Citalopram activated new anxiety symptoms after trying it for 3 weeks? Is this withdrawal?

Hi I hope someone can help and advise me regarding my experience. Its been two months since i stopped taking Citalopram for three weeks.

After two family losses i was pretty down and had some mild anxiety - chest pain.

I went to my doctor a few times, he gave me diazipam and zopiclone and after a few weeks he prescribed Citalopram 10mg to ease my anxiety/bereavement pains.

I hesitated to take them because i hate pills but after a few weeks i still couldnt face going to work and i felt i should try them out. I did not realise and was not told they are anti-depressants but was told it may take a few weeks to kick in.

For the first few days my hands would shake and i felt very hot. After a week the shakes spread all over my whole body, i was sweating alot and my anxiety increased, felt like i was being stabbed in my chest. By week two my whole body/nerves felt like it was on fire, whole body was shaking, could hardly talk or move, felt very hot and had headaches. On week three these symptoms still persisted so i told my doctor i was going to stop the medication, he advised i carry on but i said i cant take these side effects anymore. He did not advice me to reduce the dose and i just stopped taking them.

After stopping i had brain zaps, very agitated, mentally unstable, racing thoughts, i frlt crazy...this lasted for about two weeks but they passed.

For the last two months the shakes still persist but not as strong...mostly on my hands but i feel my body shakes too, my heartbeat is constantly pounding where i even feel my body move and can hear my heart when i try to sleep, constant pins and needles in my feet and lower legs, prickly/tingling skin on the rest of my body, occasional high pitch sound in my right ear, occasional muscle spasms and involuntary movements mostly in the mornings, feel constantly nervous and feel panic doing things i did before the meds, bad insomnia and feel depressed...probably because i have these new symptoms. Im not interested in things i was interested in before taking those pills. All these feelings persist no matter how much i try to distract myself with friends and family.

Went to my cousins BBQ and after drinking two beers i had a panic attack for the first time. So now i dont drink. I only smoke cigs.

I returned to my doctor as well as other doctors within the practice various times over the last two months (about twice a week) to explain my new symptoms but they just say its anxiety and kept giving me new pills such as Paroxetine, which i will not touch. I have explained i did not feel like this before but they do not take me seriously.

I have put pressure and demanded tests-

ECG - normal

BLOOD TESTS - liver, kidney, vitamins ect...all clear.

Waiting for an appointment with a neurologist which i requested because of how my nerves feel and a Psychologist, which my doctor thinks i need.

My doctor who prescribed the meds insists it cant be the pills, but ive explained i had none of those symptoms before taking them.

Spoke to my pharmacist and he says it should pass but its strange im experiencing new symptoms because i only took them for three weeks.

For the last two months i eat healthy, lots of fruit, nuts and veg, take all my vitamins, omega 3, magnesium, zinc. I work out and try to avoid stress but i still feel terrible and its hard to ignore how my body feels.

I take Nytol often to help me sleep but it doesnt work too well. I use Zopiclone once or twice a week, i used it before constantly for over a month but stopped just over a month ago. I also take Diazipam occasionally at night but i try not to have it often.

I drink alot of herbal teas to help me relax and also to help me sleep but nothing really works.

Im very worried i will feel like this forever and that ive ruined my body trying those pills. Im very lost. Cant do anything without fear, worried about going back to work incase i panic, constantly on edge about how my body feels.

I am wondering if anyone knows why i have these new symptoms since taking Citalopram? Is this withdrawal syndrome? Or have the meds activated this new anxiety?

Does anyone know how much longer this may last or am i stuck with this intense, constant anxiety?

Feel free to ask any questions, i hope someone has any knowledge on what i experienced.

Thanks for reading.

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