Caffiene and Celexa related Fatigue

I've been on citalopram (20 mg) for 4 months now, and it's making me feel so tired all day long. I have muscle aches and i can't stop yawning from the moment i wake up. i've already been on cipralex (10 mg) for more than a year, and i was feeling way better, had more energy and more tonus, but due to moving to another country where it's not available, i had to stop it, but then the panic attacks were back and i was put on citalopram. although i take it before i go to sleep, i still have this fatigue and weariness the next day. what's more, the attacks haven't totally disappeared. and i'm thinking about having a baby, so i'm probably gonna have to stop it sooner or later, but then again, the attacks will be back.. it's such a vicious circle..

Hi
I thank you all for your posts, although im reading them a couple of years later!!

I have been trying to convince my GP that all the problems i am having at the moment are down to citalopram.....and she hasnt agreed as yet......had a call from the surgery today to ask me to go in on tuesday because my blood test results show my cholesterol levels to be dangerously high...hmmm, i have so far put on weight, but mainly in the stomach area, had major constipation for a year (i have been on citalopram for about 18mths) my muscles are weak, i am totally fatigued.....always sleeping wether i take it day or night, have flu symptoms, cramp, and unsurprisingly have little concentration, which is not good when studying.....
Im 51yrs old, and suffered from severe depression, been on 40mg for a year or so......
im scared of coming off it, but i need to live...has anyone changed to anything different?

Nick wrote:

I wish Celexa at night worked - It knocks me out regardless of when I take it. I wander around like a zombie, yawning endlessly when I take it.
I couldn't handle it - One day I ended up falling asleep for an hour and a half in the middle of the day, and I still felt like I hadn't slept in years.
But this does show that each person reacts differently. Guess it's another crapshoot to see what works, but I simply can't handle not being able to function with crippling fatigue, I have to take care of my kids and work at night.
No thanks.

I am having the same reaction. No matter when I take it and I take it only at night. I yawn constantly and have zero energy
Not good for a self employed business owner. Not worth it.

Gracie wrote:

Marci I almost forgot to say I wouldn't double your dose if you have the fatigue I have. I seriously wouldn't.

Gracie,
Thanks - I'm glad I waited. Although I still need coffee to combat the drowsiness, the severe fatigue I had was from a 10 day illness.
I hope you feel better soon.

NDi wrote:

yes it does those are are 2 major side effects.

Yeah, I was on 10mg for a few months, then I went off it for awhile and I just started 20 yesterday and I can barely eat at all. The only thing I can eat are bananas and only half of one. And I'm nauseated 3 hours after I take it.

Started Celexa 8 weeks ago to experiencing extreme anxiety due to stress from my job that I my nocurnal panic disorder became unbearable.

Celexa has been working well for me but the fatigue is extreme in the afternoon that I take naps at work and sometimes sleep in my car over lunch. I can't stand it! I have been taking it in the morning but after reading through this forum I am going to start taking it at night. Thanks for the advice!

I am a slender 34 yr old female, was 128 when I now I am down to 118. I did start exercising like crazy to manage stress/anxiety. I stil have no problem with exercise and find energy to do it.

I would say prior to taking Celexa I was an overeater. I would eat beyond getting full. Now I would say my appetite is now normal. I eat only until I get full rather than stuffing myself. So I do eat less but still have a good appetite. The only side effects when I began was minor stomach discomfort, diarreah only the day after starting and the day after increasing from 10 to 20 mg. As for sex, forget it! I have no sex drive and it is extremely difficult to ograsm. I'm going through CBT Therapy for panic disorder and eventually plan to get off Celexa.

I've been on citalopram for 3 years end the chronic tiredness an feeling I'll has been getting worse. I keep going to the gp who sende for blood tests which come back fine. Today I was told I was fine so there is nothing more to be done got me. Maybe I should buy a better alarm clock?? Absoloutely fuming since the tiredness is crippling my work and home life. I'm on 10 mg at the mo but I want off. I would do anything for real advice from a gp who knows what they are talking about

And grrrrr to my iPhone. The spelling is not me it's the technology

Debznfoz wrote:

I've been on citalopram for 3 years end the chronic tiredness an feeling I'll has been getting worse. I keep going to the gp who sende for blood tests which come back fine. Today I was told I was fine so there is nothing more to be done got me. Maybe I should buy a better alarm clock?? Absoloutely fuming since the tiredness is crippling my work and home life. I'm on 10 mg at the mo but I want off. I would do anything for real advice from a gp who knows what they are talking about

I would not neccesarily advise that. Here is a great article about Celexa side effects.

I forgot to leave the links but here it is. http://sideeffectz.com/celexasideeffects/

I took Citalopram (Celexa) years ago but forget why I stopped. I was on Lexapro and it worked perfectly with NO side effects, but I had to switch back to Citalopram due to cost. I have been SO tired with fatigue. It never occurred to me to take it at night and I can't thank you enough for that suggestion. I am a mom of 3 and I homeschool, and I can not get ANYTHING done during the day due to the fatigue. I have to crash and sleep for a couple of hours, and the rest of the day I feel like a zombie. I had never thought about the caffeine either. I had a mochaccino (blended coffee) the other day and felt like I was having a panic attack. Guess I'd better watch those. As soon as I can switch back to Lexapro, I am doing it. Thank you for your comments!

I've been on celexa for over 2 years (20mg), started taking it because i was launching my career in my first pro job and had moved to a city where i knew no one. tension was high for sure.
I used to be very high energy, and would have a hard time sleeping in before i started taking it and now it is all i can do to go out and have lunch with a friend on a weekend day. I'm hazy at work which effects my output. I feel like it served its purpose but its time to take my life back. I have also gained about 30 lbs in the last 2 years which may be a result of the meds since i have not slowed down any.
I'm currently consulting with my doctor about how to wean my body off of it and see how i do.
I know that before when i've missed doses the results have been scary (electric shocks anyone!?) and erratic, worse than my anxiety ever was, so i'm not looking forward to the process but for me, i know its time to stop.
good luck everyone.

Celexa gave me periodic limb movements (sleep starts) but the jerking and shaking went on and on. I love how it helps my mood during the day so at night I take a clonapin to relax my muscles. My doctor wants me just on wellbutrin only and get off the celexa, but I like that I am not crying and teary eyed all day. I am slowly (reluctantly) weaning off. I think it's a great medication for depression - too bad about the side effects.

Lauren wrote:

<quoted text>
I've had the same issues and I'm on 40mg also since increasing the dosage from 20mg to 40mg I've felt even less hungry and more tired. My dr. said that the weight loss may not be attributed to the celexa because its supossed to have few side effects...

It may not be that it is a direct side effect of the medicine. It may be that the medicine has stopped you from eating when nervous. That happend to me

I'm on a slew of drugs and trying to figure out what is causing me to crash after breakfast. Without fail, I get tired, fatigue, and so foggyheaded that I have to lay down (about an hour after breakfast) each day. Thankfully, it is only a phase that lasts about 2hrs. After reading these posts I will try taking Citalopram at night. Here are my meds:
Lithium 900, Lamictal 450, Wellbutrin 600, Citalopram 40, Vyvanse 60mg.

So I started celexa the first of december due to depression. I felt suicidal during the holidays and doc recommended something outta my price range. I've stuck to the celexa and depression is gone, but so is desire to do anything. I can sleep 12 hrs wake up exhausted, go to work then ready to crash again by 4. Quit working out and have gained 12 lbs. I am switching to taking it at nite and will post back in a couple weeks

Just got prescribed 10mgs a day for depression and anxiety. Reading all of these are really freaking me out. I have never taken any kind of medication for this, & the way ive been feeling, im willing to try anything at this point! But reading this.is scary. Im trying to get better, not feel worse..i need to hear sucess stories, does anybody have.positive things to say!??

New wrote:

Just got prescribed 10mgs a day for depression and anxiety. Reading all of these are really freaking me out. I have never taken any kind of medication for this, & the way ive been feeling, im willing to try anything at this point! But reading this.is scary. Im trying to get better, not feel worse..i need to hear sucess stories, does anybody have.positive things to say!??

I was also prescribed 10mg dose for anxiety, working long hours anxious about every little thing. Have suffered some tiredness and a little nausea. Have also read the posts with worry however have also seen very positive responses on other sites. Am going to persevere and see how it goes. Have two other friends taking this medication and they have had very positive results!

Cristina wrote:

<quoted text>
I think it's not only fatigue.I try to lose weight,so I go to the gym a lot.One of the side efects is that my muscles are very weack and my equilibrium is really bad.I used to be really good in sports and have great equilibrium but after talking celexa I feel like I am 80 years old. I can go to the gym for an hour every day,but if I try to go up a few steps I am very weack. Plus I expirie4nced muscles cramps. Like 4 times during the night.
Maybe just Celea makes worse what you rbody is vulnerable to.
I couldn't sleep at the begining but after a month got better.

I've been taking 20 mg celexa for a week and I agree. It makes me feel really weak. Like my muscles are jello. And I also wake up a lot at night and I'm tired all day.

ive been on celexa for 5 yrs/got rid of my anxiety but i get lots of fatigue