View Full Version : Should I up the dose?
Hi I have been on 20mg of cit for the past couple of years and it works great for me. About 7 months ago i started with what i thought was a head cold with really bad pressure in my head and nose, with our great NHS i wait 2-3 months between appointments and the tablets they keep trying are not working. I've now noticed in the past 2 weeks my anxiety creeping back in. My ENT doctors has upped my dose of cit to 30mg but not taken it yet.
I'm thinking upping the dose for a few months to see if it helps then going back to 20mg once i'm sorted.
Can anyone advise if they have upped their dose when going through a bad period to help?
I'd really appreciate your thoughts.
x
Freud_the_rascal
14-05-12, 23:48
I've just posted something similar. I'm going to try and get my appointment with my dr moved forward to tomorrow hopefully. My anxiety has started to come back. Upping the dosage is my plan too. It has to be better than how i'm feeling.
Down with this anxiety *******. Hope you're feeling better and have decided to go up to 30mg
Freud
Hi Freud thanks for the reply... Yes i have decided to up to 30mg... going to do 25 tonight and the next couple of days then go up to 30 at the weekend.
I think i remember when i was first on here when i started with this a couple of years ago that there was someone who used to up her dose when going through rough periods then go back down after a couple of months, sounds pretty good to me.
Keep me posted on what your doc says?
Take Care.... Jemma.
Hi - I am on day 18 of 20mg citalopram and under a psychiatrist (private) because of the ridiculous NHS wait times. Have been diagnosed with Pure OCD - and as from next Saturday wants me to jump to 40mg!! I told him my concerns, saying could I go to 30mg? He said there was no point. I would hardly notice any side effects. I got my new prescription today and was talking to the pharmacist and expressed my concerns he said that I would only notice extreme tiredness not so much anxiety. I can put up with that one?
I had no real start up effects on Citalopram - the gentlest by far - but the past few days have been bad re the anxiety and mood - was expecting this really. I remember many many years ago the start effects of Prozac were horrendous - and I didn't feel like my old self until 12 weeks, but it was so the worth the wait.
He did say for OCD high doses were needed - 20 mg for depression is the norm but do what you feel happiest with. I know if it works will stay on for life as I found the second time of prozac did not work at all.
Hi Laura, i've been on cit a couple of times and always have really bad start up effects and i tend to notice them working after 1 - 2 weeks.
I've been on them this time for about 2 years and have no plans to come off them as they always work. i may just bite the bullet tonight and take the 30mg instead of the 25mg.
My reason for taking them is anxiety and i think the dose for that is 20 - 30 but i'm not sure.
I hope you start to feel better soon.
Hi Jem - thanks for your reply - are you going for the 30mg tonight? I know I am under instructions for the 40mg on Saturday! Just hope they work for me - as have been so messed about since October - Mirtazipine, Sertraline and now the expert has put me on Citalopram.
OCD (thoughts) are fuelled by anxiety so the psychiatrist said - I would have preferred to try 30mg but he said to jump up? As I am paying for it I am obviously doing what I am told. Has it helped lift your mood too?
Good Luck Laura x
Freud_the_rascal
16-05-12, 13:31
Hey Jem. How're you getting on with the 25mg? I got put up to 30mg this morning, took it right away lol. I can feel the sa already, but nothing i don't like - tiredness, yawning, sleepy. I like that because usually i'm quite hyper. You're thinking of jumping up to 30mg tonight, i say go for it. I found with 20mg it got rid of my depression (like really worked, now i don't get really really low anymore) the anxiety was quieted down, but still present. I'm really hoping that 30mg helps get rid of the anxiety. My doc wanted to get me on a beta blocker 'cause my physical symptoms were bad, but i said i didn't feel comfortable with that just yet and felt better if i tried a higher dose with the citi. If that doesn't help rid me of the anxiety or at least make it manageable then beta blockers it is.
Laura, how you getting on with the cit for OCD? I hope jumping up to 40mg will help, i think it might you know. If it's too much for you, you can always drop down to 30mg. Just make sure it's right for you, everyone needs a different dose as we're all different.
Take care the both of you
Freud
Hi guys...
I took the 25mg last night, woke up with a bit of anxiety but got straight up and walked to the shop for milk, noticed that i was really spaced out and walking all over the place, i must of looked drunk lol. I'm going to stay with the 25 till tomorrow then go up to 30 on Saturday before i go back to work on Monday. Seeing a pain specialist next Friday as my ENT specialist thinks i have sensitized nerves left over from a sinus infection i got last year which is causing all the pressure and pain in my head... But as you both know when you are trying to cope with that for so long it's brought a lot of my anxiety back. All though half the time i think they see i take ciprimal and just think i'm a wack job or think i must have health anxiety... (which is neither).
Laura how are you feeling today? Yes cit did help my low mood and works on my anxiety i dont know which it did first or which way round it happened but i felt better all round so didnt really care how it worked was just glad it did. I agree with Freud, you can always go back to 30 if the 40 is too much but if that was he recomends then i'd go with it.
Freud... How are you feeling? Good on you for taking the 30 and i agree with you on holding off on the beta blockers, see how the 30 works first... give it a couple of weeks and hopefully we will all be back to our normal selves causing carnage lol.
Just want to say thanks to you both for the replies, it helps so much to have someone to talk to who understands where you are coming from, and it also helps me to rant.
Keep me posted on how you're both doing.
Jem x
Going to use this as a bit of a diary so I can read each day and see how i'm coming along.
I upped from 20mg to 25mg last Wednesday evening and i have definately noticed some side effects, but i did get very bad side effects going on to cit in the first place so i did expect that. I've found falling to sleep takes ages and i wake quite spaced out and groggy. Been feeling quite sicky and more agitated than anxious although still fairly anxious.
I've upped my dose as i've had a blocked nose and really bad headaches for the last year and the doctors have just passed me from pillar to post with massive gaps in between waiting for appointments and i think the stress of all this has brought my anxiety back a bit. I am having blood tests on Wednesday and i'm seeing a pain specialist on Friday so hoping that will help along with the increase. I'm also trying to keep busy and i've stayed at work but the increase is making me really tired so it's hard....
Here's hoping the new dose kicks in soon.
Wow, you lot are brave. I think you are all taking the side effects etc. really well whereas I feel like a basket case although I've only been on Citi a week now but started on 20mgs. Sleep seems a thing of the past apart from half an hour this afternoon having braved the market for food. I have no appetite and sweat like a pig all the time. Is this normal with Citi? When I was walking along the road today I felt the pavement coming up to face me...weird sensation. Am taking fish oil as a supplement, any good do you think? I'm new here so finding my feet as it were>:doh:Cathy
Hi Cathy.... I'm not brave at all just doing what i have to... as are you lovely.
20mg is a hard start, which is what I did and for some of us the side effects are really bad, for me an increase in anxiety being the worst.
I also feel like a basket case inside but like you went to the market I went to work... we do what we have to while we are waiting for them to work.
A week is not a long time as these meds can take anywhere between 2 - 8 weeks.
I normally notice a difference around week 2 and I am only 5 days on the increase and the tiredness and agitation have hit me from just upping 5mg.
But i'll keep with it... You are doing really well... the fact you went to the market proves that. I also have no appetite and find it hard to sleep but all the side effects will pass with time. Cit can hard to get onto but the results are worth it.
Keep going i'm here if you want to talk.
Jem xxx
Thanks for the support Jem...it's good to know I'm not alone in this state. Today has been a wipeout so far and have only been downstairs once so far. It's like yesterday wore me out. Will keep the faith though and keep going. Cathy x:scared15:
You do that hun and things are sure to get better for you. Just cos today is bad does not mean tomorrow will be!
Well today is day 5 of the increase and i must say i didn't think a 5mg increase would be so brutal... But like i always think i sometimes like having the side effects as it shows me the tablets are affecting me and will work. I have been soooo tired all day today and anxious and agitated beyond belief... my chatterbox hasn't shut up either, one minute i think one thing and the next i seem to change my mind... but i know from experience i just have to ride it out and its just early days of the increase. Didn't take me too long to fall asleep last night and slept quite well. I wish they would work a bit quicker though.
Oh well till tomorrow.
Ok day 6 of the increase... Dont feel quite as tired but still fairly tired. It seems an uncomfortable feeling in my tummy today rather than full anxiety... hope they are starting to kick in a bit. Am at work and have to keep re focusing and my mind is wandering off and i have had a mild headache all day as usual.
This morning was definately better than the others have been so hopefully they are starting to work.
Hi Jem
Well it is day 4 of the 40mg increase - have felt odd - yesterday was bad - felt more depressed than ever - and had bad head pressure if that makes sense - the anxiety has not been too bad but have felt tired.
Today has been a bit better though - but I know it will take time - how are you?
---------- Post added at 16:13 ---------- Previous post was at 16:12 ----------
agree with you Jem more of an uncomfortable feeling in the tummy than full blow anxiety. I take my hat of you for going to work there is no way at the moment I could do that.
I don't know how you can work either Jem. I've just retired so don't have to worry about work but it's hard just getting through the day. I've spent time in the garden today as it's been so warm but still feel like cr*p. I got my supply of Isonotil this morning so have have started that in the hopes that it helps. Hope you both feel better tomorrow. Cathy x
Hi Cathy - just curious can you take Isonotil with Citalopram? Re Serotonin and all that?
Laura x
Yes Laura you can take insontil wit cit have a read through psycopoets guide to cit.
Managed work but had a banging headache by the time i got home, seems to have eased off a bit now. I have noticed my thought process has been a bit more positive today and not quite so tired i really hope this is the increase starting to work. I have blood tests in the morning as i've had a pretty much constant headache for the last year but dont feel too bad about going for them. At least its one step closer to them finding out why with a bit of luck.
Right i need to pick my little one up from cubs... Hope you 2 are managing ok. let me know how you're doing.
Jemma x
Hi Jemma
Well you have done well to go to work - what dose are you on? I have noticed increase in headaches on the 40mg, but then I had them on 20mg. Definite more headaches on Citalopram than Prozac but less anxiety? Cannot win can you!
Tend to find my headaches get worse as the day goes on - guess that is normal anyway. Good luck with your bloods tomorrow.
Laura
I'm on 25mg at the moment, been on 20mg for the past 18 months and been fine, but all the stress with the headaches has made me anxious so my doc upped me to 30 although i've only taken 25mg.
Work keeps me busy and distracted so i find it helps.
Hi everyone, I am on day 7 after upping my dose from 10mg to 20mg. Before that I had taken the lower dose for 2 weeks. I am also taking 10mg 3xdaily Propranolol from the time I started the 20mg dose.
My side affects from the Cit have always been mild except for the heightened anxiety. After the increase though I have become very depressed? My anxiety has come down a bit but the doom and gloom that has descended is quite strange and I've not had this feeling on these pills before?
I take it may just be another side affect from the Citalopram?
Atb,
Steve.
Hi Southey
These are normaly just the side affects of upping your dose they will pass like they did for me, It took a few weeks to pass when I went from 10mg to 20mg
As 10mg is quit a low dose.
You will start to feel better soon :)
Rocker
Yes I think your right Rocker. It's amazing how such little doses of these pills can affect us so much?
Well I have finished the last of the 10mg tabs, taking two a day and now have single 20mg tabs to start from tomorrow.
The anxiety is definitely starting to ease which is a huge relief. Haven't had to take any Diazapam for a while! Also my mind is clearing and I'm starting to think reasonably.
I'm sure there will be setbacks and off days and I just have these melancholic feelings to shift but it looks like the Citalopram is working?
Steve:)
I'm now day 9 of increasing from 20 to 25mg and i have found that most of the anxiety has cleared but I find i am tired pretty much all the time at the moment. I wouldn't say i'm depressed far from it but my get up and go seems to have got up and gone! I just want to sleep. Do you think this is the increase settling in and it will pass?
Good your feeling a bit better Steve
You will get there in the end we all do some way or another :)
You know there are people to help on here all the time when you need a bit of help and understand what your going through as most have been there.
Thanks glenn
Well happy to say that after almost 2 weeks the increase my 5mg has started to work.
Anx has totally gone and i'm feeling much calmer and confident, sleeping has gone back to normal and the tiredness during the day has also gone. I cant believe what a difference 5mg makes.
I think i'm going to stay on 25 rather than go up to 30.
Got an appointment with the nurologist in a couple of weeks so hopefully they will sort out the headaches and problems with my ears which have been there for 8 months.
Much happier... thank you cit as usual!
Great to hear it Jem, glad the Cit is working well for you:yesyes:
Steve.
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