Coping with Early Stages of Citalopram

[phil6]

Hi Karen,
Good to hear from you.
Today was a bad start for me... Your comment about "feeling sorry for yourself" sums it up for me. I woke early and as soon as the nervous tummy started I started to go down that road. It always feels that I am alone in this, and nobody understands. And then I hit myself with ... This time it's here to stay, why me etc.
Like you, I don't avoid doing stuff. I attended an annual dinner on Friday... I have a function I am expected to speak at tomorrow... I dread all of these but usually am OK when actually doing them. I never believe this beforehand though.
I am still exercising and have been to the gym this morning after blubbing like a baby for an hour.
Feeling a bit better now and telling myself that this is just a blip, but it does feel that the Cit really did mess me up and I am feeling the effects of coming off them.
I had such a good few weeks a week or so ago and this down period is going on longer than I hoped, but still sticking with accepting and letting go even though this is proving difficult at the moment.
I was so sad that most of the people in our little group seem to have gone off line... I miss sharing this with you guys.
Phil

[Spot-the-frog]

I had CBT today and I was trying to explain how alone I felt being like this as none of my friends, family or colleagues suffer with anxiety, so I know what you mean about feeling the loneliness of anxiety. We are so similar as it is always the nervous tummy with me too. I am still being assessed and hopefully week after next the plan will be put into place! My counselor also wants to involve my partner and has asked if he can come to one of the sessions so she can explain what I am going through. My counselor is not sure if I am suffering from panic disorder or a phobia of fainting - both present the same symptoms and they both respond to the same sort of treatment (luckily).

What you are going through now sounds the same as when you were struggling on the cit - once they are out of your system I am sure things will improve, at least you know that you are no worse off not taking the cit.

I am back to work tomorrow after my 2 weeks off, I feel a bit nervous but I know that is anticipatory anxiety.

It is a shame that the 'gang' seem to have left this post. If it dies out keep in touch by messaging me

[phil6]

Will do....keep up the good work... You are doing really well... There will no doubt be a few hard days ahead but the general direction is up. Keep the faith.
Phil

[keithwms]

Hi everyone, sorry for the long delayed report! My goodness me, this thread is now 8 pages long!!! It's become a book...!

To recap, I was on cit for a few months and have been on escit for about 2 months now with no major issues. I did increase from 10 to 15 mg just to experiment and see if there is additional benefit. It's been fine, no obvious changes. I haven't needed klonopin or such in a long while; I do take a bit if diphenhydramine every now and then to calm down a bit.

I've been dealing - successfully- with a lot of work stress, including major loss of personnel and all manner of ongoing idiocy in Washington, which you may have heard about. Our Capitol seems to be the epicenter of mental illness at times! :s In addition to the routine political nonsense there, we've also had several very unpleasant tragedies... all just far too close to home. So I've been taking refuge wherever I can- with friends, family, music- and just pressing on, day by day. Whether the meds have helped, I don't know, to be honest. Maybe I wouldn't've been able to cope so well without them? I've been placed in a lot of very stressful situations at work, to put it mildly. Anyway, my long-term wellness plan is still in place: continue becoming more physically and mentally fit; share more of my feelings with others; find ways to reduce my anxiety and get back to the work I really enjoy; and ultimately seek ways to come off the meds when the time is right and not too soon.

My main concern about long-term use of these meds is the depersonalizing effect- a tendency to feel somehow "outside" of myself and detached from things. That can be beneficial for coping with anxiety, but I do look forward to feeling emotionally connected and whole again. Anyway, I definitely won't make the mistake of coming off too soon again!

I hope everyone is making progress and taking the time to claim the little victories. The day-to-day fights that seem so insurmountable in the beginning, but then things improve and we forget that too soon and don't realize what an accomplishment it is to put together several good days in a row or even a whole week!

Best wishes to all!

[bristolzbabi]

hey im in the early stages of citalopram and have had sickness feeling diarrhea dry mouth but i had the sickness and diarrhea b4 taking it my gp said it would settle down which it did yesterday and 2day it has come back a bit only 1 so far and it has made me worry did any of you have the diarrhea any help and advice is welcome got my gp phoning me later but im scared

---------- Post added at 16:12 ---------- Previous post was at 15:31 ----------

hey im on my 4th day of citalopram and have had diarrhea but i had it b4 i started the citalopram after my first big major panic attack last wed and havent been able 2 eat i was wondering if u had the diarrhea whn u had citalopram and if so what did a doctor say because its making me panic a bit

[lisa2512]

i had diarrhea alternating with constipation hun, cit can really upset your tummy

phil are u still about, how are u getting on now

[cleanliving]

Hi I have been on arrow citalopram on and off for the last few years, I usally feel amazing after 1 week and I know i am back on track. Have felt great last 8 months but have had replapse so i am back on them however it doesnt seem to be working/as well? I have been on for two weeks and usually feel great, could it be they arent working if they have worked so well in past?

[SilverFern]

I'm also taking Citalopram and it has taken 8 weeks this time for me to feel better. I was beginning to think they weren't working and was still getting anxious in the mornings. However, in the last couple of days I feel different and much more positive. I went up to 20mg a week ago. Good luck! x

[dexterhaven]

been on 10mg for a month, raised to 20mg yesterday. it's in the small hours of the morning and the initial side effects have returned - inability to sleep properly, headaches, tight jaw, and diarrhoea. the diarrhoea is fine but a little embarrassing when my boyfriend is half-awake while i am in the adjacent bathroom, lol. it feels horrible to realise i am going to have to undergo another 1/2 week period of side effects, hence why i'm writing on this post for some reassurance.

my anxiety did get better in the last two weeks of treatment - i was no longer scared of doors closing, supermarket doors trapping me inside, etc. essentially, all the COMPLETELY irrational anxieties have left me, which feels amazing. however i still feel scared a lot of the time and quite depressed, so i really hope bumping up the dose to 20mg sorts me out.

does anyone know how long the side effects can last when you raise a dose? i really hope it's less time. however, some advice to people who are just starting - it's not a consistent two weeks of hell (well, it wasn't for me.) the side effects seemed to take it in turns to come, day by day, which made them a lot more bearable.

hope everyone is okay and sending my support out to people x