Feeling hopeless

This is exactly how I started off the increased anxiety, hopelessness, feeling weird, constantly on edge. I'm around 16 weeks on citalopram and most have eased off massively. But I've still a bit to go. You've got to give it time. By focusing all your energy on you're symptoms you're feeding in to it. I used to have rolling panic attacks daily and I could barely leave my home but now if I feel anxiety or a panic attack, I just get on with whatever I'm doing. I wasnt able to do that at your stage but it will get easier. Its just anxiety is what you need to repeat to yourself, your brain and body is creating it so you can learn to get a handle on it. I've been on citalopram before and I was panic attack free for 3 years. It takes you to the worse possible level, I was suicidal for a time there but then slowly and surely your old self starts to come back. You wont even notice that you're anxiety isn't as bad. I found I had a poor thought process of what ifs and was never present in the moment. Get self help books, go to cbt, meditation. whatever it takes to understand what's going on for you and how to change it. Personally I dont believe medication is enough.

all the best

SJ

Hi Marietta

It takes a lot longer then 6 days for the anti-depressants to work and 10mg is a very low dosage, notcreally enough for a crisis. Most people, including me, feel heightened anxiety and insomnia when first taking Citalopram. After 6 weeks and an increase in dosage from 10mg to 20 mg, my anxiety has quietened down and my depression has lessened a bit. It is a good idea to take the meds alongside other strategies, like counselling or CBT, exercise and mindfulness meditation. There are lots of guided meditation on the internet and you can find introductory courses to attend.

hi i was on citalopram for 3 years and trust me it does get better it will take a good few weeks until you notice a change , i felt terrible for the first few weeks but then felt on top of the world and did do for the 3 yr i was taking them , 3 moth ago i noticed me starting to feel unwell again, i was back to being housebound, and sleeping the days away my anxiety had returned, it took me 6weeks to go back and see my doctor, i had became emune to them so o swiched meds, im back to my normal self again , i hope you feel better soon xx

The only way to describe my last experience of startubg citalopram was that of hell on earth. It took me nearly a month to begin to get the benefit and now several months on I feel human again. I'm really so glad I stuck it out and im living again. It worries me that some people start these meds without support or a warning that you may feel worse before the benefits kick in. I wonder how many people give up believing they will never feel better. Try to stick it out for a month. I know, easier said than done. I was'nt eating, sleeping, constant anxiety with bouts of extreem anxiety which made my body tremble, crying etc etc. I took heart from people on here who persuaded me to stick it out. They were right. I hope this forum will help you until you get through the horrible side effects. Good luck

it will get better hang in there it gets a lot worse right before it starts to get better. Do you have access to a homeopath doctor near you? if you do there are other things you can try that will help such as accupunture and supplements to help ease the anxiety for now. Just know you are not alone out there many people suffer exactly what yiu are going through. It does get better in week 3-4

Thank you all for your words of encouragement. I will definitely try to stick with it as the way I'm feeling is so horrendous.

Last night I woke up literally every hour with anxiety so my sleeping is getting worse. Is

this because of the pills or am I generally getting worse too?

I think I have become tolerant to Citalopram which I have been on since 2003. Recently I had a bad set back and my dose was increased from 20mg to 30mg. It doesn't seem to have any effect on my anxiety.