Citalopram anxiety still bad
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi everyone, I’ve been taking citalopram for anxiety and depression for a total of eight weeks now, I started off on 10mg for three weeks and I’ve been on 20mg for the last 5 weeks. I feel like I’ve made lots of improvement, I couldn’t even leave the house to begin with, stop crying, or get off the sofa, but I just feel like the anxiety and anxious thoughts won’t subside. I’ve had some good days but I keep crashing back down and I’m struggling to be confident within myself. I find that when I’m alone especially I start feeling anxious, the heart palpitations start, and I feel dizzy and light headed. And because I feel like this when I’m alone I’ve started experiencing heart palpitations during other times also, last night I had them when I was laying in bed reading a book. I think it all stems from when this was all started and I was having anxiety attacks by myself at night, I didn’t know what was going on with me and I felt absolutely terrified. I also feel so dreadful in the mornings, even if I’ve had a good day/evening the day before! I’ve had 6 sessions of CBT but it hasn’t helped as much as I would have hoped. I’m being referred for more intense CBT but I’m looking at a 3 month waiting list. I’m just looking for some reassurance really that things will get better. Is 5 weeks on 20mg too soon to see any drastic improvements? I felt horrendous when I first started the 10mg and I’m apprehensive about upping my dose just yet as I don’t want to go through that horrible cycle all over again, as is my doctor who thinks more time is needed on 20mg. I didn’t realise how slow this whole process would be, I just want my life back where I wasn’t plagued by anxiety and could just relax.
0 likes, 28 replies
michelle45874 Star1711
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Star1711 michelle45874
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kelly58470 Star1711
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5 weeks is pretty early:-). I'd give it to 8 weeks, and then see if you have any improvement. If you're still having issues then, I'd go into the doctor and see about getting bumped up to 30 mg. 20 mg.is a fairly low dose, so it is possible your doctor will want to try you on a higher dose.
Star1711 kelly58470
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gemma77546 Star1711
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I'm on week 7 and I did feel like I'd turned a corner but I hit rock bottom at the beginning of the week, everyone I've spoken to has said it's still early days and there will b ups and downs on the way to recovery but I'm going to give it to 12 weeks and if I'm still struggling I'll then think about going up to 30 mg. I find night time and mornings the hardest too but I think I'm going to keep a journal so I can focus on the good days rather than the bad. I'm here if u need me.x
Star1711 gemma77546
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maria41354 Star1711
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Star1711 maria41354
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maria41354 Star1711
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Star1711 maria41354
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maria41354 Star1711
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al-pk9 Star1711
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Heya star,
I have a history of anxiety attacks and medications like sertraline. I'm on day 3 citalopram currently for a relapse of symptoms some weeks ago. Firstly, I have the worst symptoms imaginable and it effects me in the head more than anything else. When you look at the side effects list it's like I'm trying to win a competition ticking all the boxes. But I know how to recover, and so I'll say:
Give into it. Accept the long-term nature of it, know that what your body and mind are saying is that they need relaxation and the time to improve and recognise that these things happening to you are just the tricks of a tired mind. Don't worry about your current level of confidence, your personality will be their at the end. Med side effects can be indescribably bad and when they say things like 6-8 weeks imprpvement it is like yeah... maybe with someone who has a very superficial and low key problem. Start from bottom, work your way up. Exercise, do the things that feel right to you. On any of these meds there is no moment where life just pops into clarity. But there is a moment where you look back several months from now and think "nice"
al-pk9 Star1711
Posted
Heya star,
I have a history of anxiety attacks and medications like sertraline. I'm on day 3 citalopram currently for a relapse of symptoms some weeks ago. Firstly, I have the worst symptoms imaginable and it effects me in the head more than anything else. When you look at the side effects list it's like I'm trying to win a competition ticking all the boxes. But I know how to recover, and so I'll say:
Give into it. Accept the long-term nature of it, know that what your body and mind are saying is that they need relaxation and the time to improve and recognise that these things happening to you are just the tricks of a tired mind. Don't worry about your current level of confidence, your personality will be their at the end. Med side effects can be indescribably bad and when they say things like 6-8 weeks imprpvement it is like yeah... maybe with someone who has a very superficial and low key problem. Start from bottom, work your way up. Exercise, do the things that feel right to you. On any of these meds there is no moment where life just pops into clarity. But there is a moment where you look back several months from now and think "nice"
Star1711 al-pk9
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al-pk9 Star1711
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You'll do great star, but out of interest where does your anxiety come from? It's important to remedy the underlying factors
Mine came from 2 months of awful insomnia and a relationship breakup so my remedial strategy is no caffeine, no alcohol, strict 11pm lights off and more exercise.
Star1711 al-pk9
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Thank you. I became a bit unwell and started worrying excessively about my health...google didn’t help...it spiralled out of control and developed into anxiety. I was also going through other types of stress within my life besides worrying about having something wrong with me health wise, and I just crashed into depression and even more anxiety after trying to hold it all together for about 4 months. Have been through some horrible times in my twenties and got through it so I never imagined something like this happening to me. I’m not anxious about my health anymore, but I’m just stuck with trying to shift this anxiety now 😬 trying to take it day by day, I know it’s a process
al-pk9 Star1711
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Oh no.. I did the same by trying to hold it together for months when I knew things were going downhill, last time I ever do that. Sounds very familiar. I hope you have a relaxed environment to help 😎
Star1711 al-pk9
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Yes, I think I had two ‘normal’ weeks at the beginning of 2018 and then I started going downhill from there until March when I just fell apart! 🙄 well, there’s a lot of the year left so I keep telling myself the only way is up and to keep going...thank you, I’m trying to keep my environment as stress free as possible, I’m lucky to have the friends and family that I do. I’m a second year undergraduate student also, so I had the added stress and pressure of assignments to complete whilst battling through all of this! Thankfully I handed them all in on time...wasn’t going to let anxiety take everything away from me.
al-pk9 Star1711
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Well I really respect that. I am an undergraduate too and unfortunately I had to stop my studies to get sorted, training to be a dietitian and I was on placement which I couldn't complete 😥 university have been fantastic and family are uber supportive too. Yes you will be absolutely ok, and I'm having a good day by recent standards. Getting exercise and a regime back in place 🥇 don't forget to enjoy that sun 🙂
al-pk9 Star1711
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I have a theory that you need to go through the same amount of time recovering identical to when you weren't feeling right, end of summer and things will be great I think 🙄
Star1711 al-pk9
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Thank you, I couldn’t have done it without my family’s support 😊 that is unfortunate, but I’m sure once you’re back on the right track you will finish your degree, and this time with the added knowledge on how to take care of yourself. Glad you’re having a good day! I didn’t have the greatest sleep and overdid it on my walk, so feeling a bit tired and rubbish! 😪 well tomorrow is another day I suppose. Yep, loving the sun ?? Oh absolutely I agree with you, it took time to feel how we’re feeling so it’ll be a similar amount to get to feeling better again but it’ll happen.
al-pk9 Star1711
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Thanks star. I have an internal clock that I have set to be okay in 2 months when i have a follow up placement. Yes it's incredible how weak it makes you feel isn't it... I am able to do stuff in the morning (kind of) but by the afternoon it always feels like I've over-done it. Still, having a good day, when compared to two weeks ago, is incredible in itself due to up dose on cit tomorrow, here's to minimal side effects🤞
Star1711 al-pk9
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You’ll do great by the time 2 months have passed ?? But do take it day by day (as everyone keeps telling me!) as it is a process which I’ve slowly learnt, I just wanted to hurry up and get better and go back to ‘normal’ but I’ve got to take things slow and not look too far ahead. There will be ‘blips’ along the way as I’m sure you’ve already found out for yourself, but there will be more better days 😊 I think I’ve overdone it the last few days, it’s hard to judge what you can and can’t handle at the moment, I get a low mood when I’m tired, so trying to take it easy today. Oh best of luck with upping the dose on your meds, I upped mine yesterday too, hoping I won’t get any horrible side effects
al-pk9 Star1711
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Hi Star... Yes it does feel like you want to push yourself back to normality but it doesn't work like that 😤 blips suck! I did the same this week, challenging myself to do more and more. It was Good, up to a point, now not so good. My brain just wants to hibernate. I am doing the same today and have chalked it up as a write off. And thank you. I always try to think of it in a no pain no gain kind of way when it comes to the meds 🤧 hope yours have been well behaved x
Star1711 al-pk9
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It doesn’t does it?! 😑 it does get frustrating when you try and go about to do normal things but you end up feeling tired and miserable after! The doctors go on about cardio being a massive help, but there’s only so much my body can tolerate at the moment. Hope you’ve managed to relax today 😎 what dose did the doctor increase your cit up to?
al-pk9 Star1711
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Yes especially when you have a flash of normality and want to use it! Still, you will notice your energy increasing bit by bit 🙂 I do exercise slowly at the moment. I do bodyweight in my garden, it used to work for me very well and it feels appropriate at the minute but I have to monitor my enthusiasm and not push too hard. Light exercise does prep you very well for coping. I made a point of doing absolutely nothing today, had to battle with awful anxiety headaches this morning, very fuzzy at the mo so a bit glum 🤔 I'm going up to 20mg tonight from 10, what are you on now?
Star1711 al-pk9
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al-pk9 Star1711
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Yes that is the problem when you start to feel better you are tempted to push it 🙂 is going to be hard to maintain this healthy living stuff but I feel it's a must now. I'm a bit like you when I haven't slept too. Who would have thought eight hours sleep would be such a big ask 🤔 thank you haha any improvement from here is great as far as I'm concerned ? are you noticing any differences in mood or anything yet?