Started my Citalopram journey - anxiety

[Retrogal]

Hi there,

I have been suffering with phobia based anxiety for many years but have had a real 'break down' suddenly around 3 months ago which has knocked me for six and led to depression. In my desperation to feel 'normal' again I have started taking Citalopram. I started on 10mg for 2.5 weeks and have been on 20mg for 4 days now. I'm feeling REALLY on edge with anxiety rushes most of the day and just feel very low and miserable - as if I will never get better.

Should I not be seeing some improvement after 3 weeks of taking the drug? Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks so much

[venusbluejeans]

Hiya Retrogal and welcome to NMP :welcome:

Why not take a look at our articles on our home page, they contain a wealth of information and are a great starting place for your time on the forum.

I hope you find the as site helpful and informative as I have and that you get the help and support you need here and hope that you meet a few friends along the way :yesyes:

[Ojmit]

Hi. I had a similar experience on fluoxetine, only took it for two days and it set off some sort of psychotic episode, terrifying. Back to docs and diazepam for a week. Stay strong.

[Bantam]

Hello!:welcome:
I've been on citalopram for well over a year and my husband described it as a "transformation". It's been absolutely brilliant. I hope it works for you too, but if it doesn't go back to your doctor and nag - different drugs work for different people. I didn't get terrible side effects going on - a very bad headache for two days, occasional (but mild) nausea and was hugely tired, but it tailed off quickly. I'm now reducing from 20-10mg and going through the same thing backwards.

Anyway, let me know how you get on :hugs:

[Retrogal]

Thanks so much for the reply. May I ask what you are taking it for? Depression or anxiety?

[Bantam]

Hello!

I'm taking it for anxiety and mild depression. When I picked up my first prescription the pharmacist described it as a "mood stabilizer" and that's exactly what it did. I used to plunge myself into total despair about the littlest things, fret about mistakes I'd made years ago, about things I'd said and how they might have been misinterpreted... Basically I was a mess most of the time! I also had classic low-level depression - I couldn't sleep, I was tearful for no reason, snappy, saw little point in anything - I described it to a friend as "I'm not living life, life is just a means of passing the time." It cured all of it. Now I still worry about things, but (I think) on the level of a "normal" person. Anxiety no longer consumes me and keeps me awake at night.

Take care xx

[Retrogal]

Wow that's such a great success story. My anxiety all stems from phobias which led to depression. I really do hope that Citalopram can also work for phobias too 🤔