Does anyone take Citalopram?

Its not one of the ones I have tried, but most ADs have some side effects. There is a list here of common ones if thats any help? /medicine/citalopram-cipramil-paxoran

I have taken it in the past ( on two different occasions).

The side effects I remember were restricted to the first 4 weeks of taking the medication, after that I don't recall suffering any side effects.

The initial ones were

• My mood initially felt lower and I was tearful
• I felt dizzy and would have a sensation like my brain was shifting inside my head.
• I was very very sleepy

After about 4 weeks my side effects ebbed away and I started to feel much better. The first time I was prescribed citalopram I took the medication for around a year, the second time about 6 months.

If you don't notice any change within around 6 weeks it would be time to visit your doctor again. Not all meds work the same for everyone. I was initially on prozac and it did nothing for me.

Citalopram worked for me and I was soon back to feeling my 'normal' self. Hope it works well for you too.

• Keeps being violently sick, especially first thing in the morning, in bed, before he gets up
  
• No appetite whatsoever
  
• Losing weight
  
• Can't stop yawning
  

I've taken it on three different occasions and twice have experiences sickness, loss of weight and loss of appetite. So much so that the third time I went on them I assumed I was experiencing the same side effects when in fact I was pregnant!

The symptoms lasted for around a fortnight and I was on quite a low dose.

My side effects weren't that extreme on citalopram (though it might have been a lower dose) but it does sound possible. They usually suggest giving it a few weeks to see if they subside but there are usually lots of other ADs they can try instead. A bit like the pill, different types suit different people.

However as I'm sure you know it's important he doesn't just stop taking them.

I used to. ?

I got on ok with them, no side effects to report but in the end, I needed something stronger when I had my breakdown in the summer.

I've told him Hazel, and to be fair to him, even though he's been really bad with them, he's kept on taking them because he knows he needs them, and going 'cold-turkey' will possibly make him feel even worse.

If he's threatening suicide ON them, what the hell will he be like if he stops them?

I just hope the Dr rings him soon .. actually, it's 6.30 your time now, so if she's not rung him already she has missed the boat.

I'm trying to find the thin line between being controlling, and ensuring he is ok. I know for sure I wouldn't want to be dry retching every day, and yawning non-stop. It takes all my might from this end to get him to eat .. bloody hard over the phone.

That's a lot of side effects to cope with.

Likely to be different for everyone though and I would assume the side effects could be worse depending on the dosage.

My Mum is on maximum dose anti-depressants and has been for around 15 years. Every now and again the doctor changes her medication as after time they lose the effect. She has been prescribed medication before which as caused similar reactions as your brother is experiencing. The doctor would always ask that she keeps taking them for 4-6 weeks to see if the side effects lessen, if not, then she's prescribed another type.

I hope the doctor has managed to speak to your brother and that a return trip to visit her has been arranged.

Thanks Maxi.

This is what we've found over and over online .. and on the information sheet with the drugs.

Citalopram can have a number of adverse effects. In clinical trials, over 10% of patients reported one or more of the following side effects:fatigue, drowsiness, dry mouth, increased sweating (hyperhidrosis), trembling, headache, dizziness, sleep disturbances, insomnia, cardiac arrhythmia, hallucinations, blood pressure changes, nausea and/or vomiting, diarrhea, heightened anorgasmia in females, impotence andejaculatory problems in males. In rare cases (around over 1% of cases), some allergic reactions, convulsions, mood swings, anxiety andconfusion have been reported. Also sedation may be present during treatment of citalopram. If this occurs it is advisable to take the dose at bedtime instead of in the morning.

Who would want any of that lot? I'd want to be coming off them too, I have to say. Having seen and heard his retching, it must hurt him so much as it was really violent.

What I didn't see before was the comment in bold. Will have to mention that to him if he's not seen it himself.

Thanks everyone

Sorry Peaches, I don't agree with you there. Obviously if he is being affected, he should see his GP about changing but companies must list all these things for legal and information reasons. If I didn't take medication after not liking the list of side effects, I would take nothing and be in a very bad way, much worse than the list of side-effects. Depression is a physical illness like any other and needs to be treated like one, he won't find an AD without that length of list.

?

Misunderstanding Mrs M .. it's not the reading of them that would want me to come off (or not take in the first place), but to have the side effects he is actually having, hence understanding him wanting to come off. Feeling nauseous I would be able to take, but the violence of his vomiting must be so terrible. That's what I meant .. poorly written now I've read it back.

Ah, I see. Sorry. ?

I'm sure there will be something he is better suited to and hope he finds it soon. xx