advice with citalopram 5mg

[miss elemis]

Hi, i realise this is a small dose iv been taking it for 9 days now and suffered side effects with it, wanted to up my dose to 10mg but worried Il get worse side effects, i dont see my doctor till Wednesday and i wanted to go back to work Monday as in self employed, i had a sudden attack of anxiety and agoraphobia 2 weeks ago which has left me almost house bound its frightening as i was happy working 2.5 weeks ago although exhausted. Any advice would be grateful.

[mandie]

Hi ,my dr told me there is hardly any difference between having the 5mg and the 10mg. I went back on these meds 3 weeks ago. I started with 5 mg and then after a week went to 10mg because my dr said no difference. for the past week I feel dreadful. terrible headaches and anxiety and panic. yesterday I went back down to 5mg hoping it mite make me feel a bit better

mandie x

[miss elemis]

Its awful isn't it, i think some of us are more sensitive :)than others to these drugs! After first few days i phoned the docs as was panicking didn't speak to my doctor but the one i spoke to said i should just stop taking them altogether and there is no other drug that can help if i cant handle 5mg of citalopram which sent me into my worst panic attack, i straight away phoned my pharmacist who was great and said to ignore that doctor and increase in quaters which is what i did last night so im now on 3/4 of a tab, hoefully this way will work! Mayb somethin you could ask your doctor if 10mg made u feel that bad?

[EdnaLegume]

I was prescribed Xanax along with my citalopram (which I ended up changing to klonopin) to help get through the worst of the start up side effects. I started on 20mg and the side effects have been awful. However, after the second week things have settled down quite a bit and I only take the klonopin in small dose at bedtime. It helped me greatly to read here that what I was experiencing was normal and temporary. Granted I was only able to leave the house about three times in that first week or two. Now I'm at 28 days and while it's still up and down its a lot better. I'm able to do my normal activities without much issue at all. Most of my anxiety is now only overnight and early morning. It's also important that I eat small meals throughout the day to avoid digestive issues and light headed feeling.

I would recommend asking your doctor for something like Xanax or longer acting klonopin to help you get through the initial side effects and continue moving up in doses until you reach the therapeutic dose.

[SarahH]

I am VERY sensitive to meds, particularly SSRI's, I have just restarted on CIT and am using 2.5mgs a day. I cut a 10mg tablets into quarters with a very sharp knife. So far I have no SE's. But believe me I can feel it entering my system........my head gets tingly sensations....so I know that it is beginning to work. I will go up to 10mgs, which is the dose that used to work for me, keeping me stable.
When Drs talk about a "theraputic" dose I personally believe that this is a load of rubbish, SOME people can get benefits on lower doses......just sayin:)

[Marty_67]

Don't forget that it takes 1-2 months for Citilopram to get fully into your system.

There are side effects but they apparently do ease off as your body gets used to it. I am nearly at 4 weeks and my side effects are easing.

The most important thing is that I do feel much more myself, so you may have to persevere.

Marty

[afgzee]

as others have said the side effects do wear off but it does feel like a long ride.

After 8.5 weeks on 10mg I started to feel like the old me again, upped to 20mg and on dose 12 of that and my anxiety has increased and I get the shakes and nervous around people im not familiar with.

Been taking Etizolam in low doses to help me through these reoccurring side effects.

Just keep at it as its worth it when it finally starts to work. :yesyes:

[teej]

When Drs talk about a "theraputic" dose I personally believe that this is a load of rubbish, SOME people can get benefits on lower doses......just sayin:)

Correct... therapeutic dose is based on dose-effect statistics. Statistics works with groups of people, not individuals. There will always be exceptions. :D

[SarahH]

Correct... therapeutic dose is based on dose-effect statistics. Statistics works with groups of people, not individuals. There will always be exceptions. :D

:yesyes:Yes I am VERY VERY sensitive to drugs. I spent 10 years on Cit at 10 mgs dose (going up to 20 i could not function at all:scared15:)

I came off three years ago but my anxiety came back badly and I was hopsitalized in April last year. Whilst there I was put on Pregabalin (400mgs) which worked very well until Christmas when the anx crept back to so now trying to go back on Cit very slowly as it worked so well for such a long time.

I have started a thread to show my progress.

Sarah