Time to change meds or increase dose?

Hi irina

sorry to hear that you are having a tough time.

i've only ever gone up to 20mg & have stayed on that dose.

i'm not a GP, but I would encourage you to continue with the 30mg dose for a bit longer -please believe that you are going through a phase & you will start feeling better. Give yourself some time to adapt to the drug - citalopram is a good drug for anxiety & lots of people are successful with the drug. 

I know you have no appetite but you need to feed your body. When we are anxious, the body consumes glucose at a high rate - it is really important that you are getting some glucose, vitamins, protein and a bit of carbohydrate. A few weeks ago, I was barely eating anything - but I told myself that I had to snack on some healthy foods. Within a couple of days, my appetite was back and after eating a tasty dinner I started sleeping much better - I think my poor body was drained of all it's nutrients. You don't have to eat full meals - probably better than you snack on healthy stuff. I recommend that you go for a glass of milk, a banana, nuts and eggs. Once you start snacking, your appetite will pick up.

I would say that when I started citalopram, my days were tough - insomnia (not helped by poor eating), and I was feeling more anxious for sure. Your body will adapt to the citalopram & your anxiety will lessen & you will feel more like yourself. When your negative thoughts start taking over, try to distract yourself either by doing something you like (a wordsearch?, watch something funny on telly) or just keep yourself busy by doing a bit of housework. It is also worth learning the art of positive self-talk - say things like 'right, I have already spent an hour worrying about that......for the next hour, I am going to do something that I've been meaning to do for ages ......'

check out self-talk statements online - there are some good ones out there.

personally, when my brain goes into 'bonkers negative mode', I make a start on one of my self-help books (positive thinking, mindfulness, stress management)  - there is always something in a book that enlightens me & lifts my mood.

take one day at a time - remember that anxiety is an illness and that we can adapt & learn to manage our feelings. Keep a daily dairy & capture the things that you are grateful for ....daffodils, tulips, birds, funky music, chocolate muffins.....

have you considered CBT as a way to manage your anxiety? It is worthwhile exploring the services in your area & your GP can help you.

take it easy Irina - hope you feel better in the coming days

sleepy crow x

  

Irina,  I have been on Celexa 10 and 20mg,  I am in the medical field will be doing my Ph.D next fall and if you still have these side effects going up will only increase the side effects because your increasing the dose.

I also took celexa at a low dose it was pretty good except what you spoke of, i ad trouble sleeping was hyper etc,. 

So in conclusion, I am now on remeron, I love it,  it is taken at bedtime, helps you sleep,  makes you feel kind of like you did before you took any meds,  It helps you sleep and the next day I may feel a bit woozy but that's it it wears off take it early at night like about 9 pm

I took one last night and feel great today but you need a full nights sleep.  I work was on second shift next week i will be starting to work 8:30 to 5pm so im worried i need to switch my schedule and stop going to bed at 4am,  need to be in bed by 1am the very latest.

I hope this helps you and give remeron a try,  its calmer, probably help better with anxiety as well.  I prefer it to Celexa,  I was also told that you can skip a night of meds now and then to let the body and mind have a break.  Take care Deborah A Davis, B.A.,M.A.

Hiya Irina. I am also on Celexa. I started on 10mg, then increase this to 20mg. Just recetly my doc agreed to give me 40mg as ive been suffering with additional stresses... My side effects after  being on them for 3 years are slight nausea during the day and sleepiness after taking them. I am bever actually sick, i just get waves of a nasueaus feeling which lasts about 20 seconds 1-2 times per day. I can cope with this as my doctor said i will become unstable for a bit if i wish to change them so it isnt worth it for me. I also take them on a night so i sleep better and doesnt make me tried during the day.

When i first started taking them i felt sick every morning for a week or 2. But this soon passed. Its just while the tabs get into your system. When i increased them to 40mg my side effects werent affected. They didnt get any worse, because they were already in my system.

xxx