I go....I get emotional...they offer me ‘help’ nothing new there....only this time I agree to accept there ‘help’ so not only am I getting a referral to the Gynecology u it again...I have some ‘anxiety pills’.
No i took some antidepressants back in my late teens for about 6-8 months before weaning myself off...this time I have citalopram...I was advised to take it at bed time to ‘avoid possible side effects’
OMG I had had all of 2 hours sleep when I work up boiling hot & nauseous, I have had hardly any sleep, my stomach feels worse then during an ibs flare up & I have this awesome dizzy headache...it’s like I remember feeling after a night out before I gave up the booze.
I know I should give it a week to settle down, but I don’t think I can go a week feeling like this, especially close to my holiday....and after checking the ‘side effects’ it seems to include practically everything I’ve trying to right anyway....
Maybe I should just chuck them out & use kalms....
Feeling worse then ever and at a loss on what to do 😞
Written by
Little_Miss_IBS
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hello there. Just checking in to see how you are. So sorry you are going through this. I regrettably have no suggestions but the medics will no doubt say continue. You will just have to weigh up what is best for you. I think all the newer generation antidepressants can have these side effects but the older ones if you can still get them are less severe
Have decided to not persist for the time being, I have a holiday coming up very soon which i’d Prefer to enjoy and after some googling it looks like the side effects can drag on....
For now I shall resort to kalms & rescue remedy spray/sweets as I know this are not unpleasant to use.
have you tried the meditation videos on You tube or the free trial of 'Headspace' app on your mobile phone so its portable for you if you are out and about, work etc. I suffer from IBS D and severe anxiety and I have found these have calmed me down a lot. if you search 'meditation before bed' etc you will have a better sleep so hopefully feel calmer the following day. Good luck with your holiday, just the thought of going off in the car/plane sets my bowel off x
I might look into the meditation apps for my holiday...flying really causes havoc for me... literally goes both ways with my bowels...first they empty then they block...it’s super frustrating x
Oh bless you! I was on citalopram for a while myself and I found they made me incredibly constipated! Maybe there’s a different anti depressant they can offer you that won’t have such an effect? Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Maybe a good job I didn’t persist with them then...that is not anything I need help with...feeling less ‘hung over’ today...and going to try kalms from tomorrow until after my holiday before seeing if I can change my tablets
I've never tried Kalms before, I hope they help you! Enjoy your holiday, it sounds as though you need it! Fingers crossed your doctor can help you find an anti depressant that works for you. I don't take them any more myself, but if I am going through a bout of depression I take St Johns Wort- it's a herbal remedy but it helps a little. As with everything there are side effects, but personally I don't get any of them as I find I only need to take it for a short period of time
Try to keep going with the meds. They do take a good couple of weeks to work. I do understand how you feel. Please try not to worry. I am sure all is fine. All the stress and anxiety makes all your symptoms worse. They most likely will change your medication if you have given these a good go. Good luck with the gyno too. Its all related. Hormones react to our stress levels. Keep us posted. 😊
I have opted for kalms for atleast the next 3 weeks (I don’t want to feel so unwell while travelling/on my long over due holiday) if I feel he kalms haven’t helped I’ll either give the tablets another shot (although work was unbearable the next day) or seek other options.
If you have had a bad reaction to any.meds stop taking it and call the doctors if you cant get in to see them. At least you can can advice for now. Calm down and enjoy your holiday. 🏖🏝
I would definitely stop taking the citalopram. If you are having that strong of a reaction to it then it is not the right drug for you. There are many antidepressants so if you feel you really need it then try another one. I will warn you tho getting off them is aweful. I am trying to wean off mine and it a long slow process and it hasn't helped my ibs...it has made it worse because it contributes to constipation.
I only took 1 tablet...and literally all day felt like I was super hungover/weak/dizzy & rubbish from lack of sleep.
I know your supposed to ‘ride the side effects’ before they start to work but it was making my day & the night I took it unbearable...with my long awaited holiday in just over a week I decided not to risk it...I have settled for kalms which I take prior to travelling (because I suck a flying) & in the run up to my wedding (normally 1 tablet a day in those cases so this time I’m thinking 2 a day & I got the night time ones) will see if these help relieve my other anxiety/stresses and if not will probably explore other antidepressants after my holiday.
Hi, I saw your post and wanted to reply.... it’s exactly what happened to me a couple of years ago. I had been on citalopram a couple of years previous for my ibs. They did the trick but made me bloated and uncomfortable so I stopped them. I asked for them again in aug 2016 and after taking it on day 2 I was in such a state - dizzy, sick shaking and a complete wreck. My friend came round and booked me in for a drs appt and dr wanted me to take diazepam. I got prescription but never took them. I decided then and there that I would not take anything else which could cause me to feel remotely out of control.
Now obviously antidepressants DO help people so I’m not saying everyone is the same but I just wanted to reassure you that I had the same ‘episode’ as you. It was sooo scary..
I have tried cbt, tapping technique, hypnosis and more recently homeopathic treatment. The best thing I’d say is meditation and accepting the bad days with the good. My ibs is triggered with anxiety and stress and I worry that I will get caught short and the worry causes my stomach to start cramping and then I get more stressed. It’s a vicious circle.
I do hope you manage to find an answer. I think we all have a few good days and then just when we think “oh I’m ok” then it’s back with a vengeance.
I don’t go on holiday or trains or buses and long car journeys are a worry. Sometimes it’s mind over matter so no two days are the same. I’m trying to push myself to get out and calm myself through meditation.
I’m not sure it can be classed as a ‘depression’....I definitely struggle with anxiety & stress....but have recently been feeling more of a ‘Cinderella Syndrome’ (& I don’t mean the part where she goes to the ball & means Prince Charming)
My ibs has been very much under control since I started taking mebeverine...but I expect a flare up with my up coming holiday...flying & airports really hype my anxiety...
But I also have other ‘issues’ hyping up my anxiety, adding to my stress & Cinderella feeling....which is why the dr prescribed the pills.
Gonna try getting out & running again after my holiday...& look into some meditation/breathing exercises I think.
Something needs to give somewhere right?? It can’t snowball forever surely. X
Good idea. Please dont give up on trying to sort out your stress and depression. Give the pills a fair go before changing. Chat with doctor. Good luck. Try to enjoy your hols.🏖
Could be a reaction to the antidepressants. I was prescribed one type which most people tolerate and I reacted to it, nausea, big rush from toes to head, felt dreadful. Stopped taking them as thought I had bug, tried week later, same. Dr changed medication to one to take before bed, so far so good.
Hi sorry I missed your first post. GP put me on Citralopram for depression as I said I had never felt this low, I meant physically because I had been ill, not mentally. I tried them for three days on my weekend off thank goodness, I felt the same as you. I could barely walk I was so dizzy and nauseous. I couldn’t drive so if I stayed on them I couldn’t work. I then saw a nurse and she said I had a uti that’s why I felt so low and ill. I stopped taking them and told the GP I didn’t need them. I use kalms at times of stress and also I have a breathing technique that helps. It also helps me get to sleep and get back to sleep if I wake up. It is breathe in for a count of 4, hold breath for count of 6, then breathe out slowly and controlled for a count of 8. It does take practise and feels hard at first but it is helping a lot, I am actually sleeping more at night and can get to sleep again quite quickly if I wake, most nights. I still have some restless nights but it is so much better. Good luck and enjoy your holiday.
My first post was ‘ibs & bedroom playtime’ which covers the ‘issue’ the Drs are currently looking into and suggested the citralopram to ‘help’ as it’s starting to effect me emotionally (tears in the Drs office make you appear crazy apparently) now it’s not that I generally felt depressed...occasionally low & useless yes & a big ole dose of ‘Cinderella syndrome’ (not the ball & Prince Charming part unfortunately).
I have a breathing thing on my Fitbit...might try it more regularly & especially during my travel.
It took those for a month last year. At first I was fine and then after the second week I just felt dreadful. Side effects got worse and worse. The day I stopped taking them I felt hideous but it did pass. I read that if you get side effects straight away it is more likely to settle after a couple of weeks but if it takes a while for side effects to show up it is less likely to settle.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
How can I know what do I have?
What does it sound like I have?
Worried I have colon cancer.
Getting annoyed with ‘I have IBS too’
