Was doing great on Citalopram - now suffering again

[feelingcrappy]

Hi, been on Citalopram 20mg for 6 weeks - 1st 2 weeks were difficult while I adjusted then a whole month of feeling just like my old self. In the last week, though, I have felt my anxiety levels creeping up again - TERRIFIED of the depression descending again. How do I know if this is just a blip or if I need a dosage increase? Thanks in advance x

I think the best thing would be to see doc and talk about it. It could just be a blip: we have good and bad days on and off medication. But I think you should make an appointment if you still feel anxious on Monday. I take 40 mg so there would be no problem with going higher, I think.

Thanks Eleison. I definitely intend to see GP on Monday - determined not to let this get out of control like last last time. Do you mind me asking, when you say have bad days on medication can they be as bad as before you were on it and what makes them lift? This is my first time on ADs and just frightened the Citalopram isn't working for me anymore for some reason. So disheartenedd because I really felt like I was getting back to normal. My problem is all about anxiety - pounding heart, light-headedness, panic. Had this for 6 months before it spiralled into full blown depression. The depression isn't back yet, but certain it will follow if I don't nip this anxiousness in the bud x

Sorry not to have come back to the thread earleir. Its difficult to say really. Anxiety has never been much of an issue with me, compared with depression, and I have found that citalopram does switch the anxiety off very effectively.

But I really don't think it would just stop working for you. I think it's more likely that you still need to go up a little to find the right theraputic dose for you. I'm sure you will find that the medication will continue to help you.

xx

Hi hope I can join in on this thread?I stared 10mg last Monday that is a week now and the anxiety has hightened with the weather I am snowed in but my GP is just off the phone and said that this would happen and to increase to 20mgs on Wednesday I also am precribed valium 2mgs to try to take the edge away,but she said that I will get better when the citalopram kicks in? its supposed to be a good AD and well used in Briton alone by thousands does the anxiety get less and less please help thanks

Hi there,
I started with fluoxtine first but had a very 'skippy head' which I couldn't switch off which lead to increasing stress. Citalopram does seem better (4 weeks in to it now) but I would say that the problems that trigger my depression are still there and I am having to work at changing part of my life to help prevent/ deal with it coming back. It probably isn't that the citalopram isn't working but that the old problems are still there and need to be gently addressed. Are you having councelling or CBT? I know that I am an overachiever and do too much for everyone else (sounds like everyone on mumsnet). I still have bad days - cried most of yesterday morning for no reason, but I still haven't built anything into my day for me or peace and quiet. That's my to-do list and I know that unless I do, it's going to come back.
I still have a mountain to climb but the citalopram is like taking a backpack off to do it.

Well, still feeling absolutely racked with anxiety. Spoke to a GP this morning who said I should increase from 20 - 40mg. Feel nervous about results but also optimistic - I figure Citalopram was definitely doing something good for me so maybe the dose just isn't quite right yet. Read loads of stuff about 20 - 40 being big jump and better to stagger to 30 first, but GP was insistent. I'm happy to follow instructions. God I hope I bounce back soon.

Thanks others for comments - and good luck to you too. I'm going to ask again about couselling at my follow-up appt - GP didn't think it would be useful in these early stages.

I'm glad something is happening for you. I was very sceptical about councelling at first but even just having someone moan at who wasn't going to take it personally was great. They are also getting me to do what I know I should buit keep putting off. Here's to the calm that citalopram brings. Good luck

weesudders, it is early days and 10mg is very low. I would hope that within a week or two from going onto the higher dose you should start to feel the beginnings of some benefit, and that the effects might continue to build for a few weeks after that. Not a miracle change but definitely a worthwhile one. Best wishes to you, and to all on the thread.

Anyone there so give me some support? Day 2 of upping my dose from 20 - 40mg and I feel absolutely shocking. Waiting for doc to call but really questioning the sense of making such a big jump up. Have all my worst anxiety symptoms but with a horrendous brain fog and extreme fatigue. I feel so hopeless. Cannot believe how bad I feel considering that I felt absolutely back to my old self in the middle of last week. I can I have been doing so well and then hit such a massive brick wall - should I have tried to weather the storm before agreeing to doseage increase? Rambling now... anyone else been through this?

I'm sorry you feel so rubbish. Hang on in there. I went from 20 to 40 in one jump without difficulty, but everyone is different and perhaps it might make sense to take 30 instead of 40 for the first few days. I hope that your GP is helpful with advice about this.

No, I don't think you should have 'weathered the storm'. The increase won't be harming you, though I can see that the transition is hard. Sit it out for a few days, on whatever dose GP recpmmends. There really is a good chance that you wil start to feel better soon on the high dose. Meanwhile, take care and don't expect too much of yourself. xx

Thank you Eleison, your posts do make me feel better. I felt so awful before I started the increase who's to say I wouldn't have felt this bad even without the greater dosage. This is one of the things I find so hard about Cit. the side-effects mimic so many of the symptoms you're taking it for.

Feelingcrappy, is your period due? Citalopram works well for me but I defintiely go downhill for the week before my period.

Feeling crappy - I so know how it feels to be back to your old self only to wake up feeling crap, flat, anxious, unmotivated, no interest, just wanting to stay under duvet, crying etc etc.

I have had 2 severe episodses of depression - one 15 years ago following the death of a close friend (ended up in psychiatric hopital for 3 months) but made complete recovery.

I suffered a 2nd episode last Dec and it got worse and worse and I was trying to manage with therapy but over the Easter weekend it nose dived and TERRIFIED me just like the first time and again was admitted to psychiatric hospital for 3 months. Came out in July but am still struggling with a turbulent recovery. I can go for weeks feeling like my old self and just when I am convinving myself I am recovered - wham - I wake up feeling crap and my cpn who is lovely and visits weekly says they are called "setbacks" or "blips" by mental health specialists and are apparently a normal part of recovery! I am currently on my 4th blip - on Sunday I was at a family party, laughing, joking, being me and woke on Monday morning feeling absolutely bloody awful..........and then I started doing what I shouldn't do - catastrophising - thinking negative thoughts, crying etc etc.

SO it can (and does happen) and no one can say when the blip comes or how long it will last. I keep a daily record (helps me to write things down) and score each day then I add how many good days in say a 3 month period and how many bad days and am always surprised that there have been far fewer bad days than I thought.

I really recommend CBT - my cpn has introduced me to it and it does help if you can get yourself into it - it's very very simple too. My cpn was coming to see me today but is off sick (this made me feel so much worse) so I wrote down what she would say and tried to carry it through.

When the bad days come are they all day or is there any respite at a particular time - I usually get some respite in the evening.

Of course it may well be that the higher dose will sort things out but do remember that setbacks are seen as a "normal" part of recovery. I didn't have any after my first episode but I was 15 years younger and am now in my late 60s so you may be ok as you are obviously still a young woman.

Hang on in there and try CBT if you can.

Hi feeling crappy - re. the medication I suffer horribly with side effects when I increase or decrease the dose - but it does wear off after a while.

And just backing up what Nananina says - following PND I have had a number of 'episodes'. My last bad one (after being very well for 3 years) was in the spring and I am still in the process of recovering. Up until friday I had been feeling great for about 6 weeks but then friday pm it just came over me like a cloud again. Absolutely no reason - had been absolutely fine in the morning. The last few days have been difficult again and I really struglle to stop myself from thinking its all coming back.

I had a pre booked routine drs appointment today and he said 'its a blip' ....

I bloody hate blips - but there you go - they do happen.

Hope things brighten up in the next few days x

Eleison,thanks for your reply ,and yes I feel better today and yesterday poss is working ?and maybe I do not have to increase to 20mgs if I do will I feel awful again like last week? bless you all on this thread and hope we all feel great soon xx

Kizzie - I hate blips too they are a BI2G bugger! You really do have to challenge the negative thoughts that "it's all coming back" - I am on my 4th blip now and knowing the last 3 went away, does give me a bit of confidence to think this one will too. It also helps me to know they are a "normal part of recovery" --- have u tried CBT -it's useful for challenging the negative thoughts and stopping the spiral of "oh my god it's all coming back and this time it will be worse and how will I manage etc etc etc" which I think anyone who has suffered depression will do but it does make things worse.

weesudders (sweet name) glad u are feeling bit better.

Sometimes I have to tell myself that there are people far far worse off than me. You young mothers for example - all mine are grown - just don't know how you cope with childcare as well.

Here's wishing everyone well

Thanks all. Just a bit of an update. My gp has given me propranolol for a week to try and counter some of the physical anxiety symptoms while the higher dose of Cit. kicks in. Still really struggling but hope to turn a corner soon - just wish these horrid adrenalin rushes wld subside. He's also asked the practice counsellor to get in touch with me.

Best wishes, fc. I hope the new medication helps.

Hi Eleison and all the thread ,GP phoned me today and increased the citalopram to 20mgs and said I will feel better I went to the supermarket today with my friend and went to her house but I could not wait to get back home ?is this just a wee blip?been in for over two weeks with the horrid weather?please help thanks and thanks to you all x

Nananina thanks your name is lovely hope your feeling better too bless you all!

feelingcrappy - i have only just read this thread, but just wanted to add my experience, hoping it might help. i was on citalopram this time last year, and it took about 4 weeks for it to start working properly. these weeks were the worst of my life, and i was convinced the citalopram was making it worse. the mental health team told me i had to keep waiting and it felt like forever. it DID work though, and after being on 40mg for about 3 weeks, i started to emerge from the depths of depression/anxiety. i hope you are starting to feel better.

Hi all - just a quick update. Day 6 on increased dose and feeling much better. Stopped the propranolol because didn't seem to make a scrap of difference. In the meantime, my anxiety has virtually gone and I'm feeling optimistic and excited about getting ready for Christmas. Back on the way up I hope xx

Thats great to hear x

Excellent news :)

Hi, I was about to write a similar thread to this one. I'm week 6 on citalopram and felt great at day 2 then started having some weird side effects - lots of yawning. Anyway, I went back to the GP for a review at week 4 and felt back to my old self, motivated, better concentration and better able to deal with things. However, these past 4-5 days I've felt anxious and a bit low again. I'm coping ok, but definitely less motivated, lower energy levels and haven't really got off the sofa. I'm also being a bit short tempered with my gorgeous little boy (I don't want to do that). I felt a bit of a fake in the first place going to the GP because I know people have things a lot worse than I do. I can't believe I would need more than 20mgs - isn't that for people who are really really suffering? I've got my period - do you think this could be making me feel worse? I'd really appreciate any advice. Thanks