Side effects of citalopram

[slim_runderpants1009]

I'm 17 years old, being treated for moderate-severe major depression- I've recently been taking 20mg of citalopram everyday for the past 2 days as the doctor prescribed. I've noticed that I get a lot of nausea, dizziness, disorientation, trembling/twitching, dilated pupils, pins and needles and slight heart palpitations (which scare the living daylights out of me), this is affecting me a lot, the thoughts have already been greatly reduced and improved already despite it only being 48 hours. So I do not want to come off of the drug. Is there any way I can reduce the symptoms. I would ring the doctor but they are closed today and tomorrow. Are these side effects normal? I'm not suffering from seretonin overload? Sorry I'm very paranoid about these things. The symptoms come and go, for example, I've been feeling very bad all day within regards to the symptoms, however, now I am feeling somewhat solitude and the only symptom that's bothering me is slight pins and needles in my feet. Any advice would be suffice, I understand you are not obligated or legal professionals that can tell me exactly what to do, I just need to know if this is normal.

[AmyLC]

No, you wouldn't have serotonin overload because the mg is not a high amount to effect your levels like that.  
So, what I do know about psychiatric meds (I take 1 myself) is that the side-effects will subside in 2 weeks or so from starting the drug.  It's like your body is needing to adjust to the chemical changes and once it does, the side-effects (most of them) will most likely go away.  
If they last and continue more than a month or 2, the medicine maybe needs to be modified or maybe should be switched to something different.  Sometimes it takes a few meds, until you find the right one for you.  Just try to hang in there a little longer, each day will get better. :)

[tschock]

Been there, done that. Sorry to hear about your problems.

They normally tell you to keep taking them for a few weeks and the symptoms are supposed to go away. In my case they did not.
I'm one of those "one in a million people" who seem to have adverse reactions to most medications.

You could ask any pharmacist about those reactions...sometimes they know more about meds than the doctors do...it's their job after all. lol
Anyway, try a pharmacist and they will tell you if you should keep taking it.
I had been prescribed some sulfa drugs (antibiotics) once. I was in a Wal mart and I asked the pharmacist if the pills could cause my tongue to bleed and my throat to swell. She told me to go straight to the hospital as I was having a severe allergic reaction.