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Anyone out there who restarted citalopram, had intense anxiety as side effect but still got better?

Posted , 5 users are following.

tamsin07572
tamsin07572

hi all i have just restarted citalopram after 7 months off it and a relapse of anxiety and depression due to worsening IBS. its day 7 and ive had terrible increased anxiety and panic attacks with trembling etc. Has anyone out there had this and then gone on to get better, especially those on it for a second or subsequent time? Please just positive replies - thanks heaps

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • lauraann8
    lauraann8 tamsin07572

    Posted

    hi i am on mine for the second time and i was like you but a year down the line i feel back to myself, it took me about 4 months to feel better, inbox if you want to chat

  • ron60331
    ron60331 tamsin07572

    Posted

    Been back on citalopram for a while now. I stupidly came off it and got bad again. I had a hard time when I first started on the drug but I got through it. I thought the second time would be as hard as the first so I thought I was prepared for the side effects. Anyway it was even worse the second time round. I was really in a bad place. After a few weeks it DID get better and these days I'm back to my happy self. As so many people say on here, and its true, it really does get better. Stick with it Tamsin. You WILL get your life back.

    • tamsin07572
      tamsin07572 ron60331

      Posted

      Thanks Ron - did you have really bad anxiety the first few weeks? Ie much worse than before you restarted?

  • ron60331
    ron60331 tamsin07572

    Posted

    My anxiety was through the roof. I was unable to eat for a few weeks. I could only drink water. Unable to sleep etc. I was a mess. One thought kept me going was knowing that the drug helped me before and it would be worth it in the end. I really could see how some people felt who hadnt been on it before and gave up. I knew it worked before and I just had to hang on. I cant emphasise how much help this forum gave me as well. Reading other peoples posts and their supportive replies helped me to know I wasnt alone in what i was going through. Youre not alone with this Tamsin. You know citalopram helped before so hang in there and you'll get your life back.

    • tamsin07572
      tamsin07572 ron60331

      Posted

      Thanks so much Ron. Thats exactly what Im like - anxiety is far worse than before started. its really hard to eat, sleeping only a few hours each night and feeling constantly anxious with frequent panic attacks. I dont remember it being this bad last time but my husband did remind I was worse before i went on them last time so might have been harder to tell the difference. When did you notice the anxiety starting to ease off a bit?

    • Cara424
      Cara424 tamsin07572

      Posted

      same for me... took about 13 weeks second time around till I FELT 100% . I also went through the same thing after a dose increase from 20-25 mg. I couldn't eat much and was so agitated.

    • ron60331
      ron60331 tamsin07572

      Posted

      It took nearly 3 weeks before I started to feel I could eat a little bit. I mention that because i think thinking about not eating made me feel even more anxious. So much so I phone my GP who reassured me it was nothing to worry about. You can go for quite a while not eating just as long as you keep your fluids up. The physical effects ie feeling physically weak again made me anxious and panicked exacerbated as well by not sleeping. In hindsight I wonder how much the physical side effects made my mental state worse - who knows? All I knew was that I trusted my GP to be there for me. I have an extremely close friend who is there for me. And also this forum was there for me. something else I relied on was Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra to distract me especially at night when those negative thoughts crowded in. Oh and my talking books I bought from Audible were another distraction.

    • tamsin07572
      tamsin07572 Cara424

      Posted

      thanks Cara - did your anxiety get worse when you first started on it? how long before it started to ease up a bit?

  • tamsin07572
    tamsin07572

    Posted

    thanks Ron so the anxiety and negative thoughts started to get better after about 3 weeks? im so sick of the negative racing thoughts - just wish i could shut them up! i start to feel a bit calmer physically and then another bloody catastrophising thought will come in to my head and make me feel all panicky again. i have some lorazepam but have been too scared to take it

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