Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi. I've been on citalopram for 2 weeks. Doc upped it from 10mg to 20mg after a week. I was previously on 30mg of Paroxetine for 20 years and doc eventually reduced this to 10mg and then nothing for 2 days.
I actually feel totally depressed on this stuff. From the minute I wake in the morning to going to my bed.
Does anyone know if this will get better and when? I am desperate to get back to my work.
Thank you
0 likes, 4 replies
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katecogs colette27503
Posted
Like any SSRI these take a long time to build up in your body and for you to feel any benefit. You have to mark improvement month by month, not week by week. Also all SSRI 's exaggerate anxiety and depression for the first few weeks, so I expect that's why you're feeling not so good.
Ive taken SSRI's for 15 years, and though I came off 2 years ago and felt great for a good year, I felt the need to restart after family illness began to affect me. Restarting them a year ago I'd forgotten how they exaggerate symptoms, and it wasn't very pleasant.
They will work for you, but you must accept you'll feel rubbish for a while yet. It took around 3-4 months for me - some people feel the benefit much sooner, some later. But remember, they are working in the background and you have to be patient. You can't hurry them up, it'll happen in it's own time.
When you're feeling like that it's hard to see the end result, but you'll get there. I used to feel awful from the minute I woke til I went to bed, but eventually I recovered.
Have been well for years, and since restarting my meds am feeling great again.
These are good meds, even if you can't see it yet. Persevere .... they'll work for you.
K xx
katecogs
Posted
jenny23690 katecogs
Posted
I was just reading your reply on this thread and you seem to have experience with citralopram, I have been on cit for about 7 mths now 10mg but I was mixing this with alcohol and to be honest I did not give it a proper chance to take effect, I was missing nights of it here and there as well when I was drinking more.
I have since slowly upped my dose to 20mg and i have not drank in a week and half, I really want to give this medicine a chance to work, but since i have been taking the 20mg I actually feel more low and tired feeling, just overall blah, even feel more anxious than I did during the day, and my head feels like I have a dull headache constantly, like a tight band around my head or something.
Did you ever experience these feelings upping your dose, I am just afraid that the dose is too high for me, as I am seeing no positive results.
Sorry for hijacking this thread..
katecogs jenny23690
Posted
Yes drinking alcohol with the medication isn't great, as alcohol is a depressant. Also 10mg is quite a low dose, so maybe the 2 together weren't working. Upping to any dose will give you side effects unfortunately, so feeling more anxious, having a dull head etc is quite normal. It will wear off, but give it time. Yes I had the same feelings too. Not nice, but they did wear off eventually. Being on 20mg should be better for you, and of course not drinking alcohol either. Give yourself weeks and weeks, or however long it takes ... months even - this is a good medication for most people, but you really have to get the dose right and be prepared to be patient whilst it builds up in your body.
I think you're doing the right thing by upping it - if you persevere on this dose you should find yourself feeling better in time.
It was the best thing I ever did. :-)
K xx