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Citalopram 6th week for anxiety

Posted , 7 users are following.

stannis
stannis

Hey guys,

I've been on citalopram 10mg for 4 weeks for anxiety. It started getting a bit better at the end of the 4th week but I could still still feel a lot of anxiety. My doctor upped my dose to 20mg so it's been now 2 weeks that I'm on 20mg. I had lots of side effects on 10mg for the first three weeks, and for around 10 days on 20 mg. But now it's as if I'm not taking the medication at all ... I'm still anxious when I think about work/what I have to do, responsibilities, etc. Even if I skip the pill for a few hours nothing major happens.

It's really as if there's no effect lol. Should I wait for more time, it's only been two weeks on 20mg. 

How did you feel when citalopram started working for you - what was anxiety replaced by when it kicked in? Did you feel more energetic, outgoing, positive, calm?

I don't know if I should change medication or just wait and see what happens. 

Any help is appreciated.

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

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  • daisy1021
    daisy1021 stannis

    Posted

    I'm almost on my 5th week of 10 mg. I think I need to up the dose but I'm afraid of the side effects. I just started finally sleeping a couple nights ago. But I still feel very foggy headed and anxiety. What side effects did u feel when u increased the dose?
    • stannis
      stannis daisy1021

      Posted

      I had the same side effects (with as much intensity and a bit less sometimes) as in the beginning with 10mg. Only thing is that they lasted for around 9-10 days instead of 20-22 days. I talked to my pharmacist and he said that upping from 10 to 20mg would come with at least 2 weeks of side effects and benefits arriving after the third week. This is for anxiety though he said that for depression it takes much longer to see positive effects.
    • stannis
      stannis daisy1021

      Posted

      And in general the side effects were throat tightness, heightened anxiety, restlessness. As long as I could find something else to think about it wasn't that bad. 
  • deidra40034
    deidra40034 stannis

    Posted

    Hello Stannis, What you are feeling is totally normal.  Believe it or not, it is working.  It's probably going to take another good 5-6 weeks for the 20 mg to really get your system worked out.  Even the 10 mg you were on was just starting to work, as 4 weeks was a bit early on.  You were already showing progress on the 10, and that was great!!  You will have some blips now and then, or off days as I call them, and that is normal.  I have been on Cital 20 mg for 3 years, and still will get those off days, but now I know what to do get myself through it, and I do fine because I know what to expect.  Just give it time, don't give up on it, know what you are feeling, and going through is totally normal!!  You are on your way to recovery, and we are here for you, to help you through it when you have those blips, and we understand what you are going through because we either have gone through it, or are going through it! I know it is so hard to go through, but you really are already showing signs of recovery. You may not see it, but just what you have posted, I can see it. You will take 2 steps forward, and 1 or even 2 steps back, and it might be that way for a little while, but there is light at the end of that tunnel!!

     When I started taking the Cital, my doc had me take it at night, 30 min before bed with a little food. I had a awful time sleeping, and I sleep much better, and I don't have any of the tummy issues, headaches, or foggy head during the day, heart palps, and eventually, my anxiety was/is not nearly as bad during the daytime. A friend of mine was also told by her doctor to do the same. You might want to give that a try...just a thought. I wish you good luck Dear!! You hang in there, and we are here for you!!! Here is a {{{{HUG}}}} for you! We all could use those!

    • stannis
      stannis deidra40034

      Posted

      Thanks for the support Deidra!

      You're right, now that I think of it it's a little bit better than compared to before taking citalopram at all. I think it's so subtle that we don't really realize the change that occurs.

      I haven't had palpitations in a few days and my blood pressure and pulse dropped to normal levels, so it has a positive effect for sure smile

      How did you feel after 2-3 months on citalopram? Did you see any changes in your day to day life?

  • viablex1
    viablex1 stannis

    Posted

    It is good to know that the anxiety etc eventually goes away and you can get back to life instead if thus,weird negative feelings
    • deidra40034
      deidra40034 viablex1

      Posted

      It really does get better!!  I know it's hard to believe at times, but it does!  I wish we/you all didn't have to go through this darn thing, that's for sure!  But, at least we have the medication, and this forum to help us through it, thankfully!  I for one am so thankful for the wonderful people on here!  No one judges us because they have all been through it too!!  It really helps to have those that understand us!!  God Bless you ALL!!  smile
  • sharon07214
    sharon07214 stannis

    Posted

    Yes it does take time to settle.

    Also skipping the tablet for a few hours will be fine, you may even find that you skip a day and are ok BUT if you continue to skip you WILL most likely then 'crash and burn!'. 

    If if its anxiety why not talk to your doctor about trying propanol (sp?)...a beta blocker, it really helped me at the height of my anxiety.

    What side effects have you experienced?

     

    • stannis
      stannis sharon07214

      Posted

      Side effects included restlessness, racing thoughs, heightened anxiety and throat tightness. 

      Physical exercise helped me a lot. 60 minutes of cardio and I would feel a bit better for the next six or seven hours.

      I'm not sure about propanol - I don't know exactly how it works but my blood pressure and pulse are really normal even when I have racing thoughts - pulse in the 50's and bp 120/80.

      What does it do exactly?

  • viablex1
    viablex1 stannis

    Posted

    I have to agree propranolol does help quite a bit I have some as needed.

    Also really glad to hear it gets better. I just want to get back to work etc.

    Sending positive affirmations to everyone as well as thanks

  • katecogs
    katecogs stannis

    Posted

    These meds take a long time to work, and often you'll start feeling well only to find yourself starting to feel low again.  This is normal.  Along the pah to recovery you will be up and down - they're called setbacks.

    Every time you increase a dose you'll get side effects.  You should stay on one dose for a long time before increasing, as you can't ell if that dose will be suitable until it's had time to get past the side effects and settle down.  You'll also go through this up and down phase regardless of what dose you're on.  It doesn't mean you always need to increase to stop these effects - it's just the way the meds work.

    Stay on one dose and then wait.  You'll go through lots of anxiety, over thinking, and many other side effects ......... but just keep going, pass through it all and you'll find in time it'll all start to ease until it finally stops.

    Count recovery in months, not weeks.  It often take 3-4 months to start feeling better, and some people take much, much longer.  Don't let that time span alarm you though, as it won't feel bad all through it.

    Took me 6 months.  It's worth the wait.

    K xx

    • viablex1
      viablex1 katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks for the info that is really encouraging. I hope to just stay at 10mg.

      Again sending well wishes and thanks

    • stannis
      stannis katecogs

      Posted

      It makes sense. I'll stay on this dose for 2-3 more months and see what happens. Nothing to lose really.

      How did you feel when they started working? What made you realize that they were indeed doing a good job?

    • katecogs
      katecogs stannis

      Posted

      That's good :-). Yes a lot of people do flit about on their meds trying to find relief, but often it just delays recovery because of all the dose increases, side effects, dose reduction, withdrawl effects, medication changes and again withdrawal from one and side effects of starting another.  Indeed, nothing to lose by trying a few more months.  There is no quick fix - but the meds will work if you give them chance to.

      I didn't know the meds would work - I never envisaged there'd be a cure for me, though I always hoped.  I'd been on anti depressants for 15 years and nothing worked.  I was changed to these type (SSRI's) and didn't think for a minute I'd recover, and didn't realise when they started to either.  Recovery crept up on me so slowly.  

      I started to notice occasionally in the evening I'd feel slightly lighter, happier, my head was clear, and I just felt a bit 'normal'.  I'd wake again the next day full of anxiety but again noticed every evening it would ease again.  One evening I was at a dance class and afterwards it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't actually thought of 'it' for one second I'd been dancing.  I felt really happy, and just felt free.  I was scared to move in case it came back!!

      Every morning though I'd wake with the dreaded anxiety, and every evening I got better and better.  Slowly this good feeling crept into the afternoon and eventually for most of the day.  I would get setbacks when I'd feel awful for a few days or weeks, but I somehow knew it would go.  It did.  Eventually when I began waking in the morning with no anxiety I knew I'd turned a corner.  I first noticed these signs around 3-4 months and was better by 6 months, and continued getting better even after that.

      All anxiety, depression, negative thinking disappeared.  It was like someone had switched my lights back on.  It's a pure joy being rid of anxiety.  I've been well for many, many years now.

      My son had a melt down 2 years ago when he was 20 and he was started on Fluoxetine.  He went through absolute hell and was unable to work for 4 months.  It took him 9 months to recover and he's now back to being happy and enjoying life again.  I'm now glad of my experience with this illness as I understood what he was suffering and was able to help him.

      Recovery often comes in waves.  You start feeling slightly better, and then you might have days or weeks feeling low again.  The well feeling will come back and so will be bad feeling.  Slowly the good feeling starts to outweighs the bad until it stays all the time.  I've see. This happen with many people.

      It really does take time - but it's so worth it.

      K x

    • stannis
      stannis katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks for the detailed explanation, katecogs. You've definitely given me hope for the whole SSRI deal smile, actually the first person to take her time to explain the whole process of recovery. Really appreciate it!

      I'm already seeing what you mentionned, it comes and goes in waves and sometimes it's weird but most of the time things are better.

      I had a big speech the other day that would have made me go crazy before the meds, but this time it only caused me to have a rapid heartbeat, which was a great improvement.

    • katecogs
      katecogs stannis

      Posted

      Glad you're seeing the signs already Stannis.  Sometimes you don't realise it's beginning to happen.  There definitely seems to be a pattern to recovery - I began noticing it with my son and people who post here.  Many doctors don't seem to know this either - I often hear people on this site saying their doctor said they'd be better in a few weeks.  Nope.

      Yes great improvement if you felt more at ease doing a speech.  

      In time you'll get better and better too ...... 

      K x

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