# Struggles and Support > Medication >  >  citalopram

## Chloe

I'm just looking into this for my boyfriend, just wondering what other people's experience with this drug was or knowledge about it

all I canna thee is it is supposed to balance out chemicals writhing the brain and can increase suicidal thoughts

----------


## L

Most ssri antidepressants when taken over the first two or so weeks hold the risk of causing or increasing suicidal thoughts. It is one side effect that is not certain to happen. For me I had these thoughts before I started and my doctor only aloud me a weeks prescription for the first few weeks as he say me a risk. It didn't make them worse for me but I don't know if they helped either as at that point I started looking at self improvement and was going to counselling. I had some awful physical side effects dizzy, headache, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating most had cleared after the first two weeks.

----------


## Chloe

for him im not sure if they've made the thoughts better or worse since he doesn't like talking about it, in my opinion its gotten worse self harming and suicidal thoughts wise. hes reported drowsiness which meant his dose was halved from 40 to 20 but as far as im aware its not making much of a difference. just wanted to get a bit more info on it besides whats on the NHS website and NETmums :L

----------


## WineKitty

That stuff might as well have been a sugar pill as far as I am concerned.  Didn't do anything for me.

----------


## Chloe

Thanks for the feedback

----------


## Otherside

It's one of the first anti-depressants that docs will try over here for cases of anti-depressants. It takes time to work though, can take 6-8 weeks. I was also warned that it "can get worse before it gets better". No idea why though. 





> can increase suicidal thoughts



It's more likely depending on age. It's most likely to affect teenagers. That said, others can be affected to. I was told to call my GP if I got that side effect.

----------


## Chloe

Well only found out recently that they're not being taken consistently which won't help but it's interesting hearing what others thought being on them

----------


## Otherside

> Well only found out recently that they're not being taken consistently which won't help but it's interesting hearing what others thought being on them



He needs to take them consistently. They won't work if he doesn't. They're not really much use a quick short-term relief method - rather, they make you feel better over a long period of taking them.

They may well work, but for that to happen, you've gotta keep taking them.

----------


## MobileChucko

Hello Chloe...

Citalopram (Celexa), is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI.  Antidepressants such as Citalopram, do not work like other medications that you are familiar with.  If you have a headache, and take an aspirin, you expect to feel some relief in 30 to 60 minutes.  But if you break your leg, you can't expect to take a pill and go dancing later that night.  The way antidepressants work is to actually stimulate the growth of new brain cells in the hypocampus region of the brain.  Brain cells in this area can be damaged or even destroyed by our own stress hormones, such as cortisol.  These changes can cause the brain to change its default setting, to one of anxiety and/or depression.  This is the reason that antidepressants take so long to work, normally 6 to 12 weeks, with one seeing degrees of improvement as the weeks pass.  They have to stimulate the brain to make repairs on itself.

Antidepressants are also not "feel good" medications.  I wish they were, but they aren't.  Then starting a SSRI like Citalopram, serotonin levels are immediately boosted.  Many individuals, including myself, will have what can be called "start-up side effects" when this occurs.  Those with anxiety disorders may see an actual increase in their anxiety, and panic attacks too.  Other side effects can include loss of appetite, insomnia, perspiring, and hot/cold flashes.  The good thing about these side effects is that they do not last, and are usually gone in 2 to 3 weeks.  When I was started on Citalopram, I had a bunch of side effects, but they all disappeared 16 to 17 days into my treatment.  Most people will have no start-up side effects at all, and some will have but a few that maybe very mild.

The #1 reason that antidepressants don't work, is that people don't stay on them long enough for the magic to take place.  They might just stop taking them because a few weeks have gone by, and nothing is happening.  Or start-up side effects may occur and again individuals stop taking the AD because they think it is a bad reaction to the medication.

BTW, there are a lot of antidepressants on the market, but good old Citalopram is still considered one of the very best.  And Citalopram has a sister drug, Escitalopram or Lexapro, which is also excellent.

Hope this helps you out a bit...

The very best to you!...  Chuck :;):

----------

