Citralopram 10mg for 3 weeks and need all the help you can give!
Posted , 4 users are following.
I don't know where to start. The more I read everyone's posts I feel hope and more panic all at once. Like a lot of other people who come here for help I feel just about hopeless. I know there are also others who have survived to find some peace and I hope it is one of you that can shine some light on my way. I have struggled with anxiety for about 7 years. Well actually everything else but 'anxiety' originally. At first it was that I just had too much energy, 'I was creative', I had an inner ear infection that makes me dizzy, a heart problem, hypoglycemia? Headaches, lockjaw and on and on and on. I honestly do not feel depressed about anything in my life THAN the anxiety. I am in a happy great relationship, work is good, I've gone to a psychologist and I really don't feel like I have that much to say.. I wake up in the night sweating with my jaw getting tighter and tighter, I start talking to a good friend and I feel in a parallel dimension all of a sudden, I feel like my rib cage is shaking like my insides are shivering. I guess it kinda showed up years ago with a panic attack and they got so bad I would faint from them. I never thought things could ever feel worse. It actually just felt like I completely lost touch with reality and it was like my 'computer' was rebooting and I'd literally just 'turn off'. As bad as they were, it was over after the episode and I was generally okay until the next time it happened again maybe a month later. Years later it is safe to say I have GAD and I feel like I can't take it anymore. It has stole my whole life away from me. Sometimes I feel like I have a pool ball in my throat and can barely breath, I am trying to 'get through' it all day, everyday. Finally I started to feel so much body pain and my jaw getting tighter and tighter all the time as if my face almost feels stuck in an anxiety expression, I feel contorted by it. I gave up all alcohol as I was never much of a drinker anyway, I quit smoking a year ago, I started meditating, I go to bed early, I excercise , I eat well. I've really tried everything. And now I have started on citralopram 10mg 3 weeks ago..I had one day 3 days in where I felt completely calm and couldn't believe it! I thought it was a magic bullet! The only way I can explain it is it was like I used to be at a party of about 50people in my head tormenting me and all of a sudden I was ALONE! I couldn't remember feeling so free. It only lasted a day. I don't know if it was the initial change, hopeful thinking, or just a lucky day but it all went away. I know everyone says 'give it time', but since then I feel anxious ALL DAY LONG! I know it's only 3 weeks and I'm very sensitive to medication so my dose is lower and I want to give the 10 mg a full chance to work...but, IS THERE HOPE? I am having such a hard time to feel like this everyday, When it gets uncontrollable for me I take Ativan with it and it barely touchs the anxiety. I feel like I can't make it through this anxiety and I can't go backwards either.. is there really a point where it gets better? When is it??
0 likes, 4 replies
anna78365 Boyinterupted
Posted
Hi, you sound absolutly wired and I know what that feeling is like. Full of nervous energy. I've been on Cit 20 mg for coming up to 4 mnths and i'm just starting to feel that calm you talk about (being on your own again). It is a long journey and it has it's ups and downs but now you are on the medication you can feel reassured that it's only a matter of time. You had a good day and that means the meds are working for you and you will get more good days. I have been having good weeks recently and I never thought that would happen. Treat yourself with kindness. Do things that you enjoy and remember to rest and take it easy as the anxiety is so exhausting it drains you.
Good luck and stay positive. I had some down days and was convinced that the medication wasn't right for me - it wasn't improving things as quickly as I had wanted but these things take time and people improve at different rates. I think it took me longer than most so hang in there, recovery is just around the corner.
debbie18265 Boyinterupted
Posted
HI
I'm 5 months in on 15 mg of Citalopram and the first few weeks I could barely go anywhere or eat and mornings where awful but it definitely gets better it takes time done quicker than others, I feel great now I gave the odd time where I am a little anxious but I accept it and it goes. I do all sorts now and I'm loving life please try and stay positive you will get there. I had intrusive thoughts at the beginning and like you said lots of things goi g around in my head but if you don't fight it let it be and try and let the feelings pass like a cloud that works
louise81209 Boyinterupted
Posted
Hi I feel the same constant feeling there's something in my throat.not so bad now the shakes and trembling have gone but I've been on 30mg for 4 wks now but have bad body pain which makes me more anxious.i just want to be myself again
MadShinyHeather Boyinterupted
Posted
*shines light* Anxiety has been long and winding road; I'm not at the end yet, but the drive is much more enjoyable now.
It took me quite a while to feel like citalopram was doing anything; I think because my doc started me off on a low dose accompanied by a short round of valium. We eventually reached a daily 30mg, and I felt steady.
I have GAD, as well as OCD, and PTSD. I was experiencing a psychosis brought on by a large shot of steroids given for poison ivy that I had apparently BATHED IN. My anxieties were heightened to the max; I was an obsessive compulsive wreck tearing my house apart to get it "clean," and having an emotional breakdown. Thus the Valium wingman.
I started having the parallel dimension, labyrinthitis, shaky insides gloriousness when I was five. You can imagine the lack of communication skills I had to convey that to my mother, so nothing was done about it. A while later I developed night terrors. When I was eleven I started having regular heart palpitations, cold sweats, and nosebleeds. I wasn't diagnosed with or treated for anxiety and panic attacks until I was in my twenties.
I can now say that I go long periods of time (weeks and months) wiithout panic attacks, and my OCD isn't interfering with my functioning normally. I'm happy, and so thankful I trusted my doctor to guide me through finding the right dosage/balance. Everyone is different, and we all react differently to chemicals/medications. Just stay the course, mister. It paid off for me.