Citalopram Increase

[Amybelle88]

Hi everyone -

Just looking for a little bit of feedback from people who have increased their citalopram doses if you don't mind? I started on 20mg 4 years when I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I am completely cancer free now thankfully, but I have been left with a hell of a lot of PTSD and seriously bad health anxiety that has sky rocketed over the last few months and I decided to give the GP. a ring as I've been on the same dose for the full 4 years.

I really rate this medication, it's served me well for a long time but when I was put on it, I had a lot going on so can't 100% remember how I felt - I do however remember picking up within about 4-5 days which was a big surprise.

I feel quite nauseous with a small appetite at the moment, dry mouth, a little fuzzy headed, drowsy but not sleeping well and my anxiety does feel like it's levelled out and those thoughts aren't taking over like they were. I was losing days at a time just stuck in a spiral of pure fear, I could feel the adrenaline in my veins. I've had a few dips but I've clawed them back quite fast compared to how much I was spiralling even just last week. It was honestly horrendous and very frightening. I also had a nap this afternoon and woke up with butterflies in my stomach - not in a nervous, anxious kind of way, but in an excited kind of way which was odd as I'm not particularly excited about anything bar looking forward to seeing the kids faces on Christmas Day.

I have only been on the increase for two days so I know this is very early days, but I've felt a difference already and just wanted to see how others got on with the increase? Also, did anyone take anything to help them sleep? I've read about possibly using an antihistamine? I just don't want to be completely shattered on Christmas Day.

Thanks in advance everyone - please, if you have negative experiences with this drug I am so very sorry but please don't share, I don't want this to become a negative space as I do get on with the 20mg and really rate this AD.

Amy xx

Did you have a Whipple's operation because I know a lot of people get PTSD after that? I was a nurse and we'd see this a lot.
Quite honestly citalopram has totally changed my life. I have complex PTSD from sustained childhood trauma and have had it for 45 years and it's messed up my life although I do manage to work full time.
I started citalopram this year and I've actually found myself feeling happy for the first time in years, the anxiety and flashbacks much reduced, |I can actually cope with difficult situation, I'm thinking about the future.
The side effects did get to me but they are wearing off now - dry mouth, sweating, feeling tired then insomnia etc but they are only temporary.
I really think this will help you get better. Best of luck with it all.

I meant to add I've just increased too and it's been great. I just stick with camomile tea before bed, it works for me.

I can’t say personally, but my DH always has citalopram when he gets a bout of anxiety/depression. He really rates it, too.
His ‘usual’ dose was 20mg, but he had an unusually hard ‘dip’ last time, and went on 40mg. He gets some side effects as well, at the start, but always sticks with it because he knows it works for him. He was fine with his 40mg.
I’m always happy to tell anyone what a positive experience he has with this. Life changing stuff.

@madcatladyforever

Did you have a Whipple's operation because I know a lot of people get PTSD after that? I was a nurse and we'd see this a lot. Quite honestly citalopram has totally changed my life. I have complex PTSD from sustained childhood trauma and have had it for 45 years and it's messed up my life although I do manage to work full time. I started citalopram this year and I've actually found myself feeling happy for the first time in years, the anxiety and flashbacks much reduced, |I can actually cope with difficult situation, I'm thinking about the future. The side effects did get to me but they are wearing off now - dry mouth, sweating, feeling tired then insomnia etc but they are only temporary. I really think this will help you get better. Best of luck with it all.

I did have a whipples, yes, on 31/7/2017 so quite a while ago now! I had neo adjuvant folfirinox, whipples and then gemcap for 6 months abs the whole treatment path really didn’t leave me with much trauma - I felt so safe with my team and as I was told a curative treatment from the off I knew I was very lucky and remained hopeful. I had my dips like everyone but I purposely tried not to think about the surgery itself as I knew it was huge. 5 weeks post surgery my femoral artery burst at home which required an embolisation - that was incredibly traumatic but again, I tried not to ruminate on it as I just wanted to be well for chemo.

However, I had a big ordeal getting diagnosed and it was actually missed on three scans by a piss poor hospital up here in Liverpool. I had to fight tooth and nail for a diagnosis and they told me I was severely mentally ill because I was insisting that I had cancer. It was horrendous and that’s left me with more ptsd than the surgery and treatment itself. When people find out I’ve had that operation I do get “oh my god, you’re so lucky! You must have a guardian angel” which is meant well but reminds me that it’s big and it scares me a little, but it’s most definitely before diagnosis that haunts me. It was 3/4 very dark months, I was 27 with a newborn and a 1 year old. It was awful.

I managed to sleep a bit better last night, it’s just the nausea that I hate, I get scared to lose weight as it gives me flashbacks to when I was ill, so if you have any tips on how I can stop this I’d really appreciate it?

Thank you xxx

@dun1urkin

I can’t say personally, but my DH always has citalopram when he gets a bout of anxiety/depression. He really rates it, too. His ‘usual’ dose was 20mg, but he had an unusually hard ‘dip’ last time, and went on 40mg. He gets some side effects as well, at the start, but always sticks with it because he knows it works for him. He was fine with his 40mg. I’m always happy to tell anyone what a positive experience he has with this. Life changing stuff.

I feel like the side effects are easing a little bit, but it is only early days. I’m just thinking about my Christmas dinner! 😂

I’m so glad it’s worked well for your husband, it truly is a fantastic medication. I’ve read a lot of the reviews and they’re just so uplifting - the amount of lives it has changed for the better xxx

Ses the nausea is really horrible but it does pass, I wish I'd taken a week off work annual leave to cope with that but I worked through. Goodness I can't believe you were only 27 with such young children. That must have been tough.