Anti-anxiety med question

[renaissancewoman101]

About a month ago I was put on 20 mg Celexa a day to help me cope with my anxiety. It has taken me awhile to get used to the medication's side affects (jitteriness, etc). I have noticed that my anxiety is calming down. But, I have ALSO noticed that I am tired more often, I go to sleep earlier, and I am tired throughout the day. Is that normal?

 

I dont like being tired a lot because even though I am not working, I like being on the go and I like staying up late. Last night I was tired by 10 PM and went to bed. I am now usually sleepy by around 9 PM. Today, I took a nap in the afternoon. Will it be like this for the long haul or will the tiredness go away eventually? I also feel depressed about things, kind of down. Ugh! I dont know how people can deal with taking meds for stuff like this.

[bebecole]

yea its normal to be tired on anxiety meds..

hows the celexa working over all???

i have generalized anxiety disorder, ive been on meds but i havent found the right one for me.. i started Congitive behaviour therapy, and its acually reduced my anxiety, alot. but my therapist says i still need the meds.

i think it takes awhile for it to kick in.. just hang in there

[renaissancewoman101]

The Celexa is working ok. I am noticing that my anxieties are not as apparent as they used to be. I start school tomorrow and right now I am low on money. Normally, I would be freaking out about these two things. I am worried but it feels "muted" kind of like it lost its "umph". Not sure if I like that, because I am one of those people who deals with life with a lot of "highs" and "lows".

 

I start school tomorrow and I worry about being tired all the time. The tiredness is something I dont like. I also feel like my feelings are muted, something I have never felt before. Sleeping more and getting tired earlier is NOT something I like. I tend to like to stay up late and yet get up earlier. We'll see how this pans out.

[bebecole]

i just started back to school last week, i was so worried also, but i just went along with my schedule and tried to keep my mind off of it. i know its hard but im sure you'll done finee..

ehhh i need to find some working meds!

[CarnelianButterfly]

What time of day do you take your meds?

I used to take my anti-d (it made me tired and shaky) in the morning, but found switching to evening dosing I don't have the run down feeling as bad during the day. My hands still shake, but I feel more awake during working hours.

[renaissancewoman101]

CB, I usually take my meds in the morning, along with my other asthma meds. The doc said I could take the Celexa anytime during the day. Do you think it would be better to take it at night or later in the afternoon? How long did it take you to get used to your meds? Also, do you still get tired from your meds?

[CarnelianButterfly]

My doc was the one that suggested I take it at night. It took me a few months to get used to the effects. Its a significant change in your body chemistry, so there are going to changes and they will be noticeable. I've found even on fairly high dosages there are still bad spots, but the average feeling I have is much better than before. I don't have the hazy drugged tired, if I'm tired now its cuz I only slept 4 hours .

[laboheme]

A good friend of mine has been on medication for two years now, and found that if she takes them in the morning, she gets tired and needs a nap...but if she takes them at night, she gets wired and can't get to bed. Mid-afternoon seems to work best for her.

[renaissancewoman101]

I'll try taking them in the afternoon and seeing how it affects me.

 

I took a nap this afternoon and it is now 9 PM and I am already tired and ready for bed. Ugh!!!! I cant stand that. I like staying up late.

[annie24]

CB, I usually take my meds in the morning, along with my other asthma meds. The doc said I could take the Celexa anytime during the day. Do you think it would be better to take it at night or later in the afternoon? How long did it take you to get used to your meds? Also, do you still get tired from your meds?

 

yeah, try the meds at night and see how that goes.

 

i had a similar problem, I was constantly sleepy and had to take naps in the afternoon. If I got less than 10 hours of sleep, I was a zombie! actually, I was one anyways.

 

try them at a different time, see how that works. it's pretty normal. you may even find yourself less tired as time goes on?

 

at least you feel less anxious, that is good right there!!!

[renaissancewoman101]

I am glad the tiredness is normal. It's just feels weird to be tired at 9 PM considering I took an hour nap this afternoon. I will try out the meds at night and see how it affects me. I am glad that the jitteriness is starting to wear off. How long does it take before the side effects COMPLETELY go away?

[annie24]

well... it depends. actually, my tiredness got worse as it went on, but I had other issues contributing to it also. so... maybe it will just take a while to get adjusted. really, everyone is different and everyone experiences different symptoms.

 

i'll warn you right now... just so you know... there is a tendency for weight gain with some of these drugs. some people lose weight, others gain, it really depends from person to person. but now is a good time to watch what you are eating, and make sure to exercise. just in case! especially if you are sleepy, you may not realize how much you are eating, and you may be too tired to work out.

 

not to scare you off the meds, but just wanted you to know of that possible side effect.

[Donster]

Give yourself about a month for your body (and brain) to get used to the medication. Things will even out and you may not react the same way you react initially.

 

I am also on 20 mg qd celexa and I found that the sexual dysfunction portion of the side effects (anorgasmia) went away after a couple of months. I didnt notice shakiness. There was some sleepyness and feeling wired sometimes, and I tried playing around with different dosing schedules. Now I find that it doesnt matter too much--I think I am at a steady state level of the drug in my brain, so the minor peaks and valleys dont affect me too much.

 

And also to echo what Annie has to say, do watch your appetite and activity level. A lot of people gain weight while on antidepressants. For me, I did gain a little weight but was able to work it off, and now I am doing OK and am pretty much side effect-free.