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Stuck should I increase dose

Posted , 6 users are following.

lynn30756
lynn30756

I haven't posted for a few weeks just been getting on with life, but feel like progress has hit a level. Started on 10 mg in December last year after panic attacks and intense anxiety upped to 20 mg in February due to still feeling anxious. Have had some better days on and off and now having classic anxiety early morning very uneasy and waking early, waves up and down during day thoughts being the worse, will this ever get better while I can't stop thinking about it, easing in the evening. I know it takes time and I am trying to accept this is how I am at the moment. Has anyone else been like this, should I give it more time or up to 25/30 mg, doctor says its up to me, although 20mg is still a low dose. Don't want to up it if it won't help with thoughts and I just need to give it more acceptance time!! Hope this makes sense

Lynn

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

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  • don45258
    don45258 lynn30756

    Posted

    Hi Lynn

    Is in negative thoughts that are bothering you ?

    • lynn30756
      lynn30756 don45258

      Posted

      Yes thoughts about when will it ever go, when I feel brighter waiting for it to come back, constantly checking in on how I feel is the worst. I know Don you have recently increased to 30 is it helping ??
    • don45258
      don45258 lynn30756

      Posted

      First 3 weeks were the worsed but seem to be settling down a bit doc say it take 6 weeks to get full effect after upping dose
  • katecogs
    katecogs lynn30756

    Posted

    When I recovered on 20mg I was up and down throughout the day, would have dreadful anxiety in the morning and it would all ease by the evening.  This very slowly improved as time went by - I'd start feeling easier by late afternoon, then by early afternoon and so on until I felt quite good all day.  The early morning anxiety lasted right until the end and was the last symptom to go.

    You won't stop thinking about it as you recover, but as you do begin to get better you'll start to notice you won't think about it as much.  Intrusive thoughts are so debilitating, but they will ease in time and will lose their power, eventually being put to the back of the mind and they won't bother you.  You get caught in a cycle of depression / anxiety / thoughts / worry - each one feeding off the other, and each one causing anxiety.  Slowly this cycle gets broken and in turn they all start fading.

    Recovery crept on me so slowly.  It suddenly dawned on me one evening when I was out that I hadn't thought of 'it' for about an hour.  It was a great relief.  As more time passed this happened again and again, and slowly it increased until I didn't think of it or was bothered by it for longer and longer.

    You've been on 20mg for 2 months ........ maybe give it some more time.  It took me 3-4 months on 20mg to start feeling better, and recovered by 6 months.  Recovery should be marked in months, and as each month passed for me, I'd feel better each time.

    Everyone of course suits different doses.

    K xx

  • stephen35115
    stephen35115 lynn30756

    Posted

    Hi Lynn, you are literally describing what I'm experiencing just now. I've only been on 10mg for 3 weeks and seen doctor yesterday to check in and agree I don't want to up the dose as yet and give it at least another month or so on 10mg. Mornings are horrendous for me just now and even some nights it's difficult to switch off and get some good sleep but I just about manage this with meditation although my sleep is often broken through the night. Yesterday in particular was a difficult day as I had to present to our committee and had a full rush of panic, blank mind and unreality feeling, all very scary but I accept this is just how it has to be just now as I believe I was heading for another 'breakdown' before I asked for help so am bound to have some rough times. I am trying not to see citalopram as a cure for my symptoms but more of a lessening of them so I can do the right things to recover. It's tough, some days really tough but this forum has really helped me and people like Katecogs have posted some really reassuring comments when I've needed them most. We can and do recover, I know this as I've been down this path a good few times before and acceptance is always the first place I need to start.
  • weenett
    weenett lynn30756

    Posted

    You and steven sound like me just now! I have no advice but can share wat ur feeling! Im the same! Good luck hope we all get better soon!!
    • stephen35115
      stephen35115 weenett

      Posted

      Hi Weenett, how are you? I've had some ok days and some really tough days. It's so frustrating when you get a day or two feeling a bit better only for a crash back into the world of anxiety afterwards. I've been a bit of my own worst enemy recently when I wake up rather then jumping straight out of bed I lie there thinking! Not a wise thing to do when the anxiety is strong, I also feel tired much of the time but heyho we're all on a journey to recovery and path will have many ups and downs I'm sure. Please give me an update to where you're at as we are on similar times for starting medication.
    • linda05005
      linda05005 stephen35115

      Posted

      Thanks for your post . I am getting the same feelings it's so helpful to realise I am not alone . thanks
    • weenett
      weenett stephen35115

      Posted

      Im exactly the same steven i had 2 really good days and then some crap went to doc on mon told him i thought i was finally getting somewhere to have had bad days yest and this morning?! Its a nightmare! Mornings for me are def worse but i remember this being the last time to pick up from before its just hard tho! I just would love a run of good days so i can feel like im getting somewhere instead of up n down like a yo yo! How r u?
    • stephen35115
      stephen35115 weenett

      Posted

      Hi Weenett, I agree it seems like a nightmare sometimes. But like you I remember it was like this before I got well the last time. It really is good to know others are in here with us supporting all the way.
    • weenett
      weenett stephen35115

      Posted

      Its just so fristrating how many wks r u on again we r close if i remember rightly
  • linda05005
    linda05005 lynn30756

    Posted

    Hi I have been on 20 mg for one month now & have greatly improved & my good days are becoming more frequent but like yourself I still suffer from the early morning anxiety attacks some mornings they are worse than others. Just try & focus on your good days & try & be patient I know it is difficult but have faith that you are not alone &, keep using the forum for support I have found it a great help in realising I am not alone & not going mad !! We are their for each other. Good luck & Chin up x
  • Guest
    Guest lynn30756

    Posted

    Hi Lynn,

    I did what you did, started on 10mg then incresed to 20mg after a couple of weeks but it made me feel worse. I think because the med takes a month or so to kick in, by upping the dose so soon starts the process all over again from scratch. You don't seem to get anywhere with it. I went back to 10mg and stuck with it and it levelled off again.

    Hope you feel better soon.

    • stephen35115
      stephen35115 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Cherr, are you still on 10mg and if so how long do you think it takes to see its full effects? Thanks
  • lynn30756
    lynn30756

    Posted

    Hi all thanks for all the replies they really help, trying to stay calm and accepting sometimes trying to hard I think. I think problem is as time goes on confidence dips. Thank you K for pointing progress to months instead of weeks and days. Wishing peace and acceptance to us all.

    Lynn

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