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 :(

I’m just bumping this as have found it such a helpful read. I’m on day 4 of citalopram and feeling so down. I’m quite spacey and that seems to have reduced my anxiety significantly - dd (14) commented today that I was much nicer and calmer to be around and seemed more me. I don’t feel it though, I feel very sad.

We had a good chat just now , I said one of the reasons I decided to try it was obviously as I could see she was affected by my anxiety but also I felt that people were treating me oddly when I interacted - dd said that often I was quite manic that was why! I had to ring the garage today and did notice that it felt better. Worrying for how I’ve been at work!

I’ve taken the week off , had nausea the first 3 days but that’s ok today . Might go up to 20mg next week but my sleep is badly affected and I need that to settle a bit. Going to start taking them in the morning rather than at night and see if it helps .

how is everyone on this thread?

Hang in there. It eases. I split a 20mg in half & take at start & end of day. Find that works for me. It does dull everything but eases anxiety & depression. I'm getting my post-menopause hormones sorted now & that is helping my mood. I'm now getting all 3 hormones and feel it'll do the trick.

I think if the sleeplessness side effect can ease I'll really feel a lot better. I just hadn't realised how much the anxiety was hiding the depression, it's great its already starting to reduce the anxiety but I hadn't really acknowledged I was depressed until I spoke to the GP so this is all a bit of a shock , especially now that's the main issue.

@stillherenow I also found this thread so helpful when I found it. I’m feeling a lot better now. When I read back on the posts I wrote just a few months ago, it reminded me of how awful I felt and the difference I feel now. I felt a bit spaced out on citalopram at first and would fluctuate from being really anxious and a bit jittery to feeling really sad for no reason but I think that was also the hormonal changes I’m going through. All I can say is Four months on I feel much more stable. I don’t feel numb, just calmer and more able to deal with difficult or stressful situations. I found taking it in the morning helped and my sleep definitely improved though I would say that took a while to settle down. The best advice I can give is to just hang in there and have faith it will work. I’m a very impatient person and found it really difficult when I didn’t feel better within a few days. It took a few weeks for me which felt like forever at the time. Hope things start to feel better for you soon.

Thanks @Lindylu74 your post sums up exactly how I feel. I've woken up feeling very anxious again! I didn't take it last night and slept a bit better, woke at 4 but reminded myself I do that when I'm anxious about something (there are a couple of things on my mind atm), and I dozed for the rest of the night so not too bad. Just taken the dose so hoping the change to morning will be better. Having had a brief respite from bad anxiety the last couple of days and that chat with my dd has shown me how much I do need medication. It's strange how you normalise it and don't realise what a mess you're in.

Really glad to hear you're feeling better!

I wonder if the ups and downs are related to how long it takes to get a consistent level of the medication in your body? Eg this morning I took it at 7am and felt absolutely awful mentally until about 2pm, feel quite calm now. When I was taking it at night, I'd feel ok the next day until the afternoon when I'd really spiral down.

So hoping this means it's going to work once I get the levels up. I think I'll move up to the full 20mg (as prescribed) on Monday .

Nicoflow i know this is an old post just wondered how you're doing now as I'm currently in the same position goiing through hell. Lots of love x

Hi Nicoflow. Sorry I know this is an old post but my current situation is exactly the same as you were back in April. How are you feeling now? Any tips because I'm really struggling. Much love x

Hi @Emm1973, I’ve been on citalopram before and also suffered heightened anxiety and my sleep was poor before and during start up of citalopram. No advice really other than just ride it out - I started on 10mg for two weeks, then started taking a second 10mg (so one first thing and another 12 hours later) and did this to alleviate side effects. Did this for a few weeks then just on to 20mg in the morning. Took about 4 weeks to start seeing significant improvements, then 6-8 weeks to know I was doing a lot better and I could eat/sleep/function at work and with kids without feeling like I was anxious every minute. Keep going, it will get easier!

I know this is an old post but just wonder how you are now? I’m currently in this situation and feel so low that I’m never going to get better. Any advice please ?

Hi Annie. Thanks for reaching out. I'm so sorry to hear you are struggling too. Honestly persevere it does get better. I've been on Citalapram just over two years and without sounding too dramatic its saved my life along with the HRT I also started at the same time (not sure of your age). I did also take a small dose of diazampam and zoplicone for a short while to help he situation which luckily I managed to wean off OK. If you need any help please ask x

Thank you Emma. How long did it take to work for you? I’ve been on it 7 weeks now. And week 5 I felt really well, like I was back to myself then middle of week 6 the anxious feeling came back, I can’t eat anything I feel awful. I don’t won’t to quit now as I’ve gone through hell these last 7 weeks but I’m starting to think it’s just not going to work. What dose are you on? I’m on 20mg since the start x

Hi, I'm still on the citalopram and are not planning to come off them. The medication was a life saver for me. I returned back to work and life is back to normal as good as can be. Things will get better you won't always feel this way. I felt exactly the same way x

Thank you nicoflow. I’m almost week 8 now so hopefully I will start to turn a corner soon. I’m on 20mg do you think I need to increase to 30mg? xx

Hi, they do say to wait a few months for the meds to fully take effect. Honestly I was in such a dark place when I look back but with the meds they did wonders. You will turn a corner and start to feel better it's just that it takes time and that is something I know you probably feel you ain't got as I was the same. But please just stick it out and speak with your doctor with regards to the dose x

Thank you. What dose did you recover on? And did sleep eventually improve? I’m getting off to sleep ok, sleeping for 2/3 hours then waking every hour up at 5:30 and the anxiety starts again. No appetite. I am coming around in the evening and having a few better hours. I have a doctors appointment Monday so il ask about dose then xx

I recovered on 20mg but everyone is different with doses. I know others that are on 30mg and that dose is better for them. I was the same with regards to sleep but I had zopiclone to help me sleep In which i weaned off over time and those did help me. I also lost weight as I had zero appetite but that will come back as soon as you start to feel better. That's good that you have an appointment with the doctor. Any time you need to chat just message me. I know at the that time for me I just needed constant reassurance from someone xx

Thank you so much xx

Your very welcome xx

Hi Annie175 I've been following your post .I am in a similar situation with venlafaxine .Had an increase 8 weeks ago after doing ok .Last couple of weeks feel I've gone backwards. Was sleeping well now waking early .Could cry and hide away 😢

I really feel for you as I’m really struggling too. I’ve been on Citalopram for almost 8 weeks now and around week4/5 I really though I was on my way to recovery then week 6 went back down hill. The anxiety is crippling me and affecting my sleep. I’ve got no appetite at all I’m loosing weight I don’t know what to do for the best. I’m worried to up my dose incase it makes it worse but tbh it can’t get much worse. Hope your feeling better soon xx

Hello, I recently started Citalopram 10mg 2weeks ago and have been finding this thread so helpful. I had a traumatic event on April, developed really bad sleep issues, anxiety & depression. It's honestly been the worst year of my life. I'm only 2 weeks in and did start to feel some benefit but then seem to be feeling awful again ...crying, and just generally feeling so awful . My sleep is still all over the place so I'm sure that's exacerbating things.

Anyway I know this is an older thread but hoping people can comment on how they are feeling now and perhaps give some encouragement to keep going. Thanks

Hi, for me it took a good 8 weeks I think. I would start to feel a bit better then worse and thought they just weren’t working. Gradually the dips weren’t so bad and didn’t last so long and I evened out. The slee is tough as I’m the same as you, without good sleep my anxiety is much much worse. But the sleep also got better after a few weeks so hang on in there. I went on propranolol as well for the first few weeks to help with some of the symptoms. Once the citalopram began to work, I was able to stop taking the propranolol so may be worth asking your GP about it. You’re not alone.

Thanks @Lindylu74 I've been given some Zopiclone to help with sleep but trying to space them out. I've not got physical symptoms of anxiety, the Cit is helping with that at least. Really appreciate you replying 🙏🏾

Add to this thread if you need a friendly ear at any time. When I was going through it, it helped knowing other people had done the same and were feeling better. Take care