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Mental health

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Original poster

Citalopram for anxiety

Windywel · 2019-09-29T02:51:43+00:00

1. Hi all I have just joined this forum. Really need a supportive place to get help and reassurance. My partner is amazing but it’s not the same as talking to people who know what it’s like. I was on citalopram for 4 years for crippling GAD and health anxiety. I’d had it for years but it got worse after my father died. I can off in April as I was feeling better but after stopping my IBS got worse and then I started fixating on that and my health anxiety came back and then the GAD. Now I feel anxious all the time again and really worried about the IBS. I have started taking the cit again. This is day 4. Did 2 days of 5mg and yesterday took 10. Feeling really anxious and sometimes panicky all day yesterday and today. Worrying that’s it’s not going to work again and I’ll be stuck with feeling like this. Just need some reassurance that it will work again and it’s normal to feel heaps more anxious when starting it. Many thanks

48 replies

Windywel · 29/09/2019 03:51

Hi all I have just joined this forum. Really need a supportive place to get help and reassurance. My partner is amazing but it’s not the same as talking to people who know what it’s like. I was on citalopram for 4 years for crippling GAD and health anxiety. I’d had it for years but it got worse after my father died. I can off in April as I was feeling better but after stopping my IBS got worse and then I started fixating on that and my health anxiety came back and then the GAD. Now I feel anxious all the time again and really worried about the IBS. I have started taking the cit again. This is day 4. Did 2 days of 5mg and yesterday took 10. Feeling really anxious and sometimes panicky all day yesterday and today. Worrying that’s it’s not going to work again and I’ll be stuck with feeling like this. Just need some reassurance that it will work again and it’s normal to feel heaps more anxious when starting it. Many thanks

OP posts:

bbcessex · 29/09/2019 04:09

Hi there @Windywel

I've taken Citalopram for years and plan to take it for years more.

I take 20mg.. started on 10mg and worked up.

it takes a while to kick in and what you're describing seems very usual. It's a horrible feeling isn't it... anxiety is awful.

Obviously part of your condition is to worry, but trust in the process... Citalopram is very good a resetting your malfunctioning anxiety wiring and it will happen. Bear with it and give yourself time to adjust.

Original poster

Windywel · 29/09/2019 04:27

Thank you so much for replying! I wish I’d never come off it - I don’t know what I was thinking! I can’t believe I’m back here again. I feel like such a failure. I really thought that it might have cured the anxiety. Now I’m really worried that it’s not going to work a second time - some people say that happens. I can’t seem to think about anything else other than the anxiety (and the IBS when it plays up!). My husband is getting frustrated and I’m worried that the children are going to sense something is wrong - I’m trying really hard to hide it from them.

OP posts:

Original poster

Windywel · 29/09/2019 04:28

The other issue is that I have lost heaps of weight as I just don’t have any appetite.

OP posts:

bbcessex · 29/09/2019 04:54

What you're describing sounds absolutely par for the course... horrible, horrible to get through but YOU WILL get through it and this will become a distant memory.

Don't knock yourself for coming off the meds. You were brave to give it a go and that shows strength. You're also strong to go back on them - you're addressing a health issue.

Have you had any other therapy in addition?

LadyB49 · 29/09/2019 04:57

How long were you off the citalopram?
It will take about 5 weeks to feel the benefits so hang in there.
I take a 10mg maintenance dose having been on 20mg. Sometimes I think of stopping it but wont ..

Original poster

Windywel · 29/09/2019 05:03

Thanks all - so great to hear from you. I was off them for 6 months. Was a bit stressful during that time - my husband lost his job and I started a new one which hasn’t been great. I felt myself getting stressed and down first and then the anxiety kicked in when I had a bad episode with stomach pain. I had a little bit of CBT for the health anxiety before I went on the cit 4 years ago but stopped. I think I should have gone on longer with it. I am seeing a clinical psychologist this time. Have had 2 sessions. Will see how it goes. Did have one session of hypnotherapy too but don’t think it did much - was too anxious to be hypnotised! I just try and keep telling myself that it worked last time and it will work again and if it doesn’t there are other options but it’s so hard! I just want my life back 🙁

OP posts:

bbcessex · 29/09/2019 05:10

Glad that you are having therapy. Well done, you sound like you've had a tough few months and yet you're determined to help yourself. That takes strength and you obviously have it.

You will absolutely start to feel better in the coming days and weeks. Your appetite will come back. You'll find yourself begin to enjoy things again / sing along to the radio / smile.

Keep seeing your anxiety for what it is - an exaggerated response due to a chemical imbalance - makes you feel awful but will pass.

Original poster

Windywel · 29/09/2019 05:20

Thanks bbcessex I really hope so. I really do think it is a chemical imbalance now as I’ve had it for so many years. Turns out after talking to my mother that my father had health anxiety too. Bloody genes! I think I’m going to need to take these darn things for the rest of my life which is pretty challenging when I’m only in my 40s.

OP posts:

bbcessex · 29/09/2019 05:30

Yep - genes have a lot to answer for:
My mum was the same.

I've been on them since I was 42 - nearly 50 now.

I plan to take them forever - they keep me fabulous 🙌🙌❤️

Original poster

Windywel · 29/09/2019 05:33

Yep I definitely felt more fabulous a year ago! Did you go on them for anxiety or depression? I do wonder if hormones have got a bit to do with the relapse too. The GP did say it was a tricky time mid 40s on and I am 47 in March.

OP posts:

TheoriginalLEM · 29/09/2019 05:34

I was on citalopram for years and it did stop working for me. I was on 40mg my Dr changed me to Escitalopram which is effectively the same drug but purer. I take 10mg of this which is equivalent to 20mg citalopram. It has fewer side effects I believe but is more expensive.

Fwiw 10mg citalopram is a gnats fart of a dose and I have read that 20mg is considered the optimal dose.

Original poster

Windywel · 29/09/2019 05:37

Thanks - did you have any side effects changing from the cit to the escit?

OP posts:

TheoriginalLEM · 29/09/2019 06:02

None at all. This is because they are so similar and the reason my Dr chose it.

Original poster

Windywel · 29/09/2019 06:18

And the escit worked for you?

OP posts:

TheoriginalLEM · 29/09/2019 23:24

Sorry just seen this. It does work yes although im never not anxious iyswim. How ever I do have long term mental health issues. I'd say it allows me to function. I am considering upping my dose at the moment

Original poster

Windywel · 30/09/2019 02:56

Hi again - you were really helpful yesterday. Really need some reassurance. Had a terrible night - anxietypanic attacks started in the evening, got really bad when I tried to go to sleep. Didn’t get to sleep until 3.30. Feeling really anxious today. Worried it’s a serious adverse affect and I should stop them but will then have to go through side effects with something else. Need reassurance that this is normal and I should push through - or if not then go back to docs 😔

OP posts:

Cat0115 · 30/09/2019 05:19

Push through. Things will get better. 5 weeks or so. I am the same age as you, also on cit. Lack of sleep makes everything worse, plus hormones plus low appetite. Can you manage a bit of yoga? Some spine stretching cat and cow or some child's pose? I used Head space and 5 mins of yoga each time I felt overwhelmed when I felt awful. I think there is no cure for GAD but you can certainly learn to be the boss of it more.

ThelmaDinkley · 30/09/2019 05:29

Hi OP, keep taking them as with ssri’s you do feel worse before you feel better. I was the same with Prozac. Can you speak to your GP for some advice? Hope you feel better soon. I have anxiety and depression and it really does suck.

Seahorseshoe · 30/09/2019 06:22

SRI's can make you feel jittery when you first go on them. They didn't suit me at all and I needed a different, old fashioned, med. But you've been on these before and they suited you - so hang on in there.

I have a mantra for when I'm struggling, "this will pass", and it always does. You will not feel as anxious as you do now forever.

It's the pits op. I found this website and it's forum really helpful. Lots of people who know what you're going through.

www.nomorepanic.co.uk/

TheoriginalLEM · 30/09/2019 21:52

I echo what the others have said. They do take up to six weeks to work fully and the first week or so can be shite. Persevere if you can but do return to your Dr as they can give you something like diazepam short term to help.

There are many antidepressants out there and what suits one person wont suit another.

Hang on in there if you can. I had the mother of all panic attacks when i first started them but it does pass

Original poster

Windywel · 02/10/2019 01:48

Thanks all - I had a slightly better afternoon yesterday and managed to eat something but terrible day today as I am at home - lots of physical anxiety and negative thoughts - all those what if’s and foolishly did some googling and found studies that said that lots of people worth GAD didn’t respond to treatment and people on SSRIs who has early improvement had better chance of remission which is def not me! I don’t need to go away entirely just be way better than it is right now as I can’t function properly - haven’t been able to get out of bed today as I feel really anxious and tired 😟

OP posts:

bbcessex · 02/10/2019 12:30

Hi there OP

how are you now? I guess you don't need telling not to read things.. you will always find something to back up your negative thoughts if you look hard enough.

It's still early days - be kind to yourself and try to take your mind off things.

Limensoda · 02/10/2019 13:56

It took 12 weeks for escitalopram to work for my anxiety. I'm still on them after four months but the side effects are awful.
I was told side effects only last a couple of weeks but that's rubbish. It doesn't apply to every one.
The side effects got worse after doctor increased my dose from 10 to 15 mg.

Original poster

Windywel · 02/10/2019 23:01

Have got up and come to work but still feeling really anxious and finding it really hard to concentrate. I know it’s only day 6 of 10 mgs but I just want this intense anxiety to pass. I’m trying really hard to think positively and be patient. Problem is if it is hasn’t started to easy at the weekend I know I’ll get even more anxious and think that it isn’t going to work. There seem to be heaps of people with anxiety and depression that don’t seem to have any increased anxiety when they start on cit

OP posts:

Limensoda · 03/10/2019 07:42

01Windywel
You just need to be patient, which is difficult. It took a long time for me. It's a good job I'm retired because there's no way I could have worked.
Ask the doctor about a beta blocker to ease the symptoms. I was given propanolol one a day slow release capsule.

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