Anxiety still so high
Posted , 8 users are following.
I've been on citalopram for just over 7 weeks now, 5 weeks on 20 and 2 weeks on 30. Mornings are terrible I wake with anxiety and then wretch. All I want to do is stay in bed. I have had some spells of feeling ok, but it doesn't last. Today I feel crippled with the anxiety and just don't know what to do with myself. I wish I could sleep till it's all gone away. Evenings are usually ok and I just don't understand how I can go from that to waking up feeling so terrible. I just can't see any light at the end of the tunnel
0 likes, 77 replies
robin67880 victoria_88777
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sarah24378 robin67880
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Did you find you were up and down in those first 2 months till you felt better or was it a linear improvement.
I get good a bad days all over the place. The mornings are awful.
Gerrymoo robin67880
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Robin when you went up to 20mg how long did it take for side effects to go and particularly the anxiety. Did you still have bad days and was it ever suggested for you to increase again. Sometimes I don't think one dose is given long enough before increasing again.
I was on 10mg for 3 weeks and now nearly 3 weeks on 20mg. I've told my gp I just want to weather this dose and give it time so hope I don't get flare ups cause that's where the temptation is to increase.
sarah24378 victoria_88777
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victoria_88777 sarah24378
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Hi I've had a better day today, still had an awful morning, but got up and got on with things. Anxiety was there most of the day but practice some acceptance exercises from cbt. I just dread the mornings. Feel ok in the evening and try to drag it out as long as I can.
How long should we give the citalopram to work?
sarah24378 victoria_88777
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I really don t know how long to give it can t bear the thought of this being for nothing.
sarah24378
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This is so hard. I m not sure I could go through this with another med.
How are you today ? I can t tell as me and my son have a bad cold so feel crap anyway.
sarah3612 sarah24378
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I've heard it's around 3 months too! So I'm hoping this is the case as like you I don't want to change meds and go back to square one as its been bad enough getting through the side effects of this one!
sarah3612 victoria_88777
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Hi Victoria, your journey sounds like mine. I have been on Citalopram for 10 weeks now 2 weeks on 10mg, 6 weeks on 20mg and almost 2 weeks on 30mg. It's like a roller coaster ride, good days and bad and boy do I not cope well with the bad days! I think my longest spell of good days is 7.....then I got it into my head that I'd got over it all until things came crashing down again. My mornings had improved but since upping my dosage I'm back to waking early with my chatterbox in my head making me dread everything it's like being frozen on the spot with anxiety. I find it so frightening to not be in control of how I feel and like you find it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have a young family and husband and feel as though I've let them down. I feel needy all the time like I need reassurance from everyone that I will be alright. I worry that I'll never get better and that maybe the tablets won't work for me but thought of changing and maybe going back to square one terrifies me too. It's like we get stuck in a negative cycle. I wretch a lot and am even sick sometimes which also means I have no appetite. The bizarre thing is that it seems to wear off later in the day and I can usually eat in the evening but then I dread going to bed as I don't know what tomorrow holds! I have been on this journey before and have made a full recovery (I came of the medication too quickly and it all started again) so I know I will get there eventually it's just hard to believe when you're in the abyss. Hope you're having a better day today, if we can all support each other it really helps x
Gerrymoo sarah3612
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How awful for you. There are many of us going through this nightmare at the.moment and we all dread what the mornings will be like. Like vicky has said previously, evenings can be OK and it's hard to believe how things can change by the morning.
Did you follow the same pattern of side effects last time and how long did they last?
sarah3612 Gerrymoo
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This is my first time on citalopram, I was on mirtazapine before but I put 3 stone on using that particular med. I did have nausea and bad mornings on that anti d as well but it does go eventually. The main difference is that mirtazapine helps you sleep and I've found with citalopram that I had weeks of major insomnia which made my anxiety a million times worse. That's why I'm cautious to change meds as I think they all have a lot of side effects. So I'm just trying to push through at the minute and hope things stabilise more as it feels like forever!!
Gerrymoo sarah3612
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I'm finding the insomnia very difficult I only usually get 3/4 hrs sleep each night so drained the next day. Like you say it makes the other side effects feel worse too.
I'm hoping that things will just settle down. First 2 weeks in particular are really difficult. I was given diazepam to help with the anxiety, don't need it now but it got me out of a very difficult time.
alex70088 Gerrymoo
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sarah3612 Gerrymoo
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The insomnia is a terrible side effect and some nights to begin with I got no sleep at all!!!!! Tried Nytol (not the herbal one) which worked if I wasn't too anxious but sometimes it therefore did nothing. Have you tried taking diazepam 1/2 hr before bed as that can help too, what mg have you got? My doctor also told me about sleep hygiene, I stopped watching tv and using my iPad at least half an hour before bed and read a book instead which seemed to help a bit. When youre awake at night though it feels like the rest of the world is asleep and a few hours seems endless! Rest assured though it does get better, I normally get at least 6hrs unbroken sleep now it's just that I wake early around 5-5:30ish. How long have you been on citalopram??
Gerrymoo sarah3612
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Been on citalopram 10mg 3 weeks and then it was upped to 20mg 3 weeks ago so 6 weeks in total. I've got zopiclone but still kept waking up and then felt even worse next day. Too scared to use valium although I would if my anxiety levels hit the roof like it has done on the start up and dose increase. 2mg tabs but at its worse had to take 3 tabs!
I'm off work sick so can ride it out esp as the anxiety has greatly minimised it's just frustrating but reassuring to know it will hopefully settle down. I am feeling better in myself overall so the citalopram must be doing some good! Still hoping for further improvements- how long do you think?
sarah3612 Gerrymoo
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Well I'm on week 10 and I have been sleeping better for 2-3 weeks so I would say you should hopefully not have too much longer to wait. Problem is that you are worrying about sleeping and it makes it worse (I know) so try not too analyse it too much (very hard I know). Say to yourself I can sleep and if I don't it will happen eventually. I don't think 2mg of diazepam would hurt as it may calm down your fears of sleeping and help you to go off. I've taken 5mg before bed before and slept through!
Gerrymoo sarah3612
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I know what you mean I wake up before 1am and usually get back to sleep. I don't look at the clock again!! How are you feeling in yourself on week 10! - it's a hard road x
sarah3612 Gerrymoo
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It is a very hard road and although we often feel weak for feeling like it we're incredibly strong for getting though each day! I'm still very up and down although I have more good days than before. I think I've struggled a bit with side effects since going up to 30mg. I pretty much live on toast and tomato soup when I'm bad!! When I come through the other side I never want to eat tomato soup ever again 😂😂! I still struggle with mornings and negative thoughts but music helps me a lot and I have two young kids to look after which means I have to try and get on with things!
sarah24378 sarah3612
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I am on Mirtazapine 45mg....have been for a, few months.....it helps me sleep but does not seem to help with my anxiety or depression. I have had the cit added to it. No weight gain for me in fact I have lost weight on it. I have 5mg of diazepam which I take daily. One tab but last couple of weeks it has been 2 tabs. My doc prescribed them in high doses years ago when they were allowed. I have got it down to 5mg daily but have to withdraw from them when I am more stable. Despite all of that I have broken sleep about 10 weeks into cit. I fall asleep fine but wake up through the night.
I feel a bit better today but am aware I am becoming a bit agoraphobic since I went to 40mg. I really hope it passes as I hate being in all day. Anyone else had this ?
Gerrymoo sarah3612
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I'm the same with cold chicken and pasta - had it solid for 3 weeks but appetite improving now !
sarah24378 Gerrymoo
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victoria_88777 sarah24378
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Fortunately I haven't suffered with insomnia, think I've had every other side effect though! I haven't eaten properly since the first day of citalopram over 7 weeks ago. All I can manage is a protein shake sipped through the day and if I can manage it I've tried to eat toast at night time. I feel nauseous, had diherrea and high anxiety. Some days the anxiety just hasn't let up at all. I think the side effects were settling on the 20mg at 5 weeks, but then increased to 30mg and the side effects came back again.
Mornings are just awful, as soon as I wake the anxiety is there and then I wretch, had this every day. The last 2 days I've been ok in the afternoons and evenings which had been a relief, but I dread mornings. I'm 2 and a half weeks in on the dose increase so I'm hoping that things are starting to settle and I might start to see improvements. Xx
sarah3612 Gerrymoo
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sarah3612 sarah24378
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It makes me feel agoraphobic too as I worry about panicking in public or people being able to tell there's something wrong! I think it's a normal way to feel when you're suffering with anxiety and it went away last time I recovered, I'm just waiting for it to improve this time too!
sarah3612 victoria_88777
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I am experiencing everything the same, all I keep wishing is to feel relaxed and like my old self again. I hate leaning on others as its not in my nature and I keep thinking what if the citalopram isn't working?? Anxiety is cruel and debilitating! I'm coming up to 2 weeks on my new dosage of 30mg and am hoping that the way I feel is just the side effects again. I have to try and wretch without my kids not hearing in the mornings as I don't want to worry them and I feel like I'm putting my family under pressure!
Gerrymoo sarah3612
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sarah24378 sarah3612
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victoria_88777 sarah3612
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I'm 2 and a half weeks on increase to 30 and just want everything to settle down. I know exactly what you mean about feeling like relying on others all the time. I just want to feel normal again
sarah3612 victoria_88777
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I know exactly how you feel, I keep thinking when am I going to be me again!!?? My new motto is everyday is a step closer to being better. (Let's hope). It's a rough ride, have you suffered with anxiety before??
sarah3612 sarah24378
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sarah3612 Gerrymoo
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Unfortunately I don't think you can tell!
Gerrymoo sarah3612
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I suppose that's why we have to give it the recommended time to see if things settle down rather than rush into a dose increase !
sarah24378 sarah3612
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Who knows what tomorrow will bring !!!
victoria_88777 sarah3612
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Sarah you could have been writing my exact story there! It's so hard to stay positive but we have to try stick with it. The last 7 and a half weeks have been hell I just hope things settle down soon.
Mornings are so awful as soon as I open my eyes the anxiety starts and I end up wretching. I haven't eaten since I started on citalopram and I'm surviving on protein dhakes. I've lost 2 stone in 7 weeks! The dr doesn't seem concerned about it though. I can't wait for the day I can eat and function normally.
Hope you are feeling ok?
Vx