1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Citalopram

Citalopram for anxiety 10mg, week 3 advice or reassurance needed

Posted , 18 users are following.

Jemima63610
Jemima63610

Hello everyone. I have spent much of the last three weeks reading the citalopram forums but have now plucked up the courage to post. I have had anxiety now for nearly 20 years. I have tried nearly all the talking therapies doing my best to avoid medication. My anxiety began to really take hold and day to day life left me exhausted with constant headaches over constant ruminating and fear, mainly around social situations. I was beginning to feel very physical effects from being anxious all the time. My doctor prescribed me 10mg citalopram which I started (nervously) taking 3 weeks ago. I have felt very very foggy, dizzy, nauseous and have very heightened anxiety. In a nutshell I feel overall worse than I did before. I am carrying on with work but feel so tired out it's hard. will i ever feel some relief? I am not as tearful which is one thing but still feel incredibly overwhelmed and anxious. Thank you to you all in advance. very grateful to be able to read herr and have a place to ask!

0 likes, 48 replies

48 Replies

Prev
  • claire64405
    claire64405 Jemima63610

    Edited

    just wanted to add my daughter is doing really well now and the results were binine.. xx

  • ann73947
    ann73947 Jemima63610

    Edited

    Hi everyone-

    just wanted to post on here that i'm also in the same boat. started on celexa 10mg after trying a bunch of different medications before (my issue had always been depression, not anxiety.) i was on 10mg for 6 weeks then just upped to 20mgs 1 week ago and my anxiety has just been awful today and last few days/ along with the much dreaded intrusive thoughts about self harm. im afraid to drive and am constantly afraid this is how my life will be forever. this brings about a depression i haven't experienced before. i dont want to harm myself, i have a wonderful family and 2 young beautiful daughters. but this anxiety and these thoughts are just so overpowering at times and i start to feel so helpless.

    anyways, reading everyone's posts has definitely brought some encouragement and i am just so hopeful for the medicine to start working properly.

    what has made this worse is that before celexa i tried lexapro for a month, then zoloft and then effexor- through those switches things just got worse so i had to start at the beginning with celexa. ive been struggling with this almost since April - so months. i just hope relief is around tge corner.

    • LFS
      LFS ann73947

      Posted

      hi ann i have just seen this post and wanted to let yoy know this has happened to me to. i started citalopram in july for anxiety (its went on so long i would say now i have a bit of depression because of it) my anxiety went through the roof and my intrusive thoughts have been awful and the exact same as yours! i have been plagued with them and they are so distressing as this is something i never have or want to do. i have two young children 6 and 3 and just want to be better for them. i have a fear i will be so anxious lose control and do this. evebtually i started cbt/counselling and she was the first person i told about this was auch a relief to talk about it as i feel like i am going crazy with them. i have had a few weeks where ive been less anxiois and i know they are just thoughts but soon as i am anxious again they return with a vengence. you are defo not alone with this i no exactly how you feel it makes me be scared to be alone even in my own house because of them. leigh xx

    • ann73947
      ann73947 LFS

      Edited

      thank you for your reply.

      do you find the medication has helped?

      sending positive thoughts and hoping we are all on our way to recovery.

      another user, katecogs, shares lots of great resources for anxiety on this board. check her out if you havent yet.

    • LFS
      LFS ann73947

      Posted

      hello i think it is sometimes then other times feel straight back to the start especially around time of the month. i so hope we get to recovery soon it is not an easy journey at all! its lovely to have people on here to talk to on here who understand. yes i have spoke to kate her knowledge and advice is very reassuring and amzing she takes the time to help everyone x

    • dubry7605074
      dubry7605074 ann73947

      Posted

      Hi Ann. Always increase in 5mg increments. Stay at that dosage for 4-5 weeks to let your brain settle back. Then if need be, increase snother 5mg. These meds work very slowly and need time to work. Each of us are different and may take more or less time to adjust. I too was in a very bad place 3 years ago. I have taken 10mg since, and have done really well

    • LFS
      LFS dubry7605074

      Posted

      @ann73947 hi just wondered how you are getting on now? leigh x

  • lucy999
    lucy999 Jemima63610

    Edited

    i used to be on loads of difrent meds to try and help with my anxiety issues that I’ve been struggling with every since I was a kid. I started medication in grade 7. I never really found a medication that actually completely worked and didn’t cause horrible side effects. About a year ago I started citalopram and when I first started it seem like my anxiety and depression got worse but after you take it for a while It will start to work. Most anxiety medication takes about a couple months to fully actually work in the best way to use medication is to take it the same time every single day try not to miss your doses, at the time I was on 40 mg of citalopram and out of all of the medication that I used for anxiety citalopram was the best that I tried so far. I am no longer on medication as I have learned to cope in other ways but citalopram if you use it wisely and correctly it does work.

  • Monkey13064719
    Monkey13064719 Jemima63610

    Posted

    hi jemina, i'm in this exact position. long standing anxiety, week 3 citalopram and still not feeling better- i have had a few positive days and on the whole not crying as much.

    i know this is an old post but wondering how you are doing now? did you stick with ut?

  • sandra55348
    sandra55348 Jemima63610

    Posted

    I also have all the same at 3 weeks on 10mg ....i still work and do all i need to do

    sleeping is better

    eating better

    have had no nausea

    mornings are getting better

    brain fog is less

    good days bad days...i was on cilitrapam 11 yrsago...did great up to a month ago...axiety hit panic attacks started....i do know it takes time and it works...my issues are tiredness...yawning...invrease of axiety some days...mostly mornings .i take my pill 8pm at night..... I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel...1 side effect I had was horrible cold chills with the axiety....that's eased off now.... my first time posting

Back to top
Prev

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.