Comments on: Celexa, citalopram – a personal experience

By: Ellie

Ellie — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:21:55 +0000

Hi all, about 2 weeks ago i got stru k down with a major panic attack out of the blue. I have always been a worrier but i didnt think it would lead to this. On the sunday an ambulance came out. I was shaking, my chest was tight, i felt this wave of total fear overcome me. I have had panick attacks in the past but they were short, not fearful, just pounding heart and sweating. After this panick attack had passed, i felt constant anxiety. I was shaking, i felt like everything made me jump, like a constant stream of adrenalin was being injected into my body. I saw docs the next day who started me off on 10mg of citalopram. The first 7 days were only what i cpuld describe as utter hell. I had about 5 or 6 panick attacks a day. I didnt sleep. Tamaxepam didnt help, zopiclon didnt help. When i slept on the zopiclon it was only for 2 hours max and i would be jolted awake by a panic attack. Every night. I am now on 20mgs 16 days in to treatment, my panic attacks have gone. I still feel anxious especially when i wake up in the morning. Sleep has improved. I hope this gets better. Iv been off work for 3 weeks now. My case is a bad one. My heart beats fast and the adrenalin is always there i had developed this fear of being in crowded places and also places where i couldnt escape. I am fighting this by facing my fears. Acan anybody give me hope that the anxiety will go away and that i will return to being me again? Any success stories?

By: mel

mel — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:39:21 +0000

I have been on Cipramil ( Citilopram )for nearly 11 years straight.. I felt suicidal before commencing them and initially they screwed with my head, was yawning all the time, nauseas a little, sleep issues, dry mouth but after 4-6 weeks they worked like a dream. I would say they saved my life.. I never really had a good doctor who monitored my usage so I continued to take them. I did try a few times to go off them but I found after a week I was getting very irritable, moody, snappy and sad so I always went back on. Then about 3 years ago I went off and took St johns wort which I found really helped too then I went off everything for about six months then my Gran died, I started a new relationship and found myself getting depressed, paranoid, moody etc again. So I commenced Cipramil again this year same dose as previously 20mg but have found my sex drive has totally diminished? I have been reading about post ssri sexual permanent damage and now Im freaking out, that I will never have sexual desire again… I was also wanting to have a baby and there is new research that states antidepressants and autism is linked… If i had of been warned of the dangers of the long term effects of antidepressants I probably wouldnt of stayed on them so long. I would definately recommend you look to fix the cause of the problem instead of using these dangerous drugs to bandaid the issue. Diet, exercise, meditation, therapy and supplements are worth trying. Its just scary to think that our brainchemistry can be rewired and damaged by such drugs and the pharmaceutical companies are not going to tell the public the poosible dangers when they are making billions $$$ every year on selling these to us guinea pigs…Im now trying to wean myself off and see how I go by trying the above natural options.

By: laurie

laurie — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:23:04 +0000

i have been on celexa for 6weeeks now still have anxiety attacks espectally early in the morning and for a few hours after i take my pill is this common 6weeks in

By: rockymtn

rockymtn — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:39:54 +0000

Hi, I am on day 6 of 20mg of Celexa. I feel like someone has made me drink 30 cups of coffee every am and the fact that I am taking it for ANXIETY and PANIC ATTACKS is a little annoying. HOWEVER, I am 45 now and had similar attacks 20 years ago and this helped. I think I was a little more distracted back then and didn’t notice all of the side effects I am noticing now. Yesterday was the first day I could even look at food without feeling nauseated. The jitters, daily headaches at about 3pm each day. Increase in panic attacks with headrush, cold feet, then sweaty hands and feet, shaky legs, heart pounding, etc. UGH – I am sticking with it though because all of these type meds are knows for their initial side effects and once they get working – sometimes as fast as a week or two, it’s usually a huge difference. A note that worked for me – ask your doctor for klonopin or another slow release mild sedative at night – it will take the edge off. I will keep everyone posted on my progress. Good luck to everyone! When this happened to me in my 20′s, I thought I couldn’t live through it – then life was perfect again for 20 years – just a little edgy here and there – no big deal. Just got married, was in a near plane crash and mother had a heart attack so I think my body just said “done” and “help me”. HANG IN THERE – i never thought i would function normal again – i was afraid to leave my house – now that seems ridiculous years later so HANG IN THERE – you will feel normal again. If Celexa doesn’t work, I will try something else as our bodies change over time – give it some time though! Keep the faith! Take it day by day! XXOOO

By: kuka

kuka — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:55:41 +0000

Hi, Im taking also citalopram 20mg, i started with half and then getting up till get 20mg, first week with half the sympthoms was just pain in the stomach and feeling a bit dizzy speacially when i used to take with the stomach empty but now i increase the dosage and is feeling really bad in the second day, today i did spend the whole day sleeping and ow, i had like paranoid i dont know, but i felt very bad and like delirious i dont know, but i know after couple of weeks it gets better and i also have my lips very dry but im trying to get better so i keep you up with the coming news!