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citalopram and sleep disturbances

BillieTheBotBillieTheBot Posts: 8,721 Bot
in Health & Wellbeing
Ever since i started taking citalopram a week ago, ive been going to bed alright, then waking up really really early - like 4am and not being able to get back to sleep.
Its exhausting me.

Has anyone else had this side effect, and did it settle down?
I havent had any other side effects and its only just clicked that it could be because of the pills
Beep boop. I'm a bot.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I had problems with sleeping when I first started taking citalopram and then again when I was coming off it, but it was more a case of not being able to get to sleep in the first place. I think it's a pretty common side effect and so nothing to worry about. Although I guess there's nothing really you can do except wait for it to pass. I've never been on any other persciptions so I haven't got anything to compare it to, but it took me a while to settle into citalopram, the side effects lasted for a couple of weeks. Sorry, that itsn't very reassuring, but I found the drug hugely helpful once I'd got used it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have sleep problems anyway (chronic insomnia, sleeping pills made me worse and nothing else has ever worked), but since coming off it I have realised that when I was on citalopram it did make it a little worse, but I was on other medication for most of the time I was on it anyway, so I'm not sure how that affected it.

    I would say it would settle down, I wasn't really paying much attention to it. Maybe your body just needs to get used to the drug?
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    exposedexposed Posts: 31 Boards Initiate
    I experienced some sleep disturbances during my first couple of weeks - another side effect that some people report (me included) is that a lot of your dreams become very "vivid" and "realistic" - i've found myself having so many deja vu's during most days.

    Give it until the end of the 2nd or 3rd week and if you are still having sleep problems go see your GP - he may choose to try another AD
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    exposedexposed Posts: 31 Boards Initiate
    i of course meant "he/she". sorry for the assumption
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know that one of the diagnostic criteria for depression is sleep disturbances (if that's what the medication is treating)... so it could have already been present? but otherwise, i reckon just stick out the side effects and hopefully they will fade away in a few weeks. xx
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well i had a better nights sleep last night after sleeping with earplugs in, but still feel zonked today. I think the tablets are making me feel like this as i was alright this morning until an hour after i took the tablet and now i feel knackered.
    At the moment im feeling like just coming off everything altogether and just seeing how that goes as I cant bloody live like this
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They will do that. My doctor said that especially because I have sleep problems anyway I should take them before bed. Maybe try that and see if it helps?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Franki wrote: »
    They will do that. My doctor said that especially because I have sleep problems anyway I should take them before bed. Maybe try that and see if it helps?

    How odd my doc told me to take them in the morning because they energise you - and I have sleep problems too. I suppose everyone is different. Just experiment with different times, changing it by perhaps a few hours every day see if that helps. It takes a while to get used to new meds, took me months for my system to settle down again. The worst will be over soon xxx
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Evenstar wrote: »
    How odd my doc told me to take them in the morning because they energise you - and I have sleep problems too. I suppose everyone is different. Just experiment with different times, changing it by perhaps a few hours every day see if that helps. It takes a while to get used to new meds, took me months for my system to settle down again. The worst will be over soon xxx
    I think she actually told me that because I was on another pill for something else which was basically a miniature dose of another AD and the combination causes sleepiness. But if SCC is getting sleepy from the pills it can't hurt :).
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well after being up from 2.30am - taking a zopiclone and still not falling asleep all night, ive decided to stop taking the citalopram as I cant handle the side effects
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Citalopram

    This is the second time i have been on these tablets (20mg)
    I have been on Citalopram (this time) for about 4/5 months. The sleeping problems are terrible for me. Some nights i can fall asleep early but i wake up 2/3 times in the night, every couple/few hours. Other nights i cant get to sleep til about 3 in the morning, then i only get a few hours sleep anyway before getting up for work.
    I constantly feel like a zombie and i hate it. Going to the docs tomorrow to hopefully get some other AD's as these ones clearly are not working for me at all
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi, welcome to thesite. This thread is quite old, there are more recent threads about citalopram/medication- but it might be worth starting your own thread to get advice for your problems :) Generally we try not to drag up threads more than a few months old.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ah, me ol' thread. Im on venlafaxine now. I found much less side effects with these than with citalopram
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    SuzyCreamcheese wrote: »
    ah, me ol' thread. Im on venlafaxine now. I found much less side effects with these than with citalopram

    Interesting. I found the opposite. It was venlafaxine giving me blood pressure problems and migraine when I was doing the Royal Parks Half.

    Each to their own and all that!
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