Citalopram Low After Feeling Great
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hi there, 4 weeks ago today I was prescribed Citalopram 10mg. I went to the Drs with a stomach complaint, which was making me feel really depressed. So the Dr diagnosed it may be anxiety that was causing my upset stomachs. For 2 weeks I took 10mg, and got the usual "feel worse before you're better" symptoms. Couldn't eat much, felt sick, lost weight, couldn't get out of bed. Then my dose was increased to 20mg and I began to feel a bit better. Could eat a bit more, stomach wasn't as upset, diarrhea subsided, was still laid in bed all day but felt better. Then last week, my diarrhea vanished, was able to eat pretty much what I liked, was getting up early and staying up, going out shopping, thought I'd nailed it, big smile on my face, felt amazing. I was cured I thought. Then yesterday morning, still felt really good, took my Citalopram (on an empty stomach for the 1st time i hasten to add), and within an hour I was having an anxiety attack, felt sick, lost my appetite again, stomach in knots, diarrhea returned, stomach churning all day long, head in bits. And am still feeling the same today (although i did take my citalopram with some toast this time).
I'm not only down from feeling depressed, but also thrown on top of that, I'm absolutely gutted that I was given a taste of how life should be for a whole week, only to have it cruelly snatched away from me just as i was loving life again for no apparent reason. During the 1st few weeks it felt like i would feel like that forever, then gradually, as i started to feel better, i started believing i did have a brighter future. Now i had it, and it's gone again, i'm back to thinking i'm just gonna be miserable again forever. I know i probably won't, but that's how this makes you feel and you can't help it.
I just want to know from anyone with experience of feeling like this please, is this a natural occurence? To be finally feeling better and the tablets working, only to come crashing back to earth a week later? I've heard it takes up to 8 weeks for this stuff to really take effect, but i thought i'd cracked it after 3 weeks, and now i'm back to square one and feel really low about it.
0 likes, 48 replies
louis54885 steve24310
Posted
Hi Steve had the same thing happen to me this week and I've been on CIT for 7 months. Been feeling good for a couple weeks thought yeah bout time then boom last couple days getting by but can sure tell not feeling good. Don't know what else to do I don't want to up dose cuse it's apparent the 20mg works.
steve24310 louis54885
Posted
Well let's just hope it doesn't last too long and you get back to feeling normal again.
steve24310
Posted
I'm just having a real problem understanding being diagnosed with anxiety related stomach issues. I didn't go to the drs with anxiety issues at 1st, i went cos i'd had an upset stomach for a few weeks, which had actually been on and off for a few years, except this time it was reallyh getting me down. The question i have is, is the anxiety causing my upset stomach, or is my upset stomach causing my anxiety? I just can't get my head around it. I could understand an upset stomach being cause by me actually worrying about something, getting diarrhea because i was worried or upset. But i wasn't worried about anything, not consciously anyway. So is this condition something out of my control? Is it chemical? Like i thought anxiety was worrying about something, but is this type of anxiety that i have something that's happening in my brain that i can't control, and that in turn is upsetting my stomach? Almost like i'm being forced to worry about something, which is then forcing me to have a bad stomach? I just don't get it. Am I doing this to myself without realising it and just need to calm down a bit?
louis54885 steve24310
Posted
Hi Steve , I started the same stomach pain and chest discomfort. Didn't think anything was bothering me either. Dr.prescribed cit and in a couple days gone but then dealing with side effects of damn med. Still have off times. I think now if I'd known it was stress and anxiety causing pain I would of dealt with it. Oh well thinking positive and moving on helps. Keep well
katecogs steve24310
Posted
Strangely my anxiety and depression all started with a 'nervous tummy'. It got so bad that I'd worry about having to go certain places for fear of having an upset tummy, and if I stayed home I was perfectly fine. I started looking at 'escape routes' when I had to go anywhere - the cinema I needed to be on the end row, in a shop, restaurant, bank, a room I needed to know where the door was and I even started fretting when I had to queue in a bank!!! All because I fretted about having to run to the loo. It really annoyed the hell out of me and stressed me out, as it wasn't me at all to be like that. Slowly over the time the stress got to me and one day I had a huge panic attack which freaked me out, and from then on I suffered with anxiety and depression ....... the nervous tummy all forgotten about strangely. Ridiculous really.
Being on SSRI's helped me and I recovered from the anxiety and depression. Nervous tummy never bothered me again. Of course, the meds could be giving you an upset tummy too as it can be one of the side effects.
Its like 'chicken or the egg'
You may have IBS or something completely unrelated to anxiety. Doctors do seem a bit quick at lumping anxiety with a lot of ailments at times. Of course it could be that you're worrying about your upset tummy and the anxiey that's doing it. Personally I'd get your stomach checked out again as it could be unrelated.
Anxiety, depression etc are both chemical - they're not in the mind - but they do make your mind race, and therefore giving you more anxiety. Your body uses serotonin and other neurotransmitters and you often can't control. Relaxing will help, and so will the medication.
Calming down is really helpful. Do everything at a slower pace. Yoga is great - done at home or in a class. Don't try and force yourself to be calmer though, as that means tensing up.
The medication will help you though. You've already glimpsed recovery, and it will come back.
K x
steve24310 katecogs
Posted
Excellent stuff, i do feel a bit better today actually. My head seems to be all over the place this past 3 days, lots of ups and downs. But i feel like i'm rising again hopefully. I am totally relaxing and trying not to think about it.
louis54885 steve24310
Posted
Steve, Ive felt the same last few days first thing in morning then by mid day feel pretty good. I'm wondering if I need to lower dose or up. Maybe I don't need 20 mg. I'm fortunate to have my own business unfortunately it's a bed & breakfast and I need to be active and ready at 6am everyday and being wobbly and light headed makes it tough. I go to dr.aug.1st so see what he thinks. I'm open for anyone else who may read these to reply with comments.
diane524 louis54885
Posted
katecogs steve24310
Posted
Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better today - the meds are definitely working for you. Yep, you'll be up and down for a while longer but the general trend will be up.
Wishing you all the best
K x
katecogs louis54885
Posted
Hi Louis
That's exactly how recovery worked for me. I'd wake each day feeling dreadful and as the day wore on I'd feel better, and then quite well by the evening. The next day I'd wake again with anxiety - but each day I'd get better.
Don't change your meds yet. Your body is settling still. In time you'll feel pretty good all the time. Increasing your dose won't change this pattern and you'll still get this. Personally I'd wait until you feel well all the time and only then think about reducing. I recovered on 20mg, and after a good year I reduced to 10mg for a maintenance dose and stayed on that for years. You then further reduce when you feel ready to.
This is my second time on these meds and am currently on 5mg and still feeling well. Will come off at the end of the year.
K x
louis54885 diane524
Posted
Diane, I've been on CIT 20mg for 7 months don't know why still have off days and not all day just mainly mornings. I take about same time at night maybe start taking in morning and be sleeping when dizziness wants to kick in !!
louis54885 katecogs
Posted
katecogs louis54885
Posted
Yes it happens - really weird how the medicine works. You think you've turned a corner and just about feeling normal again, when it comes back and hits you. Always 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. It'll even out eventually. Good luck. :-) xx
katecogs
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Actually that should be the other way round ...... 3 steps forward and 2 back lol
diane524 louis54885
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steve24310 louis54885
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Yeah that's exactly what happened to me today. Felt low this morning, thinking here comes another day of this, then felt good the rest of the day.
steve24310 katecogs
Posted
Thank you, that's good to know how this works so i can relax a bit more.
steve24310 diane524
Posted
That's the time i have mine and yes, definitely make sure i have something on my stomach. Did 1 day on an empty stomach and it took 2 days to recover!
emma93653 katecogs
Posted
Hi...I know we've chatted on forum before and you are amazing. Just read the how your anxiety started and it's exactly the same as me xx
katecogs emma93653
Posted
Hi Emma
Aww thanks xxx
Ah a similar story to you too? Yes my anxiety sort of crept up through stress, an anxious tummy then started before anxiety hit me full on ....... boy I didn't know what was around the corner. At the time I didn't know it was anxiety/depression - just an terrifying feeling.
Its amazing how the body reacts.
How are you doing?
K x