Citalopram 10mg

[Rainbow1994]

I am 4 weeks nearly 5 into 10mg citalopram for really bad anxiety i have suffered years with it. I have 3 children one been 9month old and it seems to have got worse, i got to where i couldnt eat i was loosing weight couldnt concentrate and just panicky all the time google EVERYTHING, worst case scenario when the children are ill you name it i have done it. I hit a wall and went to the doctor. Now the doctors have tried plenty of times to put me on ADs and i have refused but this time i knew i needed. Anyway the 1st two weeks were awful i wanted to stop. The 3rd week i felt glimpses of my old self and was laughing and had energy. And this week i seem to be struggling again not like i was but its there. is this normal in the first 6 weeks? The doctor wants to up my dose but im so scared of the side effects again.
Please dont give me anything to over think or be scared of as i actually give myself symptoms!
I just want peoples POSITIVE experiences on citalopram.

Yes that correct doctor wants me on 20. I will take 20 tonight as i have been fine with 15.

Good plan and good luck x

You too let me know how you go. Hope you feel better soon. Anxiety is crippling . X

Thanks. It is crippling, I do spend time pretty much paralysed by it. And then other times I feel almost normal. Am hoping the normal periods of time will stretch out and the anxious times decrease.

I think my sleep is a little bit better so that should help things I hope.

If you dont mind me asking. Which sort of anxiety do you have? Mines mostly health and it kills me. I am constantly looking for things in the children i spend alot of time in the doctors. They know me very well and always are good with me. But its still not good. I want to be "normal" x

I guess I have GAD - generalised anxiety disorder but I do understand the worrying about your children thing very well too.

Started taking 20 2 nights ago. So far so good. Actually woke with no morning anxiety and normally thats a killer! May not be the medicine i dont know. X

Im taking my 20mg on a night today i have felt nauseous on and off i hope side effects arnt going to get any worse.

The people that got heightened anxiety when upping dose how long did it last? And what was your symptoms of it please?

Bump

I find it a bit difficult to pinpoint or analyse but I would say maybe 7-10 days of heightened anxiety before maybe a further 7-10 days of ‘regular’ anxiety before things vaguely start to improve (slowly, for me!)

I have heard of others have quicker/better experience than this though.

Are you doing other things to help in the meantime? Eg exercise, relaxation techniques, self help books?

You asked about symptoms too - many and varied for me: intrusive thoughts, agitation, restlessness, dark thoughts, racing heart, being too hot or too cold, night time sweating, early waking, general ‘weird’ in the head feelings.

Was this first starting out? Or upping your dose?

Yes i am and the exercise helps lots. And been in work helps lots.

Both, but what I meant by difficult to pinpoint and analyse is that for me it’s difficult to say what is underlying symptoms of the anxiety and what is side effects from citalopram. Its possibly both. It’s messy.

@Kielyflower that Makes sense actually to seperate the two. Im just not going to think too much into it and just hope 20mg helps me.

Day 4 on 20mg and upt now so far so good. Felt sick first two days but thats gone now. Is there still time for side effects? Or would they have started by now? Im keeping this as a diary for myself so i can look back in a few months and hopefully im better x

Peak plasma concentration will be around 6-7 days after upping dose, but i wouldnt eye that date with any trepidation. Youll ALMOST be at peak plasma concentration now. What side effects specifically are you worried about as I generally alternate 10mg and 20mg and have done for over a year (probably average 15mg a day), and have not felt any side effects either from missing doses or increasing during times of stress. I also briefly came off them entirely in the autumn for a while and only felt a bit tired and angry.

I often think that "side effects" people experience on low dose fluctuations are more a sign of the devastation depression and anxiety plays on the brain, and the power of suggestion, other than the drug itself.

I think u may be right as i was talking about side effects other day and said i dont know if it was the tablets or me in general. Im actually not bad now but my anxiety symptoms seem to start round about now. Heavy heart , feeling as jf i cant catch my breath, yawning. I take my tablet at night dont know if taking on a morning would make a difference to tea time anxiety,

At the moment im managing morning anxiety and that seems to pass quite easy especially after a walk

Don't hold me to this, but I had yawning as an early side effect. I think it just makes the reflex a bit more stimulated but I think it will definitely balance out. Mine did, but it was genuinely constant at first

@Rainbow1994
ive just found your post and it’s been really helpful.

ive just started citalopram 10mg and today is week 3. I was starting to feel better, but yesterday and today I feel like I’ve taken a dip. It sounds similar to you.

i was just wondering how you are now? Did you stay on 20mg and did it help?

Hello @Monkey130 i did start and take the 20 and i was so scared to up my doseage and i dont know why. I did it in 15mg for 2 weeks then went onto the 20 to minimise side effects. (Advise off a PP) it is the best thing i could of done im alot better on 20mg than i was on 10. I still have bad days but thats just day to day life. I have struggled with a bad week to be honest but managed to power through. But yes 100% i would asvise the 20mg. But 3 weeks is still early days. I stuck with the 10 longer than 3 weeks i cant remember how long exactly i would have to look back on this post but it was longer than 3 week. I upped my dose in november. Started 10 in september so i think i gave it a good two months.

@Rainbow1994 thanks for your reply- I spoke with the gp this morning and she is keen for me to stay on the 10mg for now. I just feel a bit disappointed with this blip as it’s knocked me back. I was feeling hopefully- now just feeling tired and anxious. It could be hormonal, or maybe the virus my son has. I’ve got another 3 weeks off work- but at this rate not sure how I’ll be able to do my job if things don’t improve

@Monkey130 i have noticed hormonal does mess with my anxiety and if im coming down with something my anxiety flares too. So give it another few weeks and see if anyrhing improves. But i do know 20 is the reccomended dose.