Citalopram to escitalopram

[Sparklestrawberry]

Recently swapped from cit to esc as the cit was just making my anxiety worse.
Been 7 days on esc now and my anxiety is through the roof, keep getting waves in my stomach that make me think I need the loo.
Just wondering if it’s because the drugs are so similar that I’d be better changing to something else. Really can’t cope with this, am unable to function and darent leave the house due to the constant feeling I’ll need the loo.
Any advice?

Anyone?

Did you cross-taper or just do a straight swap? If the later that may be a factor in increasing anxiety temporarily.

Escitalopram is also licensed for generalised anxiety disorder whereas citalopram isn't so presumably that was the reason to change? Hopefully this was discussed with you.

Can you talk to your prescriber? They may give you a very small amount of diazepam to help with the anxiety triggered by the swap or the new SSRI.

I moved from citalopram to escitalopram with no issue at all - albeit a long time ago and was in the max dose for both.

How long did it take @Sparklestrawberry ?

I am considering the same after struggling for about 10 days on Citalopram. I’m only taking half a pill and feel anxious, headachey and zombie like. Plus not sleeping

I actually ended up on a completely different SSRI, I did swap to escitalopram and took it for 2 months and still felt exactly the same as I did on citalopram, I swapped to Paroxetine and after about 2 weeks I felt so much better