Struggling on Citalopram - help?

[Anxietygirl100]

I’ve recently started on 10mg Citalopram (2.5 weeks in) for very serve anxiety and panic that’s completely robbed me of my life so far. It’s been very up and down since taking the tablets, I’ll have some really good moments and then it might come crashing down again and I feel awful.

I know from reading posts and speaking to my GP that it can be rough for the first sort of month and then around 4-6 weeks, it should start having some effect and then 8-12 really kicking in.
I had an AWFUL experience with sertraline and so tablets petrify me. It’s taken a year and failed therapy to get me to try these. Both my sister and mum had success with Citalopram but neither had side effects but I just don’t feel great. I feel really lonely as no one seems to get it and I just want some support and to know there’s still hope that these can work even if I feel bad to start :(

Hi @Anxietygirl100, how are you now? I have also just started on these so hoping to hear you are feeling much better?

Hi @GoRicky,

Much better thank you (other than the fact I have covid now ugh! Ha). It was very up and down with side effects for a good 8 weeks (but only really bad first 2-3). I’d say it took me until the 8 weeks to stop really being fussed with taking them.

They definitely helped the depression and I’d say I’m less up and down. I have made lots of progress on them. I still get very bad anxiety at times and panic but they’ve definitely definitely helped on some days. Honestly though, I probably would benefit going up to 20mg as I’m not even on a therapeutic dose but I’m planning to do that in the new year when Christmas is out the way.

Keep going ❤️

Thanks @Anxietygirl100, I’m so pleased to hear you’re feeling brighter. I’m also on 10mg but I’m usually quite sensitive to things so I’m hoping I still see an improvement on 10 - I’ve only been taking them for a week but starting to have some brighter spells during the day where my thoughts are less intense. Hope you continue getting better and seeing improvements, it’s not easy having anxiety or depression! 💐

So good to read. I found 10mg really took the edge off. Good luck.

Just a little slither of hope but I started 25mg Citalopram around 2 years ago. For the first 6 weeks, my mental health was horrific. I was suicidal, couldn't leave the house and was a total wreck.

Then one day I realized that I was no longer experiencing see-saw emotions like I was before beginning. Finally I felt stable, normal emotions rather than ridiculously happy or suicidal sad. Now its been 2 years and I have tried to wean off a few times but I am clearly not ready haha. They have honestly saved my life and I can happily say I haven't been suicidal since Nov 2019 xx

@MistySkiesAfterRain @Anxietygirl100 can I ask what time you take your citalopram? I’ll have been on 10mg for two weeks tomorrow, was definitely feeling a bit better but had a stressful event at work at the weekend which set me back. Finding my sleep is still awful - falling asleep ok, but waking several times through the night and struggle to get back to sleep. Have been taking the tablet at 7pm but wondering if I should swap to morning? TIA

@MistySkiesAfterRain hey, of course.

So I’ve always taken mine around 9am. If you find your sleep has changed since taking them, it’s likely they’re causing it as I know it can effect sleep. I’ve never been a great sleeper anyway, but I wouldn’t say it’s directly effected my sleep taking it at this time, so definitely give it a go. If you are getting any side effects you may feel them a bit more for a little bit just because you’ll be awake. However, by this point they probably won’t be as bad :).

Also, don’t beat yourself up if you find you’ve had a set back, 2 weeks is still so early on and don’t be alarmed if it goes up and down for awhile. I definitely felt some changes early on and you might find it happens much sooner but I’d say at 10mg it took a good 8 weeks before things settled and I started going ‘oh, I couldn’t do that before or that feels like anxiety inducing’. This set backs will still happen, they’ll just slowly become easier to deal with. I said to myself I’d give them the full 12 weeks to see how 10mg definitely works for me before considering going up.

Good luck 😊

@Alittlebitfat25 so glad they’ve worked for you. Yes it definitely can take a good few weeks (that day 4-6 weeks you should be feeling better). I found ignoring the actual medical information and going by actual citalopram used helped a lot more when I was struggling at first to know that it can take a couple months to do anything much.

Can I ask if you’ve ever moved up your doses? I’d like to go up, ideally to 15 then 20, just to give myself that little extra boost mostly for my nighttime anxiety. The doctor said 5mg doesn’t exist and I can’t just split my 10mg in half.. but I’ve definitely seen people take 5mg?

@Alittlebitfat25 sorry I’ve just woken up from a nap and realised how awfully worded that first message to you was haha. I can’t seem to delete it. I’ll try again…

So glad they’ve worked for you. Yes it definitely can take a good few weeks
I found ignoring the actual medical information (that they say 4-6 weeks you should be feeling better) and going by actual citalopram used helped a lot more when I was struggling at first to know that it can take a couple months to do anything much.

Can I ask if you’ve ever moved up your doses? I’d like to go up, ideally to 15 then 20, just to give myself that little extra boost mostly for my nighttime anxiety. The doctor said 5mg doesn’t exist and I can’t just split my 10mg in half.. but I’ve definitely seen people take 5mg? I’m a bit nervous to increase and repeat the first few weeks again. Any idea if it’ll be easier?

@GoRicky I’m having no luck with this feed today having just woken up from a deep nap haha. It didn’t tag you in my reply above. Only @MistySkiesAfterRain. Why can’t you delete replies on here!!

I did say…

hey, of course.

So I’ve always taken mine around 9am. If you find your sleep has changed since taking them, it’s likely they’re causing it as I know it can effect sleep. I’ve never been a great sleeper anyway, but I wouldn’t say it’s directly effected my sleep taking it at this time, so definitely give it a go. If you are getting any side effects you may feel them a bit more for a little bit just because you’ll be awake. However, by this point they probably won’t be as bad smile.

Also, don’t beat yourself up if you find you’ve had a set back, 2 weeks is still so early on and don’t be alarmed if it goes up and down for awhile. I definitely felt some changes early on and you might find it happens much sooner but I’d say at 10mg it took a good 8 weeks before things settled and I started going ‘oh, I couldn’t do that before or that feels less anxiety inducing’. This set backs will still happen, they’ll just slowly become easier to deal with. I said to myself I’d give them the full 12 weeks to see how 10mg definitely works for me before considering going up.

Good luck 😊

I found I had to take mine very last thing at night before literally turning the light off. Any earlier or if I started doing things...too many brain synapses going off and I would be wide awake.

You absolutely can cut in half, thats what I did to cut down from 10mg to 5mg and then into a quarter! 2.5mg is so small its neither here nor there really though!

I bought a pill cutter on Amazon which worked great - less wastage.

Thanks @Anxietygirl100 and @MistySkiesAfterRain - interesting that it seems quite individual as to what time to take it. I’ll start to move towards morning and see if my sleep improves, it’s hard surviving on such little sleep with young children

I’m now on day 18 of 10mg and feeling like I’m going backwards again. Have shifted to take tablet in the morning to try and help sleep as my anxiety is worse now than it’s ever been. Trying to remind myself that’s a common side effect but worried that it won’t end anytime soon. I know day 18 is early, just desperate for some relief 😢

I’m also on Citalopram- up and down. On 10mg for a week so hoping to see improvement soon. Mainly anxiety and panic - but obviously this is having an effect on my mood.

Are you able to go out for dinner etc? I’m struggling with seeing friends as in constant state of anxiety

It can take some people a few months to feel better. It took me about three months for the anti anxiety effect to kick in.

@GoRicky don’t worry, I was very much the same at that stage. I think I remember around the 3 week mark feeling the same. It’s completely normal to be going up and down for awhile, try to keep reminding yourself that. I never thought I’d be on this end of the tablets, but it’s possible. Better days will come, I promise. Also, the sudden shift will either mean you’re a bit behind or a bit more on your dose, it’ll settle itself back out after a couple days at the same time. Starting tablets is a rollercoaster and it’s very normal for it to still be happening, it takes different times for people but you’re still at the beginning. Keep going, you can do this

@samanthaone yes, I can do a lot more than I could when I first started. I couldn’t even be away from home, it does get easier. Keep going

Thanks for the words of encouragement @Anxietygirl100, it’s really kind of you to offer your experience as reassurance. I’m going to keep going with them and hope better days are ahead! They’re also playing havoc with my digestive system - or maybe that’s just the anxiety, but I’m struggling to eat and what I do manage to eat, doesn’t stick around for long in my system!

Keep going with them. I've been in citaliopram for the years and still have good days and harder days with them, I kinda figure I had good days and harder days before I started taking them but it was more extreme then so it's better with them either way, keep taking to you go or nurse or whoever you talk to about your medication, it's their job they should know what they're talking about and like in here talk to peers remember medication can take a while to work both to start with and adjusted doses. This time either i started on 20mg and went up to 39mg my body found going up as hard to deal with as starting on then

Day 21 on 10mg for me and I have had a rough few days but this morning having some glimmer of hope! Not sure why I’m writing here really, maybe just to document this incase I need to remind myself that maybe, just maybe, this medication will help me after all!

@GoRicky that’s great to hear, it’s good to document so you can remind yourself that good days do happen. Those good days while become more and more. Don’t be worried if dips happen for a little while. I remember for a good couple months, every time I dipped I would worry intensely about the tablets not working or making it worse. That’s all normal, just keep going :). You are strong enough to get through this

I started on 10mg and went up to 20mg and it made a big difference. I didn't have any side effects going up in dosage and I slept really well.

I'm glad it's working out for you!

Thanks @Anxietygirl100 and @bettertimesarecomingnow, it really helps knowing other people have been through similar. I’m still struggling with intense anxiety and my eating and sleeping are terrible - but - I just felt a little calmer when I woke this morning. Still early days and only on 10mg - I’ve read that’s enough for some people but not sure when to think about a possible increase in dose?

@GoRicky I personally would wait the 12 weeks to see how much of an effect it has - this is the maximum time it takes to reach full effect. However, if say by 8 weeks you’re feeling not even minimal difference, maybe speak to your doctor then about increasing

I'm on 10mg of citalopram and have been for years. Like previous posters have said, it takes the edge off. Doesn't get rid of anxiety by any means, but does definitely make it easier to cope with.