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Citalopram: 20mg for 8 weeks then 30mg for 2 weeks - feel much worse!

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Guest
Guest

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

913 Replies

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  • lisa11619
    lisa11619 Guest

    Posted

    hi when I went from 20mg to 30mg I really didn't have bad side effects like I did when I first started it. yes my anxiety was still bad for a while and I kept thinking that I was going to feel this way forever but it didn't I feel absolutely fine now. it takes time but you will get there I have been on citalopram on and off for 12 years and each time I go down the citalopram has always helped .

    • amanda21726
      amanda21726 lisa11619

      Posted

      Thanks, thats good to hear. I know we are all different but its getting on for four months now on the higher dose of 30mg and some days i really feel so bad, I think I will end up in a mental hospital, its so scary

    • andrew83432
      andrew83432 amanda21726

      Posted

      hi amanda maybe a switch might help you , i went from 20mg to 30mg citalopram and felt worse i also stayed on the dose for 4 month. long story short i switched to sertraline and iv just about fully recovered

    • amanda21726
      amanda21726 andrew83432

      Posted

      hi Andrew, thanks for your message . How was it switching meds? I am terrified about the process of changing meds as i have read that it can be awful and a long process, withdrawal symptoms and then having to go through getting used to another medication. Did you find this?

      I was on 30mg before when it appeared to be alright. Thanks

    • andrew83432
      andrew83432 amanda21726

      Posted

      the switching meds was not bad at all i switched straight over to 50 mg no tapering , i just felt the same (terrible lol ) its been worth the switch . i was just not getting better on citalopram i was going downhill i just thought what have i got to lose couldnt feel any worse than i did .

    • june13407
      june13407 lisa11619

      Posted

      May I ask out of interest why you start and stop taking it if it helps your anxiety. I am still recovering albeit very slowly on 30mg for nearly 5 months. I get good days and bad still. At the beginning of this journey I was really bad and I also suffer with health anxiety too. I started on 10,20 and then 30 I am improving as I was off work for 3 months and have been back now since the second week in November. I still do not feel back to my old self and happy but am coping alot better.

    • amy65274
      amy65274 lisa11619

      Posted

      How long were you on 30 before you started to feel relief? I have been on 30 for 8 weeks and don't feel a lot of improvement in anxiety or depression.

  • Headzap
    Headzap Guest

    Edited

    This an exceptional thread - would someone please message me the book and other material that has been referenced here

    Many thanks

    • barbara33641
      barbara33641 Headzap

      Edited

      agree with Headzap. great thread on celexa. katecogs, may i ask u to message me the book too? Many Thanks!

  • suestev
    suestev Guest

    Posted

    i hope someone can help me too. ive been taking 20 mg citalopram for years now and generally it keeps my anxiety at bay. however, following family problems my doctor has increased my dose to 30mg. Since this happened, about four weeks ago, ive felt progressively worse. Today i just dont know what to do with myself. im having panic attacks, feel hot and cold, feel sick, feel scared and phobic, and my vision is blurred.is it normal to feel worse for a while? how long should i persevere for?

    any help would be appreciated. thank you.

    • lois95799
      lois95799 suestev

      Posted

      you are basically going thru start ups again.it will subside.ask your doc.for diazapam for relief best wishes

    • amanda21726
      amanda21726 suestev

      Posted

      hi Suestev

      I am so sorry you are going through this, I know just how horrid it is. I was the same, one doctor told me it was normal, another doctor told me i should not have any symptoms as the citalopram was already in my system . Who to believe? i continued for four months but still had awful anxiety. So i came back down to 20 and was still bad. As i was going abroad to work and felt i would not be able to, doc put me on mirtrazapine for the awful anxiety. It worked a dream for the anxiety, although i had side effects they were not as bad as the anxiety I had experienced, which was crippling. I am still on 20mg citalapram but think they might reduce that in time. The side effects of mirtrazapine have diminshed over the six weeks i have been taking it. Persevere for a little longer, try to relax into it and tell yourself it is the pills doing their job. Not easy i know but rest assured you are not alone.

    • babsyboo
      babsyboo amanda21726

      Posted

      Hi

      maybe ask ur Dr for some meds to help with the anxiety

      I take lorazapam as needed when I get high anxiety attacks

      just a thought , it helps going though the meds on the beginning

      or how ever long u need it

      hope u get to feel better soon , the meds works slow and u don't see stuff daily but weekly

  • Garrr
    Garrr Guest

    Posted

    I too have moved from 20 (6weeks) to 30 (about 10 dats), and still have horrific anxiety. The worst part for me is that this illness robs you of all self confidence. I work as an airline pilot (obviously off sick at the mo) but dont have the confidence to do much at the moment. I was really starting to lose hope but this thread, with lots of well written opinion and advice, has made me realise this could be a longer journey than I thought and need to keep going.

  • emily58862
    emily58862 Guest

    Posted

    i just wanted to share my experience with Citalopram. I started on 10mg around August and it didnt do anything for me so i was upped to 20mg and it was the worst feeling week. I couldnt sleep, over anxious, racing thoughts, restless, thoughts i was going crazy. This was all way too much with a 2 month old baby I thought I was the worst Mum ever. After that first week something just changed and i picked up fairly quickly. Having stayed on 20mg for the past 5 months feeling somewhat ok and like i was getting there, feeling above water Ive started feeling a bit rubbish again not too bad but slowly. Ive now increased to 30mg a week ago and Ive had minimal side effects compared to last time i just feel a little off . Ive been so worried and almost makong myself anxious thinking its going to come full blast but it hasnt.

    Ive just received some Magnesium supplements (checked with aunt who is a practice nurse that they wont interact with cit, she takes both herself and said its fine) in hope it'll take the edge off a bit!

    I wish everyone the best and hope Citalopram helps you as it has me!

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