Citalopram: 20mg for 8 weeks then 30mg for 2 weeks - feel much worse!
Posted , 247 users are following.
Hi everyone. First time posting here. I am worried that I feel much worse after an increase in my Citalopram dosage from 20mg to 30mg.
[u]Some symptoms I've been experiencing:[/u]
- insomnia and bad sleep during the night
- tiredness and "brain fog" during the day
- persistent anxiety and circular thoughts
- feeling reckless and self-destructive
- hopelessness, feeling lost and directionless
- unable to write or be creative for my studies
- panic attacks and chest pains, which have never subsided throughout my 10 weeks on Citalopram
Please can anyone offer some advice or share their experience. I just really want to know that it gets better and that my life will improve on the increased dose. I am really not coping right now and can't see a way forward.
Thank you.
5 likes, 913 replies
cherub Guest
Posted
I’ve returned to this site after a number of years. I have been suffering anxiety. I had a panic attack on my way to work and have been off sick since two weeks. I’m due back in on Wednesday and I’m panicking I won’t be able to get there without a panic attack. I can’t sleep or eat. I’m on sertralibe 50 mg and have been taking these for a number of years. Think I’ve got avoidance issues. Staying off work has made me feel much worse and every day I’m worrying. Any advice please I’d be so grateful thanks
babsyboo Guest
Posted
Hi 26as
I understand ur ????? And ur worries
I been going on this journey for the last 5 month do to being so sencetive to meds
I started on 10 MG for 10 days then up to 15 MG for 8 days then up to 20 MG for 4 weeks in that time I had the worst anxiety attacks u can think of so we went up to 30 MG for 7 weeks
in that time I had no side effects anymore on the end but very high anxiety all day long that did not wanted to stop
So we are now on 25 MG in the last 17 days and yes I am going though side effects just like you
the worst is the anxiety 😦
I get brain fog , shakes , dry mouth and negative thoughts like will I ever come out again
Will I ever be me again and so on
I had a good half day here and there so I think that's a sign of it working and getting closer to coming out
but still have some time to wait and go though the side effects the Celexa gives us
so after 17 day on 25 MG Celexa I still have side effects
I pray we all on here get better soon and though all this
here for u
lois95799 babsyboo
Posted
anxiety while on celexa is a side effect of celexa.if you already had anxiety prior to celexa .celexa inhance it.and if you have a benzo i assume your doctor prescribed is what will give you relief.
sharon31694 Guest
Posted
I increased my dosage to 30 mg late August and was suffering from terrible anxiety and depression. went to my psychiatrist in tears and she told me to taper down so as to try Paxil. i tapered down and saw instant change in level of anxiety and depression. She also added trazadone at night but it was before I started the trazadone that I felt the change. i also asked my family doctor for propranonol low dose which takes away the physical symptoms of anxiety. I go back to my psychiatrist on Thursday and I think I will stay on this dose of celexa and just never increase as not sure I want to go through side effects of PAXIL
Grounded Guest
Posted
@katekogs I would really like the name of that book everyone is talking about. I've read this post from beginning to end about 3 times now trying to reassure myself that continuing on Citalopram is the right thing to do. It's new to me, I've taken Zoloft in the past (10) years ago and it did work but the doctor thought putting me on something that worked for my mother would be a good try this time so here I am. I know now from reading these posts that the amount of time that I've been on it that it hasn't been near long enough (5 weeks) and that I need to try to wait it out and I am, but daily I feel like giving up and going to something else. I also like you mentioned have had a good half day or few hours at times and by good I don't mean great or normal yet but it was tolerable. I almost feel like the panic attacks are further apart, and the physical symptoms of the anxiety but mentally it still feels that it's there almost all day, the confusion, inability to concentrate, feeling 'weird' and that this feeling will never go away again. But I'm going to guess from everyone else's post that I am not the only one who feels this way (although I feel like I am). Anyway, sorry to bother you I was just looking for more reassurance like everyone does during this harsh time. And I would like to read that book that you talked about to see if it helps, even though I have a hard time concentrating right now, I'm hoping that some of it may sink in. Thanks!
katecogs Grounded
Posted
Hi Grounded
I’ll message you too.
Strange your doctor would think that a meds that worked for your mother would work for you too, and it probably will - but am surprised he didn’t put you back onto meds that are known to work for you ie Zoloft.
Yes 5 weeks is pretty early still - it works differenct times for everyone so seems there’s no hard / fast rule for everyone whether it be symptoms, withdrawal, dose, meds or time. Generally though lots of people start noticing changes around 3 months, though some miss these signs as expect the anxiety just to go. It doesn’t just disappear like that but it very slowly eases off, but usually other symptoms ease first.
Second time on meds often takes longer to kick in for lots of people - it did for me.
Yes you do need to give the meds lots and lots of time to see if they’re the ones for you - its always trials and error getting the correct meds and then the correct dose. You will feel like giving up because you won’t see any results for a while yet - its almost like you recover blind - you just don’t notice it happening. Trouble is if you give up and start another meds then you will probably go through exactly the same side effects and still have to wait it out again. So its worth persevering.
Yes often recovery starts with you having little glimpses of recovery - and by that it could be some relief from anxiety but not it completely gone. Some people start sleeping better, or appetites return - yet they don’t recognise these as recovery.
Those little glimpses of normality will come and go and blips (setbacks) will come and go too. Your body is finding its own level.
One of the side effects of anxiety is the mental side - because you’re feeling anxious your mind will go into overdrive and it seems as if it goes to all corners of your brain to seek out the scariest thoughts. Happened to me too. That can be quite alarming and causes further anxiety, making you stick in a cycle of anxiety / fear / anxiety. The anxiety causes thoughts and the thoughts cause more anxiety.
Yes confusion, feeling weird, lack of concentration are so typical of anxiety. Its because you’re trying to work out whats wrong, why you’re like this, how to escape, what next, what if ……. on and on your mind will race. This makes you mentally tired with the non stop thoughts and it’ll be hard to concentrate etc. Feeling weird is because you’re so consumed with inner thinking it makes you feel like you’re in a bubble. Again that’s typical of anxiety.
People try and work out all these things that happen and really all you need to know is that they’re all caused by anxiety alone. There is nothing really to try and fix - because once anxiety starts to ease all those side effects including the scary dark thoughts will ease too. Honestly.
When I started to learn about anxiety I realised I’d kept myself constantly ill with all the debating - when in fact it was just the one thing that caused it all. When I started reading the books (I’ll send you the link) it explained this and it took all the mystery of this condition away, answered my questions, stopped me flailing around in the dark which gave me space to just concentrate on anxiety alone. All the rest followed as it eased.
I suffered for 16 years and also thought I was the only one in the world suffering like it. I didn’t for one moment think anyone else could be like me - so was surprised to find that there were millions like me and that we all went through similar symptoms, albeit we all have our own personal fears - but underneath they’re all the same. Once I got on the right path it happened for me.
Everyone can recover. The right meds, therapy, understanding, slowing down, relaxing - seriously it does work. I never thought I'd be one of those who recovered - it always happened for others but not for the likes of me.
I’ll message you before I ramble anymore lol.
Lolita40 katecogs
Posted
Hi Katecogs !
I sent you a private message....
If you want and have time to reply, I would love to have your feedback.
Im on lexapro since 8 weeks total but 2 weeks on 15mg. I have so much anxiety since a week. First week at 15 was better. Soo tired and inner shakiness.
I feel lethargic and sort of spacey.
I had a lot of med changes in the past 2 years and was change dosages a lot too. So I never did more than 2 months on same dosage. Will I recover!
I feel in despair today.
Lolita40 katecogs
Posted
Hi Katecogs !
I sent you a private message....
If you want and have time to reply, I would love to have your feedback.
Im on lexapro since 8 weeks total but 2 weeks on 15mg. I have so much anxiety since a week. First week at 15 was better. Soo tired and inner shakiness.
I feel lethargic and sort of spacey.
I had a lot of med changes in the past 2 years and was change dosages a lot too. So I never did more than 2 months on same dosage. Will I recover!
I feel in despair today.
katecogs Lolita40
Posted
Hi Lolita
Yes just seen the notification for your message so will message you back.
K x
Grounded katecogs
Posted
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! 😃
Lolita40 katecogs
Posted
I thank you so much.
I message you back and got a reading of what you sent me.
Its awesome xxx
Grounded Guest
Posted
Oh and this is for anyone else who suffers from Panic attacks, anxiety disorder, and depression, did you also feel dizzy a lot of the time when you were having a hard time with the anxiety?
Thanks
gill2581 Grounded
Posted
Hi Grounded,
Yes dizziness is part of anxiety and the meds. It does get less in time. Im 9weeks taking Celexa. Im a lot better than I was but still up and down.... This seems to be normal... Hope you start feeling better soon
Gill x
Grounded gill2581
Posted
Thank you! Seems that they can list it as a side effect but feeling the way I do I still worry about everything. Reassuring to know from real people that I'm not the only one. 5 -1/2 weeks in now myself and hoping it gets better. Thanks for the reply, hope you feel better soon too!
neil70564 Guest
Posted
Just thought I'd check in and say how helpful these posts are. i have had a week of 10mg and just about a month of 20 and my anxiety is still tough in the mornings. I still feel quite stressed at work and I'm not sleeping properly either. And yet i do feel i am improving slowly. When will i feel myself again? Do I need an increase in dose?
lois95799 neil70564
Posted
hopefully in 12 weeks .upping dose aint going to make you feel
lois95799
Posted
any better.on the contrary you will have start up side effects again.