View Full Version : Can anyone tell me..
I did 2 days on 10mg, I'm on day 2 of 20mg. I have the following:
Anxiety is through the roof, I can't sleep more then a few hours, feel spaced out, I'm an emotional mess, Muscles are very weak, Nausea, Cant eat, Diohrrea, shaking, heart palpitations, arms and legs feel hot, feel on edge like I'm going to lose my mind.
Did anyone else have symptoms where it got worse before it gets better? I'm terrified.
Cú Chulainn
15-12-13, 21:02
Yes Had all of the above except Diarrhoea
It gets gradually better over the next 3-4 weeks
By week 5 i had none of the side effects
Just stick with it!!
It WILL GET BETTER!!
hangingbasket
15-12-13, 21:20
I had ALL those symptoms. They lasted a few weeks. My anxiety got soooo much worse. Push through it. It's worth it. Dont stop them!!!
Thank you guys, it's good to know I'm not alone.
had all them symptoms and more, keep plugging away they will all go in time, trust me,
Thanks Martin222, really appreciate it!
NorthernGeek
16-12-13, 08:15
I'm on week six now with no real side effects other than general tiredness, but that's mainly because I have always had awful insomnia & Citalopram seem to make me need more sleep than usual but my body clock still refuses to cooperate.
I only had the disorientation/dizziness in the first week, then in the second week I had intermittent sensory effects such as 'mild bouts on tinnitus, odd chemical tastes in my mouth etc', but they weren't that bad & also wore off by the end of the second week.
I'm still not really feeling any of the positive effects though, which is quite worrying after five full weeks on 20mg. I'm due to see my doctor today & hopefully he will be able to suggest something, rather than just telling me to be patient. I spent the weekend with family which definitely helped, but large parts of last week were almost unbearable & I just don't feel like I am getting better at all.
NorthernGeek that's no good to hear. Let us know how you go at the doctors today!
NorthernGeek that's no good to hear. Let us know how you go at the doctors today!
Yes, please do. I'm debating asking to go up to 30mg at the 8 week point unless things improve further.
It's a difficult one though because I have seen a great deal of improvement but I'm having a difficult time again at the moment.
---------- Post added at 09:09 ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 ----------
I did 2 days on 10mg, I'm on day 2 of 20mg. I have the following:
Anxiety is through the roof, I can't sleep more then a few hours, feel spaced out, I'm an emotional mess, Muscles are very weak, Nausea, Cant eat, Diohrrea, shaking, heart palpitations, arms and legs feel hot, feel on edge like I'm going to lose my mind.
Did anyone else have symptoms where it got worse before it gets better? I'm terrified.
Yup, I had exactly the same. I started on 20mg. The side effects gradually lessened over two weeks and at the third week I started to feel much better.
My only advice is to be really careful with changing dosage. I managed to inadvertently double my dose at some point (I think it was week 3) and ended up back exactly where I started for a few days.
Last week I managed to miss half a dose for two days and have ended up feeling quite rotten.
I have all the symptoms mentioned, I am now on week 4 and just upped to 20 today, the side effects, if that's what they are are still bad, went to GP on Friday and he said I should up to 20, this is my second time of cit and can't remember feeling like this first time round, has any one else had the side effects last this long?
Are you taking them for anxiety or depression. I've been on these 2 times before for depression and didnt have any side effects other then nausea. This time is for anxiety and it's definitely very different!
My Doctor told me that every time you 'up' the dose you basically have to go through the side effects again, like you body has to adjust all over again.
Just be strong and know that soon, it will pass and you will be yourself again.
NorthernGeek
16-12-13, 10:54
Well I couldn't get an appointment this morning due to the ridiculous booking system at the local surgery. I wasn't allowed to call for an appointment until 8:30am & must have got the 'engaged tone' at least fifty times before I finally got through & was told all today's appointments had gone.
My regular doctor only has a surgery one/two days a week & told me to book to see him today on my last visit three weeks ago. He is supposed to be telephoning later this morning which is less than ideal, but hopefully I can get him to book an appointment directly for Wednesday if he thinks it can't be handled over the phone.
After five weeks on 20mg, although my parents keep telling me that at least I seem to have slowed down a bit, I really don't feel any better myself. One or two days have been slightly less overwhelming than others, but there doesn't seem to be any upward trend & last week was awful.
I still have horrible depression, obsessive worrying/anxiety, racing negative/intrusive thoughts & badly disrupted sleep patterns. My eyes frequently feel like they are trying to well up with tears, especially when I try to talk to anyone about how bad I feel & if I didn't already work from home that would be impossible too.
I'm really not sure what the doctor will suggest or what I should ask him, as I don't want to sound as if I am just trying to force him to give me more drugs, but I also don't want to spend another month feeling like this.
I know when I was on paxil at the start of the year it took 6 weeks to feel good. I became highly suicidal from the meds and had to be watched 24/7. If it wasn't for my mum I wouldn't of gotten through it. She made me get up everyday and took me out to do something. It was the biggest struggle of my life. I know this time it's going to help if I keep a positive attitude through the start up effects and to keep busy. Do you have a good support network or a hobby you can start to get your mind off things? I found jigsaw puzzles are good!
Hi Sedaaw1, I am taking it for anxiety, I had been weaning off all summer but when I got down to 5 I could feel it all coming back, I started on 20 today, I have been on 10 for 3 weeks hoping that may do it but I felt worse so I thought it's no point hanging on I had better get on with it and see what happens.
Northerngeek, I hope you get to see your doctor soon and he can give you something to help.
NorthernGeek
16-12-13, 12:49
Finally got the call from my doctor & now have an appointment for Wednesday morning at 8:30, so I just have to try to keep calm until then.
The Jigsaw suggestion made me smile, I used to love doing those as a kid, but haven't tried them in years. My day job is programming though, which in many respects is quite similar. For relaxation I generally play video games on my PS3, usually Role Playing Games & MMOs though, not stressful competitive things like Call of Duty etc, which would just turn me into even more of a nervous wreck.
I only work part time nowadays, but at least I have some programming work to do today, so that should help distract me for a few hours at least & I'll let you know what the doctor says on Wednesday.
I thought I was doing okay but it's the middle of the night after day 2 and my anxiety is bad, the worst it's ever been. Very scared and shaky.
You're going to be okay. Just remember - these are just thoughts and you're in early days of this medication.
I found I just had to lie in bed and shake it out. Often the source of my pain was my shame at feeling like I did - because I wasn't "normal" - I wasn't sleeping, I was panicking.
Once I'd shed that and just sat it out about the end of week 2 I was feeling okay.
Do you have access to any short term anxiety relief? Despite being an addict (alcohol) my doctor gave me librium to ease off the side effects. I also used some over the counter sleep aids and still do, although there are reports in the forums of these having bad interactions with citalopram (just a warning).
Keep in contact with your doctor though. They should be able to help.
NorthernGeek
17-12-13, 09:04
I get some of my worst anxiety attacks in the middle of the night too & have usually found that if I just leave the TV on at a reasonably low volume then it eventually calms me down enough to get back to sleep.
My attacks are generally caused by an aggressively negative inner voice which is worse at night because there are fewer distractions to keep it quiet. I can't sleep quite as well with the TV on, but it's better than staying awake all night with a panic attack. I usually put on the news channel unless something too depressing has happened, but last week I fell asleep watching 'Antiques Roadshow' at 5am, which was wonderfully boring!
Not sure if this only works for me because I always used to fall asleep with the TV on as a kid, but I hope it helps. :)
Well it's day 4 here.. The pharmacy gave me some herbal sleeping tablets last night so I slept for about 5 hours. When I woke up this morning I was surprisingly calm. As soon as I go up though the anxiety started, worse then ever. I ended up vomitting and my arms are burning. Starting to really wonder if this is going to work!
NorthernGeek
18-12-13, 09:21
Just got back from seeing my doctor & he has doubled my dose to 40mg, which feels like a big relief. I was so afraid he was just going to tell me to that it was still too early to tell whether 20mg was enough & I would spend another three weeks feeling just as terrible.
Hopefully 40mg will do the trick as I have read several accounts from other people that the higher dosage made a huge difference to them. At least I can look forward to the potential for change again, which makes me feel a bit more optimistic.
Well it's day 4 here.. The pharmacy gave me some herbal sleeping tablets last night so I slept for about 5 hours. When I woke up this morning I was surprisingly calm. As soon as I go up though the anxiety started, worse then ever. I ended up vomitting and my arms are burning. Starting to really wonder if this is going to work!
How long have you been taking the cit now Sedaw? I'm having ups and downs and I'm 6 weeks in now.
---------- Post added at 09:51 ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 ----------
Just got back from seeing my doctor & he has doubled my dose to 40mg, which feels like a big relief. I was so afraid he was just going to tell me to that it was still too early to tell whether 20mg was enough & I would spend another three weeks feeling just as terrible.
Hopefully 40mg will do the trick as I have read several accounts from other people that the higher dosage made a huge difference to them. At least I can look forward to the potential for change again, which makes me feel a bit more optimistic.
I've got a telephone chat with my doctor today and am going to be asking about going up to 30mg after Christmas.
I feel the citalopram is scraping the edge of the anxiety and the bad thoughts - certainly I have some silence in my head now and my anxiety is definitely reduced, but I still don't feel everything is quite under control. Too much control is given to factors beyond my control which push me back into a blip.
My wife says there's been a massive improvement in my general demeanour though. I know I am also struggling with my addictions though - I had a massive craving for strong black coffee this morning and the devil telling me to have a drink is always there.
NorthernGeek
18-12-13, 10:30
Glad you are feeling at least some positive effects teej, even if things still aren't under control. As for myself, I can't say I felt any real changes at all on 20mg, other than exhaustion. My parents kept saying that I was improving & that I had definitely 'slowed down a bit', but feeling just as terrible in slow motion isn't really what I would call an improvement.
Just had my first dose of 40mg, so I'm waiting for an encore of the disorientation I felt in the first week on 20mg. Hopefully the side effects will pass quicker this time though, as my metabolism is already used to having Citalopram in my system.
I'll keep you posted on whether 40mg starts to make me feel any better. If even that doesn't work, my Doctor will just try switching me to something else & I am due to see him again in another three weeks.
My doctor has also suggested preparing for my appointment with a clinical psychologist early next year by trying an online CBT course. I must confess to being sceptical that my inner demons can be so easily conquered by games with semantics, but I will give it a try.
Not sure how long it will take to sort myself out. My problems had been building for a very long time, well a lifetime in fact. I had always compensated for my worst bouts of anxiety/depression by being angry & defensive as the associated adrenaline rush used to make me feel better. All it took was one crisis too many about seven weeks ago though & everything came crashing down. I just don't have the energy to be angry any more & instead regularly find myself reduced to tears.
I know how you feel about cravings for strong coffee too. I used to love drinking it first thing in the morning, but haven't touched it for a month since the last time made me feel unbearably anxious for the rest of the day.
Ah well, no more alcohol, no more strong coffee, but at least I can still enjoy dark chocolate! :)
Just been put up to 30mg. Let the party begin. Looks like I'm in for an interesting Christmas. I pondering splitting a 10mg into two and trying 25mg first!
It's the morning of day 5 of 20mg here.
The mornings are the worst. After 3-4 hours sleep the anxiety in the morning is horrible. I spend hours in bed shaking, crying and trying not to vomit.
Hope is dying a little and I feel so alone.
NorthernGeek
18-12-13, 23:46
Hi Sedaw1, the increased anxiety might just be an initial side effect & could wear off over the next few days.
I had a variety of odd mental side effects in the first week, but they all wore off after the first 5/6 days. The mental side effects were mainly dizziness, disorientation & feeling like my head was foggy.
My anxiety & panic issues have always just stayed the same though & I am hoping that after starting on 40mg today, things might finally start to improve.
So far I haven't noticed any side effects from the higher dosage at all, which is quite encouraging. I'm very tired, but that might be because my Doctor also told me to start going for very long walks every day as physical therapy. I spent several hours exploring the local park this afternoon, which turned out to be far bigger than I had first thought.
Hope you feel a bit better tomorrow.
It's the morning of day 5 of 20mg here.
The mornings are the worst. After 3-4 hours sleep the anxiety in the morning is horrible. I spend hours in bed shaking, crying and trying not to vomit.
Hope is dying a little and I feel so alone.
Five days is so early Sedaw... I started feeling utterly rubbish at day 4 / 5 and ended up back on a course of benzos to get my through my second week.
It should lift though. I still have the horrible anxiety in the morning too and I'm into week 7. Normally it's cured with getting up and tackling the day - even if I spend 30 minutes posting on here followed by a hot shower.
NorthernGeek
20-12-13, 10:03
Day three on 40mg & I think it might actually be working. I still feel depressed & emotionally fragile, but my negative/intrusive thoughts seem to have faded so far into the background that I can dismiss them fairly easily.
Hopefully this isn't just a temporary side-effect while I adjust to new higher dose, as I am enjoying the silence of not having that voice in my head constantly telling me that I am a pathetic failure & suggesting ways to harm myself.
It would be nice if the depression started to lift by Xmas too, but just losing the horrible intrusive thoughts is already an early present.
I'm so happy to hear you are feeling a little better!
I'm on day 7 of 20mg. The mornings are still hell and there doesn't seem to be any change yet. Trying to keep positive as its only been 1 week.
Day 9 here - not much progress yet. It's hard to get out of bed in the mornings with the anxiety and heavy/hot body feelings. Heart palpitations and shaking along with head pressure is still current. The brain fog is scary, looking at something but not actually taking anything in. 😔
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