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Citalopram increase - side effects following increase

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Gerrymoo
Gerrymoo

I was on citalopram 10mg for 3 weeks, awful side effects of nausea and particularly nasty increased anxiety for which I took valium to calm it down.

Side effects noticeably settled after 2 weeks then 3rd week had a couple of anxiety breakthrough days. Citalopram then increased to 20mg.

I have now been on 20mg for 10days , had the nausea again and now got the anxiety really bad today. I didn't expect the side effects to still be as strong with a dose increase but mine seem to be following the same pattern as when starting up and still as difficult to cope with.

Just wondered what anyone else's experiences were. I'm really fed up and can anyone offer me some positive encouragement?

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • simon36892
    simon36892 Gerrymoo

    Posted

    You think those symptoms are bad - wait til you try to come off them.  I wish I'd never started to take them, was on 20 mg daily and have reduced to 2 10mg weekly over a period of around 8 months.  Still I've got withdrawal symptoms of dizziness, lack of patience and a general feeling of being spaced out. I really do think that they are more harmful than helpful.

  • weenett
    weenett Gerrymoo

    Posted

    I was advised last wk by my gp cit is now no longer considered the best for anxiety treatment
    • simon36892
      simon36892 weenett

      Posted

      your GP was absolutely correct! Wish mine had held the same point of view.....
    • weenett
      weenett simon36892

      Posted

      I had no idea was stuck on cit for yrs with them telling me to increase my dose an i was saying its making me worse only for a few days i was like no these arent great, i kept middling through hoping they'd kick in

    • Gerrymoo
      Gerrymoo weenett

      Posted

      My sister works in an acute mental health setting and she says the opposite, excellent treatment for anxiety based depression.
    • Gerrymoo
      Gerrymoo weenett

      Posted

      Weenett did you say you were on them for years hoping they'd kick in? That seems long trial with them. Have you managed to come off them OK?

    • weenett
      weenett Gerrymoo

      Posted

      I should say i was on them struggling by they werent really helping but i was coping ok until i had a melt down now on sert my doc said she was at a psychiatric conference a few weeks ago and some top professer of psychiatry said the latest advice was cit was not generally advised for anxiety as it can tend to make it worse certainly wat i found i suppose each doc has there faves
    • weenett
      weenett

      Posted

      I should add the only tome ive been depressed and anxious the lifted my dep ok but never really helped tje anxiety tbh
  • angela07780
    angela07780 Gerrymoo

    Posted

    Dear Gerrymoo

    With anything new that we start, there is going to be side effects, some of them can be very bad, but if you want them to work you have to give them time, and try your best to cope with these effects. For myself I have been on Citalopram for over ten years and I would not change them for anything else. To start off with I had the side effects of wanting to stop, but I carried on, and now just have the odd anxiety when in doors, but outside can be terrible sometimes, but I now that a tablet can not put everything right like things used to be. I hope this will help you and I wish all best things for you in the future. Smiling to yourself and telling yourself that you can make things better in your own time may also help. Thinking of you doing these simple acts. Take Care  :-))

    • Gerrymoo
      Gerrymoo tom92689

      Posted

      Yes Tom, a really positive reply from Angela. Angela how are you coping with your anxiety then particularly outside. It must be very difficult for you? Has citalopram helped with this?
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