View Full Version : Finally getting better?...
I think I must be finally getting better. :D I hope so anyway.
I upped my dose of citalopram again and since then I have had the best 2 days I have had in months, more so than the other good days I have had. I just feel so calm, non anxious and I have been out and about for the past 2 days, and have been chatting away with people from friends,to family to strangers and where I used to feel really anxious chatting to them, (or anyone!) this weekend I felt happy and confident and not once did I blush or feel the need to run away. I just felt so at ease. I love feeling like this because it seems so long since I have been relaxed and non anxious. It feels strange feeling like I do because I am nothing like the old anxious me. It is like I am a new person.
I have not had any side effects of the increased dose as yet. I had side effects on the previous dose but on this dose the only thing I have noticed is that I am a bit sleepier but nothing else.
Yayyy - I love citalopram :bighug1:
Nice one Poppy,
Hope the good times continue, its an amazing feeling!
What dose are you on now?
Lion King
Poppy,
so glad to hear you are feeling so much better, well done you
best wishes
di xx
Hi LionKing and Diane
Thank you both for your encouraging replies.:)
I am now on 30mg Citalopram. I was going to go up to 25 from 20 but went straight to 30.
I was really worried about side effects, but so far I am seem to be feeling better than when I was on 20mg. I just feel a lot more sleepier but I can cope with that. I am glad I upped the dose.
I know its only early days but the past 2 days have been really good. I feel so calm. :D
Excellent news poppy, thats great to hear.. Ive been a bit up and down today but, all in all its been a really good weekend, so im trying to keep the glass half full approach.
speak soon
Hi Str33boy
Thanks for your message. Sorry to hear you have been feeling a bit up and down.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day for you.
I am glad you had a good weekend :) Did you go out anywhere?
When are you due to go to MIND again?
Chat soon
Tori Frances
26-05-09, 08:22
Good to hear you feel better Poppy, v inspiring! I had a good few days but then back to square one again, v depressing. I know you had some false starts though so I'm going to keep thinking if Poppy can do it, so can I.
Hi Tori :)
Thank you for your reply.
I am sorry that you have gone back to square one again, after a few good days. Hopefully you will have some more good days very soon. I have been through that many times over, and have had a lot of blips, but so far on the increased dose I am now on I am feeling much better and that includes today too. It feels 'strange' feeling this calm. I am not used to feeling like this!
I think the citalopram just needs time to fully work and get stabilised in our bodies and I think it takes different amounts of time for each individual. My gp told me it would be fully effective at 6 weeks of taking it but for me it has taken much longer. I am so glad I have persevered and got through the days where I had blips - I feel it is definitely worth having the blips for.
I think there are always going to be 'blips' whatever medication we take - every day we are not going to feel great, and thats the same as when we dont take medication. I just keep remembering how awful I used to feel (pre medication) and comparmy blip days to then and they are still not as bad as back then.
I am dealing with my agoraphobia a lot better than I have in the past, although it is still there. My social anxiety has almost gone (I dont fear social situations so much now - even though I dont care much for people lol) and anxiety in general too has gone. I have not had anxiety symptoms in quite a while now.
I am scared of getting back out to work & being under pressure and meeting new people but maybe that is the case for anyone regardless of anxiety or not, going to a new job? Once I am used to it then maybe the scariness will go.
What dosage are you taking? 40mg? How long have you been taking citalopram for? I have read your posts but my memory is terrible!
I hope you have a good day. :yesyes:
Hi Poppy,
I am so pleased you are feeling a lot better with your increase of Citalopram. It does take time for Citalopram to work, and when it does work, you feel brilliant and don't have a care in the world. I am like you, I love Citalopram. I feel I can cope with life, and enjoying each day now.
Best wihes,
Keith
Now then Popperoonie, I'm so glad the increased dose has kicked in! Congratulations on having the guts to go for it!!
I'm with Tori on this one. I had a fantastic few days at the beginning of last week, then I starting sinking and am trapped in a world of anxiety once again! It seems like I am at my worst when I make the decision to talk about my problems, like when my counselling session is getting close.
I have started thinking that I should increase my citalopram dose... but I had such a horrible time getting onto 20mg, I don't know if I could cope with going through all that again, it is just too soon and I have got too many bad memories.
Hi Keith and Poet! :)
Thanks for messages.
I agree, Keith, when citalopram works, it feels great doesn't it? How long have you been on 60mg for? Its a good thing that there are anti depressants really! I wondered how people coped before they were invented? :unsure:
Poet -Thanks for the 'Now Then Popperoonie' reply :) I am sorry you are back feeling anxious again. Why don't you want to increase the dosage? I was dreading it but honestly I feel better on 30mg than I did on 10 and 20mg. So far, nothing drastic has happened in the way of side effects, other than feeling sleepy, but I can cope with that. I had more effects when I upped to 20mg than I have on this dose. Maybe my body is more used to citalopram now?
Maybe Poet, you are stuck at 20mg and its not a beneficial amount for you.You may feel totally different on a higher amount but obviously you have to feel comfortable in upping the dose.
I found counselling a bit gruelling in the early days but persevere with it and it does get easier I found. :)
No worries Poppy my poppet :)
I'm considering asking my doctor. I want to explore all avenues before increasing my dose. I was very distressed during my first weeks on citalopram. This was probably caused by a mixture of my existing anxiety and my surprise and fear at the panic attacks I started having. Maybe if I increase my dose and it starts happening again, I won't be so badly affected, as I've been there before. The most difficult thing about this whole situation is that I've never been here before. I can usually deal with things the second time around.
I'm glad that you are doing well on the increased dose. To think you were going to come off it a month ago!
Hey PoppyC. Glad to hear your feeling improved. From reading 30mg Cit' is not sooooo much in the grand scheme and if you feel better thats really good. When I did the maths for another post it looks like about 6 days for the dosage to adjust to new maxima/minima over the 24 hours. Ofcourse biochemistry and vague maths are not the same thing but it suggest that there may be more improvement to come. From my experience with Esc' I'd say the morning (early hours until a while after dose) is the worst as the meds and serotonin are at their lowest. And ofcourse if life or people throw a stressful situation at you. That's the real test - still rubish at that bit myself.
Of course biochemistry and vague maths are not the same thing
I liked that :D
From my experience with Esc' I'd say the morning (early hours until a while after dose) is the worst as the meds and serotonin are at their lowest.
Is that why we all wake up feeling like smoked cigarettes? I'm going to write a letter of protest to mother nature - "Why oh why is serotonin crap?" Actually with an opening line like that I would be better off sending it to Points of View.
Hi Poppy,
I have been taking Citalopram for about three years now. I first I started on 20msg, then up to 40 msg. In the last ten months I have been taking 60msg.
Keith
Tori Frances
27-05-09, 08:16
Yep Poppy 40mg. Am reluctant to increase any further unless absolutely necessary but we'll see. I'm just desperately trying to keep positive despite feeling bad. Will let you know how get on.
Hi :)
Thanks Keith for the reply. Hope you continue to keep feeling good.
Tori - Have you only recently upped the dose? I hope you soon start to feel better on it. Have you tried any other medications before? Maybe citalopram doesn't suit you or it maybe that it is just taking its time.
I am still having a run of good days - no doubt I shall have a down day soon, but I am trying to get a lot done whilst I feel like this.
I can't stop eating!!!! I has to get up in the night to eat!!!!!!!!! and that is not like me - I usually go hours without ever feeling hungry and I am very slim.
I dont care though what side effects I get, as long as I keep feeling relaxed and calm.
Poppy, my appetite was non-existent due to anxiety in the early days. Now I am finding that my appetite can be voracious. I have regained all the weight that I lost. I find I start to feel ill if I don't eat regularly. Maybe as our anxiety has lessened, our bodies are trying to regain all the energy we have wasted by worrying!
Hi Poppy,
my appetite has gone thru the roof, I had to get up in the middle of the night to make a sarnie cos my belly wouldn't stop rumbling even tho I had ate well all that day. I think poet could be right, we are rebuilding ourselves back to what we were!
Keep well all
Lion King
I forgot to add, my thirst increased sharply during my second week on citalopram -- it was like I was permanently dehydrated. My appetite and thirst settled down to normal levels. I have regained all the weight that I lost -- what a "weight" off my mind (ba-dun-TUSH!).
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