Citalopram and Anxiety

[ITryNotToDoIt]

Hi all. I have been prescribed citalopram (10mg) by my GP for anxiety, which started and then worsened since lockdown started. I have had trouble with anxiety in the past, but never to the point that I've had to seek help.

I just wondered whether anyone would be kind enough to tell me what their experience with citalopram has been for anxiety?

For background, I have also been drinking quite heavily (self-medicating I guess, this has now stopped and I am determined not to start again), and my 18 month relationship with my DP is on hold, at his request, so I am feeling really quite raw 😔. I am a single mum to two teenagers, and have had them at home pretty much full time since March. Lots of other stressful things going on too, such as the death of a very much loved family member.

Any other tips/advice on dealing with anxiety, what to expect with the medication etc. would be very gratefully received.

I've been on 20mg daily for 3 years now and havent looked back. Granted it doesn't 'get rid' of the anxiety, but makes my mind much clearer so that I can think straight and wind myself out of the anxiety. It really does help. 10mg is a low dose, and should help take the edge off for you. I lived for years battling it without medication, but in the end I couldn't fight anymore.

@SospanFrangipan Thank you. She said she wanted to start me on a low dose, and then increase it if necessary. In fact, I was wondering whether I should start with half a tablet to start with, to lessen the side effects whilst it starts to get into my system? Do you mind me asking what time of day you take it? I'm on my own with the kids, and they're back at school next week and I start a new job, so it's a bad time!

The anxiety problems I have are more mental, rather than physical iyswim? So it's more the racing thoughts, overthinking, feeling constantly on edge, tearful, difficulty in concentrating, intrusive thoughts, hyper vigilance etc. that I struggle with. I have the odd panic attack, but I can manage that.

I started on 10mg citalopram for anxiety which then increased to 20mg. As a pp said, it doesn't stop those anxious thoughts but I think that it gives you a kick start to get your mind back to a healthy way of thinking.

I don't seem to get that horrible hot but cold feeling I was getting when I panicked and things seem to just go over me a bit more.

But you do need to also train your mind to reduce your anxiety too. Try and reason with yourself that you understand that your way of thinking isn't usual and therefore shouldn't be as much of a worry as you think it is.

Have you been referred for CBT?

@Mostdefinitelynot No, she didn't refer me for CBT, but I do pay privately to see a counsellor every month, which I have done since my marriage broke down. Unfortunately I can't get an appointment to see her until next week.

Honestly, I think this is a situational kind of thing rather than anything else. I've had an awful lot of stuff going on over the past three or so years, including an international move (back to the UK), the breakdown of my marriage, and loads of other things. The coronavirus thing was just the straw that broke the camels back in a way.

I'm just hoping that now I've stopped drinking and once I've started my medication and get back on track to being the person that he fell in love with, that my partner feels that we can move forward.

Hi OP, sorry I missed your reply. How are you doing?
I take mine last thing at night, the GP that prescribed them advised night time to lessen any side effects. I've never had any side effects, and I started on 20mg.
Your anxiety sounds very similar to mine, and I also paid for private counselling for a while prior to the medication. It may help if you find some coping techniques online? I have a couple that I use when things are getting a little on top of me (thankfully not very often these days), and they really do help. As PP said, you need to be able to learn how to take control of the effects the anxiety has on you, and learn how to reign it in (for want of a better saying), and the medication should help you start doing that. X

For me it didn't get rid of it, it just made me care less about being anxious. It also takes away any happy feelings too tho. For want of a better expression everything just feels a bit meh

@omg35

For me it didn't get rid of it, it just made me care less about being anxious. It also takes away any happy feelings too tho. For want of a better expression everything just feels a bit meh

I would seriously consider going to you GP about this. They shouldn't make you feel this way. I hope you're ok x

I moved up from 10 in increments until 40mg which I've been on for a couple of years. They do really help. I did try to wean off them a year or so ago and I did have some withdrawal ( brain zaps, nausea and tiredness) but went back up when I started to feel low. I still get anxious but it doesn't leave me paralysed like it did before.

To add I take mine at night before bed, and was safe looking after a toddler when I started on 10mg - no drowsiness, I just felt slightly nauseous.