# Citalopram



## Fiona 123

HiMy Gp and Prof Whorwell has put on on citalopram 10mg per day.anyone been on this?Fiona


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## Diana63

Fiona 123 said:


> HiMy Gp and Prof Whorwell has put on on citalopram 10mg per day.anyone been on this?Fiona


I have been on Citalopram but it caused me side effects, so had to stop taking it.Hope it helps you.


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## Fiona 123

HiWhat side effects did it cause you.? I didnt take one last night. I'm getting over gastritis, so being sick doesnt help.Fiona


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## Diana63

Fiona 123 said:


> HiWhat side effects did it cause you.? I didnt take one last night. I'm getting over gastritis, so being sick doesnt help.Fiona


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## Diana63

Hello FionaThe Citalopram made me feel very weak and then i collapsed on the floor and could not move for half an hour.It left me feeling very weak and i lost my appetite and was in bed for a week afterwards.My weight also dropped to 5stone 10.Please remember that we are all different and what happens to one person doesn't mean it will happen to another.Take care.


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## Fiona 123

Flippin heck.I know everyone is different but the vomiting I had was terrible. I am just getting my stomach in order, so dont want to be sick.What are you on for anxiety?.Fiona


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## Diana63

I am not taking any medication at the moment,if i'm honest the side effects terrified me and i dont want to take anything now!!I am doing the Michael Mahoney CD at the moment for my severe IBS,so i am hoping that will help.You are not supposed to read or post about IBS when doing the CD's,but i am just having a look on the forum once or twice a week.Have you started the Citalopram yet Fiona?


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## Diana63

I forgot to say i was on Citalopram for IBS pain.


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## Fiona 123

Hi i took for 2days and was sick at night. so scared because I have had gastritis on nexium, and dont want to be ill again. when my stomach starts to hurt I then get anxious.Know what you mean about side effects.I'm doing Michael Mahoney anxiety CD. very good.Fiona


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## Diana63

Maybe you should check with your GP if it is okay to take the Citalopram if you are still taking Nexium.That is good you are getting on well with the CD.I'm hoping that my symptoms will ease eventually from listening to them also.I'm desperate for something to help.Take care.


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## Angel43

Diana63 said:


> Maybe you should check with your GP if it is okay to take the Citalopram if you are still taking Nexium.That is good you are getting on well with the CD.I'm hoping that my symptoms will ease eventually from listening to them also.I'm desperate for something to help.Take care.


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## Angel43

I'm on Citalopram right now and have been for the past month but its for my depression and anxiety. I'm on the 20mg but it's not helping the depression much. I didn't realize it was one of the drugs for IBS too. I'm wondering if that's why my symptoms have been acting up. I was fine gastrointestinally before I started the citalopram. I think that when I see my psychriatrist I'll see if she can find something that won't affect my IBS but work on my depression and anxiety.


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## gfguy

Angel43 said:


> I'm on Citalopram right now and have been for the past month but its for my depression and anxiety. I'm on the 20mg but it's not helping the depression much. I didn't realize it was one of the drugs for IBS too. I'm wondering if that's why my symptoms have been acting up. I was fine gastrointestinally before I started the citalopram. I think that when I see my psychriatrist I'll see if she can find something that won't affect my IBS but work on my depression and anxiety.


I was on citalopram for 6 months and then stopped.It took awhile to get used to that med. i stopped after feeling better and gaining like 20 pounds in six months.several years later my GI symptoms started again along with the anxiety and I started it again but I noticed the awful IBS that came with it upon starting. my GI doc said that can happen to some people.as a side note, my next flair up, after I was dx'd with celiac disease, I forced myself to try Prozac very slowly, 5mg, then up to 10mg and now up to 20mg. that drug literally saved me I am surprised to say. Each person is different and each ssri will target a specific neurotransmitter deficiency is my best guess. you have to "experiment" to see which one works for you. The difficult thing about SSRI's is the ramp up period. Sometimes its like a rough take off in a plane and then once you get to cruising altitude you are much better.... good luck


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## SelinaKral

I was on Citalopram for about 2 years and it helped me a lot (with the IBS I mean). So I'd say yes, give it a try. I had to go up to 40 mg (the highest dose is 60, didn't need that), 20 mg is too low for me - if you stay on Citalopram, you need to find the correct dose that will work for you!It takes some time to get used to it, as gfguy says, the take off can be rough. My doc had me start at 5 mg and slowly go up to 10, 15 etc. I got some side effects anyway, but it was totally worth it.


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## letmemakeithome

I have been on Citalopram, aka, Celexa for over a month. Started at 10 mg, and did have mild side effects the first week or two. I felt anxious more,shortness of breath, and generally "off". After that, I find that it has helped. The side effects went away, I am more regular with big, solid, no strain poos. I was bumped up to 20 mg about a week or two ago, and although it has been helping, it is slow to see results. I estimate that I feel 10% better, am less worried about having an accident, am more willing to risk leaving the house, the rumblings have lessened, and I have been able to override some of those thoughts about having an accident. Also important to note that I eat frosted mini wheats every 1 or 2 days, depending on whether I've had a bm the day before. Also, my doctor has given me state disability so I don't have to work while I get the medicine through my system, so some of thr stress has been removed.


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## Rowe2

Hi all, it's been a while since I've been on the board, but I felt like I needed to share with you. I was put on Cymbalta for depression/anxiety/panic attacks, and it has freed me from IBS spasms/urgency. I am still C prone, but I try to eat a lot of fiber and drink plenty of water. I still have mild depression and anxiety issues though. I'm not saying you should immediately go to the doctor and tell them you want on Cymbalta because you heard it worked for someone else, no two persons are alike. I am currently seeking help for the depression/anxiety/panic attacks I've been suffering from. It causes me to feel like I'm on a continuous roller coaster, which varies day by day. It appears I have environmental issues, as loud noises, bright lights, being around a lot of people bring on anxiety to the point I feel the need to run home for solitude. I'm at home more than I'm not. I've suffered from social anxiety since I was a teenager, and I honestly thought it was due to my IBS issues, but it's deeper than that. I am in counseling and intend to find the answers as to why I have social issues other than fears that comes with IBS.


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## BayRat

> FDA Warns Against High-Dose CitalopramCiting increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and a lack of therapeutic benefit associated with high doses of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram hydrobromide (Celexa), the FDA has reduced the recommended maximum to 40 mg/day.


I just saw this today in Google > Health News. There's many more articles, so this is just one. The issue seems to be dose dependent. Might want to have a chat with your doctor about this. Certainly don't do anything rash, like suddenly stop taking the med., that's risky. Just something to consider. My hubby is on it at 40mg a day, I'm shoving him off to his doctor to ask about this.Run a search for Citalopram on Google Health News for more coverage.


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## dailyissue

BayRat said:


> I just saw this today in Google > Health News. There's many more articles, so this is just one. The issue seems to be dose dependent. Might want to have a chat with your doctor about this. Certainly don't do anything rash, like suddenly stop taking the med., that's risky. Just something to consider. My hubby is on it at 40mg a day, I'm shoving him off to his doctor to ask about this.Run a search for Citalopram on Google Health News for more coverage.


Very Interesting. I started taking this about 2 weeks ago (10mg). I honestly havent noticed alot of difference it seems to help with the size of stools but doesn't do much for my depression.


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## Burpee

I'm taking 10 mg of citilopram, to stop my excessive burping, it helps a little, I was originally on 20 mg which made me really sleepy during the day so had to cut down, other than that am not seeing any other side effects.


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## Phenenna

I have been on Citalopram for ten years, first 20 mg and then the last two years 40 mg. This was prescribed for depression, not IBS, and I was unaware that it actually has been prescribed for IBS sufferers. In hindsight, the drug never made a difference in my GI symptoms, as a matter of fact it made them worse, especially on the 40 mg. dose.It seems to me that IBS is so tricky to treat because no two people react the same. Personally, I have never been able to pinpoint a trigger food (eat everything in moderation). Stress might be the culprit. The citalopram was not really effective for this either. You will have to try for yourself. Suggest you keep a journal to become aware of side-effects; they creep in without a lot of fanfare.Peace


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## Peppermint15

My doctor prescribed me Citralopram / Celexa 10mg for anxiety relating to my IBS (I was starting college and finding it hard to manage sickness and school work). My first night taking the drug, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I was having a heart attack. My roommate called 911 and I spent the rest of the night in the ER. Don't worry, it was not a heart attack - it turned out to be a panic attack which at first we attributed to the Celexa. However, I hadn't taken enough of the pill to have side effects already, and after having more panic attacks after the Celexa was out of my system, I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder.I don't honestly think the Celexa was the cause of my panic attacks, but I have heard from other friends that it made them feel panicked too. I'm sure it depends a lot on the individual person.I am now taking Cymbalta at 60mg a day and it seems to be helping. Unfortunately all of these meds have strange side effects, but if they do reduce your anxiety then it's almost definitely worth it. My side effects of Cymbalta have been dry mouth, nausea for the first few days, dizziness for the first few days, and fatigue (I take it at night now so it actually helps me sleep). I haven't had another panic attack since the levels of the drug in my system peaked (after 3 weeks of taking it).I hope this helps, and I hope you find the treatment that works for you. Good luck!


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