Citalopram second time - need support and positive stories
Posted , 4 users are following.
hi all
i could really do with some support - i have just restarted citalopram after 5 months off. had been on it for 4 years and it worked well so i came off as i was feeling better. but after a few stressful events the anxiety and depression (and health anxiety) came back in spades so i have restarted the meds. its been a hellish couple of weeks - anxiety through the roof, all the other side effects, much worse than the first time. just need some reassurance from others in a similar boat that even though nothing has improved in 2 weeks i just need to be patient and it will still work. are there others out there with similar positive stories to share to help get me through? thanks so much
0 likes, 3 replies
dee35726 tamsin07572
Posted
hi Tamsin
i did the same... was on Citalopram 10 then 20 mg for three years. felt better and weaned myself off over three months. But by month 9 i had all my old symptoms from the previous 5 years almost to the letter! i couldn't believe it. I was very disappointed as it seemed my body needed it just to 'level' out and not over-react like a volcano. So i went back on 10 mg and I' m now another year in and feel great and calm and normal ( but I'm on HRT patches too now 😉. I just think you have to give it some time - three months at least and bot bear yourself up about it. I guess you do meditation and yoga too? I think has a great impact too. lots on Youtube if you dint have time to go to a class x
Potatoghost tamsin07572
Posted
hey x I'm pretty much in the same boat as you right now x 4 months off after switching to sertraline. now back on citalopram. the side effects seem a lot harder this time round for me too. I hear this is pretty normal. the second time seems a lot harder for some people. I'm not sure why .
I'm on day 5 of 20mg now and it's only been a few days but wow it's tough.
I hear it can take slightly longer the second time round too so try not to be disheartened.
it's still early days x
hope you are ok 😊
sheila92428 tamsin07572
Posted
One thing I would add,which has taken me almost a lifetime to learn & understand, that besides the undoubted help medication gives us at these troubled times, taking time & learning to RELAX, to truly HAVE A DAY OFF (or as near as a day as you can manage depending on your life's commitments) & that includes keeping OFF one's computer!!!!
but for me watching tv /dvds etc (something I rarely did before) helps me relax & reading of course or whatever works for you, is JUST as important as the medication we sometimes need.
I do know that when first taking citaloprim or when increasing dosage or just starting up again it takes much longer than we would like for it to notice. So please hang on in there. I proved to myself a few years ago, by slowly coming off, that I do need to stay on this medication, dosage depends on what is happening in my life etc, but I now accept its a part of me. However the ART of RELAXING etc has to almost be 'learnt'by some of us & this art or rather this relaxing can really help BIG time to our mental condition.
We are all pretty much products of this crazy 'fast' world we now inhabit & SLOWING down & STOPPING now & then have never been more important.
Good luck to you.