Feeling better .....keep going :)
Posted , 10 users are following.
hi everyone i hope you're all having a good day.
I posted for the first time on here a couple of months ago looking for reassurance after starting citalopram for the second time and found it wasnt working as well as it did first time round 6 years ago for severe health anxiety. i started in November on 10mg and had every single side effect for 5 weeks then upped to 20mg. it took another 4 weeks for side effects to subside but within that 4 weeks my health anxiety calmed down ALOT and i found myself rationalising my thoughts throughout the day. the mornjng anxiety was still an issue and my doctor prescribed me 20mg propranolol to take of a morning ....if needed.......they really helped! i finally feel like my old happy self and not worrying about everything or overthinking. if youre feeling worried or scared that your tablets arent working please push through and give them time, as horrible as the side effects are they will not last forever. wishing you all a speedy recovery and thanks for reading 🤍
4 likes, 35 replies
graham69986 carla88
Posted
Hi Carla thats brilliant im really happy for you and its great to see that these meds do eventually work.
I have bad health anxiety as well and im only just into my 6th week (started and still on 20mg). At the moment im still very up and down with side effects, increased anxiety and irrational thoughts but i definately think im seeing a slight improvement to where i was the first couple of weeks x
Sharon91200 carla88
Edited
thanks so much Carla! I'm 2 months into 10mg and i still have slight morning anxiety but i do feel like my old self so i am definitely seeing an improvement! 😃
carla88 Sharon91200
Posted
thats brilliant sharon! x
rachel76266 Sharon91200
Posted
That's awesome. Can I ask if you noticed an improvement bit by bit? On week 4, low dose of 10.
Sharon91200 rachel76266
Posted
Hello Rachel, so sorry for the late response.. I actually noticed an improvement bit by bit
The first week, I felt an improvement although this was really short lived. I would then go from feeling down to getting glimpses of my old self but was still waking up with severe anxiety. By the end of the 2nd month I started feeling good and the down moments started to fade away. I am now 3 months in and i will be on 10 mg for a year. What dose are you on and how long? x
rachel76266 carla88
Edited
Thank you for sharing! Am on week 4, low dose, and while I feel better than a month ago (minus the anxiety ticking up the first couple of weeks), I'm still not 'there', so have wondered about switching.
Potatoghost rachel76266
Edited
4 weeks is way way way too early to switch. you need to give it atleast 12 weeks.
if you switch now and don't wait it out you will get caught in a bad cycle and each time get withdrawals and side effects. trust me I've been there. 4 weeks is nothing x gps don't really know about these meds at all.
see how you feel in another 4 weeks if you see a little improvement then you know its gonna work x
rachel76266 Potatoghost
Posted
Thank you! Patience is hard to come by for someone struggling with anxiety, so very grateful for your advice.
carla88 rachel76266
Edited
hiya rachel, i agree with potatoghosts comment. 4 weeks in is abit early to complete switch meds, they take a few weeks to even fully get into your system then a few more weeks to actually fully start to work to the full effect. i still get palpitations and very very slight morning anxiety but its just that......anxiety! it goes away now as quick as it comes. i understamd about struggling with patience and perseverance, but try and give them a while longer xx
rachel76266 carla88
Posted
Thank you for the insight and encouragement!
Sharon91200 rachel76266
Posted
Hello again Rachel, I'm sorry you aren't quite "there" yet. 4 weeks is really really early days. Stick with it through the ups and down. Give it at least 3 months x
Jonesy77 carla88
Posted
Thanks for sharing about the success of your medication. I've upped from 20mg to 40mg and I'm on Day 23 and still struggling.
graham69986 Jonesy77
Posted
How long were you on 20 before increasing? Ive been on 20 for nearly 10 weeks and my dr wants me to increase to 40
Jonesy77 graham69986
Posted
Hi Graham. I've been on and off 20mg for about 10 years and have occasionally been raised to 40mg when I've got really bad in terms of anxiety and depression, but in the past, I've developed hypomania as a result of the increased dose plus high levels of stress. I've now been diagnosed with cyclothymia and so the doc has added a mood stabilizer into the mix.
Jonesy77 graham69986
Posted
I'm one of these people who both myself and the doc believe should be permanently on an anti depressant to stay well. However, I would rather be on 20mg if I can help it due to the hypomania which causes me to do myself in with trying to be super human.