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INITIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF CITALOpRAM (Merged Threads)


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Anatta is right, some people do report worsening of symptoms when they first start meds, should be short lived but if still the same in a week or so, may be worth talking to the prescribing GP/Dr.

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I just started Citalopram and anxiety has got much worse and the intrusive thoughts.

I get anxious when out in public places and get intrusive thoughts. I have done a couple of exposures this week including a dental hygenist visit and playing snooker. My wife is off this week and I have promised and will try to go out on phased car trips to visit local National Trust places. This is for my wife so she gets out of the house and exposure for me. I have jump out of the car thoughts so the plan is to go somewhere further each time It is scary and making me anxious but I will give it a go! The way I feel on Citalopram will make it hard but I will give it a try.

My wife has been very supportive the last couple of days. I forgot but we booked with friends ages ago tickets today for a fashion and variety show. Last night she said how much she was looking forward to it.

I have not slept worrying how I am to| going to cope with it. I think this one is a step to far for me at he moment. But she will be upset even angry if I dont go.

| just dont know what to do???

Edited by mackem1
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Thanks for your input.

Still feel terrible and supposedly exposures to do this week starting today.

I know it is to early to go to the GP and must grin and bear the medication. But it has increased my anxiety a lot at the moment

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I suppose it is hard to know for sure if the meds have done that or just a natural progression of the OCD, but if you are still sure it is the meds there is nothing wrong with giving it a couple more days and then speak to the GP.

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I have not slept worrying how I am to| going to cope with it. I think this one is a step to far for me at he moment. But she will be upset even angry if I dont go.

Only you know what is right for you Mackem. What about giving it a go, trying to go but if it becomes too much, coming home? Is that a good compromise than not going?

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Guest NightOwl

I've been on 40mg of Citalopram for roughly a year and a half and the side effects, physical and mental, hit me hard. My doctor told me that it was normal and that I wouldn't see an improvement for 5-6 weeks and he was right but once the initial side effects settled and they began working, it helped a lot. I still struggled with OCD but I could still maintain a normal life like going out and working etc. whereas before I was housebound. I think medications usually affect everyone differently though but I think this is normal at first

:)

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It was agonising but got through show and the the meal after.

Very anxious at times and two thoughts very intense at times what if I drink alcohol and loose control. This thought worse now I on meds. The second was what if I do something inappropriate like shouting or touching somebody.

I got through it but not sleep last night. I felt so depressed that an enjoyable day out for most people was hell for me. I also thought doing it would boost me but has made me depressed,

I have switched tablet to morning as people suggested it might help me sleepAt the moment . I feel very tired but cannot sleep.

My wife on leave this week from work and we planned to go each day to help me get out of house. She has bipolar but she been trying to be positive saying lets go out each day by train or car.As exposure exercises for me and to help her too. At the moment I just see it as a series of major hurdles to endure,

I did listen to Taureans advise about doing more. He is right I spend too much time fretting and need to do more and get some structure. I just finding it so so hard at the moment.

Is it the meds or my condition? What I do know is if things do not improve I will get much worse next week when my wife returns to work and I am alone.

Edited by mackem1
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Mackem you are getting wound up about things and you need go take a step back perhaps.

Try and see the exposures as a great idea and engage with them. All the knowledge in the world is of no value unless we put ourselves into the situations we fear but in a controlled manner. Having your wife with you will help.

Your anxiety is it would seem created by doing the exposures and fear of losing control. That is such a common behavioural fear.

You need to plan activities to do next week that will keep you occupied. The important thing is to keep busy and take your mind away from worrying.

So let us know how you plan to keep busy next week.

You have to find things you don't have to like them but nice if you happen to.

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Very valid and good advice Thanks

This week I must see it as exposures but try and enjoy some of it least. Is what you are saying.

I am not making excuses but some of the things I do already are not absorbing enough to help me such as washing up hoovering and that sort of thing. I do get absorbed by drawing so this week I will look in the shops and see if there is a craft type hobby I could also try

I surf a lot about OCD. To much you may say so perhaps I should surf about something else. Perhaps join a site and search my familly tree

If the weather is good go out walking more . I go out for walks with my wife and hate going alone.Perhaps no I should try harder at least it will get me out of the house.

One of my problems is loneliness we have a very small social circle and no family nearby. I have one close friend nearby but he works and he has not coped well with the change in me.I have a neighbour who I play snooker with on Friday recently but he is a busy retired guy with grandchildren lots of friends and pastimes. How I envy him.

At the moment cant think of anything else. One person suggested Yoga classes. But that would be a very scary exposure for me at the moment.

I will give it more thought

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Hi mackem

I was on my mobile in my friend Tina's cafe having lunch when i posted earlier.

Yes there are other things to do online. Stop searching re OCD its not helping you its just making you focus too much inwardly and on your harm issues and worry about losing control..

As you no doubt discovered from reading 3 books and the internet you are no way alone with your version of OCD.

Here are some other ideas which may help you.

Sleep

When I struggle to sleep (and I have been better myself since I habituated onto the Citalopram - but it varies per person) I take some Kalms sleep herbal tablets from the chemist.

It is difficult to sleep if we are tense, so I carry out some breathing exercises and if need be work round my body tensing then relaxing the muscles.

I read something relaxing and calming or get up and watch TV to calm me down then go back to bed. .

Horlicks malted milk drink is also helpful.

I have a small CD player by the bed and can play soothing relaxing muscic or guided meditations. An earpiece is useful.Use a spare bedroom so as not to upset the wife if need be.

Activities.

Try out the Sky At Night and Hubble SpaceTelescope websites to take an interest in the heavens. You will learn some interesting things and see some brilliant pictures.

You might also try out the NASA website.

Tour some museums online - great fun. I checked out some pictures in the National Gallery and Tate Gallery last year before going to see them.

Look up the life history of an artist(s) you are interested in. I live near the birthpace of William Morris (now a museum). I like the pre-Raphaelites and Impressionists

Visit some country houses online - eg via The National Trust .

Family trees are interesting - I have both mine.

Do try taking some pictures with your mobile and uploading into your laptop (you can do this via bluetooth) . If you want, you can download simple software to edit and improve the pictures eg by cropping, sharpening the focus, tinting. .

Just follow several basic rules. Don't shoot a picture towards the sun, you will get streaks on the image.

Either fill the frame with the subject, or place the subject on one of two (imaginary) lines which break the image into 3 (this is called the "rule of thirds" - you can work the rule both horizontally and vertically.

Take either landscapes, people or buildings, market stalls, interesting featires or street furniture, trees or plants.

Write sometnhing. I have just written a short piece about Moses the Cat to compliment my piece on Spotty the Cat - you will find it under Central Perk.

See if you can come up with a sggestion as to how money might be raised for the charity OCD-UK and post that onto the forum in the members area.

Clean the car.

Read some non-OCD relaxing books or downloads.

Tackle some outstanding correspondence.

See if you can find something interesting on daytime TV you can watch each day. I like archaeology art and antiques.Also homes under the hammer and home improvement shows.

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Thanks for your ideas it has given me something to think about.

Not making excuses but used to watch to much tv and read a lt. But I do not seem to be able to relax watching tv or reading last few months. My wife says try harder sit you the anxiety and it will get easier?

As for the other suggestions I will them consideration and a try.

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Its understandable re the TV and books but I suggest you try the books and find some that you really want to read which will encourage you.

TV can find its way back slowly when you start to feel better.

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All great suggestions taurean I am reading alot at the moment but I don't find it the best for ruminating mainly because it's just more words in my head. I like puzzles but simple ones where you can play but dont need to think too much you could always give that a try.

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I am still feeling much more anxious than before started meds and not sleeping much.

My wife on leave this week so she drove 15 mins and we went for a 2hour coastal walk. I was very anxious but managed it. The drive was just local roads.

Today we going further by car which will include dual carriage ways .We going to open air musuem about 35-40 min drive. We will go in if its not raining or have lunch and come home.

Needless to say I am very anxious

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Re the sleeping and the tablet mackem, I just have a hunch - just me mind you - that the increased anxiety and lack of sleep is more about worrying about having to take the medication and do the exposures?

You reported an immediate reaction in lack of sleep and increased anxiety to taking 10mg - I don't really buy into that myself;it's a small dose of a drug that takes a while to build up in the system. But I am no doctor or chemist, but I would urge you to give it a proper try by trying not to worry about having to take the meds, and the possible side effects

I had no desire to take them, and tried both Citalopram and fluoexetine when I was working but couldn't tolerate them against an 11-hour working day with lots of travelling, esecially the fluoxetine which my psychiatrist was certain would really benefit me (as indeed it does my sister).

I am now as I am retired trying again but discounted the fluoxetine as it made me so tired and talked to a lot of forum members on the forum before trying the Citalopram again. For a month I habituated on 10mg then pushed up to 20mg. It was after 2 months i began to see some real benefit.

So whilst yes it can increase anxiety but usually short term as the others said and yes it can add to self-harm feelings and urges I just wonder if its more you being so anxious rather then the drug?

Edited by taurean
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You reported an immediate reaction in lack of sleep and increased anxiety to taking 10mg - I don't really buy into that myself

I'd have to disagree with you on that. There can be an immediate effect after even one dose, it doesn't have to build up in your system to be problematic.

But yes, Increased anxiety in the early days is very common and can often be tolerated until we adjust. You have to be honest in your appraisal If the effects are extreme or more particularly, our thought patterns change in a way that concerns us, one should always refer back to those who have prescribed them.

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Thanks for your comments.

I started on 10mg on last Thursday. I plan to increase to 20 mg after 7 days this Thursday. Since the Friday I have seen a marked increase in my general anxiety levels separate from anxiety caused by intrusive thoughts. It could be psychological but I have continual pins and needles in my legs and most of the time a dull headache. I have had bad depressive thoughts at times and have been sleeping badly.

It is true the exposure exercises this week were causing me worry and going onto the medication also. So it might not just be the medication but I think its played it part.

Today my wife drove us 30 miles to an Open Air Historic Building Museum. We spent two hours there including a snack lunch then drove home. I was very anxious most of the time but got through it.

We plan to go out again tomorrow to a National Trust Property which is 10 miles further and includes a stretch of busy A road. I am anxious in the car but just hope it lessens. |My only coping mechanism is still just grin and bear it

For now I feel the same about the medication just grin and bear it. If I honestly feel that my mood changes for the worse to much then I will go back to my GP.

I hope the increase in dosage does not make me worse. Have other people on the forum been okay when they increased the dosage.

Thanks for all your comments

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It is quite normal for your anxiety to increase for a time after starting meds. Nothing you've said sounds alarm bells for me. As you say, grin and bear it for a while. Those symptoms should smooth out after a time and you can start to see the benefit of the meds.

And good on you for taking the trip. Keep exposing yourself. And try to have fun!

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