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Help as I started upping dose on meds

Posted , 6 users are following.

eric28362
eric28362

Good morning,

I hope everyone is having a better day. About three weeks ago, I was put on Prozac for my OCD anxiety and depression. After four days, the doctor switched me because the pills were just awful. He switched me to citalapram. At first I was on 10 mg for a week and then he upped me to 20 mg. After about two weeks, he upped me to 40 mg. I am on day 4 days of 40mg. This battle is so hard right now. My mind races with intrusive thoughts and it is exhausting. I know it is early; but, somedays are just hard. Do these thoughts go away? My anxiety in the morning is awful. I just want to feel better.

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • shane23112
    shane23112 eric28362

    Posted

    Hi Eric, I am also feeling pretty Wretched after 4 weeks. I started at 10 for 6 days then up to 20 ever since. Mornings are a misery of anxiety and just generally feeling unwell. I saw my doc today and her first suggestion was to up to 40 mg. No way, I refused from all that I have read every increase comes with more side effects. I would rather stick it out at 20 and see how it goes. It is tough for sure. I am always so surprised at the posts that say a great improvement at 2 or 3 weeks. Certainly not my experience. The only positive for me so far is I take at night so it knocks me out and I sleep well and generally I feel not too bad most evenings. I dread waking up in the morning though, undescribably brutal. We just have to stay positive and believe that every day gets us closer to feeling better. Stay strong! Post me Anytime!
    • MediumNeil
      MediumNeil shane23112

      Posted

      Shane - Eric - i hope you both read this - i feel EXACTLY the same as you guys do - i've been on 10mg for about 4 years and had NO problems - then due to some issues in my life my anxiety came back with a jolt. Doc upped me to 20mg and i've been on them for 4 weeks - Its been hell to be honest.

      First week i didnt eat all i wanted to do was sleep, second week much the same although my appetite came back and i spent a lot of time laying on the sofa doing nothing.

      ive lost interest in everything - i find very little funny - its like my sense of humour has been wiped.

      My mornings are hell - i wake with morning anxiety - (altho that APPEARS to be settling - touch-wood) - but my anxiety seems higher than when i was on 10mg and suffering. 

      Im also tired a lot.

      The only thing i will say is - my evenings are better...and bearable usually - and when i go to bed i ENJOY sleep = but unfortunately this is of course followed on by the dreaded morning anxiety.

      I want to tell you it gets better but at the moment i cant tell you.

      I have gone back to work after 3 weeks off TODAY - and it hasnt bene as BAD as i thought so MAYBE keeping your brain active is the way forward...i dont know.

      Stay strong guys - msg me any time.

    • shane23112
      shane23112 MediumNeil

      Posted

      Wow you would think that going from 10 mg to 20 mg after 4 years would not be an issue. It has to get easier soon for you. I have kept working thru all of this and it has been both hell and good thing at the same time. Days I thought my head would explode and days that are tolerable. So hard to appear calm outwardly when you feeling physically and mentally on fire. Nothing linear about this drug. I never know what to expect from one day to the next. Hopefully things start to settle down soon. Best to all of you. Let's continue to tough it out. SHANE

    • MediumNeil
      MediumNeil shane23112

      Posted

      Yeah i thought that too - but sadly not. 

      I don't know how you kept working thru the first 2 weeks if they were anything like mine.

      Yesterday i felt good - today i feel - to be honest - like crap - im anxious - jittery - have stomach ache and im tired (my fault probably - i stayed up later because yesterday afternoon / evening i felt really good so i tried to make the most of it) - Now i'm regretting it.

      you are right though its the up and down - lack of linear progress that is so hard to adjust to. 

    • eric28362
      eric28362 shane23112

      Posted

      Shane,

      Thanks for your reply.  This part of life sucks; but, there is a future.  I just hate how thoughts come and go at 100 mph.  It is exhausting.  Please keep me updated on your progress.  I feel like I have been to hell for a long time now with this; but, there is light.  I am glad you are able to sleep.  Can you take naps at all?  I can't fall asleep for a nap even though I want to.  However, we are halfway through the week.  I have not missed hardly any work which is good.  It has been a long hall; but, once you start getting asked, "You aren't yourself, what's up?", you can only lie and hide for so long.  However, being honest now, people who I did not know had this disease, have been an awesome support system.  They said it takes time and you feel so bad until the right medicine is done.  I am hoping this is the right medicine.  My GP is managing my medicine right now; but, I decided that I am going to a psychiatrist instead to manage them.  I do not seem him until May 30.  Therefore, this gives the new upped dose to work.  I hope you start to feel relief soon; but, you have made it this far and keep kicking smile

  • tami1964
    tami1964 eric28362

    Posted

    I am 7 days into increase 10 to 15 an Sunday hot me with intrusive scary thoughts my anxiety is yhro roof. Im hoping this dose levels out soon. Not sure can take much more. Im constantly fighting my mind last 2 days. Its hard. I geuss thst means its doing something. Can anyone relate. Advice. Tsking xanax help calm rough timed. Im ok when wake up soon take my cirt its on.
  • brittany10788
    brittany10788 eric28362

    Posted

    This is exactly what happened to me on Zoloft. I honestly ended up having a major paranoid panic attack and called my doctor and stopped taking it after 4 days. I did some research and it seems like sometimes it is a trial and error situation to see what meds work for you. Were you ok on the 10 and 20mg??? Maybe 40 is too much??
  • katecogs
    katecogs eric28362

    Posted

    Eric

    You're on a very high dose plus was on a different meds too all in the space of a very short time.  These meds can take many months before you feel the beginnings of recovery and you have to take it slowly.  Each dose increase causes side effects and you must give each dose many weeks to settle before increasing again - you've done all that in about 4 weeks - that's why you're feeling it big time.

    I get cross with doctors hurrying people along on these meds.  40mg is the maximum dose on Cit and it doesn't suit everyone.  You can recover on 20mg just the same.  A large dose doesn't mean you'll get better any quicker than a lower dose - you cannot hurry this and you cannot make anxiety and depression go away in an instant.  I had exactly the same as you - OCD, anxiety and depression and it took 6 months on 20mg for me to recover.  Don't worry about the timeframe because we're all different and it wasn't dreadful all the way through as it had eased by the time I was better.

    The meds will make things worse before they get better, but no matter how bad they get you must just keep going.  Intrusive thoughts are just a side effect of anxiety - I was plagued with them for years, and you'll find as you recover and the anxiety eases, so too will the thoughts.  They are nothing more than a side effect.  I know they feel larger than life, but they will lose their importance and fear as you recover.

    Early morning anxiety is often the hardest thing - but it doesn't mean thats how the rest of your day will pan out.  That was the last symptom to disappear for me.  I'd wake full of anxiety but as my day wore on I felt better and better - only to wake the next day and repeat it all.  This slowly stopped and I started waking with no anxiety.

    So yes - the thoughts will go away.  Promise.  

    Its not an easy ride - but I can assure you its one worth persevering.  After years of suffering like you I found my freedom and got my life back.

    K x

    • eric28362
      eric28362 katecogs

      Posted

      Kate,

      One's brain is complicated and so powerful.  It truly amazes me that with how come we have come along with medicine/healthcare, this is one that takes a long time to heal.  I was surprised that he upped me to 40mg so quick; but, I will continue to push through.  The intrusive terrible thoughts are so annoying; but, I battle them with weighing the positive and negative of each and send forth.  I have been journaling my experience as I continue to go through this.  Sleep has been the worst part for me thus far.  I try to take a nap and I literally cannot fall asleep; but, I know this will no last foever.  The early morning anxiety is the worst and do not wish this experience on anyone.  I wish my doctor would give me a better anti-anxiety pill for when these times are high.  He gave me lorazapam .5mg and it seems like it does not touch what I am feeling.  He does not believe in benzos because they are highly addictive.  So, I am in a rut; but, today I am not as bad as I was the last couple of days.  So I can take that as a positive smile 

      I appreciate all of the responses.  Time is what we have and need to patient.  However, we are all wanting a quick fix to feel better.  Unfortunately, there isn't one.  I will continue to check in and post progress.

    • katecogs
      katecogs eric28362

      Posted

      Actualy this illness often starts as a physical one - usually the result of prolonged stress which takes its toll on our bodies, and when its reached overload and the anxiety kicks in, its often this which we become afraid of it which then results in more anxiety, OCD, constant negative thinking etc.  You get trapped in a cycle of anxiety / fear / anxiety.  Yes the mind is very powerful, and seems more so when you're not well.

      I found understanding what was happening to me helped tremendously towards recovery ..... no longer was I thrashing around in the dark trying to make sense of everything, and all my 'why's' were answered.  The meds did the rest.  6 months might seem a long time to some for recovery, but after 16 years of illness it was a small amount of time for me.

      Yes - I wanted to be well 'now'.  I wanted it all to stop - wanted someone to wave a magic wand.  Good things are worth waiting for ..... and this is one thing that is worth persevering with.

      Yes sadly these meds work real slow - they hang onto your serotonin (a neurotransmitter in the brain) before being reabsorbed to the next nerve.  This action takes time, but eventually it'll start to make you feel different, happier, lighter.  I never thought a pill could do that for me.  I recovered and have been well for many years now.

      I'll private message you with a web link that you may find very useful.

      K x

    • eric28362
      eric28362 katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks Kate!  What tips do you have for understanding?  I mean my therapist said to rationalize the truth and false behind each one.  I find that helps; but, as soon as you rationalize, another stupid one comes in and it is a repeat process.  I guess I just do not understand and am being impatient.  I need to realize this because it does take time.  Today has not been the best day.  I have had high anxiety all day and not sure why.  I wish I could but I cannot.  I just need to continue to persevere.  Easy said than done smile  I want to see the light at the end of the tunnel that is for sure smile
    • katecogs
      katecogs eric28362

      Posted

      Hi Eric

      Oooh ... understanding - where do I start. wink

      Intrusive houghts are no more than a side effect of anxiety, and its the fear of them that keeps the anxiety thriving and in turn keeps the thoughts there.  When you're anxious, your mind becomes tired, and thoughts stick to a tired mind.

      Everyone has weird thoughts, but usually they're just dismissed and forgotten about ..... but when they're accompanied with anxiety, the anxiety shocks you, makes you afraid of it, and so the thought will stick.  Without the anxiety, the thoughts will be put to the back of the mind and back into perspective.

      Yes thoughts will be replaced with another and another.  It happened to me.  Each one seemed more shocking than the last.....

      So understanding what they are is a help.  It doesn't stop the thoughts or relieve the anxiety, but knowing why they're there is a start.

      Dealing with the thoughts is another matter.  When you have a thought you have to just let it come and go and not react to it (easier said than done), but you have to carry on with whatever you're doing when the thought strikes.  By reacting to it, you're adding 'fuel for the fire' ..... adding anxiety on top of the anxiety that's alredy there ..... keeping you in the loop.  By not reacting to it slowly dampens it and your body learns its not fearful.  This obviously won't happen overnight and will take many months.

      Yes, accepting this takes time is something else to understand too.  Some people do get frustrated at the time scale which then adds tension and anxiety again.  I did the same many times ..... 

      Did I mention the wonderful website called Anxiety No More?  Its developed by a man who suffered for 10 years exactly the same as you and how he overcame it by understanding, accepting the thoughts and letting them be there etc.  He wrote a book too ...... really worth having a look at.  When I saw the site I was stunned as its exactly how I've always seen this illness, how I helped myself too (he used a similar source) and his words are ones I'd used many years ago.  His site and book explains about each symptom and explains they're all side effects of anxiety.

      I suffered for 16 years with this and never thought I'd ever get better - but with understanding and the meds I recovered within 6 months and have stayed well ever since.

      You will get better.  Its just finding the right path and the meds will also start to work for you.

      K x

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