Just starting 10mg of Citalopram...Scared

[Chels]

Doc just started me on low dose of Citalopram for 28 days got to go see him in 2 weeks for a review and he said he may up my dosage depending on how well im doing.

Heard lots of different things about anti depressants so im scared! Can anyone give me any insight?

[OCD_Guy_UK]

Not taken that one but it came down to me that the benefits of the medication would outweigh any side effects. Most people don't notice more than low side effects like simple things. So, the odds are heavily in your favour that you won't get hardly any and that they will go within a few weeks.

If you notice anything odd or someone notices something odd about you, go see the doctor ASAP if you are worried.

Remember that the medication is there to help you.

[Chels]

Thank you im going to try them i have just tried to contact my CBT therapist who i havent yet been to see but am going in 2 weeks. Someone had said on here that they got put back into the waiting list after taking citalopram before CBT as it doesnt work as good until side affects have worn off

[Chels]

Im terrified to try them, reading up on possible side effects have got me really worried.

[taurean]

Chelsey,

I started on Citalopram 10mg just before Christmas. I experienced some muscle tremors but I was actually in a very anxious state and not eating properly or taking my usual vitamin and mineral supplements so that didn't surprise me. The doctor confirmed there was no cause to worry and that side effect should ease away - which it did.

I went up to 20mg after a month. It took a while - against the background of constant anxiety and intrusive thoughts - for the positive effects of the drug to become apparent - but I can now engage with my therapy, I am not getting so many different intrusions, I am sleeping well and for me the side effect disappeared soon after I upped the dose.I remain on 20mg, the max recommended dose for someone of my - reirement - age.

What we have discovered from another thread re this drug is that the side effects will become apparent quickly if there are any for an individual, but the positive benefits kick in at various times for different people but usually take a while.

Some people report that anxiety increasses for a while on this drug initially.

I suggest you start taking it, but if you do experience unpleasant effects get medical help quickly. I think your GP is absolutely right to start you on the lowest dose. The maximum is 60 mg but I think in UK the maximum GPs wish to prescribe is 40mg so you will be well below that at first.

Edited March 26, 2015 by taurean

[PolarBear]

Rule number one about medications when it comes to people with mental disorders: Don't read the side effects. There's a good chance you'll blow the side effects out of proportion.

Most people do okay on SSRIs. Some people do not. You can't figure out which one you're going to be until you take the pill, every day, for a while. Take them, don't have any expectations about what will happen, and see how it goes.

[Chels]

Thanks i still havent taken one im still thinking about it im worried sick because i feel im doing sort of better at the moment (touch wood) and i dont want to ruin it with the side effects. Its a tough decision

[LizzyHoy]

I started on anti-depressants when I was 17 (so technically under the age they were recommended for, but it was prescribed by a psychiatrist). I had lots of hopes for the treatment, but nothing happened - either good or bad.

One SSRI I tried gave me restless legs and an odd feeling in my head, so I didn't take it again the next day - this was safe to do because I had only taken one at a low dose, so there weren't any issues about weaning myself off. It wasn't dangerous, just unpleasant.

I've tried at least 5 different anti depressants over the years and none of the side effects have been dangerous. The side effects I've had are annoying and I choose to live with them, but they aren't anything to be frightened of. We can't be sure what they do in the very long term (e.g. many decades down the line), but this is the case with all relatively modern medicines.

10mg is a low dose - I would suggest taking it and if you feel uncomfortable don't take it again the next day. But I don't think you will feel anything beyond the placebo effects that many people get if they are very conscious that they have just taken something. (E.g. I have just put the patch test for a hair dye on and I am more conscious that the skin might react than I would be if I wasn't thinking about it).

[dubs]

Its a very small dose; I wouldn't worry. You probably won't be able to stop yawning for a week and you may feel a little emotional.

That's my experience. I've just stopped and I feel angry; agitated and the yawning has just started. I now can't sleep.

So I think starting is easier than stopping.

[taurean]

I subscribe to the view that using the SSRI may at least enable us to feel better able to engage with therapy and exposure work and get up and about and doing things by easing depression.

To get a licence the drug companies have to reveal known possible side effects on their leaflets; I agree the list can cause concern.

When I tried Citalopram before - several years ago - that initial soporific effect dubs mentioned didn't effect me, but I experienced a lot of loose stools. Thus didn't seem to ease off so I stopped treatment. I can now see that anxiety was a high contributor to those looe stools.

So I have started again, at the same time using psychological and CBT approaches and occasional use of diarrhoea treatment as necessary.

I did experience some occasional muscle tremors for a little while but again anxiety was causing them anyway before.

The loose stools weren't a significant issue and eased off soon anyway.

I found that when the drug started to work, it did make me feel more able to, for example, carry out exposure work and engage with CBT.So it's been beneficial. I also found it aids my sleeping.

People can stick with the drug until their skills with the therapy preclude their need to continue with it, or carry on using it.

When you come off these drugs it hss to be done by slowly phased gradual reduction.

My view; the benefit for me has made it worthwhile going through the habituation process. And a fairly low dose of 20mg is enough for me.

Edited March 29, 2015 by taurean

[dubs]

I subscribe to the view that using the SSRI may at least enable us to feel better able to engage with therapy and exposure work and get up and about and doing things by easing depression.

To get a licence the drug companies have to reveal known possible side effects on their leaflets; I agree the list can cause concern.

When I tried Citalopram before - several years ago - that initial soporific effect dubs mentioned didn't effect me, but I experienced a lot of loose stools. Thus didn't seem to ease off so I stopped treatment. I can now see that anxiety was a high contributor to those looe stools.

So I have started again, at the same time using psychological and CBT approaches and occasional use of diarrhoea treatment as necessary.

I did experience some occasional muscle tremors for a little while but again anxiety was causing them anyway before.

The loose stools weren't a significant issue and eased off soon anyway.

I found that when the drug started to work, it did make me feel more able to, for example, carry out exposure work and engage with CBT.So it's been beneficial. I also found it aids my sleeping.

People can stick with the drug until their skills with the therapy preclude their need to continue with it, or carry on using it.

When you come off these drugs it hss to be done by slowly phased gradual reduction.

My view; the benefit for me has made it worthwhile going through the habituation process. And a fairly low dose of 20mg is enough for me.

I agree I think you need the medication in order for the therapy to work correctly. It's unlikely that someone with OCD will engage with any type of therapy unless you have something to soften the effects of OCD.

If the doctor offers you medication with therapy my advice is to take it, if your doctor gives you medication without an offer of therapy then I would be reluctant to start as a pill a day isn't going to take the problem away.

Human beings are amazing things we have the ability to self heal but the problem with OCD is that without help its likely to get worse as your own bodies defences are the reason why you have OCD. When you get anxious its your mind telling you that something is likely to harm or hurt you, you are compelled to avoid it or do something to offset the danger. The anxiety falls and you have rewarded yourself by a compulsion...but the reward is very temporary.

So my advice to you is accept the medication and self refer or ask your GP to refer you. It requires a lot of hard work and it can be pretty upsetting. I work in the building trade and before that I was a Royal Marine but this illness broke me and had me balling in the GP surgery. Unfortunately for me my GP retired and I'm now left with a GP I'm reluctant to see or even talk to.

My OCD is still there but I've got the tools to fight it, I now have other issues but that's another story.