No patience and highly agitated

[LizardQueen]

OK, Ive been on cit for 17 days now, for GAD with no really noticeable side effects, but things with my boyfriend have reached a head now because I am highly sensitive and irritable and have started being quite horrible to him. I feel on edge and have started to feel quite anxious again and started having intrusive thoughts again about him cheating on me.

I was just wondering how long it has taken other people to start to notice a difference with cit and whether I need to ask my doc for a higher dose?

[Mick081081]

Hiya,

Are you on 10mg or 20mg?

I'm on 20mg and it took a good 4 weeks before I noticed any change at all and it's just got better from there. I'm on day 53 and not 100% but not that far off. Agitation and irritability are side effects and I had some crazy intrusive thoughts that would just recur in my mind constantly. Also my anxiety was sky high with a good few panic attacks chucked in for good measures!

Stick it out but call your GP and see if he'll prescribe you a small dose of diazepam it worked wonders for me in calming me down before the Cit kicked in but it was well worth the wait so ride through the initial crappyness and it'll kick in eventually.

Take care,

Mick.

[LizardQueen]

Hi Mick, thanks for your reply. Im currently on 10mg and my doc said to stay on it for 1 month then he would up it if I needed it. Glad to know Im not alone and that the agitation etc should hopefully fade. Feel so helpless to my thoughts sometimes.

[LAURA48]

Hi - yes you do need to go up to 20mg - 10mg is very low. I am been on Citalopram 11 days - so far so good - no nasty side effects - was on 3 days at 10mg and the rest at 20mg am under a psychiatrist for OCD (Pure O) and GAD! but will be seeing him on Sat and I know he will put me on 30mg - that worries me as the anxiety has calmed down. He said for irrational thoughts, etc, you do need to be quite high - if that helps and I do take some lorazepam too - but not as much now.

This for me has certainly been the gentlest of them all - Prozac was horrendous.

Good luck but up the dose - I did not notice any change

Laura

[Mick081081]

Hiya,

It's a horrible place to be in but stay positive as it will get better and just tell your boyfriend that it's not you at the minute and that the meds are messing with your mind literally (in a good way though) and sure he'll understand.

When I was on diazepam it really calmed me down I was only on 2mg tabs which is the lowest dose but it was a massive help do consider it. I know it's hard at the minute but battle on through and don't give into this horrible illness, know in your head you will get through and eventually you will with a little help from Cit. I also saw a counsellor once a week for an hour which was a help aswell so consider that. Stick around on this site as its a great place with great people who have been there and got the t-shirt and are very supportive.

PM if you need any advice.

Take care,

Mick.