Week 4 of Citalopram - need a bit of advice please

Hi everyone

I'll have been taking Citalopram for 4 weeks on Thursday. The first couple of weeks were rough, as everyone knows can be and got through them with the help of Lorazepam (which I'm still taking down to Docs advice). Week 3 I thought I'd cracked it - felt so much more like my old self .. even the mornings didn't seem so daunting.

Now, however, I seem to have taken a backwards step and feel quite edgey and 'down' again. Has anyone else had the same problem and will it improve please? I'm due to go see Doc tomorrow and wondered if he might suggest increasing the dose?

Any help would really be appreciated, thanks :)

hi caz,

im on week 7 i think, and last week hosp increased my dose to 30mg as i was still aggitated. this week since the increase im still a bit on edge at times, but im sleeping so much. i dont feel safe to drive either. my gp says that this is good as its sedating my body, allowing me time to heal. he says that the effect will ease as my body becomes used to the meds.

if i were u chat honestly to gp and they may increase ur dose. i do feel a bit scared at all the sleep, but i trust my doctors and believe that this is necessary to break the anx cycle.

i would just go with gps advice, after all nothing is as bad as permanent anx hype and no sleep etc.

keep in touch and feel free to pm,

milly xx

Quote:

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Originally Posted by milly jones

hi caz,

im on week 7 i think, and last week hosp increased my dose to 30mg as i was still aggitated. this week since the increase im still a bit on edge at times, but im sleeping so much. i dont feel safe to drive either. my gp says that this is good as its sedating my body, allowing me time to heal. he says that the effect will ease as my body becomes used to the meds.

if i were u chat honestly to gp and they may increase ur dose. i do feel a bit scared at all the sleep, but i trust my doctors and believe that this is necessary to break the anx cycle.

i would just go with gps advice, after all nothing is as bad as permanent anx hype and no sleep etc.

keep in touch and feel free to pm,

milly xx

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Thanks Milly, I'll definately talk honestly to my doc tomorrow. I don't mind feeling sleepy - I'm waking up at 4am and unable to get back to sleep every morning at the moment :mad:

I'll let you know how I get on :hugs:

hey hun, been thru that 4am feeling too.

i go sleep at 11pm and wake at around 9am now no wake ups.

the doc said it will improve as my body gets used to meds. but like u say sleepy is preferable to anx at night.

take care hun

milly xxx

Hi Caz

I am also taking citalopram but I am now 3 months into taking the tablets. I can understand how you feel as the same had happened to me. But stick with it and you will get there.

I found I had my ups and downs before things really started improving but each down didn't feel as bad as the last one and gradually things have improved.

I found the sleepiness went and I could actually concentrate enough to drive again!! Just try and see each down as a blip on your way to the top.

Stick with it

xc

Hi Caz303,

All the symptoms you described, I have experienced. I went on citalopram as of Aug last year. Doc said it would take at least 2 weeks to have effect,
but I think symptoms changed probably for the first couple of months. Nothing too terrible, just the waking and other odd things.
Knowing how I feel now, I am really glad I stuck with them and think
you should try and do the same.
My body is not tired and I feel rested, something I havent experienced in years. I am not so irritable, and able to be generally more tolerant of situations.
Stick with it and best of luck.

J

Thank you everyone for your lovely and uplifting replies :hugs:

Been to docs this morning and he's doubled my dose to 40mg so we'll see what happens now :)

Thank you again all .... I'll report back :yesyes:

Caz
x

Hiya,

I concur with all said in the replies. I am now into week thirteen and like many of us, I wanted the 'quick fix' but in a strange sort of way it has been comforting to know I have improved gradually and with subtle changes here and there.
One cannot move forward after suffering positions as ours without some ups and downs. Sort of like crawling up a dinosaurs back:winks: :winks:
I am pleased you remain positive and the rewards will be worth it - stick in there.

All the very Best

(roy)

Day 3 of 40mg and feeling OK and quite positive :D

Hi caz303

Keep with them.

You will look back in a while and realise that things have changed quite a bit.

Gud luck

Jackie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jay ann

Hi caz303

Keep with them.

You will look back in a while and realise that things have changed quite a bit.

Gud luck

Jackie

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Thank you Jackie, I sure do hope so :hugs: Have a good day :)

hi week 8 for me now.

well last week upped meds to 30mg and i slept almost continuously .

however this week its settling down and apart from the odd fuzzy head im better

still finding going out challenging, seem to have lost the will at mo.

feeling a bit isolated, but mood is better

take care hun and keep going

mill xx

Quote:

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Originally Posted by milly jones

hi week 8 for me now.

well last week upped meds to 30mg and i slept almost continuously .

however this week its settling down and apart from the odd fuzzy head im better

still finding going out challenging, seem to have lost the will at mo.

feeling a bit isolated, but mood is better

take care hun and keep going

mill xx

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Strangley I've not felt anymore tired but perhaps that's because I'm sleeping better :)

Know what you mean about going out being difficult but I'm beginning to find that a bit easier. Might pop out with daughter to our next little town this afternoon for a bit.

Keep it up everyone :yesyes:

i have been on citalopram for 7 months and still have my mini blips but are getting better at dealing with them. my gp does not believe in increasing the dose from 20mg as she says its down to us too to learn to deal with it - the meds are simply a safety net. the first time i had one i thought i was going backwards big time but have found that the advice of genuine acceptance (prentending to accept does not work!) and not questiong why you feel worse etc etc gets me through them quicker and quicker. x

:) Hi Caz
I was on citalopram 20 mg but never felt great on it & when my Gp increased it to 40mg i was even worse ;having suicidal and self harming thoughts. I know take prozac and find that better but hey we're all individual so i guess it's a bit of trial and error.
Good luck at the doc's let us know how you get on....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by juanna

:) Hi Caz
I was on citalopram 20 mg but never felt great on it & when my Gp increased it to 40mg i was even worse ;having suicidal and self harming thoughts. I know take prozac and find that better but hey we're all individual so i guess it's a bit of trial and error.
Good luck at the doc's let us know how you get on....

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Oh poor you, I hope Prozac sits you better :yesyes:

My doc increased my Citalopram to 40mg and I've been 'on the up' ever since :winks: Feeling much more like my old self. The mornings are not a problem anymore and my confidence is slowly returning.

I just have to get off the Lorazepam now and I'm hoping that the Citalopram will have taken over a bit more and it won't be such a problem :)