Experience with Citalopram? (Anti anxiety)

Hey!!! I take sertaline have been on it for 4 years now. It took a while to get past the side effects like tiredness. But I wouldn’t be able to be a mum if I hadn’t been on them. They don’t completely make the bad days disappear they just help it become bearable. I didn’t want to take any meds but I felt more ‘like myself’ once they got into my system. I remember one day a few months ago I didn’t wanna leave my house but wasn’t as bad as it used to be to be. But it’s all good if taking anti depressants anxiety meds but you also need a very strong support system too. I’m so sorry that you’re struggling it’s not a nice thing to deal with. Sending my love and big big hugs to you 🤗🤗🤗🤗 just remember not every day is always going to be a bad day and if there’s a bad day just let that bad day happen stay home don’t do anything watch tv sleep do what you gotta to help with the bad day. Maybe invest in colouring books and pens or some paint that helps me as I get all my emotions out

And feel just a little better might not be a million times better but better enough to speak to people. I really hope you find and get the answer you’re looking for or need ❤️❤️❤️

@Ange Hey! What a lovely response. Thank you for taking the time to write that. Really appreciate it. I’m glad to hear they have worked for you and you feel overall better for taking them. It’s a really hard choice. I feel like I need the extra support, but also feel like I’m failing myself by taking them. Sounds silly. I’m nervous to take them. How quickly did your meds start to work? I’ve been told this particular one takes 3-4 weeks to work. I do need to make more time for myself. I don’t do anything for me - so I’m sure that would help. Thank you again x

I’m very been on both sertaline and citalopram for anxiety. Both did not agree with me, they made me put a lot of weight on and I hated feeling ‘numb’ - I never felt happiness or excitement while on them. I was just existing which to me was worse than being anxious - I’d rather feel something than nothing, but medication affects everyone differently. ☺️ I decided to take a wellbeing approach - so I got myself into fitness and changed my diet to eating very healthily and found this was a life changer for my anxiety. I now can manage very well without medication and I love my life! 🥰 Everyone is different. I hope you find what works for you. ☺️❤️

Just read your comment to Ange, please don’t feel like you are failing yourself if you decide to take medication. It’s about what is going to support you best and if taking them will help you, that’s you being very strong and taking control of your anxiety and not letting it win! ☺️ You are already on the path to having a much healthier life by taking this huge step and deciding to do something about your anxiety rather than letting it consume you. ☺️ Ange is completely right, you will have good days and bad regardless but remember anxiety must always come down (it physically cannot stay up continuously) so ride those waves and remember that if you need to take things hour by hour, day by day, week by week, that’s okay! You might find that you suddenly are going months or even years okay and then need to take it back to the hour by hour. And that’s okay. ☺️ You are a lot stronger than most people because of what you have to live with and manage. Be proud of yourself! ❤️

@Amy thank you Amy for being so kind and honest. Really appreciate your words and support. I like the wellbeing approach - I definitely want to incorporate that into my life regardless of what happens. I’m so pleased you found contentment by doing that. And sorry to hear the meds didn’t help you. Thank you for this. Hope you have a really lovely day xx

I’m sorry to hear about your anxiety, but let me assure you, it’s not forever. I took Cotalopram for about 6 months when I was at my lowest ever, and after I managed to get through the side effects it did help. Before I started taking it people said to me “it will make you feel worse first, but then it will start working and it will make you feel better”, I have to agree with this, it did make me feel worse first, but I think roughly after a month it started working properly. I stopped taking it when I found out I was pregnant and I’m not sure what stage you are at at your pregnancy or if you are already a mum, but I would also recommend talking to your midwife/doctor about it. I was told that it’s safe to take during pregnancy, and sometimes the anxiety itself can affect the baby more than the actual medication (as I was quite against taking it whilst I was pregnant). Just one last thing, if you ever need someone to talk to please reach out and let’s talk! I can give you my number x

It’s Oka anything to help!!!! No god no that doesn’t sound silly at all. If anything I felt the same I felt like I would fail not taking them and not trying to ge help or anything like that but now after a few years I’m happy I take them and I’m happy I got help. It’s a bloody hard choice especially if there’s children involved I was ‘lucky enough’ to not have my daughter as I know it would have made the decision more complicated. They took about 2-3 weeks for me to actually feel and notice a difference in myself. It’s not so much making time for yourself it’s a way to express. But it’s one them things where you have the find your own thing that helps if that makes sense took me a while to figure out that colouring and painting was my own help if that makes sense. Don’t need to thank at all!!!!! Just remember it’s your choice if you want to take them or not or if you’re unsure about them ask for a different one and maybe ask if they can help refer you to get help ❤️❤️

I took cotalopram for years. Pros and cons. Pros-made me see things more clearly (I had really bad rage and would just fly off the handle). But made it easier to control my emotions.The myth is they make you happy which they don’t. No antidepressants do. Con- they are hard to get off. You need to wean off gently and can take time 😊 If you need them 100% would do it

I’m on Sertraline and have been since March. I was so angry, burnt out and really struggling day to day. It’s taken me a long time to get to where I am. I’ve had to go off long term sick at work to focus on myself, and it’s now really paying off. I workout, and eat well, and make sure I get a reasonable amount of sleep (I also have 2 young kids) and I’ve noticed a huge difference. I’m starting to invest more time in me. When I spoke to the doctor, they had said I sounded flat, and burnt out and I needed to take care of myself first. I’ve been up and down since March, but I hadn’t put these things in place until about September and now I’m really noticing a difference. So it’s important to also try to make some time for you, and focus on yourself as the tablets only take the ‘edge’ off personally and you need to make lifestyle changes too. I’ve also come to realise the anxiety is just part of me, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing but it’s about finding ways to manage it.

I was on Citalopram before I fell pregnant. Once they kicked in they helped me stay a bit more level and I was able to do other things to benefit me. Medication can be just one piece of the puzzle and it can give you just that little bit of ease that you need to get other things in place to help you. The only side effect I can remember from it was teeth grinding.

Anti anxiety/depression medication effects everyone differently and it's really trial and error to find out what suits you really! Unfortunately other people's experiences are unlikely to be helpful for you. Try it, keep an eye out for side effects and how it makes you feel and make sure you go back to your GP if you don't think it's right for you! X