Should I increase the dose?

Posted , 6 users are following.

I've been on 20mg of citalopram for nearly 5 weeks now for anxiety. I've gone through the side effects, nausea and increased anxiety I've not eaten since other than protein shakes and the odd bit of toast. I'm still suffering anxiety particularly on waking and nausea most of the day. Today has been awful and even the beta blockers aren't touching the anxiety.

I'm seriously thinking I need to increase the dose, any advice?

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • Posted

    What are the beta blockers for. You need an extra medicine that helps through the roughest times
    • Posted

      Beta blockers help calm and stop the adrenaline . I had diazepam in the first week or so
  • Posted

    Hi Victoria

    You sound like me when I first started taking citalopram. I was a mess and it was bloody horrible and hard. I stayed on 20mgs for about 16 weeks before I went to Dr and had a dosage increase.

    I too found the mornings awful,but I made sure I had something planned for the day so I could have something to look forward to doing and that would actually as a distraction from my anxiety. By early afternoon I'd generally feel better.

    Exercise I found was really beneficial,especially yoga and running. CBT is great too. I also got some diazepam to help me sleep...they slowed my mind down!

    Citalopram has really worked for me...it can be a slow process for some though.

    Louise

    • Posted

      Did u increase the dose slowly? Did u have any side effects?

      I'm getting to my wits end if I'm honest I just want to be able to function and feel a bit of improvement xx

    • Posted

      Thanks Louise. I've been on citalopram for about 5 months now, 3 months at 10mg and 20mg for 9 weeks. I feel better than I did but I'm still struggling quite a bit and the morning anxiety continues to be bad. By the evening I'm usually much better but I want to feel like that all day, not just the evening. I know it is a very slow process and you have to help yourself too, not just sit back and expect the meds to do all the work. I volunteer now 2 days a week at a day centre for the elderly and that has helped a lot because I'm meeting people and socialising instead of being alone all day thinking about my symptoms. I'm going to give the 20mg the full 12 weeks before considering an increase I think. Good luck with your journey too x

    • Posted

      Hi Gillian, I was on Citalopram but they did not work for me and im now on Mirtrazapine  which seems to suit me better. I too started working in a Day Care Centre and I also believe that has been my saving grace, as you say getting up in the morning with a purpose instead of just lying around thinking about how bad i was feeling. I still know i have a long way to go before I can say im fine, but defo improving. Good Luck to you.
    • Posted

      I went from 20mg to 30mg and stayed at this level for a couple of months,then went up to 40mg.

      I didn't notice any really bad side effects,but I did struggle to eat and I had some trouble sleeping. That where I found the fast acting anti anxiety tablets worked well.

      Citalopram is hard work initially,but once it starts to kick in, it works well. I've been on cit since June last year and I'm a different person. No longer always anxious and able to confidently step out of my comfort zone.

      Hopefully you will start to get some relief soon.

      Louise.

    • Posted

      Hi Gillian,

      I probably rushed a wee bit with my increases as I was desperate to feel better. My thinking was a bit "well aspirin works quickly for a headache ,so why isn't this working as quick". It took me a while to realise that I had to put in plenty of hard work and not just rely on the tablets.

      It is a slow process,but it's well worth sticking at. I really do feel like a different person.

      Hope all goes well for you. You sound like you are doing really well,even though it probably doesn't feel like that for you at the moment.

      Louise

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