Comments on: Citalopram http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html Prescription and over-the-counter medication information Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:51:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Jo http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41698 Jo Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:12:08 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41698 You really should notify your GP about the problem, so that they can confirm that it is the medication that is causing it. Your GP can also advise you properly, since they are medically qualified, and probably aren't mentally impaired either. If they agree with our deduction, you can discuss the available options too, such as: - Carrying on as you are, to see if the side effect becomes tolerable. - Reducing the dosage. - Taking something in addition to the citalopram to help you sleep better. - Trying a different medication instead. For me the sleep problem that I experienced whilst taking sertraline persisted for the whole 8 weeks that I took it for; It then took another few weeks to get back into a pre-sertraline sleep routine. I stopped taking it because I got no benifits from it, only the sleep problem. Unfortunately, there is only one way to find out if the sleep disruption side effect will pass for you, and that is to just keep taking the 40mg of citalopram daily. It is not going to be easy I'm affraid. I do hope that things will improve quickly for you Katie, so that you can get back to work and a sense of normality. You really should notify your GP about the problem, so that they can confirm that it is the medication that is causing it. Your GP can also advise you properly, since they are medically qualified, and probably aren’t mentally impaired either. If they agree with our deduction, you can discuss the available options too, such as:

- Carrying on as you are, to see if the side effect becomes tolerable.
- Reducing the dosage.
- Taking something in addition to the citalopram to help you sleep better.
- Trying a different medication instead.

For me the sleep problem that I experienced whilst taking sertraline persisted for the whole 8 weeks that I took it for; It then took another few weeks to get back into a pre-sertraline sleep routine. I stopped taking it because I got no benifits from it, only the sleep problem.

Unfortunately, there is only one way to find out if the sleep disruption side effect will pass for you, and that is to just keep taking the 40mg of citalopram daily.

It is not going to be easy I’m affraid. I do hope that things will improve quickly for you Katie, so that you can get back to work and a sense of normality.

]]> By: kat http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41697 kat Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:11:29 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41697 The citalopram was increased by my GP just over a week ago as i was a complete mess! I think it is since then that my sleep has been affected. Will it pass? I have already been signed off work for a month and really hope to get back to work at the end of next week, so i can have some normality again! The citalopram was increased by my GP just over a week ago as i was a complete mess! I think it is since then that my sleep has been affected.

Will it pass? I have already been signed off work for a month and really hope to get back to work at the end of next week, so i can have some normality again!

]]> By: Jo http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41696 Jo Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:11:00 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41696 In my SAD brained opinion the citalopram would be the prime suspect for the cause of your sleep problem, since it is a classic side effect of SSRIs, particularly at higher dosages. Have you increased the dosage of citalopram recently? There are also many other possibilities to why it may be affecting you differently this time. Did the problem begin shortly after starting to take the citalopram this year? If the sleep disruption is adversely affecting your wellbeing, and whether the citalopram is the cause or not, I would still advise you to consult your doctor about the sleep problem as soon as possible. I hope that you get this sleep situation sorted out soon, becasue I know how it can worsen things on top of SAD. In my SAD brained opinion the citalopram would be the prime suspect for the cause of your sleep problem, since it is a classic side effect of SSRIs, particularly at higher dosages.

Have you increased the dosage of citalopram recently? There are also many other possibilities to why it may be affecting you differently this time. Did the problem begin shortly after starting to take the citalopram this year?

If the sleep disruption is adversely affecting your wellbeing, and whether the citalopram is the cause or not, I would still advise you to consult your doctor about the sleep problem as soon as possible.

I hope that you get this sleep situation sorted out soon, becasue I know how it can worsen things on top of SAD.

]]> By: kat http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41695 kat Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:09:59 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41695 Hi! I take citalopram 40mg - I take it every winter (although this year i only started it about a month ago as i thought i could cope without) and have never been affected this bad by sleep problems. I am still off work sick and guess it could be worry about returning, but i thought i was looking forward to getting back to normality! Hi!

I take citalopram 40mg - I take it every winter (although this year i only started it about a month ago as i thought i could cope without) and have never been affected this bad by sleep problems.

I am still off work sick and guess it could be worry about returning, but i thought i was looking forward to getting back to normality!

]]> By: bearyconfused http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41694 bearyconfused Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:01:24 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41694 Hi i've been on it now since August up to 80 mgs and still on sleeping pills as well as i can't sleep without them, i tried stopping the sleeping pills and was like you i was awake every hour on the hour after 2 am, yet on the sleeping tablet i was getting 6 or 7 hrs of sleep per night. Its frustrating as i don't want to be switching medication again. But i may have no choice. Hi i’ve been on it now since August up to 80 mgs and still on sleeping pills as well as i can’t sleep without them, i tried stopping the sleeping pills and was like you i was awake every hour on the hour after 2 am, yet on the sleeping tablet i was getting 6 or 7 hrs of sleep per night. Its frustrating as i don’t want to be switching medication again. But i may have no choice.

]]> By: heljay66 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41693 heljay66 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:00:47 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41693 Yes Scampo, I really think it is a side effect of the drug. I've looked at other forums re. Citalopram and a lot of other people same the same as us, that they can't sleep. Yet my doctor says she doesn't agree and can't understand why I can't sleep. I did try Mirtazapine before this, but I couldn't tolerate it as it made me a complete zombie. I did sleep on it, but just couldn't function the next day - which is no good for me, a busy mum with two kids. My doctor has said to me that she doesn't know what else to do and has told me to persevere for the time being on this drug for another month, but I feel so tired and exhausted. Yes Scampo, I really think it is a side effect of the drug. I’ve looked at other forums re. Citalopram and a lot of other people same the same as us, that they can’t sleep. Yet my doctor says she doesn’t agree and can’t understand why I can’t sleep.

I did try Mirtazapine before this, but I couldn’t tolerate it as it made me a complete zombie. I did sleep on it, but just couldn’t function the next day - which is no good for me, a busy mum with two kids. My doctor has said to me that she doesn’t know what else to do and has told me to persevere for the time being on this drug for another month, but I feel so tired and exhausted.

]]> By: scampo http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41692 scampo Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:00:16 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41692 I have since been given mirtazapine (Zispin / Remeron). This does help with sleeping but leaves me groggy and, again, does little for my anxiety. Within two weeks of stopping citalopram, all of the side effects fell away - but still my doctor doesn't seem to believe they were anything to do with the drug. There seems to me to be a blind spot somewhere in the medical profession. I have since been given mirtazapine (Zispin / Remeron). This does help with sleeping but leaves me groggy and, again, does little for my anxiety. Within two weeks of stopping citalopram, all of the side effects fell away - but still my doctor doesn’t seem to believe they were anything to do with the drug. There seems to me to be a blind spot somewhere in the medical profession.

]]> By: katie http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41687 katie Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:39:58 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41687 i have just started taking citalprom 20mg & im experiencing sleep problems. my brain wont shut down.how long does this last? or does it ever get better.. i have just started taking citalprom 20mg & im experiencing sleep problems. my brain wont shut down.how long does this last? or does it ever get better..

]]> By: pauline black http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41024 pauline black Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:07:07 +0000 http://druginfosite.com/a699001.html#comment-41024 I have been using this medication for a long time now at 20mg per day. I do experience sleep problems. I have been using this medication for a long time now at 20mg per day. I do experience sleep problems.

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