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Citalopram made my anxiety worse!

Posted , 9 users are following.

OnTheMeds95
OnTheMeds95

I was prescribed Citalopram at 20mg at the end of Nov 2019. I only took them for 5 days as the side-effects were too much. I stopped after 5 days speculating that I wouldn't get withdrawal. It took a few days to wear off and I felt like I was back to myself for about week. Then, extreme levels of physical anxiety and low mood clouded me. I have always suffered anxiety and low mood, but not to this extreme. The physical anxiety has been worse where I would have hours-long anxiety attacks and some very brief panic attacks. It has been almost 5 weeks since I stopped my medication (which I only took for a short time, of course).

Symptoms include:

•Constant feeling of being on edge

•Uncomfortable and tension all over body

•Some mild body aches in neck, back, legs, arms

•Twitching of the anus, face (eyes, mouth, nose) and neck

•Numbness all over body (including face)

•Tingling/pins and needles in feet and hands

•Intermittent faintness/light-headedness

•Shallow, tight and fast breathing; unsatisfying breaths

•Heavy/weighted feeling in head and neck; sometimes headache; feels like my head is winded

•Waking up early hours randomly and with feeling of sadness/dread

•Sometimes stomach cramps and acid reflux

•Poor posture due to feeling uneasy when sitting; restlessness

•Short derealisation episodes (as if I am outside my surroundings)

•Fatigue, tired midday and no desire to talk

•Swallowing issues and lump in throat

•Sometimes flu-like symptoms such as cough, coarse throat and sniffles

•Almost no libido; no sexual desire

•Some sharp chest, rib and back shooting pains/spasms

•Anxiety about having anxiety attacks; 'anxiety sensitivity'

All the things that used to help don't seem to do much:

•Daily meditation

•Daily probiotic

•Eating more (less IBS)

•Regular walks/going outside

•Occupying myself, keeping busy

•Recently started Yoga

Whilst, I am getting better day by day, the improvements are very, very slow. I still daily get this rush of anxiety hit me and mood swings that last for 1-4 hours. I notice when the weather turns, I am much worse. I have never had such dreadful physical symptoms before. I have been to a doctor again and mental health nurse who both say it is anxiety. But why, (my goodness, WHY) is the a new thing for me? Why the extreme physical anxiety symptoms after taking those SSRI's for only just five days? The annoying thing is that my anxiety wasn't even this bad before the Citalopram. Now, I am suffering its full wrath.

1 like, 26 replies

26 Replies

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  • Felis
    Felis OnTheMeds95

    Posted

    hi i have been on these meds three times for two years then weaned off slowly each time. i have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks since my early forties and now late sixties.

    i think what happened is that even though you took them for only a short time you should have weaned off very very slowly. like cut in half for two weeks then half again for two weeks.I was only on 20 mg but reduced this to 15 then 10 then 5 then 2.5 and with at least two months between dosages if not longer. Slowly come off these meds always and doctors often dont know this.

    Naturally i would say see your GP again but i would be back on them T a low dosage ,slowly build up and then when you feel good and relatively normal do a CBT course to learn how to deal with anxiety.

    Then if your doctor says come off do it very very slowly. i did this and each time i had no issues at all.

    • tamsin07572
      tamsin07572 Felis

      Posted

      hi again Felis did you find that the citalopram took longer to work the second and third time?

    • Felis
      Felis tamsin07572

      Posted

      yes i did! in fact i almost came off it!but persevered and then after about four months suddenly felt brilliant!

  • babsyboo
    babsyboo OnTheMeds95

    Posted

    Oh boy u really got hit by the Celexa

    are u taking anything now for all that u have going on , if so what if u don't mind me asking

    I have days were I get acid reflux nausea trimmers headaches on left or right temple it moves around sinus pain up early with anxiety attacks , nausea and headache can't go back to sleep

    I pray ur Dr can get u on something that will help u get rid of all does side effects

    I get does long lasting anxiety attacks daily 😢 no fun .

    let me know if they found something better for u because it's no fun to be like that daily

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