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40mg citalopram week 2

Posted , 7 users are following.

leanne89620
leanne89620

Hi, I've upped my dosage from 20mg to 40mg in the last two weeks starting at 10mg back at the beginning of august so in total I have been on the pills around 7 half weeks. I don't know if the jump from 20mg to 40mg was too much of a jump but I didn't think the 20s were helping me enough. I've got generalised anxiety and depression but still after these weeks don't feel like I can look forward to anything. And feel anxious about everything I do. I'm supposed to go to a gig tonight but it's about a 45 min train journey and it all seems too much at the min. Should I continue with the 40s or maybe go back down to 20s? Anyone got any advice? Leanne 

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • brian51374
    brian51374 leanne89620

    Posted

    Leanne, 

          Hello. I'm glad you made the jump. Give your body some time to adjust to the 40s. It's going to take a couple weeks. But try not to change your schedule of activities. Go and if you want to leave early leave early. But don't fall into the trap of not doing anything. It's hard I know. I've been there. If you need anything let me know. 

    • leanne89620
      leanne89620 brian51374

      Posted

      Thanks- yea I am still doing everything I would normally do and I do see an improvement from the 20s when I some days couldn't get out of bed. Would you recommend cbt? Or sticking with the 40s? It's like all I can think about right now and it's annoying me and getting me down

  • Mark7004
    Mark7004 leanne89620

    Posted

    My advice is to continue on the same dose unless advised by your Dr. Changing doses up and down on this drug could have some negative effects. It is very slow acting so takes time for changes in dose to take effect. There maybe other underlying causes to your anxiety. This drug will not eradicate all anxiety but should be used in conjunction with therapy.

    Good luck

  • katecogs
    katecogs leanne89620

    Posted

    Leanne - recovering on these meds can take many months and you won't feel like they're working for ages.  It took me 6 months on 20mg.  The meds will give you side effects, one being anxiety (oh joy) ...... so don't be surprised to feel much worse before you get better.

    Don't be in a hurry to increase meds - a bigger dose doesn't mean you'll get better any quicker than a lower dose, and as Standup said sometimes increasing / decreasing too many times can have a negative effect.  Some people struggle on 40mg too whereby they have continuous side effects.  A dose change corrects it.

    One thing to note though that whatever dose you're on you will go through a wave effect during recovery where the anxiety will come and go.  Its normal and just means you're going in the right direction.

    Every time you increase you'll get side effects - and every time you decrease you'll get withdrawal.  Take it slow.

    Don't expect to be well by tonight, tomorrow, next week or even next month.  You need lots of patience on these meds.

    You will get there.

    K x

    • leanne89620
      leanne89620 katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks I'm not sure what to do just feel low a lot. Will keep going with the mesds and hope to feel better. I've been on them before and never had to take this amount in the past so I'm considering staying on the 40s for another week or so then maybe dropping back down to the 20s. I sometimes feel like my doctor just wants me out the surgery as quick as they can and prescribe a higher dosage without really understanding. Anyway this has been so helpful. I will just take my time and let the mess work fingers crossed x

    • katecogs
      katecogs leanne89620

      Posted

      I was on them twice - the second time I had different side effects and it took longer.  Worked both times though.

      Trouble is if you're having acute anxiety, no amount of SSRI's will give you instant relief.  Unfortunately you have to get through that difficult time and sit it out whilst they start to work.  

      If you decide to lower from 40 to 20 don't just drop but instead wean down little by little.  When I withdrew from 20 it took me a year with 5mg reductions to avoid withdrawal.  xx

    • Jmoo123
      Jmoo123 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi Kate do you know if I can take multi vitamin on citalopram x
    • katecogs
      katecogs Jmoo123

      Posted

      I believe you can Jmoo - I've taken them when on Citalopram.  Always best to check though just to be sure - Pharmacist or Doctor.

      K x

    • Mark7004
      Mark7004 Jmoo123

      Posted

      I take multivitamins every day with no problems.  I also take high dose Omega 3 in the form of cod liver oil tablets. Supposed to be very good for helping. Highly recommend bananas and nuts as they are very high in natural Serotonin.
  • JenLively
    JenLively leanne89620

    Posted

    I started citalopram for the second time almost 4 months ago. The first time I had no side effects that I noticed but needed to get up to 40 mg to get to a where the anxiety (generalized) and depression seemed to be only a memory. This time I got a few side effects. First all I wanted to do was sleep, then my anxiety got worse than it's ever been. My doctor prescribed a very low dose of clonazepam which I was very careful to only take when I was really panicking as I have heard the stories of bad withdrawal from it. I followed my doctors advice and he brought me up to 40mg again (10mg increase per month) This time my recovery is slower. A good evening, maybe a good day but the morning anxiety was still eating me up inside. Last week I had a really bad sleepless night where I felt like I was never going to get better, but after that I have seen steady improvement, even with the morning anxiety which I started to feel like would never go away! I'm finally optimistic that I will make a full recover and with the help of this forum (and some very kind PMs from katecogs) I am starting to understand the recovery process better. Some people consider 40mg to be too high and for some it may be but for me it is just right. It really is something that you have to give time and often experiment with (with your doctors guidance of course). Like you I saw some improvement at 20mg but I knew from my previous experience as well as just a gut feeling that I needed more and after a month on 40mg I'm feeling a lot better. (Even though the change in dose did temporarily spike my anxiety for a night)

    good of luck and don't give up!

    • leanne89620
      leanne89620 JenLively

      Posted

      Thanks- I think I will persevere with the 40s for a while, I'm on day 10 and I suppose I'm feeling a bit better but everything I think of sets my mind racing it's weird and I've not felt like this before. Wish it would all just stop and I can get back to being myself again. Hope it passes soon. I'm glad you are seeing improvements. Fills me with some hope 

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