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Change of medication

Posted , 3 users are following.

suek78
suek78

Has anyone had to change from citalopram to something else as it didn't work for them.i was on holiday in June and ate mash potato,it went down wrong and came back up and panicked me about chocking.i have developed a phobia of swallowing now and can't eat hardly anything.i started on citolopram 10mg for 1 week,then increase to 20mg for 4 weeks,then increase to 30 mg for another 4weeks.i haven't felt no different from starting on the 10 to increasing to the 30.i still can't eat.im also on 5mg diazapam.the doctor increased my citalopram to 40mg yesterday and I'm praying this dosage is going to work.has anyone felt better on 40mg or still the same

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • lorraine52317
    lorraine52317 suek78

    Posted

    Hi suek

    I was on citalopram for six months on varying doses but I continued to feel unwell, in fact I think they made me feel worse! I would say it's time for a change. I'm on venlafaxine and I feel well. No horrid side effects like cit.

    I also tried mirtazipine, that yanked me to good health, but made me really chubby!

    Don't keep waiting for cit to work, the right AD gives you your life back.

    warmest wishes

    L

  • arlene79
    arlene79 suek78

    Posted

    Hi. I completely understand your fear as i have the same and have suffered from it for years. I was on 20mg cit and still had anxiety with it and went up to 40 due to a bereavement. I felt better for a few weeks then just the same as 20. Ive just been withdrawn from this drug and its been difficult both in withdrawal symptons and my phobia. In my case the phobia was caused by chicken. I get 2mg diazepam and id say its better at calming you. You should ask for 2mg diazepam and take before your lunch and dinner if you need to. Try also to breathe deeply and then slowly exhale a few times throughout the day. This is a difficult phobia to have as we obviously need to eat. Try distracting yourself when your eating such as watching tv or looking out a window. Eat foods that ate soft first and i know you said was mashed potato and soft but there are other foods. Make soup and luquidise into smooth so its healthy and just liquid giving you nutrients you require. Bananas. Cheese. Cereals such as weetabix or porridge. Padta and sauce. Dont stress yourself as this will make you more anxious and afraid to eat the more you over think about food. Even if you only eat a snall amount of what you have on your plate that is ok. Tell yourself you will try again tomorrow and remind yourself that you ate what you did today and youre fine. You havent choked so if you can do it today you can repeat tomorrow. This will take time and its baby steps. But you will become more confident. I still dont eat a great many foods but im alive im not fading away and i do my best. If i have a bad day i remind myself there is always tomorrow. The drug can take 6weeks to work if you still feel its not helping then see your doctor. I take diazepam with me as an emergency. There is nothing wrong with you physically and try to tell yourself thst. Its your fight or flight kicking in as your brain is seeing food as a danger due to your scsre. A lot of this phobis involves talking to yourself inwardly that you can eat and you will eat. Its like self help. Your gp should not have just put you on cit as this type of phobia can be delibitating. You should ask for counselling as this does help. My counsellor laminated a small bit of paper wirh positive phrases on it i could carry in my bag. Also this may sound strange but i never go anywhere without fizzy juice. If you ferl like food has not quite gone down properly it will be in your mind but a gulp of fizzy juice sends it right down your gullet and for me anyway i get relief.
    • suek78
      suek78 arlene79

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply,it's very interesting what you wrote,the dr prescribed me 5mg of diazapam so I take them as well before I go to eat to calm me.im on a 6 week help and improve course.im on my last session this week then I will be having a one to one in the hospital,they have also suggested CBT which I've heard is very good and helps a lot.do you think I should keep on with the 40mg because it's only my 3rd day in the 40,I just have to be patient to let this dose start working

    • arlene79
      arlene79 suek78

      Posted

      Hi. Yes i think you stick with 40mg for now if only been 3 days as it will take time to work. If you find after a while its not then discuss with GP. The courses are there to make you more confident. The only thing with them is that no matter hiw much you talk you are the one who has to swallow the food and many therapists just dont get how hard that is as eating is seen as part of life which is why i spoke about the self help as its whatever makes you comfortable to eat that matters. Im now off the cit but to be honest it didnt work in way another drug did years ago and i cant recall what it was. Going to ask GP to check back for me. Im meant to be starting a different one but ive refused as same family as cit and withdrawal hell. So im just relying on me at the moment and the diazepam. Maybe thats the kick i need. You are doing all the right things and its just a matter of time and self confidence that you can get through it or adapt to make your life comfortable.
    • suek78
      suek78 arlene79

      Posted

      I've been told by the doctor to to take 5mg diazapam 3 times a day.do you think it will be ok to take 1 and half before dinner and then 1 and half about 5pm before food

    • arlene79
      arlene79 suek78

      Posted

      Yes that will be fine as 15mg is a lot to take and makes you drowzy. My GP only gives me 2mg as says addictive which it can be but depends on the person and how they use it. Halfing it is a better dosage i think and it means youre alao not totally reliant on lots of meds. If you feel its not working you can always up it again.
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