Citalopram increase and side effects

Posted , 14 users are following.

Hello..

So to begin my whole life I have had bad anxiety and this last year has hit me harder than ever. In april I saw my doctor who prescribed me 10mg of citalopram for 2 weeks then 20 mg after that. About 5-6 weeks later I felt great and like myself again I was so happy. I wasn't ocer worrying as much and I felt relaxed. Then the end of August I started getting anxious again. So I went to my doctor who upped my dose from 20mg to 30mg. I am on day 12 of the increase and I feel like anxiety is worse. I can't sleep proper, I wake non stop super anxious and scared. And have this horrible scared anxious feeling most of the day and sometimes in the evening it gets a little better. I heard that an increase can cause side effects again and can last three weeks... Is this what is happening to me?? I am afraid it's just not working for me anymore but I really want it to work. I am sick of feeling this way.

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  • Posted

    I'm on my 1st month taking citrol, I started on 10mg and my period was 2 days early then last month it was 2 days late and now it's 4 days late and I'm on 20mg. Does citrol affect periods?

    • Posted

      When I first started taking citalopram my period was a couple weeks late and my doctor told me it is possible that it was due to the medication. It's been 22 days since my increase in citalopram so I will know soon if it affects my period again

    • Posted

      I'm on my 1st month taking citrol, I started on 10mg and my period was 2 days early then last month it was 2 days late and now it's 4 days late and I'm on 20mg. Does citrol affect periods?

    • Posted

      Hi Ladies, I have suffered anxiety for 8 years now and been on 20mg of citalopram for that time. Stupidly I decided (with the support of my doctor) to slowly start coming off them and after a slow decrease stopped taking them in May, 5 months ago. Since the end of September my anxiety has hit the roof again and 5 weeks ago I went back on 10mg which initially for a week had no side effects. Two weeks ago I was hit with severe anxiety attacks and the doctor increased the dose to 20mg. Now day 13 of the increase and I'm feeling dreadful. Early morning wake ups with feelings of fear and anxiousness. This last week when my husband has gone to work my mum or dad have come to sit with me as I just feel I can't move I'm so worked up. Nausea and retching in the mornings and no appetite whatsoever, I've lost a stone in 3 weeks. I to fear that I will never get better, maybe the citalopram just won't work for me this time. I'm also on propranolol for the palpitations and diazepam if needed but that just doesn't seem to take the edge off for me. Having CBT therapy also but find it so hard as the last thing I can do when I'm in the middle of an anxiety attack is think straight to do calming exercises!! How are you all getting on now with your increases?

      Sara xx

    • Posted

      How have you been doing?

      Been over 5 weeks for my increase from 20mg to 30 mg. I felt like I was improving last week but this week was bad again. I usually feel better by the evenings though. But mornings suck. People tell me can take 6-8 weeks but I thought I would feel better by now.

  • Posted

    Hi, I saw your thread and I dont know if youre still active on here. Ill give it a try though smile. I recently got diagnosed with GAD and depression back in the start of september and started 10mg of cit soon after. I am only 18 so this is all new and scary for ne. I constantly worry about my future and losing people I love like my parents. I was fine when I initially started my meds on 10mg but upped them to 20mg when I got severe bouts of panic and anxiety, I have only upped them for 3 days and I feel like the meds were a mistake because ive never felt this bad in my life! I would just love to hear how you are doing in life as I am bedridden and terrified of everything in my life, thanks and I hope youre well. Kyle
    • Posted

      Hi Kyle, stick with the meds. I know it feels hellish right now but this is normal. Last year I went onto  citalopram for major anxiety, I started on 10mg, then 20, then 30 and finally 40!! We’re all different though you must remember this as you may settle on 20mg. I’ve never known side effects like it!!! Nausea,  being sick, diarrhoea, insomnia, hot flushes, exhaustion! Not an easy ride!!! But once everything settled it’s changed my life and was worth it all. It’s perfectly normal for things to get worse before they get better and my anxiety increased initially, all I

      Could focus on was how I felt. Mornings were the worst, thinking not another day like this!! I have been anxiety free for a year now and it’s liberating! Don’t get me wrong I can normal anxieties like everyone but it’s doesnt escalate anymore. A lot of my issues were to do with health and nearly losing a parent. You need to take good care of yourself, eat little and often if you feel sick, keep hydrated, trying and focus your thoughts from yourself! I went to meditation classes and that’s helped an awful lot especially as it was a bhudist class and they help to change your perspective about I’ll health and death. I’m sure you fear that you won’t get through this, I did too, we all do! Let me assure you you CAN. I’m proof of the pudding as many of us are. I used to speak to everyone on here when I started on them as I felt alone and it really helped to know people had been through the same. Here if you need me

      Sarah

    • Posted

      Hi, and thank you for replying! smile Another sleepless night and time for a reply lol. Ive been through today and I am hopeful I felt more ups than downs compared to what I was like a few days ago, an emotional wreck! I really, really appreciate you sharing what you have with me because it makes me feel less alone with my anxiety and intrusive thoughts.

      I can relate so much with those symptoms I have them written down to take with to the docs because I worry I will forget all of them with my racing mind haha. I have been making a bunch of lifestyle changes from less time on my computer and spending more time with family to restarting my jui jitsu lessons! I am constantly trying ways to keep my mind positive and happy because if im honest I was super naive about CBT and self help and I was dismissive, but I was wrong back then and just knowing there is help makes it so much more bearable.

      I am having to constantly reassure myself against the common "youre a failure" and "youre going to mess up" thoughs, the mind can be horrible lol. I feel each time I tell myself to snap out of it I am a little bit more convinced and successful.

      You see, I was worried because it was the 2nd week on 10mg when my panic and anxiety decided to not just knock but kick the door down on me it was terrifying and my racing thoughts of the meds making me worse or just not working invaded. I am confident the not-eating and diarrhoea ect are all my side effects. Hopefully the doc can shed some light on my situation and I am planning on a little walk with my friend after that! smile

      Again, thanks for replying Sarah as I feel I can relate somewhat as my physical and mental health were never good as well as the fear of losing my parents being a strong issue even though theyre both healthy.

      Take care too Sarah

      Kyle

    • Posted

      Hi, I got back from the docs. They said that my symptoms are likely due to side effects from my increase from 10mg to 20mg. They explained it might've been too soon to up my meds to 20mg so they put me back down to 10mg for the time. I have been given 2mg of diazepam to take up to 3 times a day. I am a bit nervous about things like becoming dependent on it because there has been someone I knew who became addicted to diazepam so that's a bit scary. I have reassured myself I will only need them for when I am particularly down and anxious as my symptoms have made me lose a lot of weight and the nausea stops me from eating and that on top of diarrhoea is not pleasant!

      I was really really nervous about going to the doctors and the waiting nearly made me pass out, I was a bit tearful in the doctors office but she was really kind and it helped me to not feel as anxious about overthinking and panicing. I was told to take a diazepam tablet tonight to ease my symptoms with the panicing because it's stopping me from sleeping. I am also at the jobcenter tomorrow for an interview about my health which I am absolutely dreading. Anyway, thanks for reading!

      Kyle

  • Posted

    Hello,

     I have been on one antidepressant or another since 1993. I first started Celexa about nine years ago. I have tried to get off of this medication several times without success. No matter how slowly you taper off, the side effects are absolutely unbearable.  I never get completely off of it for long because of the side effects. I just work my way back up to the 40 mg. I'm afraid I'm never going to be able to get off of this medication.  I did not do this on my own, at any time.

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