Celexa and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• bon...
• November 13, 2011

For Anxiety and Stress "I have taken several medicines for depression and anxiety in the past. None have worked and would cause me to have terrible insomnia at night. Celexa has been great. At first, I experienced dizziness and was very sleepy. I also had nausea and GI upset. After a week, the side effects went away. I feel more relaxed and do not worry about things that used to stress me out. I sleep great at night. I take 10 mg at night. I am so glad I tried this medicine."

• Beu...
• August 6, 2014

For Depression "I began taking Citalopram while having severe headaches, the haze caused by the aches gave me severe anxiety, so I began taking this while finding a solution. I'd always had a bit of anxiety and bouts of moderate depression, and I noticed after about three weeks of taking Citalopram that I consistently felt glad to be alive for the first time ever. Living, the tasks associated with it often feel like a chore, leading to a general cynicism for me. I began at 10 mg, and the newfound joy of life was accompanied by a constant need to sleep. 12 hours a day and lethargy in between. The drowsiness was so bad I couldn't study, so I had to switch to 5 mg. I'm less tired, less happy, and more anxious. Compromise. I also take 25 mg Nortriptyline."

• for...
• April 28, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "Other than feeling sedated and lower than normal blood pressure/heart rate for a while, it affects my memory, vision (one pupil dilated and the other one was smaller)... shakes like it's making anxiety worse. I don't like it."

• T23...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "I started getting anxiety attacks, and my doctor started me off on 10 mg of Celexa. The first few days, I noticed I had more anxiety, and it made me really sleepy and groggy. After a few more days, I noticed it made me not want to get out of bed and lost almost all appetite. I was forcing myself to eat and ended up losing 9 lbs in 10 days. By day 10, I couldn't take it anymore, I knew something wasn't right, and Celexa was making it worse and making me feel worse. I went to my doctor, and she told me to stop right away, that the side effects shouldn't have lasted that long or made me feel depressed. It didn't work for me."

• T23...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "I started getting anxiety attacks, and my doctor started me off on 10 mg of Celexa. The first few days, I noticed I had more anxiety, and it made me really sleepy and groggy. After a few more days, I noticed it made me not want to get out of bed and lost almost all appetite. I was forcing myself to eat and ended up losing 9 lbs in 10 days. By day 10, I couldn't take it anymore, I knew something wasn't right, and Celexa was making it worse and making me feel worse. I went to my doctor, and she told me to stop right away, that the side effects shouldn't have lasted that long or made me feel depressed. It didn't work for me."

• Chu...
• March 5, 2012

For Anxiety and Stress "I've been on Celexa now for 4 weeks and have noticed improvement in my mood, stress, and anxiety. I would recommend taking it at night as that way you won't feel as tired when you get up, and you aren't aware of other symptoms as much. I take it an hour before I go to bed, and I can start to feel tired, so it does help with sleep. I started at 10, now at 20, and I think I'll see if I can go to 25 mg. I still take the clonazepam at night too, though I was taking 1 pill, I cut back to 1/2 a pill, as in the morning I was really groggy. In the end, you do have to work with this medication. It's not for everyone, you will have side effects that for the most part will go away, and like any other medicine, it's trial and error."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2012

For Depression "Was on Citalopram for 1 month, then asked my doctor to change. During the first 2 weeks, I was getting an average of 3 hours of sleep a night. Bed at 11 pm, wake up at 2 am, 3 am, 4 am, 5 am, 6 am, give in and get up at 7 am. Was completely devoid of emotions. Lost all focus, motivation, attention span, was so much worse than before diagnosis and prescription. Second 2 weeks, I was given sleeping pills, so I was sleeping 7-8 hours a night, but being 24 years old, I refused to be dependent on sleeping pills and antidepressants. Have now been on Mirtazapine just over a week, was like a light switch. Now sleeping easily between 10-12 hours a night. Emotions are back, but as unpredictable as they were before diagnosis. Will wait and see."

• kat...
• December 27, 2011

For Anxiety and Stress "I liked this medication at first, lost about ten pounds, no appetite, very calm, anxiety and snappiness gone! But the bad side effects which ultimately made me get off this medicine were tranced feelings, like in a coma, felt beige, people asked why I was so melancholy, no sex drive, and sleepiness."

• Cad...
• November 14, 2015

For Depression "I've only been on Celexa for a month. I am 5'5" and I was 112 lbs, and they put me on 10 mg, but it didn't help at all. It made me start having panic attacks and anxiety attacks again. I'm also on Klonopin (1 mg twice a day) for panic disorder and Adderall (20 mg XR in the morning and 10 mg IR at lunchtime) for inattentive ADHD. I haven't been any less depressed, and I'm 99 lbs now, and they just doubled my dose to see if that will work. I really hope it does, because right now I absolutely hate it. I've been eating more than I normally do, but losing weight rapidly, and I'm already underweight. Celexa so far makes me feel like I'm on the verge of falling asleep almost 24/7; the rest of the time is when I'm having anxiety and panic attacks."

• bir...
• September 5, 2013

For Depression "I have been taking this medication for years. At first, it was great, it helped me a lot with my temper and sad feelings. I have had some ups and downs with it. At one time, I was taking 2.5 pills and was having trouble remembering things, and extreme trouble driving due to drowsiness. I cut back to one and tried to go off them, but my moods started to swing out of control. Now I am on one and a half tabs, and I am feeling depressed again. My eyes are watery, and I feel like crying a lot, but that may be due to the fall coming on."

• wil...
• August 13, 2013

For Depression "Little groggy when I take it at night, but that's all I noticed."

• Anonymous
• November 14, 2009

For Depression "I found Celexa very good as an antidepressant, but finally had to discontinue it because it caused excessive drowsiness."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2022

For Anxiety and Stress "Didn't do anything for me. Made me really drowsy and unmotivated. Also gave me really intense heart palpitations for some reason. Switched to Prozac."