Citalopram

[Myboysmyworld666]

Hi I am reaching out for support before I lose my mind, so I have a anxiety disorder where any time I try to go somewhere busy like a shop or appointment etc I have extreme anxiety the physical side effects are crippling me the doctors have put me on citalopram after venlafaxine and sertraline were not good for me, I am 3 weeks in and just looking for reassurance please, before starting citalopram I could walk my dogs or walk to my mums now my anxiety is so heightened I struggling to leave the house please looking for positive feedback

These messages are what keep me going it's 4 week today my vision is slowly coming back to normal I am finally hungry yaaaaa🤣 just got to take baby steps on leaving the house now but each step is a step in my book thanjs for your message x

I did find that my symptoms worsened in the first 4-6 weeks but then started to get better again. I’ve tried to come off of it a few times over the years but the minute I do, I’m anxious and/or depressed again. So, for me, Citalopram clearly works!

4 weeks and 2 days in and still feeling the anxiety every other symptom has basically gone will the anxiety go it's the physical symptoms that are so hard every time I try to leave the house I am relying on everyone else to do everything and it's making me feel shit x

Don't pressure yourself and honestly it will get better day by day I honestly relied on Mumsnet when I started taking citalopram x

Thanks hun appreciate that x

So my doctor wants to increase my dose to 20 mg and I am terrified it's 4 week and 3 days today of 10mg and she wants me to wait till 6 week before dose increase because my anxiety is still making me not leave the house it's the physical side of things but i had such a rough 3 weeks to begin with I am so scared that will all come back when she ups the dose 😭

I also relied a lot on mumsnet when I started Citalopram. The first few weeks are rough, once it settled the dr increased my dose but the side effects were only mildly worse for a couple of days and then I felt so much better. It's perfectly usual to feel like this, although it isn't nice. Once your dosage is sorted out and your body is used to it you'll start to feel so much better. I was on it for a few years and have recently come off, it does work. I hope you're ok, I wanted to add some support as I know it's hard.

Thank you week 5 today and I definitely feel something is different just still on the fence aboyt leaving the house in case I have a panic attack I am doing cbt but also due on my period so that is affecting me as I suffer with pmt thank you for your reply x

So today I thought I would get out the house for a drive with my partner done this a million times before I started citalopram, 10 mins in had a anxiety attack was god awful was sick and cried I know I am only 5 weeks in and on 10 mg but I could do drives and walk my dogs and go to my mums before the citalopram I just couldn't do busy places or go to work PLEASE someone tell me it's going to be OK because right now I want to just bin the medication going to ring doctor tomorrow and I know she going to want to up dose which means I will get all the side effects again I just feel so lost right now 😢😢

Sounds so awful , to be fair it did take me 6 weeks to even start to feel better at all and then I had good days which eventually turned to a couple of good days then a bad then three and so on until I was ok , it's the worst waiting to feel better but if I can give some solid advice it's don't think about how long it's taking everyone is different , don't expect too much and honestly I was so worried about having to increase or change my medication and it just added more pressure , you will feel better I know a lot of people who have tried sertraline and it's had much less side effects but I just pushed through with the citalopram xx you will be fine just take tiny pigeon steps each day

Thank you for taking the time to reply I am due on my period and suffer with pmt as well so don't know if that tipped me over the edge my doctor is adamant I wait for the 6 weeks and I do trust her she been my doctor for 14 years I just feel so scared and fed up at the minute xx I was on sertraline for 9 years but it stopped working at max dose of 200mg x

So things have started to change I have left the house for short amounts of time just round the block and I am back to singing ( can't sing) and I laugh a lot this last week I have been having a dull headache and the anxiety is still slightly there very slightly my doctor says it's time to up to 15mg will I go back to side effects and will the headaches ease off my doctor said citalopram is not known for head aches and to keep a eye on it x

Forgot to say I am week 6 plus 2 days x

I chose not to increase because I didn't want to experience any side effects again, and trust me although it may not be completely smooth running I call them blips now , honestly things will just get better from here , it's still such early days so do give yourself time to start to feel better it just happens a little bit at a time , I also suffered headaches and they are a side effect but as I say I they will get less and less as well , very pleased to hear your doing better

It took a couple of weeks for Citalopram (I take 20mg) to work for me but after that it really helped get out of my depression after a complete breakdown.

I was also refereed to counselling for my anxiety/stress/PTSD. I would ask your GP to help you get on the NHS waiting list for that as well.

The therapist helped me find better ways of coping with the anxiety. I have also found listening to guided meditation and learning about mindfulness helpful.

Thank you so much I am going to wait till 8 weeks and then think of a increase I really need to start getting out of my comfort zone but the fear of panic attack is holding me back x

Hi thank you for reply I do meditate everyday and I do journaling and eft tapping I don't drink alcohol or have any caffeine I have always been what I call a introverted person 2 friends don't like to be in busy places etc just want to be able to walk my dogs again 😢x

Just looking for a bit of advice woke up today really anxious and felt like I couldn't swallow maybe anxiety related as I have been having more good days been proid of myself for not having diazapam for over 10 days was only taking 1mg here and there anyway but today had 3mg was meant to be having floor fitters come but canceled as just don't feel right doctor really wants me to up to 20 but the anxiety is holding me back does anyone think this is just a blip day I am at 6 weeks x

10 is a low dose.

Look at it this way - you've got used to the dose and there has been improvement. But you could get more improvement by upping the dose.

And with perimenopause as well you will have better and worse days.

Thank you I had my period last week but woke today with a bit of blood and I suffer bad with pmt so wondering if that has set me off I had every side effect going with 10mg so that why I scared of upping it x

So today I have taken 15 mg of citalopram and just feeling really nervous I am nearly 7 week in but still not able to go further than top of street without all the physical side effects of anxiety starting so my doctor has suggested I do 15 mg for a while I am honestly terrified I just want to walk on a field or sit on a hill and look at nature 😭

Anxiety is so horrible and it does cause physical symptoms as you say. Keep going, you're doing really well still trying to go out.

Thanks so much xx

So I went from 10 to 15 yesterday and I have had a really dull headache hope it is just for a couple of days whilst new dose adjust in my brain feeling really nervous about the new dose 😢

Well done. Keep going. I'm sure you know that a headache could just as easily be a bit of dehydration, caffeine related, tiredness, tension from being anxious etc. Trust the process.