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how soon does citalopram start working? will hopeless feeling go away?

Posted , 9 users are following.

ferim
ferim

4 weeks on citalopram 20 m but still have depression. No motivation, very hopeless and feel living is useless. I want to know if these feeling disappear and when?

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • el_shiz
    el_shiz ferim

    Posted

    took me almost 8 weeks to feel "good" again. Before that the anxiety and moods were all over the place till the drugs worked there way in to my brain chemistry
  • katecogs
    katecogs ferim

    Posted

    Hi

    Yes these feeling will go, though 4 weeks is really early days still.  It can take 3-4 months to start feeling any benefit, though some people feel better earlier than that and some longer.

    These meds work really slowly and you can't hurry a good thing.  Increasing your dose won't make it happen any quicker either.  But .... it will happen.  What you're feeling is normal at the moment.

    Recovery often comes in patches/waves, so you may start to feel better in time and then find you're back to square one again.  This is perfectly normal, but your mood will be up and down like this until eventually the well, happy feeling will stay.

    Theres lots of people on this site going through exactly the same as you or who have been through it and come through the other side.  There's much support on here.  You're not alone 🙂

    You'll need lots of patience and perseverance ..... but you'll get there.

    K x

  • lynda70899
    lynda70899 ferim

    Posted

    Hi

    just wanted to confirm what katiecogs posted.  You will see the light.  Just takes a lot of patience.  

    Lynda

    • ferim
      ferim lynda70899

      Posted

      Thanks for all the heart-warming replies. I feel much better now.
    • Foxy_polly
      Foxy_polly ferim

      Posted

      Hi fermin

      I'm 13 weeks in and am now starting to feel loads better it's been a long bumpy ride but like katiecogs said it will get better! For me this site has helped me a lot especially katiecogs she really is an amazing person with what she writes and gives so much support ! Keep going xxx

  • ferim
    ferim

    Posted

    I have been taking citalopram for the past 6 years starting with 20 then 40 then 20 and 10 again for the last year. I stopped taking it abruptly(after 6 yrs). For the first month felt nothing except dizziness, but after a month started feeling anxious , having panick attacks and eventually depression. I was sooooo fed up with life and had no motivation. Every sigle hour of living was an struggle. I woukd ask myself what is the point of living along many other odd feelings. After 2 weeks feeling this way i couldnt tolerate and saw my GP to get back on citalopram again. He started me on 20m but the first day was such a horrible feeling and vad anxiety that i decided to halve the dose for a few days. After about a week i went back on 20m. Now it has been under 4 weeks since the start. I feel improved but not fully. The anxiety and panick attacks have considerably reduced but the depression is still there. I am still very hopeless and not joyful. I will see my gp in a week to up the dose maybe, as i had citalopram before and it worked perfectly for 6 years.
    • jran
      jran ferim

      Posted

      Hi Ferim

      Maybe you needed 30mg, 40 too much and 20 not enough. My doctor put me on Lexapro 10mg equal to 20mg citalprom. If and when i start feeling better i dont think i want to come off them unless major side effects dont go away. Doctor said 6mths but i am scared about the withdrawal. They say you have to do it gradually and thats probably why it was so bad. I dont think i ever want to come off them if they make me feel good. Keep posting & lets us know how you are going on them. Be kind to yourself.

       

    • ferim
      ferim jran

      Posted

      Thanks Jran. I will keep posting about my status. I will see my doctor very soon.

      You are right. When this little pill keeps me going, why should i stop it?!. I did once and I regretted that( just remind that i went cold turkey). This pill was perfect for me. I took it for 6 years without any problems; yes it had side effects but the benefits outweighted it.

    • katecogs
      katecogs ferim

      Posted

      This is my second time on Cit too.  I came for a year and took a natural SSRI called 5-HTP which you buy over the counter along with l-tyrosine.  I restarted Cit only due to the stress of family illness.  Will stop again later this year.

      This time around it felt different on the meds st first and it took longer for them to kick in.  Even though I knew they worked for me, I did doubt it at times when I felt low, but kept telling myself it'll be ok as been there before (even though I didn't feel like it).

      Some people don't have good levels of serotonin - SSRI's hang onto this neurotransmitter longer before it reabsorbed into the brain.  Hanging onto it longer helps to lift our mood.  Low levels cause depression, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, bad appetite etc.  I need serotonin, so for me it's either SSRI's or the natural one.

      You'll get there x

    • ferim
      ferim katecogs

      Posted

      Hi all

      I am so feeling down today after 4 weeks on 20m. My anxiety and depression is still there. Is it normal to be fed up with life and seeing no point living? Have u ever felt like this?

      I am scared if things dont improve. I feel so detached from my fsmily life. I need help!

  • jenn36335
    jenn36335 ferim

    Posted

    I would agree that you may need to give it some more time. even 20 mg may not be enough, you may need to increase at some point. Hang in there. It WILL get better!!!
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