Reassurance of the process.
Posted , 10 users are following.
I'm looking for the advice from ones that of been through this.
I'm still under two months into this and only about a week at 20 mg things just seem so much more dire. I feel so strange and off and not like myself. My anxiety is tripled. Is this normal? Does your mind come back? I feel so foreign. I've never felt this way in my life
I feel detached. This is very scary. Please let me know that things got better for you and what happens next? I am frightened and will continue on but I'm just in a personal hell right now . Before I started this medication my anxiety was unmanageable and it still is but now I just feel very weird. Thank you all for your advice caring and concern. May the sun shine for us all soon
0 likes, 31 replies
Tammy123 walter_06293
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walter_06293 Tammy123
Posted
I sure hope you're getting some relief.
debbie17569 walter_06293
Posted
Hi there.
i am also two months in on 20mg for anxiety which came on after a health scare. First two weeks were dreadful and then slowly started to get better. Had two back to normal weeks and then got the anxiety back again for the last two weeks but not nearly as bad as before. Just a very nervy feeling in the mornings. Apart from that and constant chest pain, all other symptoms have pretty much disappeared, including feeling out of it, lack of appetite, tiredness, dry mouth, you name it!
We are all different and will recover at different times. Have you felt any better at all? Or do you feel exactly like you did before taking the meds?
if the latter, I think I would head back to the doctors to see what they think I.e. Maybe an increase or a change of meds. I was given diazepam at the beginning to take the edge off and it does work but that's not for long term use obviously.
im by no means back to normal but am functioning as I was before, just with some anxiety feelings and not being able to stop thinking about anxiety. Drives me nuts to be honest.
i often point people to a discussion on here called 'anyone not had any side effects on citilopram''. It's a good read to be honest and it helped me immensely, more so than my GP!
Keep posting, lots of us to help on here. It may take some time, which isn't what any of us want, but we will all get there!
Debbie
walter_06293 debbie17569
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debbie17569 walter_06293
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Ah, yes, I think you might find it's the increase. I started on 10 for two weeks and when I went to 20, I felt worse again. Give it a couple more weeks to see how you go. If you need something like diazepam to help with really bad moments, ask your doc. They won't give you loads so you get hooked, only a few to take as and when needed. Certainly saved my sanity in those first few weeks!
I felt strange too, kind of detached from everyone, including my children. Very odd feeling but I'm ok with that now but it took time. I know you want to feel better immediately, we all do, but sometimes it doesn't work like that.
Hang in there, this will soon be a distant nightmare!
john059 walter_06293
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Just more side effects from the increase W and they will pass in time. Just make a plan and stick to it. Research what foods to eat that may help. You will get better but it does take time. Some ppl in here know more than Dr's do cause we live/lived it. They go by the great book!!!!!! But u will get better!!!!
walter_06293 debbie17569
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That attachment is the worst part! It's scary! Do you know if that's typical because of the medication rewiring your brain? Or is it the anxiety? Because I've never felt this way before and it's awfully frightening. I love my wife more than anything and our daughter but I just feel so distant and detached even for my own body. I really do appreciate you sharing your experiences as I'm sure it's difficult to talk about sometimes.
walter_06293 john059
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john059 walter_06293
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walter_06293 john059
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I have no choice but to keep going. It's just hard to get out of my head when I feel like this. Some days like today it feels like I'll never be normal again or back to my old self. Either way I'm gonna continue on the meds and keep pushing through but I just feel so horrible to feel so altered and detached. Hopefully things will settle soon. Thank you for your words sir
debbie17569 walter_06293
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Yes, as John says, these meds take time to work and they are helping to rewire your brain. The anxiety is a big factor too. I had citilopram a few years back for post natal deprsssion. I didn't have anxiety then. The cit worked almost immediately, no issues at all. This time, a different story and I am sure it's the anxiety that is causing the most problems and weird side effects. I guess the feeling is like being in a room full of people but just not being there if you see what I mean. I felt that I didn't want to speak to anyone either so would go out of my way to avoid people as much as possible. Not like me at all, I'm normally happy to,chat to anyone about anything! It's certainly a rollercoaster ride, one which i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy to be honest!
walter_06293 debbie17569
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debbie17569 walter_06293
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Yes what you describe is exactly how I felt and still do a little bit. So yes, I am starting to feel more relief and I can go about my normal activities as I did before. I just have a small amount of nervy/anxiousnfeelings in the morning, by evening I feel normal! I'm fine chatting to people as well. I do still get the odd moments throughout the day where I feel a bit angsty, passes very quickly. The cit definitely works, it just takes time. Someone described it once like if you had a broken leg, it would take weeks to fix. Same as our heads! Trouble is, no one can see you have 'head' issues so cannot understand what the problem is!!! I never thought in a million years I would be on a forum talking to people I've never met about anxiety!! Certainly been an eye opener!
debbie18265 walter_06293
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H Walter the detached feelings where the scariest thing for me but they don't last long but like Debbie said you have upped to 20mg you have them again it's called depersonalisation when you don't feel real it's awful but I promise it doesn't last and I feel good now
walter_06293 debbie18265
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Thank you so much for your reply! Both of you Debbie's have been so kind. You need to step back for a moment and think about all the good you do to help people. Right now is the hardest point in my life and you are a perfect stranger And have been there for me. Thank you.
You're right that we are detach feeling is what makes me feel worse. Two things that I hate, feeling detached on real because it's scary and I've never felt this way before, and feeling like I don't have control of my mind. I'm trusting that this all resolved because I know only being at the 20 mg dose for under 10 days it's still gonna be A rocky ride. Hopefully each day I will feel a little bit better in a little bit stronger but right now I feel rather broken. I'm going to push on with the help of people like you.
walter_06293 debbie17569
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I am glad you were starting to get some relief it is the honest feeling good. Thank you again so much for your advice. I'm trying to stay calm, but as you know that's not part of this illness ha ha Ha
debbie18265 walter_06293
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Thanks Walter and I promise you will soon feel better and yes I felt like I had lost myself for a while but I'm back now and you will be too, keep talking on here it's great help