feeling very weird after starting anti depressents?

Took 5mg cipralex at 9pm last night... Now nearly 24 hours on, I feel like I've just come out of a general anaesthetic - very tired, dizzy, spaced out, floppy and weak. Stomach also a bit icky and have a funny taste/feeling in my mouth. Is this normal? I did read the leaflet which had hundreds of side effects? My vision sometimes goes a bit funny too, right now I'm seeing green lines on the white b/ground of the screen. I've got a doc appt tommorow night and will inveitably mention to her how I feel but just wondering if anyone else reacted like this, and how quickly it went?

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Reply 1

Sabertooth

The first few days are always rough, it does wear off pretty quick though, like 7-10days ish.

Reply 2

loling909

Don't take them, they will **** you up even more.

Reply 3

Becca-Sarah

Original post by daisydaffodil

Most people get side effects from starting antidepressants. If you're worried, you can ring NHS 24/Direct who will know if the side effects you're experiencing are 'normal' for that drug. If there's a 24 hour pharmacy near you, you could pop in and ask them instead. The leaflet will list billions of things - pretty much any symptom that anyone taking that drug has ever had, kind of to cover the company's back.

Reply 4

DiscoPigeon

Original post by daisydaffodil

Cant help with your qusetion but was wondering if u could answer one for me?. Do the anti depressents actually lift your mood (make u feel happier) or do they just keep u from becoming anxious?

Reply 5

Joinedup

Yeah, pretty common to get noticable side effects afaik - never took that particular SSRI myself though.

Might be worth asking a friend/relative to 'keep an eye on you' for a few weeks in case you start acting weird without realising it.

Reply 6

penniroyaltea

I started taking 20mg of citalopram around 6 weeks ago. For the first few days, it felt as though I was in a dream world. My mind felt foggy, I couldn't be bothered to do anything, felt flat and like a zombie. I was very close to giving them up, but after around three days the side effects were gone.
Around three weeks later, I started to feel better. Not like "praise the lord, I've discovered life, oh baby", but I felt able to cope with things a lot more, felt more calm and less irritable with those around me, and stopped getting that sinking feeling that accompanies depression.
So I would advise you not to give up on your medication just yet and stick with them for a few weeks (after consulting your doctor).

Reply 7

samconly

Why are you used to being ****ing miserable?

Reply 8

Joinedup

Original post by DiscoPigeon

Cant help with your qusetion but was wondering if u could answer one for me?. Do the anti depressents actually lift your mood (make u feel happier) or do they just keep u from becoming anxious?

Prozac takes weeks to start working, I wouldn't describe it as a fun drug or a happy pill at all tbh, just my experience.

Not saying it didn't help me btw - it's just a bit more complicated than making you feel happy afaict.

Reply 9

ChaoticSkills

go to see your doctor, explain the problems you're having with the anti-depressants. Other then that side effects are to be expected, family members who started taking them felt weird for the first few days as well. Hope this helps.

Reply 10

ChaoticSkills

Original post by Joinedup

Do they still prescribe Prozac? I thought they were going to take that off the market after the rumours of making people suicidal emerged.

Reply 11

DiscoPigeon

Original post by Joinedup

I suppose my question really is it worth taking even with the drawbacks of side effects?

Reply 12

Becca-Sarah

Original post by ChaoticSkills

Do they still prescribe Prozac? I thought they were going to take that off the market after the rumours of making people suicidal emerged.

No, Prozac's still prescribed. Anyway, antidepressants don't actually make you suicidal, it's simply that with some drugs your energy levels come up before your mood does, so if you were suicidal before, you now have the energy to attempt it. Plus suicide is so rare in clinical trials that it's hard to really draw conclusions on whether a drug does influence it or not.

Reply 13

daisydaffodil

Original post by DiscoPigeon

Cant help with your qusetion but was wondering if u could answer one for me?. Do the anti depressents actually lift your mood (make u feel happier) or do they just keep u from becoming anxious?

I'm not sure to be honest - my GP never really went into that side of things, just that they take a long time to reach their full effect.

I will stick in with it, will take it again tonight - apparently I was more quiet and dopey today than normal but not too bad. Hopefully GP will be able to advise more tommorow, my normal GP (who's off on hols) said to expect to feel a bitty odd but to stick it at it for a while to see if it improves, rather than simply giving up. And my mum/friend know I'm on them so they're sort of keeping an eye.

Reply 14

ChaoticSkills

Original post by Becca-Sarah

Ah right, I just remembered this controversy from way back.

http://www.sntp.net/prozac/prozac_info_2.htm

My mum was taking it at the time, and the doctors pulled her off of it because of all the controversy. Stupid me, this was 21 years ago :redface:

Reply 15

daisydaffodil

Original post by loling909

Don't take them, they will **** you up even more.

Yeah that's what I thought as well - until GP told me I didn't really have a choice, she felt bad for leaving me to cope with no relief and told me that it would put her mind at rest if she knew she'd done something to help - so I said I'd give it a try and see what happened :smile:

Reply 16

Anonymous #1

was a bit similar myself!didn't eat for a whole month when I first started. felt horrible and sososo tired and kept having awful nightmares. felt fine after a month though so just stick at it although still have the dreams

Reply 17

Joinedup

Original post by DiscoPigeon

I suppose my question really is it worth taking even with the drawbacks of side effects?

If your Dr thinks it's worth it I'd definately give it a go.

Getting it of the internet for LOLs - wouldn't advise it.

There's several types and a pretty wide threraputic dose range - seeing as you're probably depressed if you're written up for SSRI it can be a worrying time while you're trying to find the best drug and dose combo but don't give up.

Reply 18

DiscoPigeon

Gp hasnt recommeneded it yet he has just presiced consouling and exercise which i find ironic considering i exercise everyday but then again he is the doctor thx for the info anyway