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Is citalopram working for me?

Posted , 6 users are following.

user321
user321

Basically, have been on citalopram for about 2 months, and 30mg for about 2/3 weeks for fairly severe generalised anxiety. I went to the doctor's again, however, and said that I was unsure the citalopram was working (some good days, some bad) so she prescribed me sertraline. Am weening off the citalopram now, but feel absolutely terrible; depressed and anxious. Wondering what I should do, try the sertraline or go back on 30mg citalopram?

Thanks for any help.

2 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • nicola45014
    nicola45014 user321

    Posted

    Hi

    I completely feel your pain I too am taking cit for 3 months and on 30mg the almost 3 wks, my sleep the past four nights has been awful I fall asleep and wake up after 3 hours and can't get back to sleep.. I really feel this is holding my recovery back as I am so tired and dnt know if it's the cit or depression causing the insomnia.

    But I am willing to hang in there for a bit longer as I am afraid to change yet.. I am sorry I can't advice you ither way as I am pretty much in the same situation as you, but if you are having gd days it must mean that the cit is starting to work, from what I hear it takes months not wks

    I wish you all the best

    Nicola x

    • user321
      user321 nicola45014

      Posted

      How are you feeling? Is it helping you at all? Or not really

      X

    • nicola45014
      nicola45014 user321

      Posted

      It is helping with anxiety but I still feeling low and and not confident in myself , but I think if my sleep was back normal I would be Alot better, I am starting to realise it's a very long journey and take one day at a time please god we will all get there v sn xx
    • user321
      user321 nicola45014

      Posted

      Just wish there was a way of knowing 100% sad

      Thanks for your help smile

      X

  • terry39293
    terry39293 user321

    Posted

    Nicola summed it up really. Cit takes months not weeks. I'm on 7 months now and ticking over nicely.
    • user321
      user321 terry39293

      Posted

      So how's your anxiety in general? Has it fully gone? Reckon it's worth waiting it out? Just not really enjoying life at the moment rolleyes

  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 user321

    Posted

    How are you weaning off?  Even being on as short as you were, you can still have withdrawal from cit by cutting back too fast, even though you are on another AD. Those AD symptoms mimick the symptoms you were put on the meds for.
  • katecogs
    katecogs user321

    Posted

    Yes Citalopram is working for you.  It can take 3-4 months and even longer for some people to feel well.  Recovery comes in patches - here one day, gone the next - some good weeks, some bad - so what you're feeling is perfectly normal with good and bad days.  It shows it's working, but you have to be patient ..... really, really patient for it to reach its full potential.

    Personally I wouldn't change meds.  You've come a long way already, so to change meds is like starting over.  All SSRI's basically work the same and you'll have the same wait.

    There is no quick fix.  They take time ..... recovery often works in months, not weeks.  But, the wait is so worth it.

    It always surprises me that doctors don't seem to know this.

    Time ... much time, and perseverance.

    K x

    • philip46747
      philip46747 katecogs

      Posted

      I started on citalopram and switched to sertraline, been on sertraline 100mg for 6 months now and I'm also ticking over nicely it's been such a long hard journey and I still have blips every now and again but everything is finally on the up, good days became good weeks and now fingers crossed good months
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