Citalopram what happens if you miss a day

August 9, 3 min. In fact, here is one question you may not know to ask your pharmacist, but should. What should I do if I miss a dose of my medication? For the vast majority of cases, the following advice for an unintentional missed dose will do: If you forget to take one or more doses, take your next dose at the normal time and in the normal amount.

If you miss one dose, skip it and continue with your normal schedule. What if I feel sick when I miss a dose? Want to keep updated with Medly? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter! Partner with Medly. This does not mean you are addicted to the medicine - just that your brain has become used to citalopram to control the serotonin levels. Withdrawal symptoms usually start a few days after stopping the medicine and might include:. You can stop taking citalopram safely with your doctor's help, who will show you how to reduce your dosage gradually.

If you have taken more citalopram than the dosage recommended by the doctor who prescribed it to you, you must get medical help immediately — even if you do not feel any different. As part of depression some people think about hurting themselves or taking their own lives. Taking an antidepressant may not stop this. You must get some urgent help if you are having these sorts of thoughts.

Speak to someone who is looking after you or go straight to hospital with your tablets. Citalopram can sometimes also cause other serious side effects, including: allergic reactions difficulty breathing, swelling of your face or throat, itching skin lumps , and other serious symptoms that you can find here. Go to a hospital if you get any of these symptoms, taking your medicine with you.

Stopping citalopram suddenly can cause unpleasant withdrawal effects. Go to your doctor if you are thinking of stopping. Use good contraception while you are taking citalopram. It can also cause symptoms in newborn babies if you take it at the end of pregnancy.

Talk to your doctor or midwife about this. Get a friend or family member to go with you in case you feel ill on the way. If you take too much citalopram, you may be at risk of developing serotonin syndrome.

Symptoms include a high fever, agitation, confusion, trembling, or weird movements of your muscles. This is rare, but you should watch out for it. While taking citalopram some people may think about hurting themselves or taking their own lives. This can happen to anyone, including people who are under These thoughts may happen or get worse in the first few weeks of taking the tablets until the level of serotonin in the brain becomes stable.

You must go straight to hospital if you have these thoughts, taking your tablets with you. Ask a friend or family member to go with you to keep you safe on the way. Stop taking citalopram and go to a doctor or hospital straight away if you get any of the following symptoms:.

Go to your doctor or the hospital straight away, but don't stop taking citalopram, if you get any of the following symptoms:. People under 18 who take citalopram can get serious side effects and have an increased risk of thinking about taking their own lives, trying to take their own lives, and hostility mostly aggression, oppositional behaviour and anger.

Therefore, it is not licensed for people under 18 years old. If you are under 18, you and your doctor may decide that the benefits of taking citalopram outweigh the risks for you. You should decide with your doctor what to do if you experience any side effects while taking citalopram. If you are taking citalopram and have not talked about this with your doctor, go back to them and talk it through. You might also want to talk to your parents or carers about it.

SSRIs can, but not very often, increase your risk of bleeding, including intestinal stomach or gut bleeding. Let your doctor know if you vomit blood or develop black or blood-stained poo. Do not stop taking the tablets until you talk to your doctor, or you may get withdrawal symptoms as well.

If you do get a side effect, please think about reporting it via the 'Yellow Card' scheme. Citalopram can affect the way your heart works and should be used carefully with certain medications. Citalopram and escitalopram a very similar medicine can change the way electricity goes through the heart called the QT length.

Escitalopram has less of this effect on the heart. Before starting citalopram your doctor may check your heart using an electrocardiogram ECG. If you're taking any other medicines that affect your heart, your doctor may decide to use a different medicine or check your heart on a regular basis. We use cookies We use cookies on this website to store user preferences, aid in accessibility and analyse our traffic. Read our cookie policy. Accept all cookie usage.

Update cookie preferences. Open guide menu Skip to guide menu. I am a young person I am a parent I work with young people. Open site search Open main navigation. View shareable links View Basket : 0 items. Guide Menu for Citalopram. Hide Show guide menu. Guide contents jump to section About citalopram Citalopram and everyday life Uses, warnings, safety and side effects About this information More information and advice. My experience taking fluoxetine and citalopram for PTSD.

Taking citalopram for agoraphobia and depression. About citalopram. Please note. Always talk to your doctor about your situation and whether this medication is for you. Thinking about trying medication?

Read our guide. How citalopram works. Citalopram is a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI. Citalopram is often prescribed alongside a talking therapy. Citalopram and everyday life. Frequently asked questions. How long does it take to start working? What effects will it have on my body? Citalopram can cause people to lose weight when they first start talking it.

Should I tell my family and friends I am taking it? Will it affect my sleep? Can I drink alcohol and take street drugs while taking it? Alcohol You can continue to drink alcohol in moderation while taking citalopram. This approach is intended to reduce the risk of side effects. If this dose does not work, it can be gradually increased.

Antidepressants are usually taken in tablet form. Depending on the type of antidepressant prescribed and the severity of your depression, you may have to take 1 to 3 tablets a day. It usually takes around 7 days before you begin to notice the effects of antidepressants.

Contact your doctor if you have not noticed any improvement after 4 weeks, as they may recommend increasing your dose or trying a different antidepressant. It's usually recommended that a course of antidepressants continues for at least 6 months after you feel better, to prevent your condition recurring when you stop.

Some people with recurrent illness are advised to carry on taking medicine indefinitely. The recommended course of treatment largely depends on weighing up the benefits of the medicine against the side effects.

If your illness is severe and the medicine is effective, treatment will often be continued.