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Is 13 weeks on 20mg Citalopram, need reassurance

Posted , 5 users are following.

denise1306
denise1306

Hi, I've been taking Citalopram since beginning of May. I started on 10mg and 13 weeks ago upped to 20mg. I've had some really good weeks, but still have days where my mood is low when I wake up and my stomach churns. Sometimes it lifts during the morning but some days it lasts all day. I'm feeling much much better to how I was at the beginning, I get out and about and have worked all the way through this (part time) it was my saviour in the beginning!! I Its the low mood that is worse, I can manage the physical sensations. I see on this forum people feel more or less back to their old selves at around 3 month and gradually get better and better. Is this still early days? I don't want to increase my dose if I can help it, should I just keep pushing through?? Thank you D x

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • dubry7605074
    dubry7605074 denise1306

    Edited

    Hi Denise. Yes, stay the course with 20mg. You may take longer than everyone else to start feeling better. With these meds, more is not better. I have taken 10mg for 3 years now and done really well. I have had some struggles lately and have anticipated moving to 15mg for a while to see how I feel. It's of utmost importance to increase or decrease dosages at very small increments (5mg). If you have had good days at 20mg, there sre certainly morr of those days to come. Stay the course and let your mind settle. Hope this helps

    • denise1306
      denise1306 dubry7605074

      Edited

      Hello, thank you for taking the time to reply. I've not been on AD before and think I'm looking for reassurance that they do work giving time. When I'm having good days/weeks I'm in the mind " yes I've cracked it" then when I'm having bad days/weeks it's like " omg I'm going to be like this forever!!" I know it's the Anxiety making me feel that way, but it's hard to think positive at them times. Thank you for the reassurance it's much appreciated. Take care and be kind to yourself D x

    • ian90586
      ian90586 dubry7605074

      Edited

      Hi dubry,this is very interesting to me as I've just recently read your discussion with rob from 2 years ago and I really wanted to join in about Dr.s prescribing higher doses of antidepressants. I have taken antidepressants for anxiety and depression for 20 years on and off,and taken allthe SSRIS over that time. I always took the minimum therapeutic dosages and recovered over time,not by increasing. I never thought of going back to the Drs to ask for more,just got on with it and although I never got rid of my anxiety 100% I was able to work and play. I hear stories of Drs and read literature of increasing dosages after weeks! I was also intrigued of someone's comments that a psychiatrist had said that lower doses were better for anxiety. I don't agree so much with that,though after recovering on 20mg Citalopram once,I was able to reduce quite happily to 10mg and stayed there a good while. I just read in a psychiatric paper that higher doses were of little benefit compared to lower doses over time,yet higher doses come with more side effects.

    • dubry7605074
      dubry7605074 ian90586

      Edited

      Yea docs are way too quick to have us increase dosages with these meds. These things work very dlowly and everyone can expect different schedules to feeling better or recovery. It's always best to go at our own pace and not rush. Our minds are fragile enough with this ever changing world we live in. This med brought me from a dark place years ago. I have studied these meds and ysed my personal experiences. They do help, but take time. More is not always better.

    • claire64405
      claire64405 dubry7605074

      Posted

      Hi Dubry... ive been on 20mg for 10 years and they changed my life.. 5hroygh life events the doctors put me on 30mg and the 5 weeks later put me on 40mg I've been on that dose for 10 weeks now I kind of feel like they working but they not if that makes! do you think if they worked for me before they should work again and should I give them longer xx hope your okay xx

    • dubry7605074
      dubry7605074 claire64405

      Posted

      Yes stay at 40 if you have taken that for 10 weeks. From reading other experiences on this forum, the second go round on these meds can be quite different from the first.

  • ian90586
    ian90586 denise1306

    Edited

    Hi Denise,I agree with dubry and to keep going as you are and improvement will come the longer you take it. I'm in a very similar situation to you,I started in March on a low dose and been on this dosage for 12 weeks now. I'm definitely not anxiety free but I'm very much improved since March and I expect to carry on improving even if it's at a snail's pace. It's much easier to feel lower mood at this time of year so don't be discouraged.

    • denise1306
      denise1306 ian90586

      Posted

      Thanks for you reply Ian, it's a bloody hard struggle this recovery malarky lol But as you've said, I think we are both much improved and will continue the longer we stay with it. Ive seen from another post you use a CBT book, could you let me have the name please. Thanks again, take care D 🙂

  • thomas56261
    thomas56261 denise1306

    Posted

    Hi Denise

    I think i can relate to you somewhat. I took celexa in 2018 for anxiety & panic attacks, it was my first time taking meds. I started on 10mg for 1 week and up to 20mg, i took it for 11 months and felt great and came off and has no issues for 2 plus years.

    really was 4,5 maybe even 6 months before i could say i feel 100% myself & i only knew this by going back and reading my old journal i kept, when i started this time around i taught i was better after a month.

    I went to a different doc this time around on lexapro (which i meant to be a better celexa), it was the worst 6-8 weeks of my life, i was very sick, had to work from home) he wanted to add another med to help but i asked to change to celexa again. I am taking it now 6 weeks twm.

    The doc switched me straight from 10mg lexapro to 20mg celexa, the first week was horrible, i then had 3 days of feeling good and then crap again, my doc wanted to up me to 30mg, he said it pooped out but it was a good sign i had some good days. I refused to go up that quickly and have been getting better i feel but very slowly.

    Last week i had a head cold and stomach bug and i went to a party Sat night and drank a lot of alcohol, so this week has not been great but i am pretty sure its a combo of what i just mentioned.

    I think 20mg is working good for you and will hopefully help more over time and that with maybe therapy, changing habits etc will benefit you.

    • denise1306
      denise1306 thomas56261

      Posted

      Hi Thomas, thank you for replying, it's really appreciated. Yes I keep a journal of my journey and know I'm tons better to what I was back in May. Its disheartening to have good weeks/days, then have a setback and feel your going backwards!! I did have some private CBT in the beginning and do have an open appt to dip back in if I want to. I do believe alot of it is habit as I've always been a worrier and overthink things. Its reassuring to know it can take months (lots) as it did with you. I'm going to push on through and give it my best. Hope you continue to improve, it's a long hard journey, as you well know. Take care 🙂

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