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Celexa, will it work second time around. Please only positive...

Posted , 9 users are following.

robert80755
robert80755

Hello, I was on Celexa 3 years ago for about 8 months for A/D due to PAWS from Alcohol. I was up to 40mg and my life was completely back to normal. I tapper off and my life was great. And no alcohol.

That lasted two years and due to a very tragic event in October all my Anxiety and Depression came back. I was put on Celexa again. I started at 5mg for one week. Then went to 10mg and have been on that for two weeks. I just went up to 12.5mg yesterday. My doctor wants me to get to 20mg.

I am terrified of drugs and side effects which always seem to be severe anxiety for me that is why I am going so slow to get to 20mg.

My mornings are horrible. I feel hopeless depression until around noon. the anxiety seem to start in my chest the moment I open my eyes. I take the Celexa in the morning around 8:30am but the depression and anxiety start before that. I can't take it at night because then I have problems with sleep.

My late afternoons and evenings are when I have peace. Although yesterday for the first time I had depression around 5pm but it went away around 7pm.

My main fears are that because I was on Celexa before, it won't work this time. And I am worried that I will never get over this.

I am also wondering whether the 4 to 6 week time frame for this drug to work starts when you are at the minimum therapeutic dose of 20mg or does it start from when I started at 5mg?

I also take Trazodone 50mg at night to sleep. And was out on Ativan .5mg 3 times a day as my Anxiety was through the roof all day long. I have crossed over to Valium 5mg in the morning, 5mg at noon, and I am still at .5ativan around 6pm. I will be cutting that to .250 Ativan and 2.5 Valium tomorrow and stat there for about 5 days and the it will be all Valium.

I know how bad the Benzo's are but at this point in my life I have no choice. I had to take them 3 years ago with the PAWS. I am hoping that the Celexa will kick in and then I can start to slowly tapper off the Valium.

That is the other HUGH fear I have of going through withdrawl from the Valium when I start the tapper!!!

God I just hope that the Celexa will work again!!! It really saved me last time!!!! I've been too worried about looking up whether it has worked for other people a second time because if I see it hasn't it will make things worse for me!!!

Please I beg you not to tell me any negitives about any of this. I already know them. I just would love to hear if it has worked twice for others.

And God bless all of you!!! I have been reading a lot of stories especially from women, you are so very strong!!!! I pray for peace for all of you!!!!

Sorry for the long post but I'm Scared!!!

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • rob82148
    rob82148 robert80755

    Posted

    I am on celexa for the second time and it does work again. Of course, it takes 4 to 6 weeks for full effect. Like you, I experience anxiety and sometimes depression when I first start taking it, but that goes away and I become much happier than I was before starting it. It should work out if it worked do well before
    • robert80755
      robert80755 rob82148

      Posted

      Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate hearing that.

      And please anyone else that has a positive comment, I really need to hear it!

  • katecogs
    katecogs robert80755

    Posted

    Hi Robert

    Yes it does work.

    I'm on Citalopram for the second time too.  Like you, I took this for many, many years then came off it 2 years ago and did well for a good year and only took 5-HTP and l-tyrosine (over the counter natural SSRI meds instead, as I do need something).  Great results and no side effects.  Just over a year ago, due to a sudden family illness, the stress and emotions of it began to take its toll on me and I started to feel ill again, so decided to restart the meds before I sank too low.

    Restarting I wondered too if they'd work again, and they have.  It's just natural to doubt it though.  When you feel back down in that hole again it's really hard to feel positive.  I think they took longer to kick in this time though (I started August and was well by Feb/March) and though I did get really bad anxiety for a while, most of the time I felt quite flat, a nothingness, but slowly the meds started doing their job and am now back to being fully well again.  I went back onto 20mg as I was on before, but have since reduced back down to 10mg and am now on 5mg which I'll stay on until next year when I'll come off again and back on the over the counter meds.

    So yes ..... they will work for you again, even though it's hard to imagine it again.

    • robert80755
      robert80755 katecogs

      Posted

      Kate thank you so much!!! It really helps to hear the positive!!! It means a lot!!! This has been so hard!!!

      Thanks to you and Rob again!!! God Bless!!!

    • katecogs
      katecogs robert80755

      Posted

      Wishing you well Robert.  You'll get there again ..... just keep persevering.

      K 😊 x

    • robert80755
      robert80755 katecogs

      Posted

      Thank you!!!! Today was the best day I've had. I felt almost completely back to normal. Today I upped my dose to 15mg. I know not to think that I will feel good for now on but I hope this is an indication that the Celexa might be working!

      Thank you all again!!!

    • robert80755
      robert80755

      Posted

      Well today I feel the depression again! I know I said I shouldn't expect to feel great everyday yet but when this hits it's scary and makes you feel like you won't get better!

      I hope the fact that I felt good yesterday means I will get through this!

      The depression is really confusing to me. There is a feeling of hoplessness, but there is another feeling that I can't get a grasp on. Like it's lerking in the background waiting to pounce.

      I usually start feeling better by the later afternoon so that is what I am hoping for now.

      I hope all of you are doing well!!!!!

    • katecogs
      katecogs robert80755

      Posted

      Recovery comes in patches for a lot of people - it did me.  Sometimes feeling good or bad for days, or weeks or even sometimes just an hour or two.  You'll probably be up and down for a while yet, so just tell yourself that's it's just how recovery works.  Slowly the good days/weeks will get longer and stronger.

      K x

  • cmc46
    cmc46 robert80755

    Posted

    Hi Robert, I went back on citalopram this time two years ago, I had tried to come off during the summer but it hadn't worked, I must admit I think it took longer to work the second time but maybe it was because I thought it should work quicker having been on it not long before, I think it was about 8-10 weeks before I felt it was working but it did and very well, this last summer I decied to come off of them again and have now been off for nearly 3 months and so far so good. Good luck I hope you will see some improvement soon.
    • robert80755
      robert80755 cmc46

      Posted

      Thank you so much cmc46, just seeing this now. I am on week 6 tomorrow and the last couple days have been great!!! So I really think it is starting to work!

      Thank you again and God Bless!!!!

  • monica62597
    monica62597 robert80755

    Posted

    I am on my second time too!I went up to 60 this time and was there for 14 weeks had two good weeks then crashed and so she dropped me back down to 40.I have been on 40 now for two days.It worked perfect before feel like it won't now.

  • cmc46
    cmc46 robert80755

    Posted

    It did work for me a second time, I have now been off for 2 years although now and again I feel I need to go back on, if I remember rightly it took longer to work the second time, not much longer but maybe a week or so, it was a few years ago now so I can't remember exactly but I do know that it did work second time around. Good luck.

    • mary61597
      mary61597 cmc46

      Posted

      robert80755 im wondering how you are doing now?

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