Citalopram - stopped working??

[tisa]

Hey. I've been taking Citalopram since 2006. I'm currently on 30mg. I've been feeling for a while now that it's pointless me taking it as i'm not sure if it really helps my anxiety. Does anyone else feel the same about Citalopram? I've read that Paroxetine helps? Maybe it would be worth me asking my GP to swop medication

[Ecclesiastes]

Absolutely try something else; I've never taken much in the way of medication but I was on Citalopram for a few months and it had no effect so I stopped taking it - from what I understand different medication works for different people. As long as your GP is happy, I would try a few until one works.

[suzy-sue]

Have you had any CBT ? it would be advisable rather than rely on drugs They only mask the symptoms ..Maybe you could do with an increase to 40mg in the meantime .If you dont do anything to help get rid of the Anxiety except take drugs it wont last anyway .Have a word with your GP & discuss it with him ..t/c Sue

[deadcellx]

Perhaps it is time for a change of meds, discuss it with your doctor, they will be able to help recommend another suitable for you to try. :)

[saffy]

Yeah definitely time for a change in meds if citalopram isn't working. I was on them for a year but they didn't help. (40mg) I'm now on venlafaxine and have to keep upping the dose cos my dep/anx is still bad. I hope you find a drug that helps you. :)

[European]

Medication isn't the only way, and certainly not the best way, to deal with anxiety or panic. There are all kinds of things that can be very beneficial - CBT in particular offers all kinds of insights and techniques that won't just numb you, but empower you to actually deal with your problems, and overcome them. Which is something medication won't do, as the best one can hope for with medication is merely to manage the symptoms.

Maybe it would be worth getting some information and talk about your GP in terms of possible alternatives to medication?

[CalmDownSunshine]

Hi tisa, hi everyone this is my first post:)

I just wanted to say i was on Citalopram for a couple of years and come of them in December after completing a pretty successful course of CBT. 2010 was one of the best years ive had for a long time because of the CBT. I not only felt less anxious but i actually felt confident again and felt like i was becoming the person im actually supposed to be.
However since finishing the meds in December i think i have slowly but surely felt my anxiety creeping back up the scale at first i was using CBT techniques and was shaking off anxieties quite easily but this past month has been getting harder and harder.
I think at the time i didnt appreciate just how much Citalopram was actualy taking the edge off my anxiety. Its come to the point where i think im going to go back to docs to ask if i can be put back on Citalopram, but it sort of feels like a failure as i see it as a step back.

[cooley2274]

hi sunshine,
how did you cope with side effects coming of citalopram? that is a shame if you a planning to goback on them.also how many seesionns of cbt did you have and why is it not working now?

thanx paul:)

[CalmDownSunshine]

hi sunshine,
how did you cope with side effects coming of citalopram? that is a shame if you a planning to goback on them.also how many seesionns of cbt did you have and why is it not working now?

thanx paul:)

I was only ever on the starter dose of one 20mg tablet per day so not a high dose but coming of them i still did get dizzy and funny sesations in my head that i could only explain as...like a small vibration or electric shock, if that makes sense, when i told the doctor she looked confused but thats how it felt:shrug:
I had 18 CBT sessions for an hour every 2 weeks. I dont know why its not working now maybe its just simply not having the therapist there. By the time the CBT had come to an end i felt like i didnt need her anymore but that was short lived
Im going to hold back from going to the Docs and read back over through all the notes and homework i did on the CBT