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I'm on day 10 of 10mg for anxiety / depression. I have been on it before until about 18 months ago but it would be great to hear from other people who are also in the first month of taking it. I know it helped me last time but right now, in the horrible 'beginning' bit, it's hard to remember that.
Hey Suzie,I was in the process of leaving it, I got to 5mg down from 30 a few years back, now I'm on ten and I believe I need to go back to 20. Been on it non stop for too long, 6 years, I've tried my best though, bad timing. So I kind of am starting again :)
How are you getting on, I recall it took about 20 days for me to notice any change?
Hi there
I remember you from my time on here some 2 years ago. I am still on the tablets and have no intention to come off them. Hang in there. You know from your past experiences that this will pass and it will get better. Why did You come off them?
Hi Andy! I wondered if anyone from the 'old days' was still around. Glad to hear you're doing OK! I just got to a point where I felt better & sort of forgot to take the tablets to be honest. I've been absolutely fine without them but went through a crappy situation in the summer which kicked off all my old feelings. So I'm back at square one now! Still in that horrible phase where I feel sick & anxious for most of the day & cannot imagine ever feeling better. I know I will and I know I felt like this last time for the first 6 weeks but god, it sucks!
How are things going now almost a month later? I'm 1 month in after titrating off cita for a couple months. Just when I felt I was free of them I got hit with a bunch of stress. Decided to go back on them and this time the startup is BRUTAL. I keep finding myself in the "Worry Loop" about health concerns. I wonder if its because I had JUST stopped em then started back up? Anyway.. Love to hear from you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Suziewuzie
Rhett
Hey I'm in week 3 and feeling awful. Doctor upped me to 20mg and gave me a beta blocker to try and help but still getting into the worry loop big time. Had to get up and come into work this morning - all I want to do is sleep until I feel better. Beginning to wonder was it a mistake going on them at all.
Any advice or pep talk would be great?
Hi everyone,
I'm on week 3 .... 1 week at 5mgs & 2 weeks at 10mgs......jeezo, it's hell.
I've not posted in a while but been a member of NMP for many years.
I was on Citalopram for over a year, was doing great so decided to taper off them in October, wasn't long at all before the Health Anxiety kicked back in....right now I feel like I'm in the pits of hell.....trying to keep a level head and praying the next few weeks go quickly.
Hang in there everyone ….. I've been told before that the side effects are a good thing.....means the meds are doing something.
xxx
Hey ShellyTai,
I'm having an ok day after 2/3weeks of hell. I'm hoping this is the start of it working properly but am prepared for the possibility that I'll wake up tomorrow feeling entirely differently! A few days ago I literally posted a good day then a few hours later was in bits.
These meds do help - if only we could be put to sleep for the first 4 weeks!
For me my anxiety goes way up and the depression gets worse in those first few weeks. I'm hoping and praying that today is the day it starts being stable.
I said to my wife that its like swimming through the breakers to try and get to the calm water beyond.
I'm really hoping that you get through to the calm waters soon!
:bighug1:
Hey thereQuote:
Originally Posted by mcray1981
Just wondering how you’re getting on these days? I was previously on Citalopram for about 6 years and it was great. Quit them for about two years and everything was great until about twin months ago. I was prescribed escitalopram this time around and tried 10mg for 39 days of hell before switching to Citalopram. It’s been two weeks on Citalopram but it’s far from smooth sailing.
Cheers
Rich
Hi Rich,
I'm doing ok these days. Still a few ups and downs but nothing compared to pre citalopram or during weeks 3-7.
Weeks 3-7 were hellish for me - anxiety went sky high, constantly tense and panicky but it did pass and on the other side there were blue skies. I had a lot of people supporting me through those weeks and took some time off work as concentration was shot. I was also prescribed beta-blockers to deal with some of the physical symptoms i was having.
My best advice is possible is to keep talking to people if you can, keep assuring yourself that it will pass and tell yourself that the anxiety is just feelings and can't hurt you. There is also a very good Citalopram survival guide on this site.
I find when it starts to work for me I notice that the clouds lift in the evenings and then gradually hour by hour this gets earlier.
Good luck - its not easy but give it time.
Andrew
Hi AndrewQuote:
Originally Posted by mcray1981
Thanks so much for your words of advice and encouragement. Funny thing you mentioning clouds lifting in the evening - I live for the evenings at the moment, they represent safety and security (as I write this I realise how irrational it sounds but hey, that’s anxiety right!?). I managed to get through the initial hell without taking any time off work, I still can’t believe how good I am at faking happiness and normality and nobody’s any the wiser! You’re right, being engaged and interacting with people is far better than having nothing to do. I actually realised yesterday that it was the first generation antihistamine I had used causing the depression and apathy, so today has been relatively okay, seem to be getting better at pushing the anx away. Certainly chalk and cheese when compared with the early days and that nightmare.
There is a future, it’s brighter and I have hope.
All the best to you Andrew and thanks again for your reply.
Richard
Oh, thank goodness for this group. I was on Celexa from 2015 until the fall of 2018, and then I just kind of tapered off and quit taking it. I was feeling fine. Boom- panic attack in the middle of April and ongoing anxiety. If I’m honest, I had been having creeping anxiety that I thought I had under control, but nope. So, I restarted my Celexa at 10mg mid-April. I have had a rough go getting back on. I had forgotten how bad it was. I have had panic, increased anxiety, hopeless feeling, increased depression. I had convinced myself I had akathisia or serotonin syndrome and that I maybe I needed to stop the celexa. But, my husband reminded me that this is how it was last time, too. So, I’m using 1mg of lorazepam when I’m feeling the worst panic and I’m pushing through. I went up to 15mg 3 days ago and I’m having moments of feeling good finally. I’m actually sleeping fine at night, but it seems that in the late afternoon, the inner restlessness I feel most of the day catches up with me and turns into a hopeless panic feeling. My arms and shoulders start to burn and I feel desperate. It’s so awful. This group has really helped me- thank you all for sharing your experiences, and hang in there!!!!
Hi sne3646Quote:
Originally Posted by sne3646
Side effects from increasing dosage normally present 3 to 4 days after commencement. For me, increased anx along with the burning skin seemed to be the norm as did constant nausea, diarrhoea and a feeling of utter despair. I found that the side effects usually reduced after 7-10 days. By the end of week 2, I would be back to “baseline” and then see improvements after another 2 weeks. It’s just a time thing. 10 weeks should be your “get to” goal. You were fine once and you will be fine again. If your anx doesn’t reduce at all and you find things are completely intolerable, then and only then, would I suggest consulting with your doc about a change but you’ll know in your heart if that’s the case, especially if you were on Citalopram previously and it worked for you. I feel your pain, you are not alone, this is normal.
Best of luck
Rich