7weeks on Citalopram
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi guys,
i am currently 7 weeks in (8weeks on Wednesday) on 20mg of Citalopram, i have had alot of good days and some bad days, i know 7weeks is still early but is it normal to still have my anxiety still doing it's thing this far in? my psychiatrist said she's happy that things are improving and that the medication is working. It's rare to have a bad day, (once every 2 weeks or so, today being one) but when i do i feel so drained and fatigue, i take my tablet every night at 6:30, i sleep ok, i have insomnia so i don't blame my meds for any disturbance in my sleep, but i try and get as much as i can but i also have 2 little girls, (a 5yr old and a 7month old Heart Warrior) so as you can imagine it's not the best, although my boyfriend does an amazing job in looking after them to help let me get some extra sleep when needed. This last week i have been tired and a little less interested in doing things, but last week i was cleaning and up and about all day until bedtime. How have you guys found you felt at this stage?
I should mention that i have a fear of something being seriously wrong and that I'm going to die. I get thoughts of not seeing my kids grow up, or that i won't see Christmas this year. It is scary but mostly annoying (lockdown isn't helping the situation due to my doctors not seeing people in person unless necessary) but no one has any concerns. I have noticed a big change in the fact i don't get any anxiety flushes much any more, and i can handle my depressive periods better, but those thoughts of something else being wrong or just the general fear of I'm going to die is driving me nuts, will it ease off the longer i take my meds? It was a lot worse but now its those mild thoughts that drag me down some days.
Like i said, i know it's still early days and it takes awhile for them to be in full effect (i know everyone is also different) if I'm honest i am a little impatient as i just want to feel me again.
I also get very very mild chest aches, not pain, i have been told it's due to my anxiety and tension. It's just my head seems to try telling me that there's something wrong with my heart. Which is another thing that drags me down some days, i feel if i do too much it will get worse, not that it does, if anything it goes away, but it is honestly annoying me how my head tries to tell me I'm more ill than i actually am.
I am sorry for the long post but i find that the help and support i get here helps me feel a lot better. And it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in all this. I hope i have given clear enough info for any kind of support or help that can be given.
Jade.
0 likes, 10 replies
ashley92970 jadelou93
Edited
you sound exactly like me. i have health anxiety and i often think my heart and chest hurt. I worry about covid, and getting sick. I am currently on week 9 of 30 mg. I have heard these weeks are still early. I wake up almost every morning worrying what kind of day I will have, I kind of feel like I am going through each day not really overly interested in doing things, but I do work and I am a teacher. hang in there I am here to tell you, you are not alone in this. My dr recently wanted to up my dosage to 40 Im nervous. Dont be too hard on yourself, if you are having good moments it shows it is working, just not a fast as we want it to.
jadelou93 ashley92970
Posted
@ashley92970 Hi Ashley, it is so nice to know I'm not the only one thats having a hard time, this Covid drama makes it alot worse, i haven't left the house in nearly 4 weeks, my boyfriend goes to the shop and everything, then I'm strict on him to put his clothes in the wash and scrub his hands (and i double check he wears a mask) it's more due to us having a Heart Warrior so she is a high risk.
I wake up worrying too, but i try to ignore it, I tend to try distract myself more in the mornings to not let my anxiety get in the way. As for work, i know I'm a stranger but I'm proud of you! It's not easy working in this crazy world right now but to be battling Anxiety too is a big thing! Keep going! It's strong people like yourself that give us more strength too 😊
I have a feeling my Psychiatrist is going to have my dose up to 30mg, but then I'm dreading it incase i get more side effects, the first 4weeks of starting my Cita was HORRIBLE, my anxiety was through the roof, i would have hot and cold flushes, light headedness, shake like a leaf, heart pulpatations, it was horrible, i couldn't even answer my front door!
Odd question for you, did you get the cold like symptoms? its a side effect apparently, some days i get a very runny nose and sneezing but the next day I'll be fine, it's been on and off since about the 2nd week of starting my Cita.
And lastly thank you for your awesome support, it's comforting to know that I'm not alone in the chest aches. It's a horrible feeling aint it?
Jade
ashley92970 jadelou93
Edited
it is awesome and reassuring to have support along the way and to know we are not in this alone. I have had sinuses since about week four. Of coarse I think do I have covid. These are side effects and yes I have had them. I seem to have everyone of them. I usually feel better in the afternoons, but I am so fatigued from work, andnI have two boys oldest bis 10, youngest is 5. I have been on Celexa many times and it helps, ut this time it seems I am taking longer. If you have any good times count them and that will let you know it is working. When i upped to 30 mg at week 6, I did have the side effects again so that is wh I worry abbout going up to 40. you are doing fine it is normal to want to stay home during the first 4-6 weeks and even up to 8 weeks, I am holding onto hope by 12 weeks since I am at 9 and have some good days and moments. I tame my medicne at 7 each night and I also take .5 of ativan to help with sleep. I get my sleep, but I wake up like I am exhausted and my mind starts to wonder. Im here for you, we both are early but we can reassure each other, cause our stories are so similar. the chest pains and worrying about your heart is normal I would say, girl I would check my bp, and heart rate all the time. I worry about not being here for my children and death also. today is actually 4 years ago my husband and I had a car accident and he was killed in it. so I think my stress and anxeity come from that .
jadelou93 ashley92970
Posted
Oh, i am so sorry to hear about your husband. I send my love to you and your family 💜
I know mine has come from my 7month old being born with Pulmonary Artesia, she had a cardiac arrest at 2weeks old and fought through like no other, she came home at 3months old, and from then my anxiety and depression got worse, while in hospital i was in a day to day routine and didnt think twice about being by her side, but once i was home my mind had time to process everything. And diring her hospital stay my granddad was also in and out of hospital with Vascular problems that are unfortunately incurable. Do my psychiatrist has told me i have alot going on with Heart problems so that's why it plays on my kind alot more than normal.
I am also here for you, no one understands more than the people experiencing the exact same as you. i am only a message away if you need a good chat.
jadelou93 ashley92970
Posted
Also i have a mood tracker book that i fill in daily, it helps keep track of how days have been, how much sleep you've had and how your eating. It's honestly really helpful!
jade09696 jadelou93
Edited
hi ive just had a baby and have started citalopram 5 weeks ago.. 2-3 weeks in and i started getting palpatations and omg they freaked me out and ive literally had them everyday since i also have health anxiety so its taking over my every thought! so then o decided to do my heart rate and its going as low as 40! can this medication lower your heart rate?! that is so so low..
thanks jade
jadelou93 jade09696
Edited
@jade09696 Hi Jade, not going to lie your post just confused me lol because we have the same name.
Citalopram does lower your heart rate, but it shouldn't lower it too much, i am constantly checking my pulse, how i do it is i get my pulse on my wrist and count the pulse over 15seconds then X it by 4 and that should tell you your heart rate.I would advise you to
your GP if you are worried, they can check for y
jadelou93 jade09696
Posted
@jade09696 Hi Jade, not gonna lie your post just confused the hell out of me as we have the same name lol.
Citalopram does lower your heart rate but shouldn't lower it by much, i am constantly checking my pulse and heart rate. How i do it is i find my pulse in my wrist and count my pulse over 15Seconds and then X that by 4 and you have your heart rate, it shouldn't be too low but i would advise you call you GP if you are worried. The less to trigger your anxiety the better.
Try not to worry yourself too much, i am 7 weeks in (as you may have read) and things are alot better then they were, still have good and bad days but my anxiety tries to play its game daily. it does get easier i promise you. And big Congratulations on your baby, i hope you are both safe and well x
Jade.
jade09696 jadelou93
Posted
thanks for replying ive only just noticed.. i did go the doctors and they done an ECG and a load of blood tests all come back fine! just worries me because my heart rate wernt low at the time of the ecg and i didnt get any palpatations while having it done either! im just sick of feeling crappy! i want to enjoy my baby girl and im struggling to even move cause im scared of feeling dizzy or having a heart palpitation! Always thinking its something life threatening eugh!
jadelou93 jade09696
Posted
I know exactly what you mean hun, i was exactly the same when i first started mine, i actually got put on mine after my baby girl was born with a Heart condition and was in hospital for 3 months, she also had a cardiac arrest at 2 weeks old. So my depression and anxiety got so much worse once she finally came home, she is now a healthy, fiesty 7month old lol, she has another Open Heart Surgery due soon and i am not looking forward to it at all.
I'm glad you got it checked, so glad everything was fine. The heart pulpatations could be because your focused on it, i got told by my psychiatrist that if i find myself focused on my heart rate, i need to distract myself, play a game, play with my kids or do something that needs my focus, but try not to do anything to tiring. And also the dizziness could be because of the meds, they made me very fuzzy and dizzy headed for a few weeks, it does ease off and it will get better, i promise. Please hold on in there and stay strong. Your anxiety will try to make you think that its something more serious and you are more ill than you actually are, mine was a nightmare for the first 3 weeks, it was almost as if i was shouting at myself in my own mind, telling me that i won't wake up in the morning and the "What if" questions in my head was so loud, i was calmed down when i got told its my anxiety. I was then diagnosed with Severe Clinical Anxiety, bad Depression, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and PND (Post Natal Depression). But i honestly hope you don't have it so bad and that you start to feel alot better soon.
Please feel free to drop me a private message if you need a good chat,. I'm no professional but i am always happy to try and help as much as i can, and i think being fairly new to the medication myself helps as i can hopefully give some peace of mind with side effects and all.