Day 12 on 20mg, horrible anxiety when I wake

[~Unknown]

At the moment I wake up every day with my heart racing, skin tingling, crying, like this horrible rush of adrenaline. It triggers horrible thoughts about death, which happens every time I get severely anxious. I keep waking through the night so I sleep badly. I tried to take a nap today because I was exhausted and woke up with my chest feeling anxious, it's making me afraid to sleep.

I know this goes away at some point because I have been on citalopram before, but I'm still scared. I'm alone in the mornings, there's nobody in the country I can talk to except my boyfriend who is at work at that time. This is wearing me down and it's so hard to stay strong when this happens every time I wake.

I'm scheduled to work 3 long shifts in a row next week and our schedule is tight, I am dreading this. If the increased anxiety would only go away I could cope, I can't take benzos when I need to work as they make me drowsy and I'm a tour guide.

I should never have come off these before, now I have to do this all over again and I've let everyone down. I'm eating better than last time but it's still hard to eat.

Has anyone had this and made it through? When I search I just see horror stories and it makes me panic more. Can anyone give some hope?

[Becky2785]

This sounds like me writing this I had the exact same feelings and thoughts as you its awful I really feel for you I've been on cit 4 months now and feel so much better I wake up with nearly any anxiety and If I do its only for a few minutes. All I can say is stick with it you will get there i thought I wouldn't but here I am now doing loads better don't get me wrong I have bad days but not as many as I used to keep strong take care becky xx

[~Unknown]

Thanks for replying, I'm really struggling and all I see are horror stories. I'm scared of being alone, but I will have to be. If the extra anxiety just stopped I could cope with the rest

[Mojo61]

The morning anxiety is really horrible, I've had it for nearly 9 months now every day. I did get a little break about 4 weeks into my 20mg increase but it has come back again now although not as bad as it was before I started the tablets.

Stick with it, I know it is really dreadful (I actually dry heave every morning because I feel so nauseous) but I have heard that morning anxiety is the last thing to disappear during recovery and 12 days is very early on for you.

[JosieLouise]

I'm on day 16 and (touch wood) the morning anxiety seems to be diminishing. For a few days last week I was experiencing terrible nausea randomly in the middle of the night with my heart pounding/racing, and then again in the morning along with gagging/dry heaving. What helped was taking motion sickness tablets during the day and Nytol (Benadryl) before bed, as well as small light meals, however difficult it was to eat. Good luck, I hope you feel better soon.

[~Unknown]

Today I have nausea and I am panicking over death, yesterday I was doing well till the evening. I guess this is day 14, I am so exhausted but struggling to sleep with the bad thoughts.

I'm so tired of feeling like this, I am wondering how much is anxiety and how much is citalopram.

[DoodleDoo]

See my other posts. It took over 6 - 8 weeks for nausea (and diaoreaah) to go away for Cit... But it does go away. Two weeks in is not enough for side effects to disappear - it's more like 2 months. What helped me in first few weeks was to set an early alarm - say 5am, and take it then. Go back to sleep, and by the time you wake up you have slept off lots of the sides. I can now wake up normally and take a tab with little side effects on most days now. Just takes patience.njust have pill and water at the side of the bed, and go straight back to sleep.

[~Unknown]

It's the increased anxiety that's the hardest, yesterday I coped fairly well but this morning I am jittery and scared.

[sidiam]

I don't think that it is the citalopram that causes the morning anxiety, it is a symptom of depression/anxiety. If we can get that under control the rest should follow. As mojo says...it is one of the last symptoms to disappear. It maybe makes it worse when starting or increasing a dose tho'.
I've been like this for a long time but am still hoping,
take care
Sxx:hugs:

[~Unknown]

The morning anxiety only started with the pills, so I think that it is to do with them, I know others who had it too while taking SSRIs. I also get intrusive thoughts that I didn't before, but it should go away. I hope it won't take long.