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swallowing/ health anxiety and citalopram? does it help

Posted , 4 users are following.

lauren94038
lauren94038

hi for years i have suffered from general anxiety, bdd and health anxiety... i have suffered in silence as felt to embarrased and weak minded to go about it. until a year a go i started losing dramatic weight where i started to think i couldnt swallow properly which made me concentrate everytime i swallowed causing me to feel a choking sensation and then extreme panic (embarrasing) my family had then hassled me to go docs which i did explained everything to them and they didnt really say much other then we will medicate you and send you councelling. when i got home i read up my medication they described me which was ciitalopram (antidepressant) is any one else on this for anxiety? and due to having health anxiety and reading up on the side effects i have freaked myself out from taking them.. really want to take them but scared of the side effects... helppp!

2 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 lauren94038

    Posted

    A ton of people in here take that hopefully many will respond... BDD? Are you anorexic or bulemic as well? 
    • lauren94038
      lauren94038 lisalisa67

      Posted

      hiya no i have always have had a good relationship with food up until last year. my mother had the same thing and never hid her symptoms from us growing up so has probably rubbed off on me. my eating is the most distressing thing as i really want to eat but my anxiety takes over and then i start to overthink the swallowing process and then have a full blown panic attack and just give up hence lost extreme amounts of weight. people who know me well dont know i have these conditions and think that i intended on losing weight and tell me im looking to skinny which is even more awkward and embarrasing! wish my mind would just act normal as its so frustrating i went from 11 stone 3 to 9 stone 9 in the space of 5 months  
  • jacku16091
    jacku16091 lauren94038

    Posted

    Hi Lauren I sympathise with you I suffer from bad health anxiety it takes over most of my days I waiting for CBT I been see phychatrist and he said citalapram a good drug he told me to up from the 10mg the doctor gave me to 20mg but I have yet to take the 20mg as I scared incase have bad reaction so for last 3 weeks taking 10mg and cutting one in half so 15 mg I due to go back on Friday to see consultant I can't bring my self to take it its all my anxiety I do no that but it's very hard for others to understand how we feel if have health anxiety / I would like to say that I have had improvement since started the 10mg and also the 15mg I no I neerd the higher dose but just can't do it yet I go to a support group and the people there take it and say it's a good drug I just need to try be brave:

    I really think they will help you Lauren cx

    • lauren94038
      lauren94038 jacku16091

      Posted

      hiya it made me quite sad reading your comment because you dont realise until you write on a forum how many people go through it. and even though it gives you a relief feeling that your not the only one going through it at the same time makes you sad to think someone else has to go through the panic etc.. i dont think there is a full on cure for anxiety... i just hope that when i build my courage up to take the tablets they work for me. my doctor has prescribed me 20mg everywhere i have read have said they started off on 10mg at first which also made me worry he is starting me off on a too high dose... and i really dont like the idea of the side effects either... did you have any?
    • iris46
      iris46 lauren94038

      Posted

      Lauren, I was started on 20mg last Wed, I go onto 30mg this Wed, and 40 on Wed next week.  All of us here are having side effects.....mine are sleepiness (hurray), dry mouth (can cope with that), and headache (don't like that).  There will be Lots of side effects written on your info leaflet, but there's no way you will get them all....nobody is that unlucky

  • iris46
    iris46 lauren94038

    Posted

    Hi Lauren, sorry to hear about this anxiety, and the weight loss it has caused you.  To be fair, your weight loss is fine, ....22 lbs in 20 weeks is ok...I wish I could do it!  I think your anxiety is making things worse for you.  Can you make your own soups and blend them?   Smoothies perhaps? Drink through a straw?  Beware! The people who are telling you that you look too skinny are the jealous ones.  If you stick with mainly nutritious foods and try to get 1200-1500 cals a day you will be fine.  Hot chocolate at breakfast or bedtime would be lovely.  Do take your meds....yes they cause initial amounts of anxiety, but IT WILL GO AWAY, and start to relax you.  We are all taking these meds for anxiety and depression....the same as you are.  Good luck Laura....keep in touch with us please... We need your support too!
    • lauren94038
      lauren94038 iris46

      Posted

      hiya thankyou for commenting overwhelming how many caring people are on this site. i did think about blending food... but my sister advised me not too as she said this will only make me worse because i will stop eating solids full stop.. so if i tried to go back to solids it will cause me even worse anxiety so i havent done that. it really is frustrating because as soon as it comes nearer to meal time i start getting anxiety and its so frustrating because i know its anxiety but i cant stop it.. which then causes me to become depressed and snappy because i get annoyed at myself that i cant do a simple task my body is designed to do. How long does it take until the side effects of the meds go? i read up to 4 weeks... is that worse case senario?
    • iris46
      iris46 lauren94038

      Posted

      I would say four weeks at the very most.  The reason I recommended blending (and I can understand your sisters logic), was to start you back off again with something easy to swallow, then go to something a bit "lumpier" when confidence is building.......yogurts, ice cream/fruit that slide down by themselves , then cottage cheese and finely chopped cucumber and tomatoes.  Do please give it a try Lauren......if you are not eating much by keeping foods whole, you might as well try small and work up bigger. Porridge?  Good luck x

  • kimberly59704
    kimberly59704 lauren94038

    Posted

    I can guarantee that any side effects you probably won't get, will be nothing compared to what your going through now. I have been on Celexa for a time, and it works. You need to go for it, and start to feel better. Every medicine,or med has a list of side effects. Doesn't mean it will happen to you. Stop reading them, it will make you nuts.

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