Anxiety worse is this all normal

hi i am on day 15 today its really is horrendous doctor suggested coming off them however ive come this far and hoping things start to settle ! how about you and sorry to hear you are experiencing the same thing, you always feel like surely this isnt normal and no one else could feel this bad!

hi cheryl

how are you feeling now?

happened to me too years ago it usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for it to kick in.

hi Ian thanks so much for your response it does help when you read on here that we are not alone! the feelings i am experiencing are just awful and like you said it feels like you are going insane, problem is i cannot sleep at all probably getting something like 1hour a night then waking up in blind panic from sleep with an awful doom feeling and racing heart! ive lost 11/2 stone in like 15 days as i cannot eat either, but like you said i dont want to get this far and give up just need the side effect s to go away now its exhausting....hope you feel better soon and take care always around if you need a chat x

That's quite an extreme response to the medication,so I'm assuming you must have been pretty bad before you even started, because 10mg is a very low dose of an antidepressant. I was in a very bad way 2 half yrs ago when I went on 10mg Citalopram and was ill for 3 months but felt less depressed when I went on 20mg. Hard to know what to do for the best with these medications. Wether to go straight to 20 or wait to see how it goes on 10 and then increase later.If you're only sleeping for an hour and not eating and losing weight like that,it is concerning. Are you on your own because you shouldn't be on your own really at the beginning of treatment. You should have support from family or friends if possible to help you through the beginning because it is so hard. I'm very much improved thank you,but you sound particularly ill at the moment so don't hesitate to message,reply or post again.

hi nicola

i went through the same as you back in july i started on 10mg and was literally 3 weeks of hell with every side effect going. sweating, no appretite, very upset tummy, my whole body felt shaky and on full charge if that makes sense. i could hardly sleep and would wake up in panic and with the worst dread. it was horrific. the worst part was the increased anxiety and intrusive thoughts they were horrific and scary. after around 4 weeks i had some good days then went through a blip went all the way back to the way i felt at the start. moved to 15mg i was scared of side effects but they were not as bad. again eventually i had a couple of good weeks but again came a blip and felt back to the start. i have finally moved to 20 and have felt a bit better the last week and i hoping now i am on a proper dose i will improve. its been the hardest worst time of my life and just want you to know your not alone and hear any time to chat as i know how lonely it is. this forum has been amazing and on bad days i have sat just reading all the chats and success stories hoping itll be me one day! hang in there its so tough. leigh xx

hi ian i lost my mum last year pretty suddenly which kind of set my anxiety off on another level i was put on 10mg citalopram and i remember feeling pretty much the same then only thing is im sure the depression side of it wasnt as bad as now and maybe this is what i cannot handle the horrible thoughts and feelings of dread i did go up to 20 mg and it did eventually make me better, im not alone i have my hubby who has been amazing although its hard for him too i also have a large family the only thing i struggle with is the lack of help from doctors, etc its like you are given these drugs and just made to get on with it which is so scary! its now 5am and i had more sleep to tonight which i am sure will help. so happy you are getting there and same always here xx nikki

hi leigh thanks for your reply i 100% agree if it wasnt for these forums i really dont know how i would cope as you are just left to get on with it and i have never felt so vulnerable and scared, even though i have a big family and an amazing hubby i have never felt so alone as its hard to explain how i feel and to them i must just look insane as i am alwqys wanting to go to A&E or ring the crisis team but i literally cannot take the feelings, so happy you are getting there and i remember last year i was on them the dread feeling went away after around day 10 seems to be taking longer this time around doctor advised me to come off them but i scared to try something else to maybe go through all this again....always here too if ever need anything..nikki x

Hi Nicola. Very sorry to hear that you lost your mother,that is a life changing experience. It's normal to go through the process of grief and that process is unique for everybody. Some people can come to terms with things quicker than others and some people can cope better than others,we are all different. You say you have a crises team,not familiar with that,but have you had grief counseling? As for Dr.s I understand completely. It's not their fault completely because they have limited time to see you,and being general practitioners they are not trained in mental health and can only offer you a prescription. Mental health services in this country are woefully inadequate and it's sad we have to rely on these sites for understanding. I've experienced this for many many years,even before the internet when there were only books to read! At least you do have support and you're not completely on your own. If things are too personal to talk about don't hesitate to message me,take care.

hi Ian thanks so much for your messages really helps as like you said mental health services are so bad, it is these forums that have helped me so much as Drs dont really know much about the side effects, as mine said yesterday she hasnt heard of any of my side effects been that severe, i have read so many stories on here with the same side effects as me so goes to show they dont know much about them! i do believe this is all grief related never really lost anyone before so i guess this is how i am dealing with it! i am seeing a councillor privately as couldnt wait for the services far too long! its great to talk to others who are/have been through the same, so your responses are much appreciated xx

Hi Nicola,never found Dr.s to be of much help other than to provide a prescription, that's another story. What I have found to be vital in recovery though,other than the medication,is knowledge. Knowledge in 3 parts. 1. Why it happened 2. What is happening to you and lastly how to recover. The reason it's happened is prolonged and intense stress caused by the grief of your mother passing in a pandemic and other things maybe on top. This leads to what is happening to you. The prolonged stress starts to affect the chemical in your brain, Serotonin. Serotonin has many functions through the body and in the brain,some of them being sleep and mood and well being. When this chemical starts depleting in your brain,sleep and mood starts to deteriorate and if the stress carries on even further can lead to what they used to call a nervous breakdown. That's like using a car with no oil in the engine,the engine blows up and you can't use the car any more.! It's the brain protecting itself against any further damage. Also,your brain function starts to get confused and your nervous system becomes hyper sensitised. It's like a computer with a virus sending out the wrong messages to the network controlling everything. This is when thoughts become confused, negative,dark and intrusive. Your memory is not the same,you have low moods,become emotional and no patience etc etc. Because your nerves are sensitive and getting the wrong messages around your body,you get weird sensations like internal buzzing,muscle twitching and tics, headaches, hearing and sight can be affected,the list is endless. Then with all this going on,you get health anxiety,am I having a heart attack,am I going mad,have I got Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis,will I recover,that goes on and on. Your thinking becomes an endless list of What ifs making your feeling like you're going insane. Then with all this going on in your head,you take a medicine after 10 minutes talking to a Dr. which is actually going to make you worse!!! This is in my mind is the hardest thing to take, and there's nothing you can do about it. The fact is, is that the antidepressant in time,will aid recovery by raising those depleted serotonin levels and it is going to take time. The road to becoming ill is long and the road to recovery is just as long,maybe longer unfortunately,but,as they say a very long journey starts with a couple of steps. With the knowledge of why these things are happening,you can try and accept all the weird thoughts and sensations eventually and know that in time you will improve and get better. Take care.

thanks Ian i find it comforting and very informative and i appreciate you taking the time to reply....im sure i will have more questions ..take care ..Nikki

hi nikki how are you today? are you feeling any better? Ian you have described perfectly what has been happening to me with internal buzzing i have never been able to explain it properly but inside feels electric. i have had quite a good week but today i can feel the anxiety building up again so disheartening after a better week. also think hormones do not help ! leigh

Yes,it is electric. Your nervous system is electrical impulses sent throughout the body controlling all your bodily functions,such as moving your muscles when you want to move. The feeling is like an electrical transformer buzzing with electricity. It is the result of the nervous system being sensitised from stress over a long time as I explained. When you remove stress and recover,so will the nervous system. It's what people used to call bad nerves or say I'm a nervous wreck. I've experienced the buzzing myself,ironic really as I am an electrician.😄

hi Leigh unfortunately not, day 19 today and i can honestly say i feel like it is getting worse, the anxiety is unbearable i can be just sat there maybe feeling not too bad and then this feeling comes over my body so hard to describe, its like butterflies/fear and my legs feel like they are gone cold and also my arms almost like a burning sensation i get weird sensations in my bead still cant eat or sleep, maybe a few hours a night then wake up in a panic state with a racing heart , i really want to carry on but i think it maybe time to stop them now as nothing seems to be letting up! how are you? hope you are feeling better xx Nikki

Hi Ian had the worst day/night i am thinking of stopping these now as the side effects are killing me seems no let up to them my whole body is just constantly charged to the point i can even function properly, feels like its burning from the inside out and also the eating and sleeping is non existent, the waking up in a panic with your heart racing is awful you just constantly think you are going to die, i dont want to stop but something is telling me this just isnt right! did you experience any of these feelings at all? Nikki xx

Sorry to hear that. Are you still taking that Propranolol? I have no experience myself of that drug,never heard of it before. Go to the posts on it on this site, doesn't sound very positive to me,though everyone always post negatives only. I only have experience of taking Citalopram by itself,when you mix two drugs together it's hard to know what will happen. From what I read quickly about it, it's supposed to slow your heart down,so it doesn't sound like it's working to me . I would look into that drug first and see if it's beneficial to keep taking that. Maybe speak to your Dr. about it. I haven't experienced the hot/cold sensation,but I know lots of people have on the other site I'm on for Fluvoxamine. Whatever you experience, remember what I said that it's just your nervous system acting weird and nothing harmful,only frightening. Sleep is particularly stressful because really weird things happen again,weird dreams etc and in the silence of night with no distractions you become acutely aware of your heart,thoughts etc. My heart was thumping for ages earlier this year. Took ages on this med for it to calm down. Everyone gets frightened from this horrible condition but everyone on here including me knows what it's like. Look into the Propranolol first before stopping Citalopram. Keep in touch.

hi nikki are you taking propanalol? i meant to say at the start i had them with the citalopram and had to stop them and felt better when i did as the two together just didnt mix well for me at all. i have had a good couple of weeks but yesterday and today feeling awful again 😦 leigh x

hi ian thats me on 20 now for 4 weeks do you think thats still early days? im so frustrated after having a couple of good weeks i feel as bad as ever today! 😦 leigh

meant to say its maybe the propanolol is making your blood pressure drop to quickly or to much that can make your arms cold and prickly! thats what was happening to me. leigh

Hi Leigh, definitely. 4 weeks is nothing. Doesn't matter that you spent many weeks on lower doses,when you increase it can be like back to square one. The first 4 weeks is the acute phase when increased anxiety is at its worst. Between 4 and 12 weeks things can still be pretty bad with ups and downs, anxiety coming and going, lethargy,side effects,many things can happen unique to your system and how it copes with the med. All depends on the person. My experience is that everthing fluctuates in a cycle from positive to negative. Some call the negative part of the cycle setbacks or blips. As time progresses that cycle stays more in the positive and less in the negative. You should aim for 12 weeks to see sustained improvement. I'm at week 10 on my medication and had a few rough weeks lately,got to ride them out unfortunately, that's all you can do. It's very hard I know,been there many times before. Never give up and keep going ☺️

thank you for taking the time to reply i appreciate it! just had such a rubbish day as when you have days or weeks of feeling good you really think your getting somewhere then today just feel so jittery and shaky and all electric inside again and you feel your all the way back to the start. feel i will never be free of this.

It is very frustrating when you think you're better and it all comes back. Everyone has off days and periods of feeling worse, that's normal for all people regardless. You want it to be all over and anxiety grips on. That's where acceptance comes into it, the more you fight it,the tighter its grip on you,the more you don't care wether you got it or not,then it releases its grip. Anxiety is a paradox,the more you think about it the worse it gets. That's where distraction comes in as well. You have to concentrate your mind on other things and ignore the symptoms,take away the power you are giving it by ignoring it. Hard to do when the antidepressant is making you worse, but you should carry that with you even when you recover because if you don't learn how to beat it properly,the antidepressant is just a crutch,and if you stop it,it will all come back again.

hi Ian i did wonder about the propanalol but doctor gave it to ease the anxiety that the citalopram causes like you said dont seem to be working slows the heart rate but thats about it, doctor advised to stop them today so i havent taken it today and surprisingly beat day ive had for nearky 3 weeks felt normal for once, although it is now 1:30am and i am as anxious as anything as soon as i fall asleep im awake within like 5 mins with my heart racing and been in a panic so weird its like my mind cant sleep, im just too exhausted to carry on with them as last time around i had some better days by now but this time just no letting up......thanks for getting back to me Ian you take care if yourself and soeak soon...Nikki x

are you on propanalol? how have you found them? doctor has taken me off the citalopram as of today and i felt normal for not taking it but its now 1:30am and the anxiety is back with a vengence, heart racing drives me insane i just want to be me again! i kept a journal last year when i was on citalopram 10mg first few days brutal then day 8,9,10 i had good days, i remember the the side effects been bad but it did start to ease and i could function still but this time im permanently hyper and anxious all the time always in fight or flight always searching for answers, worrying what all the bloody sensations are! so sorry to hear you are having a bad time right now from experience this is all normal i upped to 20mg after 21 days and this was fine in my journal day 40 onwards was normal , so hopefully you are nearly there, sadly this time my doctor thinks its best to stop them as there is no improvement not one glimpse of it! take care and speak soon, keep in touch xx nikki

Hi Nicola. I don't understand your Dr.s reasoning in stopping the Citalopram. Are you still taking the Propranolol? I thought it would have been the other way round. The anxiety would ease from stopping the Citalopram because it was making things worse,but that means you're on nothing to treat the anxiety long term now. You don't mention swapping to another antidepressant. I'm at a loss to what your doctor is thinking. Doctors don't seem to understand how antidepressants work for anxiety, and don't warn their patients about the worsened effects they will have in the beginning of treatment. The Propranolol is a short term treatment for anxiety,the antidepressant is a long term treatment. You will lose all the hard work you've put into sticking it out for 3 weeks and now have withdrawal from stopping. I'm confused.🤔

hi nikki i was on propanalol and it wasnt doing anything so i started the citalopram and took them together for the first week but had to stop as together i felt so bad as the propanalol was making my blood pressure drop to much and to fast it was to much altogether. i kept going with the citalopram as i have had it before and it worked for me. however i recovered on 10mg although cant remember how long it took as was 15 years ago. this time a lower dose hasnt really worked so have went to 20 and praying it works as so fed up feeling like this. just want to be me again. feel im stuck like this forever. my gp gave me diazepam to help with side effects only 2mg and only a few. did they offer you another antidepressant instead? the physical effects of anxiety dont bother me to much as i know its anxiety its more the intrusive thoughts and the feeling of fear and panic that scares me which is also why propanalol doesnt help that. hope youve had a better day x

hi ian i take it you follow the acceptance method. i have read couple of books on this which are really interesting. i would love to adopt the accept, float, let time pass method but i just find it so hard to accept anxiety and intrusive thoughts when you feel so bad with it. you seem so positive even though you have had rough weeks. i just keep thinking what if im stuck like this what if 20 doesnt work. have you ever tried hypnotherapy for anxiety? leigh

Hi Leigh,I haven't read any books on this acceptance topic,just come to learn it myself after a lifetime living with anxiety. Used to worry over every symptom,but when you eventually realise that it is only anxiety and it doesn't actually harm you,then you give up. The more you fight it,the worse it gets, you're never gonna win. Did read books years ago which explained how the nervous system becomes sensitised after prolonged worry and stress,which then causes all the weird feelings and sensations in your body,and that helped because knowledge of what's happening and why it's happening is vital for recovery from anxiety on top of the medication.

I've actually been on my current medication since March, slowly increasing to the dose I'm on now for 11 weeks. I was really ill when I started but I've improved a good bit since then,hence I'm being more positive. That wasn't the case in the beginning when I was experiencing terrible dark, negative thoughts and was very depressed.

I only tried hypnotherapy once,I was so anxious I couldn't be put under! I do recommend hypnotherapy cds though, and have used them on and off for years. I use Paul McKenna ones that I bought years ago that comes with his books, and they put me to sleep and are relaxing. Take care.

hello thats what happened to me years ago with hypnotherapy when i tried it i was to anxious that the therapist said i kept coming back out of it. i was thinking if maybe giving it another shot. maybe the same will happen again but maybe worth a try. even although i know its all anxiety causing symptoms and thoughts and they cant harm you i always think 'yeh but what if'. its the thoughts and churning stomach that i hate the most oh and maybe the internal buzzing. 😃. aw you have been on yours a while im glad your feeling better and more positive. its such a long journey i started in july. i did not realise it would so long to feel better.

I never got round to trying acupuncture,that would have been interesting. That's the only thing I never tried. My experience is that the medication makes the greatest improvements and difference for me,while diet, exercise, mindfulness,walking in nature etc add benefits to that on top.

Funny you should say about churning stomach but I think after all this time mine has stopped. That's exactly how recovery comes. Recovery comes so slowly that you don't even realise something has gone like it slipped away in the night. One by one they disappear along with the What Ifs that plague you all the time. We all want to be recovered today,but that's not what happens. The churning stomach and electrical buzzing have been symptoms that I've had,among others. All annoying,but harmless.

i have never tried accupuncture for anxiety only for a sore back a couple of times. the what ifs are my worst symptom for sure. they give me the most fear and make me feel im either going crazy or im scared that they will really happen. cannot wait till they go away. i find it very hard to accept them as just thoughts as they scare me the most.

Yeah,the what ifs can definitely make you feel crazy,going round and round in your head. This is when serotonin levels are very low and can take a while to go. You have to be on the minimum dose of 20mg if you're at that level of stress and anxiety,anything less is just a plaster. Thankfully I've passed that stage and my mind has definitely calmed. My mind has calmed but my physical symptoms are still persisting but I'm hoping they will subside in the coming weeks. The longer you take the 20mg the more you will improve as well.

hi Ian it was probably because the side effects were too severe and i couldnt function had suicidal thoughts(didnt have depression) but on citalopram this time omg ive never felt in such a dark place, i was doubting the doctors thinking ive come this far but last year when i was in citalopram after 8 days i saw some kind of relief had bad days but nothing to this extent, mutual decision in the end, i agree the propanolol dont really work that much and i have already told the doctor i will need to try something else, so he has suggested i need bloods doing checking thyroid as it had been on the dodgy side for a while, then we can look at trying another antidepressant. i dont know why citalopram didnt work the 2nd time round but i just know i couldnt carry on taking them! i still have bad days and this is now day 6 of ot taking them and some parts of the day i feel normal and i think please let this be it now but then in a few hours i can be back to feeling like crap again! withdrawals have been anxiety(of course), bad tummy, pressure in my head, muscle aches feel like i have flu, crying most days although that does make me feel better! no sleep is what is killing me, i nod off and bang within 5 mins i am awake but wake up confused and panicky with an awful feeling just exactly the same as when i was taking citalopram, really dont know what that is about but i search these forums to see if anyone else does this but havent seen anything. i shall keep you updated. take care and how are you feeling? nikki x

hi lovely yes i was also taking propanolol but i stopped taking it thinking it maybe is that not helping with the citalopram but nothing, citalopram worked for me last year was on them 10 months and after day 8 i felt some relief from my anxiety felt a little down as just lost my mum but its more the anxiety that makes me depressed, i did have pretty bad side effects then too but nothing to this time! it was a mutual decision as i didnt want to be here feeling like that as the depression which i dont really suffer with was so intense i was petrified of the feelings and intrusive thoughts i literally couldnt function, checking my thyroid and then may try me on something else i do need it as my anxiety is pretty bad again, i have bouts of this i can be fine for years then bang in stressful or traumatic times it manifests itselfs again. how are you feeling now do you feel the tablets are kicking in? x

hi leigh im the same i have tried alsorts of techniques and i am just too anxious and i try like ian said to think the physical symptoms are just anxiety but like you its what if, mine is like you the dark horrible thoughts but also the pounding heart, while on citalopram this time round i had burning sensation in my upper body like chest, back and arms doc said that would be the citalopram causing indigestion/heartburn but it was awful and also the lack if sleep and the waking up in a panic!

Thanks for that message. My Anxiety was also triggered by loosing my Mom last year, the pandemic and everything you mentioned. It makes sense to me. I feel impatient with myself sometimes because i had my anxiety under control for years and then it came with a BAM! probably worse than ever before. I'm busy upping my dosage at the moment as well and it is a challenge, that it takes slow 😦 . I am so grateful that i read thus forum and don't feel alone in this. x Thanks everyone.

hey do you feel better now youve stopped the citalopram? im the same had this 15 years ago took citalopram had no side effects and recovered on 10mg. this time ive been taking it since july giving each dose 6/8 weeks and its not worked yet and been on 20 for nearly 5 weeks. scared it never will as everyone seems to feel better by this point . i have had some good weeks which gives me hope then go all way back to the start. time of the month seems to mess all the progress up. i had my thyroid checked to it was fine half of me wish it was that so least could be fixed. each day is hell at the moment very hard to stay positive. x

thanks i so hope so. have felt so awful last few days high anxiety and panic and worrying im stuck like this forever and will the meds ever work for me. so glad your feeling better i live for the day of a calm mind feel ill never be at peace ever again. my cbt therapist said it could be a bit of ocd with the same stuck intrusive thoughts but im not sure if it is or just the anxiety causing them and they will go when the mind and body becomes calm x

I can't understand why your Dr. put you on 10mg,then 15mg in the beginning. Every time I've taken any SSRI I've gone straight on the minimum therapeutic dosage for depression and anxiety which is 20mg you're on now for Citalopram. I understand titration,going up slowly,but Citalopram is known to be the weakest antidepressant out of the SSRI's and even doing that you should have had 10mg for a short while then gone to 20mg quite quickly. I've been on Citalopram 3 times and gone straight to 20mg. you've only been 5 weeks on 20mg which is nothing,you have to be aiming for 12 weeks at least. The problem is you spent too long on those lower doses which are ineffective, and now you are understandably getting frustrated.

I've done a similar thing really with Fluvoxamine. It's the first time I've taken it and the dosage says 50mg or 100mg. Don't know why. Started on 50mg, didn't like it so dropped to 25mg for 9 weeks then went back to 50mg for 14 weeks and then up to 100mg now for 11 weeks,so it's taken a long time and still having nonsense. Fluvoxamine is given to people with OCD and now for long Covid. Nearly everyone on my Facebook group is OCD or long Covid. Are you finding CBT effective?

hi this is now day 7 of no citalopram and i can honestly say i have had mostly good days where i feel normal again, but not sure if it is now withdrawals but i can feel normal, wake up feeling normal then bang i seem to feel awful again with the awful panic feeling in my tummy and sense of dread in my head, didnt think i would get withdrawals with been on them for only a short while but that aint the case apparently! hoping it will all settle down but i do think i need to be on something to get the anxiety under control. i really feel for you it is such an awful thing to go through, i hope you feel better soon and i totally agree the time of month is a killer for me i always feel 100 x worse! xx

hi i think they start with 10 for anxiety as obv makes you more anxious to start with. i recovered on 10mg years ago but wasnt as bad then and didnt have intrusive thoughts either or not as bad as this time. i had awful side effects when i started i couldnt of coped with 20mg. over the last week i have had a three panic attacks now which ive not had since the start of taking cit do you think that it is not working or could that be the cit causing it? i think alongside my anxiety i have some hormonal thing going on. men are lucky to not have to deal with that on top of everything else. my gp said first srri she would try for ocd would be cit. i so dont want to have to try to change over. did you have to take more than 20 in the past to recover? leigh

hey aw thats good you have had some more normal days. anxiety is such an awful thing isnt it i just want to be me again. you seem to be like me awake during the night or super early 😦 the no sleep is a killer isnt it makes everything worse . x

Hi Nicola,Was concerned when you said you were stopping Citalopram and then didn't hear anything. My new Dr. sent me for a blood test for thyroid and vitamin deficiency. Waste of time.

There is depression with some anxiety,then there's anxiety with associated depression. That's what we have. You don't think you're depressed because of all the adrenaline flowing through your body and making you hyper and panicky,but it is there underlying. When you first take any antidepressant it worsens anxiety and depression. When you get to such a bad state as panic attacks,taking an antidepressant that makes things worse is not good. I was in that position 12 yrs ago. What you need when you get to that bad a state is calming down. Couldn't suggest it before because you can't take it with Citalopram, Hydroxyzine is a 1st generation antihistamine which is prescribed for anxiety. Being an antihistamine it calms the mind and causes sedation which helps you sleep. Also,unlike Benzodiazapines it is non addictive and can be taken when needed. I only needed a small dose of 10mg and I took it for a couple of years and just stopped. I also had some when I started Fluvoxamine in March to take if I needed it. It's just like an antihistamine you buy over the counter for hayfever,but stronger. It's worth asking your Dr. about prescribing it for you. Also, there's a new plant based remedy developed in Germany called Silexan which they're saying is really good for anxiety. It is produced from the lavender plant and they are saying in tests that it was more effective than Paroxetine, another SSRI. Look into it online. I'm going to try it.

Also to help yourself rid those panic attacks,really watch your diet, don't eat any sugars,only fruit & veg and burn off the adrenaline causing them by running. Will help tire you out and therefore sleep better. Take care.

Hi Leigh. Just having intrusive thoughts is not enough to be classified as OCD,you have to have the compulsions as well like constantly checking and putting things in order etc. Intrusive thoughts for me have come only after a very long period of prolonged anxiety and stress and stopping meds.

You do say you wasn't as bad before when you took the 10mg,so you need more now like the 20mg, but still having panic attacks now is a bit concerning. Only once did I ever go higher than the normal dose on any SSRI,that was when I went to 30mg Citalopram 12 years ago. Remember having very bad increased anxiety after upping,stayed there 6months, didn't like the effects so reduced. I also took a prescription only antihistamine called Hydroxyzine which was much better,but you can't take it with Citalopram anymore. You shouldn't really be having panic attacks after all this time on Citalopram I would have thought, although everyone's anxiety is different,caused by different things. Anxiety is so complex, that's why it so hard to cure.

hi ian thanks for replying. do you think it is normal to still high levels of anxiety at where i am at? maybe what i am describing is not a full blown panic attack maybe more an anxiety attack and feeling panicky. appreciate your replies. leigh

Hi Leigh, I personally have a lot of anxiety for quite a while on antidepressants,so 5 weeks would be nothing to me. Everyone is different. I'm coming up to 12 weeks now on my medication since I increased,and still having issues with side effects and some anxiety but there's no way I'm increasing any more. I will give it even more time and hopefully will keep on improving.

hi ian thank you ill keep going with the 20 for now i really dont want to have to increase. i think the fact ive had good weeks means surely they are working a bit hopefully the good times get longer. anxiety is just horrible i wouldnt want to wish this on anyone. do you still manage to work through it? i was off for two months and then went back but have been off and on since as some days i can get on with my days and others i just cant. i know they say you have to take your anxiety with you through your recovery its hard when its scary isnt it. morning anxiety is the worst i keep waking up so early.

Hi Leigh,yes anxiety is horrible and really bad but I also find the severe depression to be even worse. When anxiety becomes chronic then the depression takes over and suicidal thoughts come with all the other dark, negative, intrusive thoughts. That's very serious. Been to that place a few times now and that's the most frightening time. Thought I was gonna be hospitalised once when I was having panic attacks all day and even while seeing the doctor. Very bad. Was off work for nearly a year,so I know what it's like. Waking early is part of the anxious depression. Continue with the medication and it will all slowly improve.

hi Ian, I'm currently on 10mg prescribed by my doctor last year around christmas time. I was in a very bad way i could harldy see. all i can explain is like everything just appeared black, dark and gloomy. anyway ive been on citalopram for 6 weeks so ive given it a bit of time to kick but ive heard that 10 mg is a very low dose and for someone like myself whos anxiety and a little depression is very high. should i up my dose to 20mg and ask my doctor about it.

thanks 珞

Hi,no,10mg is not enough for serious depression and anxiety in my experience. 20mg is the minimum effective dosage given in guidance and I would go to 20mg. Seeing as you've been on 10mg for 6 weeks already,that should help with lessening the transition to 20mg. It's best then to give the 20mg some time to settle and make improvements. Good luck.

Hi. thanks for your reply. i knew 10 mg was low but i didn't know it was too low for serious anxiety and depression. I'll ask my doctor if he could up my dose then as i feel it will help. I think the reason he put me on 10mg is so it would just get into my system. Been an absolute mess today but ill wait until ive finished this packet of citalopram first then ill give them a call.

thanks

hi ian

that has helped a lot. I would love to speak to a doctor who knows and understands how to help. having a bad day today. but reading this helped.