Need a bit of reassurance, feeling like these will never work again for me...

Posted , 4 users are following.

So I’ll try to summarize real quick how it began. Around 4 years ago (at this time, which makes me believe I suffer from SAD since I always feel worse these months), I suffered from terrible anxiety and then depression followed. Saw the doctor, gave me 10mg citalopram for three weeks, did nothing so increased to 20mg, and saw improvements within a week or two. Felt amazing. Went from the worst time in my life to probably one of the best.

20mg did great for me for years. Still had a few bad periods and went to 30mg a few times. No side effects going on it or going back to 20. I never felt as great as I did the first 6 months on 20mg, but I was still doing good.

So now, anxiety got bad in the middle of October. Started having awful panic attacks again. Got an appointment with my doctor early, went back up to 30mg. Started light theory and meditation. After two weeks started coming around again and felt great. Thought it was all over. Last Sunday, had another panic attack. Dismissed it but this week has been so so so so bad. After four weeks of being on 30mg.

Sleep makes my anxiety much worse (what triggered my panic attack Sunday) so I’ve been taking either zopiclone or Ativan since. So for four nights. Didn’t take anything last night and thought I’d feel great about that (I have a huge fear of being hooked on these pills, although I’ve been on Ativan over three weeks straight when I started citalopram and never had an issue, only started having anxiety over these pills when I read the horror stories online).

I was proud of myself not having to take anything last night but still woke up with awful anxiety in the morning (which I don’t normally get, it’s usually worse at night), and it’s been bad all day.

I just have less hope this time around. Thinking the citalopram just won’t help this time....

I have a doctor appointment Tuesday, and I know he’ll probably increase my dose to 40mg but will it even do anything at this point? Has citalopram stopped working for me altogether? It worked so well when I started them years ago.... and I never felt this bad since that bad period years ago before I started them.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Nina/you know causes some of your anxiety is keep changing the dosage,even if you don't get side effects ,just stay on one dosage for10/12 weeks

    • Posted

      It just never took this long before. I felt great last week, so does that mean it won’t work?

      I’ll wait to see what my doctor thinks regardless, but I went two nights without taking anything to help sleep which is progress I guess.

      Still feel that awful tingle feeling, and stomach sick caused from anxiety but I haven’t thrown up (not yet anyways).

  • Posted

    Hi Nina/no it will work ,but it may take longer,as no 2 bodies are the same

  • Posted

    So when you increase your dose even by 5 mg it is like starting over with side effects? 10 to 15.

    • Posted

      I was actually asking marsh. Sorry

    • Posted

      hi amy, not necessarily. It can take several weeks to stabilise. Side effects can come with increases or decreases in dose or while just waiting for the drug to stabilise. Try to just go about as much as you xan day to day. Avoid alcohol, get light exercise and I would highly recommend mediation. It all takes time and patience. All the very best

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