View Full Version : Switching from Citalopram to Escitalopram
Hello everyone,
It's been a while since I've posted. I was doing quite alright I guess so I left the forum more or less.
Quick recap: I was put on citalopram a few months ago for anxiety, panic and intruisive thoughts. Started on 20mg for 8 weeks. Then upped to 30 for another 10. And now i'm on 40mg for 6 weeks. During this period I did notice the Citalopram to a certain extend but it felt like I could still have that final push towards being my old self. I've felt like this first on 20mg, hence the increased dose. But 30mg, and now 40mg didn't really feel any different. The improvement was too small to notice actually. These last few days I've felt a little rough again. I use melatonin for sleep but I started to need Diazepam alongside it again (very low dose though, 0,5 or 1mg). Yesterday I woke up a few times during the night, bathing in sweat, thoughts racing and a feeling of doom. I quickly realised I was entering a panic attack (haven't had these since I went on citalopram). But I had just finished the book by Claire Weeks so I tried to 'float' through the anxiety and remain calm.
However, this was enough for me to pick up the phone today and ask my pdoc for advise regarding recent developments. I suggested we could give escitalopram a try as it's officially prescribed as anxiety drugs (citalopram only off-label). Also the side-effect profile seems to be milder and one can do a straight swap between the two.
So yeah, at the end of the day I have a 4 weeks supply of escitalopram ready to start. I'll keep you posted.
Good luck everyone with their road to recovery, we'll all get there. Just at a different speed :)
pollynewsome
22-08-16, 14:16
Please do keep us posted. I'm about 5 months taking citolapram. Just on my 23rd day at 30mg.. having days where I feel loads better and then days like yesterday and today where I feel 100 times worst. Don't know whether it working or not. Def not going to 40mg. May give this dose 3 more week, and I'd no better. Come off and try without meds. Xx
Yes do keep us posted. I'm unsure if cit is still working for me so this would be my next choice.
Good luck and I hope it's the right med for you x
Sooo, day 1.
I've taken the first tablet 3 hours ago. I was quite anxious as I've got a full day at the office ahead of me and ofcourse I don't know how I will react to the switch. Also going from max dose cit to max dose ecit had me slightly worried. I almost called in sick today but I just decided not to. Giving in to anxiety is never an option. I just need to accept it, let it be and carry on no mather what. I'm at work now and the only thing I notice is continuous yawning and I'm a little tired. Could be the ecit, could be the short night I had. I'll see where it ends up, else I can probably take the ecit at night to prevent daytime tiredness.
Well done on taking the first step, you never know with it being so closely related to cit it may not be too bad for side effects. I'll keep my fingers crossed it works well for you.
Quick update on Day 2
Today was a pretty good day I feel. I went to the office which was alright. I just finished my work out and I was actually singing along with the radio on the car. For months I had songs stuck in my head so I was quite surprised I was enjoying the music again (even the really catchy tunes that would have been stuck in my head for hours on end). I still get alot of intruisive thoughts regarding existance, meaning of life, and the universe. These topics would fill me with huge existential anxiety earlier but I can already feel it becoming easier to let them come and go. Which is the key to slowly desentisize myself towards them. I had hoped this would happen on citalopram but it never really did.
So yeah, extremely early days ofcourse but if this trend continues I might have struck gold here (knock on wood).
Sounds positive mrose, I'll be interested to hear your progress as I'm feeling pretty flat on cit just now. Fingers crossed for you :)
Day 4:
Early days but it feels like a difference between day and night. Intruisive thoughts already lessening. No side effects at all. Sleep is poor, but It has been the past couple of weeks. So I hope this will improve
Day 7:
Not feeling as great as the first 4 days but still doing fine. Sleep has improved dramatically. Only woke up once last night. I'm considering of decreasing my melatonin intake as I'm waking up tired in the mornings. This usually fades after 2 hours or so.
Do you really think it's different from citalopram?
Day 9:
Still doing fine, feeling pretty good. Sleep has improved even more. Fell asleep within 20 minutes and slept till dawn.
Can definitely feel the benefits of ecit with respect to my months on cit.
That sounds very promising, I'm only seeing my GP just now as the psychiatrist is making me wait another 3weeks before I can be seen which is a nightmare. For a respected, well known clinic I'm very disappointed in them. Anyway that's enough of my ranting.
Did you get any other side effects from switching over? My GP wants me to come off cit first but I'm thinking if I get down to 10mg cit then I could swap to 5mg escit, I think she's just being cautious since she's not a psych. She's been far more helpful than the psych though.
Hey Debs,
Yeah I would just take the plunge and make the swap if you feel its the right thing to do for you. Like I mentioned, I had no side effects except from a few days of morning tiredness (which might not even be from the ecit). And if you don't like it you can always change back without any issues.
But keep in mind I'm no psych. I'm just sharing my personal experience with ecit. So always discuss with your doc first ;)
Thanks mrose,
I don't see what harm it can do if it's essentially the same thing. That's the problem my GP doesn't know enough but the psychiatrist can't even get back to me. Felt I've done quite well coming down 15mg so I'm on 20mg so hopefully drop another 10 in the next week.
Day 13:
Quick update. Doing very well. Probably feeling 90% to 95% back to normal. Sleep is good. I usually don't wake up, or maybe once to visit the bathroom.
So yeah, seems like escitalopram is doing its work.
pollynewsome
03-09-16, 21:44
I think I may ask for the change. Not feeling it at all on the cit. My head just feels like it constant going to explode and the tightness in neck and back of head so painful. Xx
That's really positive, I'm still doing a taper. I see the psych next week so I'll continue as I am then get her opinion on whether escit is the right option. I have the feeling she'll say it's too closely related. I just feel if it worked so well then something closely related but better would work well too. Time will tell x
Day 19 (I think? I kinda lost track).
Yesterday evening I started to feel a little anxious again. I noticed this during the night as my sleep was disturbed. I woke up around 3AM in sweat, with very vivid dreams. Decided to take half a diazepam and continue sleeping. So it definitely is going up and down at the moment.
Day 24:
Last few days were pretty decent. I feel like the ecit is finally starting to give me the boost that I so longed with citalopram but never really got. We'll see where the rest of the week takes me.
Wondering how you were doing. I made the switch about 9 days ago. I was pretty good, but late yesterday and today have been a little rough. Butterflies in the stomach, crappy, sleep, and pretty on edge. Wondering if it's a bump in the road or gonna be the way it is.
Hey HaG,
It's about 11 weeks now on escitalopram and I was doing quite alright. However, last week has been pretty rough again. I have an calculus exam coming up tomorrow and I've been stressing out on this pretty hard. This is probably the reason why my anxiety has flared up again. I have an appointment in 1 week with my psychiatrist to review the medication.
But yeah, there are definitely bumps in the road.
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