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Increasing the dose ?

Posted , 3 users are following.

helen20528
helen20528

Hello everyone

I have been on 10mg for 9 weeks and my gp and counselling provision service have advised I up to 20mg. I am feeling better than I was my intrusive thoughts are less intense and haven't been getting panic attacks but I feel my mood improved and then has dipped again, I am also still having suicidal thoughts. I am scared of the side effects being as bad as at the beginning or worse, can anyone give me some reassurance ?

Best Wishes

Helen x

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • katecogs
    katecogs helen20528

    Posted

    Recovery can take months - took me 6 months to redover, so 9 weeks and the stage you're at sounds like you're doing well.  Recovery often comes in waves, so feeling your mood had improved then dipped again is quite normal.  This pattern repeats itself through recovery until the anxiety, thoughts and depression have gone.

    Sounds like you're already well on your way as you've already noticed the intrusive thoughts and panic attacks are less.  Over time they'll get even more better.

    I initially started on 20mg and after a few years reduced to 10mg as a maintenance dose and am now on 5mg.  It does sound like 10mg is working for you, so you could persevere for longer on that dose, or if you do decide to increase you could do it gently by 5mg at a time - this means cutting up a tablet.  I did this when I reduced and had no withdrawl effects, so should work the other way.

    K x

    • helen20528
      helen20528 katecogs

      Posted

      Hello Kate

      Thankyou so much for your advice, do you know where I could get my hands on a pill cutter that works well. As I think I should up my dose slowly as the side effects were pretty intense for the first couple of weeks xx

      Best Wishes

      Helen

    • katecogs
      katecogs helen20528

      Posted

      Hi Helen

      You can get a pill cutter probably at a chemist, or try on eBay or Amazon as I know they sell them.  I've used one for years, and a few different ones.

      Yes easing up onto the required dose a little at a time might be more suitable for you.  

      Let us know if you get one, and keep in touch.

      K xx

  • gillian_1961
    gillian_1961 helen20528

    Posted

    Personally I would give it a few more weeks. It seems to be that 12 weeks is the golden time when most people start to feel better on citalopram, despite the doctors telling us otherwise. 

    I'm on 10mg too, started them on 2nd April, and I seem to be slowly improving - it doesn't happen overnight. I don't want to go up to 20mg if I can cope on 10

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