Can anyone help ? Anxiety ?

Hi Lynne,the reason you are getting those feelings are because you have only taken the citrolopram for 7 days.you have too realize that the citrolopram takes 7/9 weeks for the medication to build up in your body.

Hang in there lynne it does take some time to get the med into your system. Maybe its the dose they started you on.I was started on 10 and ended up having to cut to 5 to start and then move up to 10 which is where I have been for the last 7 months. I am sensitive to meds though too. Just a thought.Anxiety is a hard thing to deal with I totally understand--it does get better. I also had thoughts of losing my family but they never had those thoughts. They love you and want to you to get better too. Days do get better. Hope you have a better day today! Just remember to breathe and take it a moment at a time if need be. You can do this!

Unfortunately those are start up side effects and 7 days is very early in the treatment. Most people will tell you that they do feel a little worse before they get better. Just take it day by day, try to relax as much as possible, and look at long term, try to focus on that. I did take some clonazepam sparingly myself to get through some of the anxiety I'm 9 weeks in so early myself, and I've not had to take it for the past 2-3 weeks so that tells me that the anxiety is getting better. It is a long and slow process, but worth it if you stick it out. I've noticed also that sometimes its our own anxiety we have about taking the medicine causing the effects we are having, so try to think positive about it. Talk to your physician and see if there is something to help calm your nerves until the medicine starts to level off possibly, it will help to get through the initial start up of the celexa.

I wish we are told just how bad the side effects cab be when we're prescribed this drug. My journey when I first went on them was horrendous and even made me think about suicide. I kept on going back to my long suffering GP for support (this was a number of years ago) and she was very supportive. I came of a while back and have now started back on them. initially it wax even worse than the first tome I went on them. Sadly it really is a fact that you'll have to stick with it before you begin to feel better. The second time around I was lucky to have found this forum. It didnt make the side effects go away but gave me the belief that things would improve and it is improving. Believe in what others post on here about things slowly getting better. Easier said than done when you are going through hell. You're not alone on here. We really do have an idea of what you're going through. I hope its nor too long before you see a difference.

Perfectly normally im afraid. It's ironic how we suffers seek out help and the doctor gives us a medication that makes things worse for a while. I can only talk about my own experience as we are all different. One persons miracle pill is another's devil drug. My first A/D was sertraline, 10 weeks of hell making my anxiety a lot worse along with other side effects. I made the decision to change which at the time was the very last thing i wanted to do, turned out to be a great decision. I instantly felt better but that was more down to the sertraline poison coming out of my system then it was 2-3 weeks of citalopram side effects including increased anxiety and insomnia. Some good days in between bad weeks but this got less and less. It probably took a couple of months to get back to some sort of normality. My advice is don't mess about with constant changes in dosage, if you've gone straight onto 20mg, try 10mg for a couple of weeks, less severe side effects but it takes longer to get up to the dose required. Also, give the A/D a chance before you know its not for you, too many people flip-flop about with different brands imo. The hardest decision is changing, starting all over again is tough, i had only one change, some have 3,4 or more. Hopefully citalopram is for you. I still don't think they are the complete answer more like getting you to a place where you can help yourself. Therapy helped hugely for me, in the UK you refer yourself now through minds matter (NHS) Also, i started to exercise heavily, laid of the booze and generally live a healthier and slightly boring life, i take zero stress on at home or work. Its a nightmare at the start, you literally struggle from one day to the next, sometimes hour by hour, it passes though. Try getting the GP to prescribe 2 weeks of zopiclone (sleeping pills) they don't like doing it but be forceful. I cut mine in half and made them last a month, don't worry about addiction, no way in that timespan. Even better diazepam but good luck with that one, they have a hatred of giving them out these days, good stuff but too many got reliant on them, i don't see the problem with a 2 week supply to get you over the worst of the side effects. Take your citalopram in the morning if they are keeping you up, if they make you drowsy then just before bed. Trust me, i was in a very deep dark place, i thought it was the end for me. Back to normal ish now, its not easy but it passes. Good luck

hi

I know how you feel we have all been there on this forum but when you are going through it u feel like u r the only one . I took 10mg proproponol 3 times a day as well they were brilliant . After a week or so u can go down to 2 or even 1 . U will get through it find an app i had an end anxiety one which i listened to endlessly . I also started gym swimming and walking . I was off work for 3 weeks with no appetite and nausea . I still get the odd blip but 9 months in i feel a lot better i did a lot of reading up on anxiety and went to classes . Hang on in there i started on 20mg but now down to 10mg .

hi everyone

thank you for your replies

it is very hard starting these tablets ! its like hell on earth ! i still have anxiety all day feel slightly better at night time but the morning is bad !!! day 8 today i know its still early days but i hope it gets better feel tired all the time too !

hope everyone is okay today hope we can all be a crutch to each other x

This is all normal. I know it's scary but what you're going through is par for the course. And I know its easier said than done by try to relax even when it's at its worst. Be patient, dont rush feeling better. Just let it take all the time it needs. The pills are working in the back ground. And those thoughts you're having are just symptoms of anxiety and all very normal that we all have had. Stay strong! Better days are ahead that's for sure.

Hi Lynn, I also had thoughts of suicide when increasing the meds over summer. It really scared me, but luckily having taken this med on and off for a while, I knew it was actually triggered by the cit. Awful side effect. I was also scared that the med was going to drive me bs crazy this time, but it hasn't.

You will settle, honestly you will. How are you doing now?