Taken Celexa for 24 weeks now, still need reassurance.
Posted , 4 users are following.
So, I've been on Celexa for a total of 24 weeks now, I took 10mg for 5 weeks, and 20mg now for 19 weeks and it's been a journey. I started taking it for anxiety, and panic attacks, and the doctor feels I had some depression too. I had GAD pretty much every day, and occassionally had panic attacks with them for probably the past 15 years and I have taken zoloft 2 times in the past which I think helped but like most I went off them when I felt better, after that I just took clonazepam as needed for panic attacks which I had taken for probably the past 10 yrs. Since starting the celexa though I haven't needed it as much after the first couple months, and now its been 3 months since Ive taken any at all which I feel is a good thing. The issue is I've been on the celexa for quite awhile now and I can't say I feel a whole lot better, still have that detatched feeling, and feel like my thoughts are still distorted, and I don't feel like me very often at all. I would say the panic attacks, and ocd (intrusive thoughts) have improved, and I don't really feel too depressed but the other things that are still happening and so bothersome I'm not sure what to do. The doctor wants me to increase the dose to 40mg but I'm too scared to do it, but then again I don't want to get stuck in what I feel like now for the rest of my life either. I am just so stressed, and confused, and just want to feel halfway normal again and I feel like I have given this celexa enough time to work. It's been 6 months now.... If anyone can let me know that they went through similar and that I'm not just going to be like this for the rest of my life, please feel free to add your experience.
Thank You
0 likes, 19 replies
sue23850 Grounded
Posted
HI GROUNDED
How often were you taking clonazepam and what dosage. My thoughts are if you were taking this on a regular basis you have stopped taking it too abruptly as it can take 12 - 18 months to come off a benzo by gradually tapering.
Grounded sue23850
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I took it as needed, never really took it regularly and it was a low dose. I'd say over the 3 months that I took it less and less after starting the celexa I suppose I tapered off of it, but it could have had an effect on me still, not sure. Starting celexa and quitting the clonazepam was all in that time frame, this is all so confusing 😦
toria_07298 Grounded
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i was never myself on citalopram it just didnt suit me and depersonalisation and derealisation is awful, ive had that for months reducing, for some people this drug is great, im just not one of them, i guess you have to weigh up the pros and cons xx
Grounded toria_07298
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I'm just curious, did you have that prior to taking it or was it something that happened after you started the celexa? Also, what dose were you on, and what dose are you taking now? And you have been taking it for 11 months and just starting to feel a little better?
Sorry for all the questions!
Grounded
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Some things have improved, and some things have gotten worse such as the DP/DR since I've started taking this which effect me greatly on trying to feel better. I'm so confused on what to do next. I've taken the celexa for 6 months now and I have to say I think those things that are happening now may be worse then the anxiety and panic attacks I had before taking them. I just don't know when to say when and switch to see if something else would be better, but then again risk feeling yucky all over again for 3-4 months. This is all so discouraging. 😦
lois95799 Grounded
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if you have your benzo take your benzo.i took a benzo for one year and did not wean and had no problem.also like you a very low dose of the benzo.dont be scare of the benzo .i be more scare of the antidepressents than any benzo.have you felt good at all for those six months you been on celexa?
Grounded lois95799
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Yes, some things have improved such as I haven't had any full blown panic attacks, and the GAD has gotten a little better. But after taking it a few things that I have had in the past that have briefly come and gone, have came back almost full time, such as: ocd (obsessive thoughts), that has eased off quite a bit the past 2 months , and DP/DR which is pretty much with me every day now, and clenching my jaw especially at night so much that I chipped a tooth. The DP DR is pretty awful I feel like I am continually having to ground myself most of the day, and I feel like a stranger to myself and that is scary. I would say that is the worst part that is not improving at all.
As far as the clonazepam I have taken it to control panic attacks and extreme anxiety for the past 10 years off and on as needed and yes it has worked but I am worried about needing it anymore as for 1 it's harder to get from physicians, also some of the long term effects of it. The psych doctor had told me some pretty scary stuff at my first appointment which now I'm afraid of it.
lois95799 Grounded
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if you have had some improvements i say keep going my friend.all that you mention i have gone thru.and eventually it all subsided.if you havent experience any of the scary stuff your phychiatrist inform you about by now after ten years .i dont think it applys to you.best regards
lois95799 Grounded
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it took me 8months to get past all the drama.
toria_07298 Grounded
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its hard to know if its all citalopram or a mixture of you stopping the benzo, im 11 months on a lower dose and only just seeing better days!
lois95799 toria_07298
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i agreed with toria.
sue23850 Grounded
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HI It is a difficult one as CIT has appeared to solve your anxiety and panic attacks but left you with DR/DP. As you were on such a low dose of benzo and not taking it regulatly I doubt this has anything to do with how you feel right now and as you have not taken any for a while I certainly wouldnt start again. It may be that you are on too high a dose of Cit and need to reduce by a very small amount for a while to see the outcome. I mean go down to 15mg perhaps. I wouldnt consider going onto the maximum dose of 40 mg in view of the fact that anxiety and depression have improved on 20mg. This is a case where we need the knowledge of Katecogs who has helped so many on this forum.
Grounded sue23850
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I'm still fairly new to the Citalopram also, I have taken it for 6 months now but still am not too familiar with dosing and all that except for what I've read here, and I do trust my doctor to an extent but I trust the people who have actually taken it themselves and have experienced all that I am dealing with. I was thinking that possibly what I was taking was too high also as you said, even when I took Zoloft years ago I had the same anxiety and symptoms and a lower dose of that was just what it took to help me feel better. As far as dosing Im going to assume from what I've read that 20mg of Celexa is comparable to 100mg of Zoloft, which that is double the dose of what I took back then I took 50mg and it was what did the trick for me. The doctor that I'm seeing at 4 weeks wanted me to already start increasing to 20mg of celexa because its the 'standard dose' when I don't feel like I was ready for that or it hadn't been long enough to even start really working but I did it because she said it was best. Anyway, Im sorry for rambling but yes I agree I feel its worth trying to decrease and see if it helps with the DP DR and other things that I'm having.
Grounded sue23850
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Just wanted to do a quick update, I did decide to decrease a little in dose, I went from 20mg down to 15mg for about 5 days now and I've already noticed a tiny change for the better or at least I feel its a little better. The DP DR has decreased I still have some flashes but not all day like I was. Also, I noticed the other day feeling more emotions while reading a post on facebook, and I've not been needing a nap during the day, I've also been out doing things, and shopping and not over thinking it. So far it's all been pretty good! I guess we will wait longer for it to adjust better and see. Thank You for the suggestion!
toria_07298 Grounded
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be careful cutting by big amounts i did that and felt awesome for about 6 weeks then went downhill, but you may be different and my dose was 10mg to 4mg the lower doses are renowned for being harder to get off, good luck and fingers crossed xx
toria_07298 Grounded
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ps its great having your emotions back isnt it, the cit completely stripped mine away, my partner is made up to have me back to me after 8 years and im still on 6mg xx
sue23850 Grounded
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Wonderful and hope things get better and better. Look forward to hearing from you in about a weeks time with good news.
Grounded sue23850
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I will definitely do an update, I think that is important for others going through the same issues to keep informed how others progress. Thanks again for the suggestion! I will update in a week or so. 😃