New member question re anxiety and citalopram

[gadgem]

Hi all,

Just joined nmp this morning as have been suffering from anxiety for many years now and this seemed like a good place to hear about other peoples experience of anxiety. I suffer anxiety on and off and for the past 6 months have felt particularly bad. I went to the doctors about 4 weeks ago and she prescribed me Citalopram (10mg). I haven't started taking it as I am feeling very anxious about side effects, eventually coming off it and the side effects of this, plus that I will to stay on it forever as the anxiety will return if I stop taking it. I have read about it on this forum and others and seems like the bad things about it outweigh the good things, but I need to do something as I really don't want continue to feel like this. Would appreciate hearing from anybody who has had a positive experience taking it and positive experience coming off it.

Thanks,
gadgem

[Polar Bear]

Hi

I was prescribed Citalopram in February (took 10mg for the first week then up to 20mg which is the dose I stayed on). I'm in the process of coming off (went down to 10mg for a month then 10 days of 1 day of 10mg, one day no tablet). Stopped taking the tablets last week so my body is adjusting back to doing without.

Everyone is different but citalopram has really helped me get over a bad period. my side effects getting on the tablets were minimal really. Had some headaches and my anxiety went throught he roof on the 5th day but then things settled down and I felt really well if sometimes a bit fuzzy headed.

Coming off I feel more stressed and much less chilled but nowhere near as bad as I felt before. Reading and learning about anxiety (especially on this site ) has helped me enormously and although I didn't get any formal therapy I feel better placed now to face things.

Different people obviously have different views of this and other drugs but i can only say these have really helped me

[harasgenster]

Hi
Citalopram really helped me. It's especially good for panic attacks. I started on 20mg and was eventually taken to 60mg, it didn't make much difference to me until I was on 40mg.
Side effects are different for everybody but I didn't have any problems where I have had a lot of problems with other drugs. As for weaning off - a necessary evil. You'd have to wean off anything and if you're suffering from panic attacks your better off with meds in my opinion.
Citalopram was great for me, but you have to remember that it is different for everybody and you won't know whether it's the one for you until you try it!

[amoss]

Hi, i have just joined this morning because of the same thing, i have been given 20mg citalopram and an nervous about using them. have you started them yet? if so are they helping?? regards amoss

[karenlock]

i have a panic and anxiety disorder n im on 40mg of citalopram it does help although i do still have panic attacks they arent as bad as they were which offers me light relief:) .i struggled by myself for a while n i think its better to take my meds if it helps.i think the pros totally out weigh the cons:hugs:

[MR_77]

Hi all,

I have also joined today and am in a similar position to you gadgem. My anxiety attacks started about 7 years ago. At that point i didn't understand what my problem was. The doctor referred me to a psychologist who i only saw once, she was helpful and confirmed what i had kind of worked out for myself, that i was anxious about being anxious and the symptons wouldn't kill me. As i accepted this and felt better for knowing, bit by bit my anxiety and symptons vanished almost completely.

However, since February things haven't gone as well and i have had occassional anxiety atacks (particularly on buses which led to me getting off them).

A few weeks ago i had a pretty bad attack (set off by being wheezy - just a chest bug). Since this, my symptons have changed (much more to do with the head, pressure, headaches at the back etc) and my anxiety seems to have changed from attacks to a more daily general feeling of anxiety.

I am thinking about how i am feeling all the time, waiting for the overwhelming feeling to come. When it happens, i am thinking all the correct things such as knowing it will pass, knowing that the symptons will not hurt me but despite this my body is still reacting in a way i don't want it to.

I'm not sure i have ever really dealt with this since it started but as it was on and off it was manageable. For the last few weeks however its on my mind all the time which sets it off. My question is, is it time to go back to the doctors and look at getting medication? I have avoided this as i hoped i could deal with it by telling myself the right things but it just doesn't seem to be working this time.

[karenlock]

mr 77 hi.in ur post u say about headaches and pain in the back of your head this is tension i get it all the time.i understand exactly where your coming from im in the same place.being anxious all the time apprehensive,jumpy and generally feeling nervous.im on meds for my panic and anxiety disorder which does help.i hope this finds you well:hugs: