, I thought i would give it more time but i don't think i can cope with it like this so i'm gonna try coming off and see how things are. But now i feel kinda scared to not take them, and what will be the effect, its no win in my head!

I was planning on starting them on sunday as saturday i have plans which include drinking but I am not going to bother. I see my Doc in a week so I shall explain my headache after just taking 1 pill and see if there is any other pill for me. Sorry to keep pestering but did your headache come on after just 1 pill????? My anxiety and panic attacks are all about my health and only last year it cost my a fortune for a CT scan as my headaches were really bad and I was convinced it was serious. My CT brain picis are in my draw as my neuroligist thought it would help me anxiety if I took them home...

:wave: HI
well i am new to this group.
but i have just read your post. about citalopram.
well i suffer with agoraphobia panic attacks and anxiety. i am housebound i can not go out at all. i cant open my front door as i get terrified at the thought of it. then i cant stop shaking can feel my heart going. then the panic set in.
anyway i have been on anti depressants and sleeping tablets for 35 years as i was only 15 when the doctor put me on them. but i will tell you again about that.
right 4 weeks ago the doctor had to put me on another anti depressants. which was citalopram. 20mg one a day. now after the first fews days my head was all over the place and i got bad headaches. but as off today i still feel no better with being on them. but i was told that they can take up to 6 to 8 weeks before they start to work properly. but i was all so told that they are very good for panic and anxiety. so i will stay with them and see how they go.
anyway my name is sue and i am 50 years old.
and i hope to get to know you all
take care.
thanks
sue

I didn't really get bad headaches, just that pressure feeling from inside, that was after the last one i took, i felt ok after the 1st couple of days of taking them but then it got worse everyday. I stopped taking them as of yesterday so now i'm hoping they don't take too long to wear off and see how i feel for a while going back to normal, hopefully i can try and change things lifestyle wise and keep away from the meds.

I have been on Celexa for about 6 weeks now (only 4 days at the 20mg). I started at 5 then 10 now 20. It takes about 6 weeks to work with each new dose. I have had great results. My anxiety is almost gone. Each person reacts to meds differently.You do have to make sure you use self help tapes/ talking with a therpist, etc. I think with both I am getting better. I did start using the Linden Method which I felt better in 1 day after reading and listening to his tapes.

I'm really unsure wat to do :confused:

Think I am not gonna take them and see what the doc says on friday. Just taking very long to get some counciling, but this board is really helping me.. Cheers every one for all your advice xxxx

I've been on citroplam for almost over a month now. I had bad headaches the first week, but I stuck it out. I feel like a new person, I swear. I do drink occaisionally and I have noticed that I can't drink as much as I use to. i would advice not drinking on citroplam. If you need to drink however, I myself (note: I am not a dr) I cut how much I usually drink in half. I can have a six pack of beer and be ok the next day. Or i can drink three hard liquer drinks. Other than that, if I drink more it is my funeral the next day. So I actually stopped drinking. Because I think it interferes with how the medication works. I feel better when I don't drink and when I drink more water. Try it for three or more days. Drink just water, and nothing else. It seems to make me feel so much more better.

Hello just did a search on the new drug I am taking and its brought up this board, and what a relief it is to know I am not alone. I am currently taking citalopram and the first day I had the most awful headache, I could hardly keep my eyes open either!!! I rang the doctor and she said that these are very common side effects and not to stop taking them. The headaches have subsided but I am still feeling pressure and sore eyes. My anxity is over my health to, I am currently panicing about whether I have something wrong with my brain. Its very difficult to explain these fears to people around me. How do you find other peoples reation to it?

I've been on Citalopram for six months now. The first two weeks on this medication were horrible but I knew I had to at least stay on it for a month. The first two weeks I had headaches, panic attacks (which I never had before, couldn't sleep, etc... I had to practically stay in bed for the first week. I still can't sleep on this medication and had to be prescribed Lunesta to sleep at night. After a couple weeks the side affects from the Citalopram subsided and my anxiety I was having has gone away. It's weird and great to be more calm about everything. Although I do feel less motivated to do much on this medication and it seems I am less emotional about everything. I probably feel that way because I was so use to having the major emotions that anxiety brought on.

Cheers for all advise xx

Benjy, I decided to stop taking them after 1 tablet and since wrote the post. Was wondering if things ave settled any as I am thinkin of trying them again:eek:

I did exactly the same thing. I took one at night as prescribed and had the most colossal panic attack most of the night, could not sleep and was just knocked out the whole of the enxt day and half of the second day. I felt really sick, lightheaded, shacky, could not stand, headache. It was awful. So i only took the one!

You have to give it at least 6 weeks. The first 2 weeks for me I felt weird. I did have a headache for the first few days but it went away, then my senses seemed to be heightened..I felt detached and shakey, anxiety more stronger, and now after almost 6 weeks I feel good!! You have to stick with it. It took me about 3 solid weeks before I felt better. My doctor says that feeling is in your head, and that it takes a full 6 weeks. So please stick it out for 6 weeks. I feel calmer and happier.Good Luck