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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

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  • marsh23433
    marsh23433 natalie39598

    Edited

     when i first started to take citalopram  10mgs,i found that that was not helping me,after 6 months my medication was increased to 20 mgs,that helped me a bit,however not enough ,so they increased to 40mgs and that really helped me and no side effects at all..I stayed on that dose for 8 yrs,and it really helped me,then i decided to stop after that period and do cold turkey,no withdrawal symptoms at all 
  • mark89813
    mark89813 natalie39598

    Posted

    Blame your receptors, at first they see more serotonin in your brain from the meds so throttle back on releasing it to where it is needed to feel good, a negative feedback loop. This is why you feel rubbish,After continuous dosing which varies from person to person these receptors desensitise as they are continuously seeing more serotonin and finally start releasing it instead of throttling it back. With me I usually start feeling better after 8-10 weeks. I'm currently on day 34 and have had a pretty crappy day after a not too bad day the day before. It's best to ride out the side effects as they are not permanent and nor is the increased anxiety, once working properly citalopram is a great med.

  • natalie39598
    natalie39598

    Posted

    Well, that is me week 5 almost finished. I have not been that low ever. Even before I took this thing. Anxiety subsided but I cannot stop crying. I have feeling of impending doom for no reason whatsoever. I cannot believe that 2 weeks ago i was actually enjoying a party with friends. I will be calling a doctor today and looking into quitting it. I cannot feel like that. To be honest I feel like I will not get better anyway. Had enough of this.
  • nucole36482
    nucole36482 natalie39598

    Posted

    I promise Natalie it does get better, don’t give up. What mark says above is true. I took it for 14 years then kept forgetting for 4 months now 5 weeks into going back on. In the long term I know I will feel better but the side effects make it tough x
  • Ljau
    Ljau natalie39598

    Posted

    Hi Natalie.

    Did the Citalopram work out for you? I'm on Day 14 and the increased anxiety is awful.

    I can't sleep. I barely eat. I'm on trazodone for insomnia but it doesn't work as well when my anxiety is high.

    HEELLLPPP.

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