My Citalopram Nightmare
8 yrs ago I was prescribed Citalopram in hopes that it would help with my IBS pains as well as other pains I experience from other diseases. I wish I had never taken that medication.
The pharmacy provided an information pamphlet with the medication but it didn't have the full list of side effects. For that, I had to go online and read one that E.R departments are given. That is where I saw the risk for the side effects that I experienced. If I had known the risk, I never would have taken the medication. Drug pamphlets should contain the full list of side effects cause not everyone has access to the internet.
Short-term memory issues
Just after a week of taking Citalopram, I was having MAJOR short-term memory issues. Have you seen 'Finding Nemo'? Yea, I was like Dori. I could start talking about something and forget part way through what I was saying. If I was interrupted, I wouldn't remember what I was saying before I was interrupted. It was incredibly scary. I had seen my Mom go through this with Prednisone and couldn't believe it was now happening to me.
A week later, the scariest side effect happened. While walking home with my husband, all of a sudden I collapsed on the side of the road. I was no longer able to stand, or move my legs at all for that matter. I could still feel them, but that was it. I couldn't move my arms that much either. My husband had to carry me a block to our home. I instantly stopped taking the medication and made an appointment with my GP.
He informed me that he knew of those risks but decided it was worth the risk. I 100% disagree. Especially because it did nothing for my pain levels.
Not fully recovered
There are things that happened during that month and the following that I have no recollection of. Conversations, events with people and family members, shows/movies, etc. are all gone from my memory. To this day my short-term memory hasn't fully recovered. It's very frustrating because I can be having a conversation with my husband and when he asks for clarification about what I said, I can't always provide it due to not being able to remember what I had just said. There have been times I have had to bring my husband with me to doctors appointments as my backup brain, which is exactly what I tell the doctor.
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