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Going into my 6th week on citalopram

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ashleigh1992
ashleigh1992

Hey everyone.

Well I am now going into my 6th week of taking 20mg of citalopram. I've noticed some changes and the last panic attack I had was about a week & a half ago. I feel a lot more comfortable going out and confident I can control my anxiety. Some of the side effects I was experiencing have decreased where as others I still notice such as my skin feeling as if it's burning, light headed and also a dry mouth. Although I am feeling a lot better then I did I still have concerns.. I've been having this horrible feeling of nervousness in the pit of my stomach which rises up by my lungs, when his happens I start to feel very hot. Which then kicks off anxiety..

All of my panic attacks and anxiety started because I thought I had something wrong with my lungs. Then I would think something was wrong with my heart. I'm constantly fearing I have something seriously wrong with me. Some days i don't think about it at all but these past 2 days I have started this way of thinking again.. This feeling of nervousness rising to my lungs is getting me worried. Surely all of these strange things I'm feeling can't just be made up in my head? Is there something wrong? Or could it just be the tablets. Because I sure know I didn't feel like this before.. before the panic attacks and citalopram. When will this all just vanish .. 

Thanks for reading 

X 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • louise1974
    louise1974 ashleigh1992

    Posted

    Hi ashleigh

    I don't usually reply to threads recently but you remind me of me so much I thought I should.  I'm presuming you were born in 1992 so quite young.  I started with anxiety and panic attacks when I was 18 (i'm 39 now).  I have been on and off anti depressants for the last 16 years for that problem.  Don't get me wrong I'm not going to give you a tale of woe because my life has been more fine than not.  What I do want to say is YES I really do think all of what you are experiencing seriously is just anxiety.  The mind is an amazingly powerful tool and can trick us into anything.  I could write a book with the symptoms I have experienced with anxiety over the years.  In fact I joke that one day I'll have a heart attack and I'll be putting it down to anxiety.  Honestly I have had it all, the weirdest one to date was a really painful oesopaghgus, how can that happen?  I honestly thought I might have cancer but when I started the Citalopram and it began to kick in those pains went.  You are still early days.  I am on week 13 (I think) and feeling tons better on 20mg but may increase to 30 as I still don't feel quite myself.  But I know at 6 weeks on 20mg I still wasn't quite there yet.  By 8-9 weeks I felt tons better and even really enjoyed a holiday abroad.  Are you having hormone issues, pms?  I find around that time my mind runs away with me.  Just have patience and know at the end of the day you still have options,  if iyou find 20mg just isn't doing what it should you can increase.  I know it's not idea but after spending 8 months in what I can only describe as pure hell before starting this med I am quite happy to increase to get back to "normal".

    Chat any time you wish and hang in there, don't let your mind trick you into things that aren't there xxxx

    • ashleigh1992
      ashleigh1992 louise1974

      Posted

      Hi louise1974

      Thank you for replying. I keep trying to tell my self that it's all in my head but I don't always listen. It does seem to be one thing after the other.. first as I said I thought something was wrong with my lungs then I thought I was having a heart attack (I even went to hospital because I was convinced) then I thought I had something wrong with my brain because I had this pain on the side of my head.. I even worry I have cancer because I have lost a lot of weight. Any ache or pain I have I dwell on it. I'm 22 and also have an 9 month old baby so it makes me wonder whether it's my hormones from giving birth and fear of leaving my baby (even though it's all in my head). And yes when it's my time of the month I'm 10 times worse! I get extremely upset and panicy.  But I am getting better as I've said I'm not half as bad as I was! 

      Glad to hear it's helped you. And it's reassuring to know so thank you. I see my doctor on the 11th so I'm going to talk to him about increasing my medication. Fingers crossed things improve further! X 

  • sue70307
    sue70307 ashleigh1992

    Posted

    I'm going on 4 wks--20mg for depression symptoms. Took Paxil for many years for generalized anxiety but went off it because it was aggravating my restless legs.  Celexa has decreased my irritability and doesn't seem to cause restless legs for me.  But I feel a return of old, almost forgotten, anxiety symptoms--tingling, awareness of my heart beating, on edge feelings. Wondering if this isn't similar to your complaints. And wondering if this will pass or if Celexa isn't the best med got me.  I really had wonderful results with just 10 mg of a Paxil---except for the restless legs.   I initially had nausea with celexa but that passed---now I just notice much less appetite--- which I don't mind at all.  You say you feel worried about your feelings--I can't say that I feel worried---just aggravated.  
    • louise1974
      louise1974 sue70307

      Posted

      Hi Sue

      I was on the same drug, Paxil or Paroxetine as it's called in the UK.  I too found it marvellous and much more efficient for anxiety/panic than Citalopram. I came off it cos I felt fine a few years back.  They don't like to prescribe it in the UK anymore because of the short life it has, hard to come off etc.  This time around I have been on Cit for the last 3 months and although it has worked it definitely isn't as efficient as Paxil.  I found that one worked quicker and did the trick.  With this drug I am having breakthrough anxiety symptoms but the upside is I feel more emotion. With Paxil I felt numb.  However in saying that it's brilliant for fixing the problem.

    • sue70307
      sue70307 louise1974

      Posted

      Louise, that is a positive spin on feeling anxiety---feeling more emotion. Yes, Paxil probably has its downside---with the short half life, I could tell anytIme I forgot to take my med the very same day--by late aftn I had this strange feeling that some people describe as dizziness, but I felt like my head was in  one place and my brain in another.  That is a crude description, but I never found a better way to explain it.  Yet, only 10 mg took away all the anxiety sx that had plagued me all my life.  I am going to continue Celexa until my 6 wk doctor appt.  am wondering if that is giving myself enough time  to discover if   these anxiety symptoms will go away.  
  • ashleigh1992
    ashleigh1992

    Posted

    Not feeling good today. Had a dizzy spell yesterday morning the whole room was spinning. Went to the doctors he didn't say much put it down to the tablets. Did a test where I follow his finger with my eyes. Says nothing is wrong. Today feeling dizzy scared and short of breath. 

    There must be something wrong. I'm fed up of feeling this way and no one taking a proper course of action to see if there really is nothing wrong.. 

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