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When do I know when citalopram dose (or any at all) is working for me..

Posted , 6 users are following.

pia88
pia88

Hello - first time post.

I've had anxiety for about 9 years (I'm 28) and in the last year I've started seeing a counsellor who is also a GP. She determined i have a generalised anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder (repititive negative thoughts - not physical habits). After a rapid decline in my mental and physical health, huge stress on my relationship and an inability to generally cope I started taking citalopram.

I started out on 20mg which i took for two months. I felt very sick to start with but got over those side effects. My anxiety got worse and never really got better.

We decided to up my dose to 30mg which I have been on for almost two weeks. Doctor said it should be a relatively quick adjustment and at first I felt it was helping my anxiety. I am know starting to feel more anxious and am still suffering some side effects.

I'm not sure if I should go up to 40mg a day for a period and then reduce it if I feel I can. Or stick with the 30mg for a while and see how that goes.

I'm worried because after spending two months on 20mg with no positive change I was broken. I don't want to go through that again..

Not sure if maybe it just won't work and I should try another type of medication/none at all.

I work full time and have a lot of extra commitments I have to maintain - plus my home life and relationship. It's a lot to keep going at 100% when the meds make me feel awful - if it's not working I don't see how it's worth it all.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I read these forums a lot to boost my morale and commitment to getting better.

Thank you

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • liz61542
    liz61542 pia88

    Posted

    Hi pia. Sorry to hear you are feeling so unwell. I know how it feels as I've been there a few times throughout my life and I'm pretty much resigned to taking medication for my anxiety for the future. I can't seem to manage without it as like you I have GAD. Citalopram has always worked well for me and I've just increased my dose from 20 to 30 and getting all the side effects which are awful. I've been investigating getting CBT to cope with my negative thoughts as I feel Like a hamster on a wheel sometimes just can't get off it. And when something stressful happens in my family which it has just recently it gets 10 times worse and I continuously catastrophise the outcome.

    I hope you start to feel better soon. I would give the 30 mg dose longer to work and I know how easy it is to say that but hard to take my own advice!! Please stay on the forum because as you say it is a huge source of comfort to read and share other people's experiences. Xx

    • pat97934
      pat97934 liz61542

      Posted

      Hi Liz I think CBT helps I had it and although it's on the moment you can but a book called CBT for dummies this also helped me with my acting stage fright. I am on 20 MLG but do not like taking them but need to because of my balance..Some days it ok and others not who can say if these meds do you any good take care pat x

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