3 weeks down, 10mg Citalopram. My experience.
Posted , 14 users are following.
Hi to those of you on this journey with me, just thought I'd start a little thread and update you all over the next few weeks on how I am finding the first few weeks of my second citalopram journey.
Ok so, first day as expected within a hour or so I had almost instant diahoreah and my stomach felt a bit iffy. This continued for the next week and a half, very mild nausea and diahoreah but my mood and anxiety had improved as did my sleep and my appetite.
After 12 days I started to experience heightened anxiety, insomnia (not being able to go to sleep and waking up sweating) morning anxiety, extreme tiredness and nausea, continued diahoreah, headaches on and off, feelings of uneasiness and general low mood. (naturally) this lasted for 7 days. Then yesterday I woke up and the tiredness and nausea seem to have lifted somewhat, although still not back to my full energetic self just yet. Still no appetite but able to eat without feeling sick now.
Sleep still very hit and miss, lats night woke alot with sweaty palms, nausea and anxiety, but again don't feel as exhausted.
Every morning, is a challenge to get out of bed, I think the feeling of dread on how the day will pan out is ultimately the hardest. This is also due to the current situation we are in though, that feeling of groundhog day. Not working, kids home and not alot of distraction.
Heading into week 4 today and will keep you all updated. I do feel like my overall experience on citalopram the second time around has been a bit more challenging due to the side effects being much more prominent, but, its always important to remember even on those days that we feel like we're never going to feel normal again, feeling hopeless and exhausted that it will eventually improve and we will be fighting fit again. Physically and mentally.
2 likes, 81 replies
emma31977 Hope3578
Edited
hi everyone
i hope you dont mind me jumping on the post but i desperately need some support. Up until this year ive never had any issues with mental health ive always been a worrier but nothing serious. 2 house moves, Covid 19 and a few family issues have all built up and left me bed bound with anxiety. In 36 years old with 2 little boys, loving husband and an extremely supportive family.
anyway, a call to the out of hours doctor desperate for help she put me onto 10mg citalopram which was upped to 20mg by my gp 2 weeks later as apparently i would never get better on that 'little old lady dose'.
ive just started week 5 ..(just at 2 weeks on the 20mg) my side effects are awful!! but i have had ok days!! i tend to get better as day goes on.
i just want to know this wont be my life forever and i can recover on these....
kat10331 emma31977
Posted
hello! im also on week 5. anxiety is definitely more under control but still having annoying side effects like constant yawning and feeling restless. hoping they go soon. perhaps increasing your dose brought on more temporary side effects? cit def takes a while to settle down but im just holding onto the memory of me 10 years ago when i was on them, they literally changed my life back then. just be really gentle with yourself and do things you find comforting and relaxing.
emma31977 kat10331
Posted
hi kat!!
thanks for the reply. so glad your anxiety is more under control. i think mine is getting better but its up and down. evening is my best time for sure. i have ringing in my ears tonight a new side effect? who knows!?
im trying to be kind to myself but im not the most patient and i think when you havnt experienced it before and you dont know what recovery feels like it makes you panic.
Hope3578 emma31977
Posted
Hi, your story sounds very similar to mine when i first got diagnosed with anxiety. The first time it was terrifying and I was also put on 10mg of citalopram. I am 35 and have two children (single parent now though but wasn't at the time)
I'd personally say 10mg is and can be enough as it was for me and seems to be this time around too. (second time on medication) but yes, 20mg is the standard dose and most people I know who are on it are on that dose or higher.
So technically you're only week 3 into your increased dose am i right?
For me the 2nd and 3rd week, were the worst for the side effects, but id say week 5/6 I started to feel much better.
I remember feeling hopeless and like I was never going to feel better the first time around because it was all new and very scary. But I can assure you THIS IS ONLY TEMPORARY. You will not feel like this forever no. Over the next few weeks your side effects will lesson. You'll have more good days a then bad, but occasionally have a blip where you feel anxious and like your almost back to square one again, but it will subside much quicker. When you do have these days, try your best not to beat yourself up and fight it, analyse why you feel like it and constantly scan your physical symptoms. Just let them be, accept them, tell yourself that it's OK to feel like this and that it will go in time. Distract yourself the vets you can. Light exercise like walking or cleaning and talk to people. Rest if you can. (I can't rest even when I'm physically and mentally exhausted as it just makes me worse) but if you can, do it.
All of this is part of your recovery and you need to allow the medication time to level out. Keep with it and I promise you, you will feel better soon. X
emma31977 Hope3578
Posted
hi
thank you so much for your reply. i have nothing to say apart from today is the worse day yet, i feel like im trapped in a nightmare that will never end. this is my last day of week 2 on the higher dose and i have been flight or fight all day. i am just praying these pills work and i can be a mummy again.
i have tears rolling down my face reading your reply.
Hope3578 emma31977
Posted
Oh you will 100% be able to put all of yourself into being a mummy again and you will enjoy life again. These first few weeks of a increased dose or starting out on these meds is the toughest. But, it's all part of the process and all this youre.going through will make you stronger.
Lots of water, eat little and often, don't skip meals if you can. Take baths/showers and get early nights... Sleep off as much as you can and you will start to feel better.
emma31977 Hope3578
Posted
thanks so much. Im hanging in there and hoping i am on the up in a few weeks. its just nice to have someone else in the same boat as me. i think is be so much calmer and optimistic if i had been through this before and new id get better. its my little boys birthday the weekend and it was my goal to feel better for it. looks like anxiety and side effects will be coming along!
thanks larry ill keep you updated! glad the 20mg seems to be working for you.
larry1985 Hope3578
Edited
Hi all
Doctor upped my dose last night to 20mg, today feels much better, hopefully thats what I needed, still expecting down days, will keep you posted =)
Good luck Emma keep on keeping on
emma31977 Hope3578
Posted
hi all
having such a tough time. yesterday i was crying most of the day, today woke up with the worse morning anxiety ever! just feel a little bit brighter but the side effects are just awful! constantly shaking, cant sit still, adrenaline flowing. Little boys birthday tomorrow coudlnt even get him a cake without crying.
Im 10mg 2 and a half weeks and 20mg 2 weeks and 3 days
kat10331 emma31977
Posted
So sorry it's been so tough Emma! hang in there, it's still early days, I'm nearly 6 weeks in (on 10mg) now and having more good days than bad now, feeling much more myself. appetite is also back. still not sleeping great, hoping that will go soon. remember the bad days are temporary and be really gentle with yourself, good luck!
emma31977 Hope3578
Edited
thanks kat glad youre feeling better im holding onto feeling normal instead of over anxious paranoid mess!!!
emma
larry1985 emma31977
Posted
2 weeks in Emma, im feeling good, well, feeling better lol keep it up, the light will come back
Hope3578
Edited
OK so update.
I'm now in my ninth week 10mg citalopram.
For me, my recovery has been a much quicker one this time around. It helps that I'm aware now of what it is that I'm recovering from, whereas the first time I was so completely terrified of what was happening to me, plus it was much worse.
Any of you still experiencing side effects, anxiety or low mood still, keep going. It WILL get better and you WILL recover. We all recover differently, but one thing we all have in common is the need for reassurance during this time and I am always here if you need a chat.
I experienced all the side effects and id day it wasn't until my 6th week I started to have more better days then good days. Then each week they got more and more. 9 weeks in, I'd say I'm almost completely recovered. But the first time on citalopram it took much longer.
Always remember, all this your experienceing is just knowledge, it's all part of your recovery and it will help if you look into why this happens, what your triggers are and accept that just some days your not feeling OK. Never worry about what the next day will bring and just say to yourself. "OK if I feel wobbly tomorrow, that's OK, because I CAN HANDLE IT." Because look how far you have already come. You have already made it through some of your worst days and trust me you all have more fight left.
mary61597 Hope3578
Edited
Hope3578 your words bring soothing feelings during this waiting period. I truly feel for anyone who goes through anxiety, panic, depression.
emma31977 Hope3578
Edited
ah i love your posts hope 😃
larry1985 emma31977
Posted
How have you been lately emma?
emma31977 larry1985
Edited
hi larry not great today. i have had a busy weekend which never helps.
just looking at your new post and my experience of going up to the 20 has been similar.. ok at first and then hell for a week. really low mood like starting again. ive just had 4 decent days on the row so i was due a bad one today... literally sat here with adrenaline flowing for no reason at all! hopefully tomorrow will be better. im determined to stick it out 😃 hope youre ok.
larry1985 emma31977
Posted
Thanks Emma, between yourself, hope and i, I think we can do it =)