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Help please!!

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Dawn1208
Dawn1208

I have been on citalopram from October started on 5mg 1 week then 10mg 2 weeks then 20mg for 2 weeks and started getting physical anxiety so doctor gave me propanalol then upped to 30 mg was on this for 5 weeks and anxiety was gone for a week and a half then came back with a vengeance. On 30th dec I was told to drop to 20 mg again as cpn thought it was causing the anxiety. I was feeling really good and then Thursday bang physical anxiety is back with a vengence again. I'm starting to think this medication is not agreeing with me I have cried 3 times today which iv not done for weeks any advice would be great as last time my anxiety got so bad I had to take diazepam. They were talking about introducing pregabalin which is similar to gabapentin. Any advice would be really appreciated as I though by 3 months in I would feel better. X

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • kieran12294
    kieran12294 Dawn1208

    Posted

    Last week I was put on 10mg Cit. I lasted five days. Side effects were like torture. Panic attack (never had one in my life), tembling, agitated, nausea, 'knocked out' for at least two hours each day, sense of despair. it was horrible. Never again. Sorry, I can't really advise but I know that with many anti-depressant it's 'trial and error'.

    Watch out for the diazepam too. Very effective, but very addtictive. Good luck!

  • katecogs
    katecogs Dawn1208

    Posted

    Hi Dawn

    I think you're having a setback (a blip), which is normal with recovery.

    When you take SSRI's you first go through nasty side effects, and when these start to wear off you begin to feel calmer, then quite good.  After a while you'll experience anxiety or whatever again, and this is when people panic and rush to alter their medication.  These are setbacks, and seem to be quite common when recovering, and if you wait, just accept them, they'll pass and you'll begin to feel good again.  You'll get many, but each time they'll get less severe, until they disappear.

    It's very hard feeling like you're ill again, but it hasn't returned, it's just you going through the process of recovery.  It's how the medication works ....... and it proves it's working as you've now got to this stage.

    You'll get setbacks for a while .. up and down, up and down ...... but just let them be there, and remind yourself that this is the normal process of recovery.  It'll pass.

    Patience and acceptance will see you through.

     

    • duncan30867
      duncan30867 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi Kate. Just wanted to say thanks. I am only on day 4 of taking Citalopram and feel like im going through all the side effects. Today its insomnia, the shakes and anxiety. Seems strange to get the anxiety as I have anxiety attacks which is why the doctory prescribed the tablets. Anyway I came on here to see if anyone else has been through the same thing and you reply has helped. I will keep on keeping on and hope that these side effects pass soon. 
    • katecogs
      katecogs duncan30867

      Posted

      Hi Duncan

      I went through all manner of side effects initially, and it seemed one would wear off and then I'd get another different one.  Yes unfortunately anxiety is increased big time when you first start taking this medication, even if you're taking the meds for anxiety.  It will ease in time, as will the other side effects.  Seems it gets worse before it gets better.  It takes a long time for the medication to start working, and you'll often think nothing is helping ..... but it will do.

      This site is good for support, and sharing experiences.  I thought I was the only one once with this weird illness ........ but it's so common.

      K x

  • melanie00616
    melanie00616 Dawn1208

    Posted

    Hi there Dawn.

    Just a thought is it the week before your period, could even be up to 10 days.  Some real good advice is to monitor the patterns as to when the anxiety starts, stops etc.  Even to do a daily dairy of everything then you could see if there is any patterns.  Mine was so clearly cyclic - when I ovulate as ovaries hyper and 10 days before period.  If it came out of the blue - ie. nothing going on in your life, sounds like could be.

    BIg hugs 

    Mel xx

    • Dawn1208
      Dawn1208 melanie00616

      Posted

      Hi I had thought of that as I have always said my mood is terrible around my period it's exactly 10 days to my period today. X
  • melanie00616
    melanie00616 Dawn1208

    Posted

    p.s.,  forgot to put mine isn't depression or anxiety, but agitation - which never suffered with till hormones started fluctuating wildly.  When did all this start??  DId you start a pill or something around this time ??  When all your anxiety started.
    • Dawn1208
      Dawn1208 melanie00616

      Posted

      No I'm not on any contraceptive and haven't been for years but I had depression and was on citalopramfor7 years which worked great came off them in March and by October had the worst anxiety ever iv tried propanalol but they didn't work. I feel that my feeling low and irritable is due to the anxiety I have 2 young kids and I'm really struggling to hide it from them x
    • melanie00616
      melanie00616 Dawn1208

      Posted

      Hi Dawn,

      I hope this really helps.  I did training in a drug rehab centre where they do a self learning process.  This teaches them all about the limbic system of the brain, it is where all the automatic responses and emotions are stored.  Including automatic survival responses, fight, flight and freeze.  Anxiety is a learned response.  Every body has anxiety and feelings come and go all day long.  Anxiety can be used as anesthetic to cope with feelings, normally a fear of something.  Though  uncomfortable, the emotion releases neurochemicals that cause the body to speed up to avoid the feeling.  We can reprogramme this part of our brain as normally the fear is of being out of control (stress), which we all feel at certain times of our lives.  Anxiety in its self.  Reprogamming it is like reprogramming computer takes time.  First off you have to find what is triggering it - obviously hormones excasperate it.  I would take a stab at it being to feeling low due to the depression, as when our period is due our estrogen levels drop, which is our feel good factor and again every body feels low at certain times in our lives.

      Katecogs has put it really well - but you do need to find out what triggers you.

      When my hormones come in - due to the high fluctuations, I produce a high level of adrenaline - which always happens at night when they come in.  So in being able to find out what is happening I don't have to worry as I know it will pass and by telling myself that my brain doesn't flag it as dangerous.

      I have also learnt that exercise is a good way to produce endorphins, even if we are feeling so tired.  It also produces estrogen and whole load more things which makes us feel good and well.  Also setting realistic goals, which also gives us a good sense of acheivement - gratification - which the brain also likes.  So when I am low due to my period I do some craft work.

      During recovery I also did some voluntary work which I so enjoyed.

      I can assure you I found recovery tough - but once I learnt why I felt like it, what controlled it - the one saying is the truth sets you free and believe you me it does.

      Hope this helps.

      Big hugs.

      Xx

  • melanie00616
    melanie00616 Dawn1208

    Posted

    Hi Dawn 

    I'll get back to you later - off to spanish soon and guess what haven't done my homework - oops!!

    I think I can really help you.  Catch you soon.

    Big hugs.

    Xx

     

    • Dawn1208
      Dawn1208 melanie00616

      Posted

      Hi Melanie got a message from you but when I open it it says no content. X
    • melanie00616
      melanie00616 Dawn1208

      Posted

      Hi Dawn,

      It's on the forum just above oops off to spanish - don't no why posted there.  Can you see it.

      Xx

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