1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Citalopram

Citalopram struggling with extremely heightened anxiety from week 4.

Posted , 8 users are following.

natalie39598
natalie39598

Hi

I started citalopram exactly 4 weeks ago for depression, PTSD and anxiety. As i am sensitive to SSRI i started on 5mg for 8 days and then upped to 10mg. Initial side effects were physical-headache, naseauted, spaced out and drowsy. I could live witg that and within two weeks I started feeling a bit better in terms of depression. I thougt that all was going well but from week 4 i have anxiety I never experienced before. It makes me feel crazy😭😭😭

Anyone on the same boat? I just want to feel better and this anxiety makes me me feel depressed again.

Any help appreciated.

0 likes, 39 replies

39 Replies

Next
  • raj29314
    raj29314 natalie39598

    Posted

    Hi Natalie

    I started on the medication over a week ago, initially no side effects now i have increased anxiety too..

    I think the increased anxiety is normal and it will take time for the meds to settle  and start fixing the problems..

    They normally say the meds could take up to 3 months for us to notice a difference.. speak to your GP and see if you can get any diazapam to help you along 

  • Waterview888
    Waterview888 natalie39598

    Posted

    Hi Natalie

    What you are experiencing unfortunately is "normal"......you need to give the meds at least 3 weeks to absorb and build up in your system. You will have high anxiety probably worse than before the meds as your body stops producing natural seratonin because of the meds. After a few weeks the brain and meds catch up and things look brighter. If you've been having "intrusive" thoughts etc...don't panic they will leave and your mind will become clear. You can do this. ....you will be better. ....and life will be normal again! Hang in there and don't rush it. .....you can't rush gastro either xx

    • mark89813
      mark89813 natalie39598

      Posted

      She's right, it is a case of worse before much better. Stick it out and the benefits will come. Once they are working properly they are more effective than taking a benzo for controlling anxiety and is why they are prescribed, it's a shame they take a while to work though smile

  • natalie39598
    natalie39598

    Posted

    Thank you for the words of support. I know I need to be patient, it has been a long timr for me woth anxiety and it won't get sorted quickly. But I feel so horrible for last week that i want to go back to GP and tell her in no uncertain words what to do with citalopram... I just want to feel semi normal... on the plus side I did have a lovely 2 hours of internal peace yesterday after a very stressful day. I actually enjoyed meeting friends, my daughter's company and felt like me for those 2 hours in the evening. Today same horrible anxiety from the morning... i am going away on holiday on Thursday with my daughter to visit my partner so i hope it won't get ruined because of how i feel. But maybe a little break is what i need. I worked through all this and feel tired.

    Thank you again for your kind words. They mean so much when I feel like all hope is gone.

    • natalie39598
      natalie39598 raj29314

      Posted

      Last two days yes a little bit. Mornings are worst and during the day I feel bouts of anxiety/panick running. And before midday I feel quite low, hopeless like before i started taking them. I sometimes have to go to bathroom at work to cry. I seem to have most of side effects the too: headache, dizziness, mood swings, feeling 'medicated'- this hits me about 3-4 hours after taking the pill. Then slowly it eases. But only last two days. Before for over a week I was getting such rushes of anxiety that it was making me physically sick. Palpitations. Weight in chest. Hot flushes. Internal shakiness. Feelings of losing ny sanity. I was seriously thinking at times i should be put in a straight jacket. Awful.worse than i ever had it. It seemed to eased on a bit. During the day i still get the bouts of anxiety but for shorter time-they go away quicker. I can rationalise them and use anxiety techniques like dare response to ride them out. Still horrible but less intense.

      And you Raj?

    • lois95799
      lois95799 natalie39598

      Posted

      It must be horrible to suffer like that..don't u have a benzo..xanex excellent for you described side effects..is easy breezy with a benzo..but I guess nobody wants to listen...

    • raj29314
      raj29314 natalie39598

      Posted

      I’ve had the anxiety since last summer... my GP kept giving me diazapam tablets, but I wasnt getting any better.. my anxiety is mainly  pressure in the ears, feeling that my face is being pulled, palpitations, shakes, weird brain feeling like its not relaxed... I eventually ended up in hospital and saw a psychiatrist who placed me onto anti depressants( which my GP should of done initially) .. 

      unfortunatly the ad that I was on Mitazapine didnt do anything great other than put me to sleep and make me eat..the anxiety slightly eased.. I’m now still on Diazapam tablets during the day and Citalopram has been added at 10mg, Ive only just started a week ago... My anxiety is slightly hightened due to the Cit but Im just hoping the tablets work... Anxiety is horrendous... it really destroys people.. 

    • natalie39598
      natalie39598 lois95799

      Posted

      The GP would not prescribe any benzo. They said that it would counteract antidepressant. Plus I am quite floored on any benzo. Had them three times in my life for other stuff not anxiety related-could not function at all for the next day. As I lool after a child I cannot do it... and like I said the GP refuses benzo at point blank.

    • Waterview888
      Waterview888 natalie39598

      Posted

      Hi

      Even 2 hours of your old self is a step forward! In another few days I'm sure that will increase. Morning anxiety is the worst but it will stop. ....you will wake up without the dread and anxiety! When you start the day happy the whole day seems brighter! I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time away with your partner and daughter. The busier and more distracted you are the less time you'll have to focus on this s****y illness and Google your symptoms 😜

      All the best for a fantastic week ahead

      Bel

      Xx

    • lois95799
      lois95799 natalie39598

      Posted

      I get you have the children..but the benzos do not counteract with ssris..at all on the contrary they work best together...that's why the phychiatrist is the professional here ..not the gp.take care...just trying to help

    • mark89813
      mark89813 natalie39598

      Posted

      That is normal, it takes a while for your mornings to become good but they do.
  • marsh23433
    marsh23433 natalie39598

    Posted

    4 weeks is not enough time to see how you feel as the ssri is only now starting too work in your body.what do you mean about being sensitive to ssri
    • natalie39598
      natalie39598 marsh23433

      Posted

      I have to take them at very low dose. I tried sertraline before and 25 mg sent me through the roof with anxiety, i stopped eating and sleeping and was extremely agitated. Had to stop after 3 days. Citalopram was not so bad but still even initial 5mg knocked me out for few days with being sick, very sleepy and having terrible headaches. Made me feel spaced out. This is why i was started on 5mg and will stay on 10mg which sometimes feel too strong for me anyway... i am not sure if my ideal dosage is somewhere between 10 and 5. With sertraline 25mg was definitely too much, and later I discovered that even 12.5 mg inhibits reuptake of serotonin in about 50%. Maybe that is exactly what i should be started on back then. I also feel benefit herbal things and magnesium for anxiety and depression and for long time i was able to ward off medication thanks to them. Just last year was very traumatic and it was all too much. Many people say that herbs do nothing for them. They do a lot for me. I think I am just sensitive to things like that.
    • lois95799
      lois95799 natalie39598

      Posted

      My phychiatrist has people on five and ten milligrams .she says celexa is a strong Medication..and she's right..I was on 20 and had to drop to ten...

    • natalie39598
      natalie39598 lois95799

      Posted

      Lois thank you for your post. I don't even have psychiatrist, it is a GP who prescribes it, which i think is really wrong. She is clueless aboutvthis medication and how they work. They just go by text book and people are not text book.

      Anywa... rant over.

      How did you know that 20mg was too much? I wonder because I am not sure if I am on not too much. So hard to judge...

    • lois95799
      lois95799 natalie39598

      Posted

      Iam very sensitive to Medications ..and been on 20 for a week was too much ..the irratibility and the anxiety was severe..so instead of my phychiatrist upping she down it..and she did the right thing...I started feeling better ..same side effects but not severe..been on 10 for 19months .. thank goodness for phychiatrist
    • raj29314
      raj29314 natalie39598

      Posted

      Hi Natalie... I agree... We would be lucky to get a GP who is clued up with the medication... 

    • natalie39598
      natalie39598 lois95799

      Posted

      That is great! I am glad you are feeling better. We will see i am on 10 mg nearly 4th week now. If the anxiety it caused doesn't reduce in a week or so I will be thinking to reduce to 8mg.

      I am hoping it just an adjustment and it will be better soon.

      Xx

    • lois95799
      lois95799 natalie39598

      Posted

      Stick to your ten..and if you feel anxiety ask doctor for a benzo...and no you won't get addicted..I took them for one year when ever I felt bad,.no weaning just stop taking them .and no withdrawals..is so much easier getting on this Medication with a benzo..

    • lois95799
      lois95799 natalie39598

      Posted

      Stick to your ten..and if you feel anxiety ask doctor for a benzo...and no you won't get addicted..I took them for one year when ever I felt bad,.no weaning just stop taking them .and no withdrawals..is so much easier getting on this Medication with a benzo..

    • mark89813
      mark89813 lois95799

      Posted

      Getting on them is hard for anxiety sufferers and I agree, something calming until you are over the hump of side effects is needed.
    • lois95799
      lois95799 mark89813

      Posted

      Absolutely I don't know why so many people scare of the true anti anxiety pill a benzo...if you have and addiction personality than I wouldn't recommend..but if not theres nothing better than calming your nerves while the celexa kicks in..

    • raj29314
      raj29314

      Posted

      my doctor explained that a benzo calms the mind and the body so that the anti depressant can go in and do its work...
    • lois95799
      lois95799 raj29314

      Posted

      Absolutely Raj..ain't nothing like having peace while the celexa kicks in..

    • raj29314
      raj29314 lois95799

      Posted

      Lois, Do you think Celexa really works? I’ve been on it for over a week and Im not really noticing much difference??

      Ive read how some people seem to get muh better after a week of being on it! 

    • mark89813
      mark89813 raj29314

      Posted

      They are the lucky ones, for most people it takes several weeks without skipping a dose to start feeling the real benefits. I'm just starting week 6 and have had a pretty good day today. Yesterday I felt awful all day!

    • lois95799
      lois95799 raj29314

      Posted

      Of course it does is not a magic pill where you feel better in one week for crying out loud ..you have to give each dose 3months to feel positive benefits..those are the lucky ones.. unfortunately I was one of the unlucky ones..took me 8 months
    • mark89813
      mark89813 raj29314

      Posted

      25mg now for just over 5 weeks, Had a pretty good day yesterday, today not so good but bad days seem to be getting less bad.
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.