Got prescribed Citalopram SUPER SCARED

[1254smit]

Hi,
I have been off medication since november.. and, I have had a panic attack everyday.. And finally i just couldn't control this past month, i decided to finally tell my doctor i needed something.. ): Well he prescribed me Citalopram.. an antidepressant for panic attacks? And every freakin thing i read.. it's like suicidal thoughts.. and like i'm FREAKING out.. i want to take a medication that will ease my anxiety.. but i don't want to go crazy? i'm so scared guys.. someone tell me something! What should i do?????!!!!!

[missyrachy]

Have you been through the program? I am the same way about medication. Lately I have been feeling depressed and irritable to boot. Have you tried natural methods? My doc gave me a low dose of prozac and I drive myself bonkers over taking it. My mother seems to think it'll help me to face the problems of a bad relationship that I have been ignoring for ohhh I don't know 8 years Its like a prison sentence. I think I am officially ready just how do I get him to move out! lol. I say try natural. If that's not working then medicine might be the answer? Do you drink caffiene?? Eat sugar?

[missgsr]

I have been on Celexa for the past decade. It works. However, just like with any medication, there are side effects. My biggest complaint is that along with zapping my anxiety, it also zapped my motivation, creativity, sex drive, feelings, emotions... My anxiety was so bad when I started Celexa that I didn't care if I lost all those things as long as it would take the terror out of being alive. My best advice would be to use if if you need it but work on dealing with your anxiety at the same time so you can eventually be med free again.

[1254smit]

Alright, i know the side effects are lame, so i haven't even taken the pill yet.. I really didn't want to be prescribed that medication! i want an antianxiety not an antidepressant for the simple fact.. i am scared of antidepressants. lol! So i don't know. ):

[1254smit]

And no i haven't had sugar/caffeine since november when i got off my meds.

[Joewill]

I am new to this site but I am not new to Meds. Citalopram isnt the worst med you could be prescribed. I took it for several years until I told the doctor it was not working as well as I thought it should. You have to be careful going off of this med as you do with most Anti-Anxiety and Depression Meds. I went completely off of them cold turkey and it took probably 6 weeks to recover. I was having headaches, feeling disoriented and very suicidal at times. NEVER do that taper off slowly (talk to a doctor to see how slowly to take it on or off). I am on Sertraline which is a Generic for Zoloft. I was up to 150mgs a day with a .5mg of Lorezapam. I am new to this program but the meds arent helping me so I have decided to try this program hardcore and make some major changes in my life. I started taking just 100mg of zoloft about a month ago and now starting to go to 75mg which I will do for a month or so. I want to be off medication for good. Only time will tell if this can be accomplished but my mind is 100 percent set on this. I am 28 years old and been on meds since I was 21. I now have a wife and a 19 month old son and I want to enjoy every moment of it without being diluted by medication. I will also warn people, I was depressed for years but started drinking and doing drugs and ended up in the hospital when I was 21. The drugs triggered my anxiety and made it a thousand times worse so if anyone is considering alcohol or illegal drugs just remember it can rapidly throw you into a hole that will take you a lifetime to get out of. I have been trying for 7 years and it is hard, but God willing I will beat this and get on with my life. I know I ran off subject a little bit but just wanted to explain. Medications can sometimes help keep you from going over the edge but someday you will probably want to go off of them to have a chance at a complete and fulfilling life. The choice is a personal matter within yourself that you will have to figure out whats best for you at the time.

[1254smit]

Thanks joe! i personal messaged you! Um, i still haven't taken it.. TOO SCARED TOO! haha.

[steph417]

1254smit I don't want to leave a comment to scare anyone since we all know fear all too well, however i feel obligated to share my experience with this medication. I too was prescribed to Citalopram back in November 2011 once i had given up on trying to decide why i was having panic attacks.. I only started having my anxiety last August, so by November I wanted something to make it go away! I got the prescription from my PC doctor and took it the same day.. After a few hours i started feeling extremely strange like I wanted to cry one minute and the next I was fine. I had no control over my emotions. I ended up being sent home from work because I was crying uncontrolably and I wasn't sad about anything. I returned home and it was time for bed so I layed down and started to watch TV. Suddenly a rush of what i can only describe as fire came over my body. It scared me so terribly that i ripped my covers off and jumped from my bed. I turned on my fan and took a look in the mirror. My skin was blood red so I ran upstairs for some water. I started shaking uncontrolably and thought i was going to go into convulsions. I woke my mother up around midnight because I felt as though I were losing control of my body.. This was not like any of my panic attacks. I even made my mom nervous, which never happens. So, she got up and called my pharmacy to explain what was going on. They said it sounded like an allergic reaction and recommended that I take some benedryl. As my mom was getting the benedryl from our medicine cabinet I started to projectile vommit (sorry, but im sparing no detail). I could not stop throwing up, shaking or scratching myself... 2 am, we get in the car and head to the ER. Sure enough I was having a reaction to the meds. I stayed the night in the ER and was sent home the following morning. The next 3 days were pure HELL! i didnt get out of my bed. I didnt shower, or eat. I missed work and slept about 80% of the whole 72 hours. I felt DEPRESSED. i have never felt depressed, even with my anxiety. I was not in control of my thoughts at all. I never had a thought of suicide but i did feel as though I would never be me or feel normal again. The medicine obviously had reverse effects on me and MADE me feel worse/depressed. I swore then and there I would NEVER take a med for my anxiety again and that I was going to beat this completely hollisticaly. Thats when I came across this program and I havent turned back since. Pills help some, but after my experience I will never be on a prescription for my anxiety again. The program has been working well for me and I know what happened, happened for a reason and got me to where I am today.

Sorry so long.
I hope this helps someone.
ONE LOVE!

[1254smit]

Yeah, welll i never took them. lol, but thanks for the advice. lol!
Sorry you had a bad time with the drugs.
Glad things are better.