Anxiety/citalopram help and support please

[Wishing1988]

Hi
I've posted a few times over the last few weeks but I thought I'd start a new thread because I'm looking for more support and this has been a great resource.
I've had bad anxiety for months - crying, unable to concentrate etc.
Bit the bullet and started taking 10mg citalopram just over two weeks ago. Generally it's stopped me crying and I've noticed my appetite improved but I don't feel that much better and morning anxiety is still really bad. It's common I have to come upstairs after breakfast because I can't take care of my son and my wife has to do it. I tend to feel better later in the day and the anxiety does shift but my mood is still low almost all the time.
Should I go up to 20mg? My doctor did suggest this but I was nervous so said id wait but wondering if I should just do that.
I'm worried the meds are making me feel worse.
I'm also doing CBT and counselling but I'm not sure either are helping much.

Any words of support?

It can take about 6 weeks to kind of level. often you feel worse before you feel better.
The first few weeks are the hardest. Just be kind to yourself. Eat little and often. Rest when you can.
I think not expecting overnight success and anticipating blips along the way.
You might have a great week then a terrible day and convince yourself it’s all gone wrong then you pick up again.
You are doing all the right things with cbt and counselling too.

Also in regards to upping you totally can but I think from memory you usually do a few weeks on 10 then up.

You know me from the other thread. I did read somewhere that it takes about 2 weeks for side effects to lessen but up to 6 weeks for the citalopram to take affect.

From experience I know it can take several weeks to feel an improvement after commencing in such medication. Going up to a higher dose is a normal step, it can take a while to find the dose that suits you. Additionally, you are doing CBT, which can make you feel worse before you start to feel better. Just follow your doctor's advice and you will eventually feel yourself again. Everything you have described is pretty normal, and it is still early days as far as your treatment goes. GL.

Would you mind sharing some of your situation- I am more than aware that it's underlying things that are causing my stress and I wonder if a little pill can really help me. I moved house (and I'm really struggling to adapt and have such strong feelings of regret and pain because it's my fault) and I also had a baby. These things are big and have cocked me up. I'm actually better when I'm at work for a bit because I'm out of the house and I swap anxiety for stress but I just hope that time will be a healer.

Thanks everyone for responding! I guess today is a bit of a blip and I'm feeling down about it all.

@walkinthewoodstoday I moved house too and my anxiety is all about the upheaval and feeling like I made a mistake and it's all my fault - so we're in a similar situation. I have a toddler too but know how having a new baby feels.

I'm wondering if medication can really help me too or if its just a case of time and waiting it out. But that feels impossible

And to top it, my partner is not understanding at all and my lovely mum lives a long way away. I don't feel I'm living my life anymore.

I tell myself to give it time, but honestly my next solution after that is something drastic. I'm the worst I've even been and have made so awful mistakes that need big and costly solutions

I've been taking Citalopram since early last year, I started on 10mg but didn't feel any different after 4 weeks so the GP put me on 20mg which really helped. I've been struggling lately (I have health anxiety and GAD) so I've just been put onto 30mg, this was only yesterday though so I have no idea how it's going to go.

@walkinthewoodstoday hey sorry to hear you're struggling, I really think making an appointment with your GP would be a good idea.

Are the mistakes so huge? I'm sure you haven't made them alone and your husband has had some part in the house move etc.. How old is your baby?

Please make an appointment with your GP especially if you're thinking the next move would be something drastic. Antidepressants really can help.

I think you would be best going for 20mg. I am on 30mg and honestly it’s the best thing I have ever done. I wish I had got help sooner.

it sounds like the 10mg is starting to take the edge off but you need a bit more to start feeling more like you.

Please go back and increase your dose. Don’t try waiting out out. I’ve tried that and it doesn’t work. Give yourself the chance to feel better. Then once you’re on a more even keel you can think more clearly and decide on next steps. It might be staying in medication, it might be working to get it lower.

I felt the extra does helped let me brain “rest” and I could cope and function properly.

it takes time to work and 10mg is a very lose dose talk to your doctor about upping it.

I would go up to 20mg. That's when I noticed a proper difference and that's been my dose for most of the time I've been taking citalopram.

@noimaginationforausername thank you. I am on day 5 or so of 10mg citalopram. I am simply overwhelmed by all of the life choices that have happened and it doesn't feel I'm in my own life. I want to go home but this is home and that's why it's such a nightmare. Maybe if it doesn't have much effect then after a review I can up it a bit

Thanks everyone for your messages. It's been really helpful to read the advice. I'm going to get in touch with the doctor this week about upping to 20mg and see how I get on. The morning anxiety is so unpleasant and even when I'm feeling less anxious later in the day I still feel very low mood.

@walkinthewoodstoday how are you this morning? How long have you been in the house?
It's really hard getting settled, we relocated to a new town as well from London and are missing the absolute familiarity and feeling of 'home' of the area we lived in. Coming back to the house I'm in now just feels like coming back to someone else's place. I'm hoping in time this changes but like you, I'm also needing help with being anxious and overwhelmed. What does your partner say? I'm sorry to hear they're not super supportive.

I feel like we probably paid 100k over due to the hype of the market and have a big mortgage so I can't just reverse it by saying we will sell. I feel so trapped. Perhaps it's not even the house itself but regretting the position I was in before. I am so so stupid

A house two doors down from us (houses all identical) is currently on the market for £40k less than we paid for ours only a few months ago. Similar condition. And the sellers may even accept less if they're desperate to sell. We also bought at the peak and completed before it all started coming down and perhaps overlooked a few things about the house that I wouldn't have if it wasn't manic and I didn't feel panicked about losing out. I feel in hindsight very pressured to make the decision
Now I feel panicked about having not lost out and paying way way more than the house is worth.
All I try! (Doesn't always work) to remember when I'm also feeling like you are is that the market will recover and if we sell at a loss whatever we then go on to buy will be lower too. And then it cancels out.
Alternatively I'll hopefully come through the other side of this anxiety and actually like the house and then we will stay for a long time and then house prices don't matter.
Hopefully the medication will help us get on an even keel and before we know it we will not get so panicked about our decisions.
But I get it.

@Wishing1988 I'd happily pm you but not sure I can on the phone app.

Hi, I'm sorry you are struggling. Have you tried Sertraline? I have been on it 4 weeks now and I feel so much better. I have hardly had any anxiety. I can still get angry and frustrated but my reactions are very reduced and my anxiety regarding lateness or unknown situations has nearly disappeared.

Wishing, I think you should try a higher dose. I'm a week in on 10mg and I'm not improved. I feel like I'm in someone else's life

Yeah I'm going to request my doctor this week up my dose. And see how it goes. Perhaps after another week you should do the same?
Are you trying any counselling or CBT or anything to help you through. I'm not sure if it's really helping much but having someone listen to me say whatever I want is a good support rather than a friend or family who I know worry/get annoyed.
How long have you lived in the new house and how old is your baby?

10mg tends to be used as a maintenance dose in the elderly from what I read. You would be better to go up to 20mg, but definitely give it at least 6 weeks to kick in. I wish you all the very best.

I use 10mg and its ok, but sometimes my mind races and need to go up.
But 20 makes me more of a zombie and I lose track of work issues.

I know that for me, exercise and music are the best cure!

Good luck.

I have so much regret over moving. It was greed. The old house was actually better. I can't see how I can get better without moving again but not am trapped financially. And if not that, then suicide flits around. I've always been an organised, sorted person but I've reached a point where I don't care about anything and I'm scared for me and my family. I feel like my only solution is to take my children, move in with my mum (other side of the country) and take time but of course she doesn't want me to quit my job and have three dependents and I get that!

@Wishing1988 do you know anything about sleeping tablets? I don't want a full on sleeping tablet but is melatonin a soft option? I feel like we are sort of in this together. Hopefully in a few years time we can look back and laugh. I'm not convinced, yet.