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20mg to 40mg - Really struggling and looking for support.

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Jonesy77
Jonesy77

Hi all, I'm new to this forum but it seems like a good place to come for support. Last year I was diagnosed with Cyclothymia which is a mild form of bipolar. I was given mood stabilizers along with my Citalopram 20mg. They didn't seem to help my depression and my anxiety got worse so was taken off mood stabilizers and my Citalopram was upped to 40mg then I was put on 15mg of Mirtazapine. This helped alleviate the depression but then I got hypomania so I reduced the Citalopram back to 20mg. I steadily got more depressed and anxious and the psychiatrist suggested a different mood stabilizer which again didn't help my depression and anxiety. At my request, I'm now back on 40mg Citalopram. Been taking it for 13 days and I'm not feeling any better. I'm getting myself really anxious and panicking that this time I'm never going to get well again. I've been given diazepam to take when I'm really bad. Being on my own during the day doesn't help. I just want to he well again and I feel like it's never going to happen. I'm struggling so much. Thanks for reading.

0 likes, 19 replies

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  • ashley92970
    ashley92970 Jonesy77

    Edited

    I am sorry you feel so bad , we are all here and struggling in our own world , I have been feeling better for about two weeks and I am 6 weeks in today and this past sunday I hit a blip and now it has me upset thinking I am back at square one. I have taken this medicine before and it helped so Im hoping it does this time also.

    • Jonesy77
      Jonesy77 ashley92970

      Edited

      Hi, thanks for replying. I'm sorry to hear you've had a blip and are struggling too. I've taken Citalopram before and it always helps but this time I've convinced myself I'm too bad and won't get better. I guess that's anxiety related and the thoughts probably contribute to making us worse but when you're living it, it's not so easy to convince yourself otherwise. Fingers crossed you start to feel better again soon.

    • babsyboo
      babsyboo Jonesy77

      Posted

      Hi

      u say u on day 13 that's very early in on the meds but the good news is u will get better just not a fast working medicine, glad is not because it is working in are brain on are serotonin amen

      we are all I hurry to get better but it's not working like that and yes in are time of waiting for the meds to balance out we will get many blips sorry to say but true . It also takes 3 month to level balance out on Celexa for most people some maybe earlier and some maybe longer we are all different so we can't never tell . This meds let's u know it's working weekly not daily . Have u in the 13 days seen anything change for better , if so that means the meds are working . All the other stuff thoughts and so on are normal and they are from anxiety u are right . U have all this going on daily ? Let me know if u like here for u hope I was able to help u a bit babsyboo

    • Jonesy77
      Jonesy77 babsyboo

      Edited

      Hi, thanks for your reply. I've had a couple of days where I've felt a bit better but both have been on a weekend when my husband is around to offer his support and help challenge my negative thoughts. I've been back to the doctor today and she was really lovely and says I'm doing all the right things and just need to wait it out. Every anxiety filled day seems like a life time and I keep crying and getting myself in a state.

    • Jonesy77
      Jonesy77 june13407

      Posted

      Hi June. The doctor, who I saw again this morning, wants me to go back at the 5 week mark to see how I'm doing and will review my treatment then.

  • linda45074
    linda45074 Jonesy77

    Posted

    Hi jonesy, I am on my 15 th day of 15 mg of cit and I still have the yucky side effects. I can say for the last 2 nights I stopped sweating so bad and the heart burn has diminised some. My appetite is also returning. I still have insomnia but take a xanax if it gets too bad. The anxiety is still lingering but is the worst in the evening along with getting extremly tired. I basically have gotten through this by taking it day by day, sometimes hour by hour but I am staying positive for now. I hope your feeling better soon.

    • Jonesy77
      Jonesy77 linda45074

      Posted

      Hi Linda, I'm glad you are starting to see some improvement and are able to feel positive. I know what you mean about having to take things hour by hour sometimes. Hope things continue to get better for you.

  • marsh23433
    marsh23433 Jonesy77

    Posted

    Hi Jonesy77/Please remember that every time you change your dosage your side effects will start from Day 1 again,so keep to one dosage and stay there.You also have to remember that these medication does not start straight away as the Resistance needs to build up in your body ,so it can take 8/10 weeks to work .

    • Jonesy77
      Jonesy77 marsh23433

      Posted

      8 to 10 weeks seems like such a long time when you're struggling every day. Hopefully I will see some improvement before then.

    • AngeFace
      AngeFace marsh23433

      Posted

      Hi Marsh, I thought this too when I increased from 10mg to 20mg. I had an awful time when I first started Cit, so was dreading the side effects returning when I made the increase. But I experienced no awful side effects. In fact I felt better from the day I increased.

      I'm now tapering down and hoping I those 10mg side effects don't return.

  • graham69986
    graham69986 Jonesy77

    Edited

    Ive been on 20mg for 8 weeks now and my doctor wanted me to increase to 40mg as my health anxiety isn't improving much yet however after reading comments on this site and doing further research i am going to give it at least 12 weeks on the 20mg and see how i get on

    Hope you start to feel better soon

    • ashley92970
      ashley92970 graham69986

      Posted

      I feel the same way after reading the comments I feel since I am on 6 weeks I am still early, to try to decrease. simce I have been on celexa before and only took 10 mg I have been wondering if I should drop to 10 again. I hope things start leveling out for you soon.

    • june13407
      june13407 graham69986

      Edited

      Leave it 12 weeks and then go to 30 not 40. I am now doing really well on 30 25 weeks in and nearly back to my old self even looking into moving house and eemjoying3mu beautiful family again, and I was bad

    • graham69986
      graham69986 june13407

      Posted

      Thanks June that is what i am planning to do and hopefully my doctor will agree with me.

      Glad you are getting better, my health anxiety is still really bad and about to start week 9

    • june13407
      june13407 graham69986

      Edited

      Mine was really bad at your stage too. Hang in there it will improve

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