Citalopram - feeling worse 2 weeks in and about to up dose

[Scottishboi]

Hello,

I'm hoping to hear some positive / encouraging stories about Citalopram in helping with general panic and panic attacks.

I've been on Fluoxetine and Mirtazipine and neither helped my anxiety. I've suffered from panic attacks for years but lately it's been pretty bad.

I've now been switched off 45mg Mirtazipine straight on to 10mg Citalopram. I'm two and a half weeks on them and my anxiety is worse than before, I've had several panic attacks in recent weeks and feel like I can barely leave the house.

I've been told to persevere and up to 20mg in a week. I'm hoping there's a chance that the medication can explain some of the increased anxiety and that this might dissipate soon?

Any advice appreciated!

Hello, 10mg is a very small dose of citalopram so it would be worth persevering and increasing it to 20mg as that is more likely to have an effect.
I’m currently on 20mg citalopram plus 10mg Aripiprazole but I was just on 30mg Citalopram before.

Forgot to say Good Luck 😀

You'll feel a lot better on 20.

Just out of curiosity how are you hormonally? I used to have terrible panic disorder and I think it was bad around more hormonal times. After pregnancy etc. I'm post menopausal now and fine.

I hope you feel better soon they're awful 😔💐

Thanks both for your replies! I'm hoping the increased dosage doesn't make me feel worse even to begin with, but I know that might happen?

I just seem to feel really anxious all the time at the moment :( Here's hoping it starts having a positive impact soon.

@Scottishboi how long has this been happening? Had anything triggered it?

I was briefly on Citalopram for depression. It caused massive anxiety which I hadn't had before, a violent tremor and very blurred vision. Horrible stuff IMHO, a panacea dished out for evry ailment known to man. I know anti depressants take their time to kick in my this stuff actually made me quite ill.

@Ulysees I'm kind of caught in that classic cycle of anxiety, I took a couple of panic attacks and now I'm just experiencing extreme anxiety every day (about two and a half weeks into the citalopram)

@Scottishboi go back or make an econsult appointment and chat on the phone to a doctor.
Have you tried any relaxation techniques?

Hi … I was on cit for 5 years when I first went on them they make you feel worse before any better after about 4-5 weeks I noticed a big difference .. side effects were horrible I’m not going to lie to u I felt I was going insane for about a week the doc gave me 1mg of diazepam to settle my nerves and this helped a bit all I can say to u is keep going don’t stop now u will see a difference u will feel like u again I promise if u take it correctly it does work I couldn’t believe the difference in myself u do have to work with aswell try baby steps each day … after 8 weeks of been of these recently I have had to go back on them as things started to creep back in I’m on my 2nd day of 10mg

You have my sympathies @Scottishboi I’m also 2 weeks in on a new AD, (not citalopram) and the last few days my original symptoms have gotten worse. I’m hoping it’s just the meds taking time to kick in…. Not great in the meantime though! Sending hugs xx

Yes. I could not agree more. They just dish them out and it can make some people very unwell. It did me. Much to the dismay and frustration of my Dr who has pretty much disowned me.

There has to be another way. Surely .

This can happen unfortunately. You can feel worse before you feel better. I would persevere. The initial side effects from antidepressants can be rough but they settle down they can be so helpful.

Thank you all for your kind replies, it's reassuring to know this is normal - it's a shame it's such a common side effect! I'll persevere and hope I sort start to feel a bit better in the coming week or two.

Did you find it helped stop the panic attacks @Kellbell14?

Yeah @Ulysees I've been doing breathing exercises which has helped a bit.

Yes definitely they stopped and the anxiety drifted away u just have to keep taking them and hang in with the side effects I’m on day 3 of re starting them I feel sickly this morning and a bit jittery but plenty of water and rest self care helps

I was started on 20mg Citalopram, and your anxiety sounds more severe than mine, although I have mild depression too. You probably need 20mg or more. I felt awful for the first two weeks - nausea and spaced out, insomnia etc. It took 6-8 weeks to really settle down (mainly insomnia) and I feel much better now. I take it after breakfast otherwise I don't sleep well. I have had issues with jaw clenching still so recently swapped to 10mg Escitalopram - it seems to have a reputation for having fewer side effects, and I didn't get any side effects making the swap. Still a bit jaw clenchy, but I think I feel marginally better on it.

That's good. A lot of the symptoms happen because we hyperventilate or just don't breath properly. I used to get an awful knot in my chest I was convinced was my heart failing. Fuzzy head and vision. Needing to escape...plus more. It's a terrible existence.