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Should i up dose or change meds

Posted , 5 users are following.

nick21824
nick21824

I first went on citalopram in 2007, however once i felt better I was very lacks in taking them. So last October I changed to merazapine however they didnt agree with me bad temper and mood swings, so went back on cits the start of january, had every side effect in the book which went on for 12 weeks, I am now 8 months in and have had a crap 2 weeks,  between high moods to very low moods and bouts of anxiety. I lost my job 2 weeks ago which was expected, which may explain why, but surely I should be feeling better by now regardless of the last 2 weeks. Should I up dose from 20 mg or ask for a different med, advice please

2 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • jayne03174
    jayne03174 nick21824

    Posted

    hi there, i went on citalopram in july 2012 started to wean of in july 14 then after being bullied at work went back on at 40mg in november 14 i was on them for 5mths then changed to venlafaxine as even at 40mg of cit i wasnt doing weell literally no improvement on how i felt etc, april 75 mg ven , may 150mg ven, then on june 19th 275mg ven, and still on them,i have gd n bad days and now seeing phycologist despite seeing councellor  for 20 weeks when i was on cit, different meds work different ways on different people, prehaps you need to change to something different as your body may have become immune to cit as you took it before, try talking to your doctor and saying how you feel maybe a different med is what you need. good luck gentle hugs x
  • katecogs
    katecogs nick21824

    Posted

    High and low moods are normal throughout recovery on any SSRI.  These can last a few days to a few weeks, and each time you feel low it will get less and less.  Eventually things will settle down and you'll start feeling good all the time.    Upping your dose will give you side effects again, so it may be worth hanging on for longer.

    I recovered on 20mg after 15 years of being ill.  It took a while, and even when I started to feel better my mood was up and down for some time to come.  Eventually it all settled and I've felt well for the last 16 years now.

    For me, it took 3-4 months to start feeling well, by 6 months I was still up and down and probably that lasted for another 6 months.  

    Personally I'd continue on them.  If they worked for you back in 2007 then they'll work for you again.

    K x

    • nick21824
      nick21824 katecogs

      Posted

      Are you still on meds, I personally dont care any more if I have to stay on them for life any more, so long as they work, I have come a long way, since january, just these bouts of low and high, the anxiety is the worst because of the ruminating
    • katecogs
      katecogs nick21824

      Posted

      Yes I'm still on meds - only 5mg now.  I took them for 15 years, first 20mg then maintained my wellness on 10mg and then I came off 2 years ago and took 5-HTP instead which worked well.  When my son became ill a year ago I got so stressed and restarted meds before I sunk into a dark hole again.

      Medication of some sorts is for life for me, whether it's SSRI or 5-HTP. Without anything I feel low, agitated and will sink into a depression.  On meds I'm perfectly well and happy.  My doctor said years ago that you can take SSRI's for life if need be - some people need meds for epilepsy, some for diabetes, and depression is no different.  If you need them, then that's what they're there for.

      I was ill for around 15 years before I took SSRI's and recovered and I never want to be in that dark place again.

      The journey through recovery can be long, and having bouts of being low and high is part of it.  Eventually they will even out and you should feel well all the time.

      The meds you changed to - don't you mean Mirtazapine?  If so, they're a different type of drug - they're a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA), compared to Citalopram which are an SSRI (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor).  Both work in different ways, but both are for depression.

      I've taken different types before, but for me SSRI's work best.  

      Stick with the dose - they should work for you again.

      K x

    • nick21824
      nick21824 katecogs

      Posted

      I have an appointment tomorrow with the consultant, yes it was Mirtazapine. I have read good things about Sertraline and the switch from cit appears to be relatively low in side effects, however will see tomorrow, anxiety seems to be more my problem which brings my mood down
    • katecogs
      katecogs nick21824

      Posted

      Glad you have an appointment.  Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.

      K x

  • karen76145
    karen76145 nick21824

    Posted

    Hi, Nick. I've been on flouxetine (which is also an SSRI) for 7 mo. and still am having ups and downs with anxiety, although nowhere near where I use to be when I started the meds. I also thought about going up, but decided to wait longer as I son't want increased side effects.
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