Citalopram - placebo effect or genuine ?

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  • roland ratroland rat Posts: 13,829
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    What's worse... Being depressed, or being slightly less depressed for a month or two,

    Maybe find out what making you depressed, and remove it

    For me, it was living with my mum, and being round my uncle, to the point he was invading my space, I had no where to go, so depression quickly came in

    But once I got my own place, I no longer feel depressed, or even suicidal
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 515
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    thanks for all the replys, i woke up feeling pretty good actually, took my pills and by about 10 am i was feeling well out of it again, so im pretty certain its these pills.

    Its not a feeling i could put up with day in and day out but today, problems were getting thrown at me left right and centre and i actually felt like they didnt get on top of me and in all had a pretty stress free anxiety free day, so feeling pretty positive to be honest.

    Iv done the dreaded googling off these symptoms and i does seem a fair few people have had these sort of illegal drug side effects but would mostly only last a week.

    I just had no idea these types of medications had such strong side effects in some people, it was a bit of a shock, but to be honest im just really glad iv found something that is giving me relief.
  • ViridianaViridiana Posts: 8,017
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    luba wrote: »
    I have been on them for about 2 years.
    At first I was on 20g but now 10g.
    I never had any effects at first but since then I think I
    have suffered most of the side effects, we all react different.
    Persevere(sp) with them because they do work.
    They take approx 2 weeks to get into your system.
    I have felt so much better and they have helped me greatly.
    Still have off days, then I take myself away from everything and everyone,
    I just want peace and quiet.
    Best of luck.

    Exactly the same experience with the same doses, for me they are miracle to be honest. They did not make me feel any different or high, just normal, i still have my off days like everybody else, but nothing like the anxiety and dread i felt before.

    I just have one problem, I'm naturally very skinny, when i was on them, i gained some weight and for the first time in my life I was in the normal weight range, still on the low side but a normal BMI. But from the moment i stopped taking them i lost a massive amount of weight, i became skinnier than before, and that was worrying.
    Unfortunately i had to get back on the meds after half year, progressively i started having severe anxiety till the point as it happens just took over my life. But now after a month I feel much better and the weight is creeping up.:)
  • Agent FAgent F Posts: 40,288
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    MARTYM8 wrote: »
    I believe it causes weight gain and reduces your sexual libido to almost zero.

    If you weren't down before taking it - then becoming fat and having no interest in sex may well make you feel worse.

    I've been on Citalopram for nearly a year and have not experienced either of these side effects. In fact I've successfully lost weight whilst taking citalopram through deliberately planned diet/exercise.
  • MARTYM8MARTYM8 Posts: 44,710
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    FearFactor wrote: »
    Can you please tell my OH that? He doesn't seem to have the "bromide effect".

    Not in all cases perhaps - but there are the potential side effects!

    Drowsiness, insomnia, nausea, weight changes, vivid dreaming, frequent urination, decreased sex drive, anorgasmia, dry mouth, increased sweating, trembling, diarrhea, excessive yawning, and fatigue. Less common side effects include bruxism, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmia, blood pressure changes, dilated pupils, anxiety, mood swings, headache, and dizziness.
  • wrexham103.4wrexham103.4 Posts: 3,334
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    I take these too but never had this feeling, however a close friend had the same feeling as you.
  • ChickenWingsChickenWings Posts: 2,057
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    roland rat wrote: »
    Maybe find out what making you depressed, and remove it

    For me, it was living with my mum, and being round my uncle, to the point he was invading my space, I had no where to go, so depression quickly came in

    But once I got my own place, I no longer feel depressed, or even suicidal

    I'm not sure I can remove my genetics unfortunately... :eek: :p

    (Myself, my mother and two sisters are all on anti-depressants -- I'm fairly confident there is a biological link there with depression (note I said a link, not that it 100% causes it)).
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,147
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    I think they are safer than seroxat which was the first one I took many years ago, seroxat does not have a very good reputation.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,151
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    I was on these for about 6 months.

    I'm sure some of it was placebo effect, but certainly after a few weeks I felt much better and not really depressed.

    Also, I've always had trouble sleeping.... But while on these my sleep was much much better ... I put that down to not laying in bed worrying about things (which is what keeps me awake!)

    I decided after about 6 or 7 months that I didn't want to be on them any more... Mainly because I didn't want to get too reliant on them... And because they made it almost impossible for me to orgasm.
    Other than that I had no other side effects.

    The doctor wanted me to stay on them for another few months, so I just stopped going, and tapered myself off them gradually ... You get weird brain zaps... But its nothing to worry about
  • ZentonZenton Posts: 883
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    40mg is a very large dose to be starting off with. I was prescribed 20mg many years ago and that took awhile to get used to with severe tiredness and the squits
  • littlebootieslittlebooties Posts: 2,320
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    I was taken off them after a couple of weeks because I was having awful side effects.

    I was high as a kite and I couldnt switch off to the point where I felt like I needed to run a marathon and couldn't sleep. My mind would constantly race and everything felt slightly speeded up, and I got the shakes a lot.
    It was driving me more crazy than the anxiety and depression.

    I have never found an anti depressent that I got on with though (always had the inability to orgasm problem too amongst other things) so I ended up taking St Johns Wort instead and had lots of therapy!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,151
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    oh god I tried st johns wort once.... I felt like i was floating on the clouds and my pupils went to the size of small planets!

    citalopram however had side effects, except lack of depression and no sex drive!

    just goes to show how things affect people differently!
  • ladydedlock77ladydedlock77 Posts: 1,473
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    I started a 20mg dose of these yesterday and do feel a bit spaced out, dizzy and drowsy though i slept very badly last night. I'm not sure if this is awful down to the Citalopram though as I have also stopped drinking a consuming a lot of wine over 4 days so it could be combination of alcohol withdrawal and the Citalopram. I hope it gets better as the panic i unbelievable I am too scare to leave the house.
  • Mike2011Mike2011 Posts: 411
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    Tackomacko wrote: »
    Hey, iv been put on this medication to help with my anxiety as iv been having that gut renching overwhelming feeling of utter dread for about 4 months and i went to the doctors as i was struggling to cope with it and it was making my life a misery.

    Doctor was excellent i really cant compliment her enough, she was extremely supportive, offered to give me a line off work etc for a while so i could have a break, i refused but appreciated the offer.

    anyway, took my first one about 3pm today and i can honestly say i feel high as a kite, its the oddest thing.

    Iv been no angel in the past and done some drugs in the past, and the only thing i can compare what im feeling like is when you take "e".

    im all giggly and my jaw is aching and i feel myself grinding my teeth, my pupils even look dilated.

    surely this is all in my head as 2 tablets to treat anxiety/depression cant be that strong ?

    I was on them for under a year, I put on 2 stone (a good thing for me)

    I only noticed the effects after 4 weeks, I still felt hungry after eating, couldn't sleep much (but didn't feel tired) and I started to like listening to music again.

    I was on them for anxiety and depression, I noticed they helped with anxiety, I would talk without thinking, I stopped taking them when I thought I was good, but the help stopped when I didn't go back to the doctor for more...

    after 2 years of hell I went back to the doctors and he gave me Sertaline, They made me tired a lot to begin with but it soon passed,

    P.s dont forget to read the leaflet in your medication box, it tells you about all possible side affects, if you have problems go back to your doctor and let them know.
  • Mike2011Mike2011 Posts: 411
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    I started a 20mg dose of these yesterday and do feel a bit spaced out, dizzy and drowsy though i slept very badly last night. I'm not sure if this is awful down to the Citalopram though as I have also stopped drinking a consuming a lot of wine over 4 days so it could be combination of alcohol withdrawal and the Citalopram. I hope it gets better as the panic i unbelievable I am too scare to leave the house.

    Citalopram is usually the 1st drug given at 1st contact with doctors, I would say that if you feel it's not for you after 2 months or so then tell your Doctor, but give it a chance, you will feel better once your body gets used to them ;)

    P.s Your Doc should have told you (and will say in your med leaflet) that to begin with the medication may make you feel worse, but this passes so hang in there! :)
  • stvn758stvn758 Posts: 19,656
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    My Bupropion just arrived, just took the first one. Couldn't stand the side effects of Citalopram for four days, as said above Doctors seem to go by the book and give you the same one as everyone else rather than look at your individual needs. I'm not the same as everyone else, hope this has the positive effects of Citalopram but lacks the bad stuff.
  • Mike2011Mike2011 Posts: 411
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    stvn758 wrote: »
    My Bupropion just arrived, just took the first one. Couldn't stand the side effects of Citalopram for four days, as said above Doctors seem to go by the book and give you the same one as everyone else rather than look at your individual needs. I'm not the same as everyone else, hope this has the positive effects of Citalopram but lacks the bad stuff.

    Hope it works for you! Just remembered that Citalopram also made me feel sick a lot of the time!
    They work for some but always best to keep in contact with your Doctor if have any doubts.
  • stvn758stvn758 Posts: 19,656
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    Mike2011 wrote: »
    Hope it works for you! Just remembered that Citalopram also made me feel sick a lot of the time!
    They work for some but always best to keep in contact with your Doctor if have any doubts.

    Thanks. It's only available in the UK for giving up smoking, the maker didn't bother getting approval for depression even though in the US it's the fourth most prescribed antidepressant. Once I give it a go I'll go back to the Doctor and tell him it (hopefully) works and hope he gives me it off label - if smokers can get it surely someone with severe depression should be able to.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,073
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    stvn758 wrote: »
    Thanks. It's only available in the UK for giving up smoking, the maker didn't bother getting approval for depression even though in the US it's the fourth most prescribed antidepressant. Once I give it a go I'll go back to the Doctor and tell him it (hopefully) works and hope he gives me it off label - if smokers can get it surely someone with severe depression should be able to.

    Hi, sorry to budge in, I tried that with my docs too. Its only Shrinks in the hostpital that can prescribe the 'giving up smoking' pill. The doctors or even councellors are not allowed. (yet).

    Also for anxiety, if you see a specialist they can prescribe you epilepsy pills, ask about it. They work wonders for social anxiety and social worries with hardly any side effects.
  • stvn758stvn758 Posts: 19,656
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    barneyboy wrote: »
    Hi, sorry to budge in, I tried that with my docs too. Its only Shrinks in the hostpital that can prescribe the 'giving up smoking' pill. The doctors or even councellors are not allowed. (yet).

    Also for anxiety, if you see a specialist they can prescribe you epilepsy pills, ask about it. They work wonders for social anxiety and social worries with hardly any side effects.

    Thanks, they might be more open minded than Doctors. :)
  • ladydedlock77ladydedlock77 Posts: 1,473
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    Mike2011 wrote: »
    Citalopram is usually the 1st drug given at 1st contact with doctors, I would say that if you feel it's not for you after 2 months or so then tell your Doctor, but give it a chance, you will feel better once your body gets used to them ;)

    P.s Your Doc should have told you (and will say in your med leaflet) that to begin with the medication may make you feel worse, but this passes so hang in there! :)

    Does it take 2 months to get used to them? My Dr said I should notice an improvement within a week but a lot of internet sites I have been say it is more like 4 too 6 weeks. I took them for a very short period in 2010 and did not notice any of the effects I am experiencing now.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,147
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    Mike2011 wrote: »
    Citalopram is usually the 1st drug given at 1st contact with doctors, I would say that if you feel it's not for you after 2 months or so then tell your Doctor, but give it a chance, you will feel better once your body gets used to them ;)

    P.s Your Doc should have told you (and will say in your med leaflet) that to begin with the medication may make you feel worse, but this passes so hang in there! :)

    yeah, I think citalopram is supposed to be the first one now, but with me I got put on seroxat 12 or 13 years ago, it was supposed to be the cheaper alternative to Prozac, and I'm sure it fried my brain a bit. (that's my excuse anyway)
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