Starting again, early days do suck

[EdnaLegume]

I can see by the extended gaps in posting that I’m clearly improving. I’m not spending many anxious hours scouring this site for comfort. I’m simply living life now.

I am on day 30 total, day 18 of 20mg. Minor morning anxiety and really not much evening anxiety to speak of. Still waking up between 3 and 4am and it’s a toss up if I can get back to sleep. If it’s closer to 4am, I’m much less likely to get back to sleep. I just try to counter that by getting to bed earlier and napping during the day if I have to.

My muscle tension is improving and really now just in my neck and shoulders as opposed to my entire back. And it really is much better. Made it through the start of my monthly with only a little blip. The past couple of days my health anxiety mind chatter has been greatly improved. Thankfully. That’s almost as bad as the physical symptoms. I still have a bit of anxiety when I go out, and I think I’m finding the level of anxiety is dependent upon how tired I am. I know all of this is still early days and will continue to settle down.

Saw my primary last week and she’s fine with the way I’ve gone back on meds and my plan to very slowly get up to my previous 30mg dose.

im very grateful for this website. I’ve gotten so much comfort here getting through this, both this time and back in 2013 when I first started cit.

[panic_down_under]

I can see by the extended gaps in posting that I’m clearly improving. I’m not spending many anxious hours scouring this site for comfort. I’m simply living life now.

Which is just how it should be.

Hope you have a very merry Christmas and a great 2023!

[EdnaLegume]

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you as well. Hope your 2023 is wonderful!

[EdnaLegume]

Been over a year since my last post. All is well. Thankfully my previous starts and stops have not appeared to have caused any issue with the efficacy of the meds. Back to “myself”. Even though my range of emotions is limited on these meds, I have to say it’s preferred over the anxiety. I’m happy, I can laugh, I can appreciate simple things. I’ll take it.

[panic_down_under]

Even though my range of emotions is limited on these meds, I have to say it’s preferred over the anxiety.

If the emotion blunting becomes a problem you could try switching to escitalopram (Lexapro). Citalopram and escitalopram share the same active chemical, the 'S' isomer of citalopram, aka escitalopram. Citalopram also contains the 'R' mirror image isomer which is a poorer fit biologically and so is mostly inactive. Lexapro (escitalopram) is more refined and only contains the 'S' isomer. This can cause subtle differences in the side-effects each med produces.

There are no guarantees the switch will make a difference, but there is a chance it will. You can change back if it doesn't.

[EdnaLegume]

thank you for that! I will definitely keep that in mind. as of now I feel "normal" if you will. While I definitely notice the blunted emotions, I don't find it to be an issue.