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20mg to 10mg back up to 20mg

Posted , 6 users are following.

laura_60346
laura_60346

Hi everyone, I was wondering if someone could help & advise with my symptoms since increasing my citalopram dose. 

I was on 20mg for around 4 years, then decided with my doctor to reduce this to 10mg. I managed this for one month then 2 weeks ago my anxiety crept back in & I started to feel horrendous again. I have started back on the 20mg, onto my 2nd week. I feel dizzy, sleepy, have tingly arms & legs & just genuinely feel weak! - I attempted to go back to work this week on reduced hours however I was far to anxious to concentrate & just kept thinking I was going to collapse! - I’ve been signed off by the doctor for another 2 weeks with the hope I feel some sort of normality by then. 

Has anyone else experienced these symptoms?

Thank you - Laura 😊

2 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • lois95799
    lois95799 laura_60346

    Posted

    Why did you reduced to ten??after all those years?
    • laura_60346
      laura_60346 lois95799

      Posted

      Hi Lois, it was with the hope to eventually come off then all together (Doctors recommendation!) big mistake!! 
    • lois95799
      lois95799 laura_60346

      Posted

      I would never let a doctor talk me into coming off celexa unless it was a matter of life or death .
  • kelly58470
    kelly58470 laura_60346

    Posted

    You're having side effects from bumping back up to the 20 mg, and it's all very normal :-).

    ?It seems like the first two weeks are the worst for the side effects, and then it should start to settle down.

    ?Not to alarm you, but after decreasing doses or going off the med altogether, sometimes people find the initial dose they were on no longer works for them, and they have to go higher.

    • laura_60346
      laura_60346 kelly58470

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply kelly, after reading a few of the comments on here I did think it was just the symptoms of the increase of medication. It’s just such an awful feeling, I want to feel like my normal happy self again but it feels a million miles away at the moment.  My anxiety itself seems to have reduced, its just the side effects holding me back now! 😩 x 

  • gemma77546
    gemma77546 laura_60346

    Posted

    I hope you’re okay Laura, I know how you feel. I was on 20mg then the doctors reduced me right down until I came off it completely last year. Ten weeks ago I started back on the 20mg after a few weeks at ten after the anxiety came back. I just wished I’d not listened to the doctor and that I’d stayed on the citalopram last year as I was doing so well on it for five years. The first two weeks were the hardest for me with increased anxiety but I’m better than I was, I still feel a long way from where I was when I was last on it. So I’m just trying to keep on hanging in there.
    • laura_60346
      laura_60346 gemma77546

      Posted

      That’s exactly how I feel Gemma. I wish I’d never stopped taking it, I was in such a good place in my life then boom, I’m back to where I was before I started the medication! - did you get any symptoms when you went back on it? I’ve had some headaches, dizziness & general weak feeling which I hope passes quickly! I hate sitting around all day but at the moment I can’t really do much else x

    • gemma77546
      gemma77546 laura_60346

      Posted

      Yes I had headaches which affected my sinuses but they didn’t last for more than two weeks but I did get heightened anxiety really bad for which I had to take diazepam to calm me down for the first week. I was off the citalopram for just under a year so it was starting all over again for me. I remember the side effects been worse the first time round though but I didn’t get intense anxiety at the beginning last time, and last time I seemed to settle quicker but I have heard others saying that too. I’m holding off going up to 30mg because the 20mg worked for me last time so I’m hoping it will again but I’m very up and down at the moment but I have to remind myself that I am having some better days at times, so I’m hoping its starting to work.🤞

  • jj07521
    jj07521 laura_60346

    Posted

    Hi Laura, it can take some time for the brain to get used to the dosage again - maybe you could try 15mg for a few months then work up to 20mg xx
    • laura_60346
      laura_60346 jj07521

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply, I’m going to try stick out the 20mg, if the side effects get to much I will reduce. The fact my anxiety has reduced makes me think the tablets are doing the job, just have to wait for my body to adapt to them
    • lois95799
      lois95799 laura_60346

      Posted

      Yes if your anxiety is reduced try to stick to your dose ..you just need time for the side effects to subside...it's always the side effects that affect us..and most of the time folks get the side effects confused with the anxiety...

    • jj07521
      jj07521 laura_60346

      Posted

      Yeah, I think that's a good plan, if you can manage it, it's 100% better  x

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