2.5mgs of Citalopram...restarting

[SarahH]

I have been taking 2.5mgs of Cit and i dont care what any medical professional says I can feel the difference already.
Seriously 30 minutes after taking the first dose I could feel a tingling in my brain...and hour and a half later I experienced the most bizarre derealization this lasted 2 hrs. My heart rate has dropped and sometimes it is uncomfortable as it flip flops all over the place. By day 3 on this low dose (remember I am VERY VERY sensitive to drugs) I could feel my brain changing and the deep low mood I have been suffering from started to lift.......I know what you are all thinking it's the placebo effect!!!! But I really think it is not.......I can feel sensations in my head just like the sensations when I was withdrawing from Cit 3 years ago. The side effects come on 2 hrs after I take my quarter of a tablet.
I am not there yet completely with my mood lifting and I shall continue on this dose until the SE's disappear...then go up to 5mgs.

I have posted this on the pregabalin thread as well as my story is on that post........

I am restarting Citalopram after 3 years off it. That maximum I can take is 10mgs as I cannot tolerate a higher dose

Sarah
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[teej]

I never got on with citalopram. I've taken it three times in the last decade and each time the side effects have just been utterly crippling (I was taking 20 mg). I got shaking, horrific anxiety, derealization - the lot.

This time I've really stuck with it for 2.5 months - I had some good times but that blips I suffered were crazy - loads of horrible side effects coming back out the blue.

I've switched to sertraline this week (50 mg) and so far so good. Fourth dose this morning and feeling much improved.

[SarahH]

I think some of us are so sensitive to drugs we have to start really slowly in small doses. Cit was so good for me before so I am determined to get back on it..................good luck with Sert .

sarah

[teej]

Yeah - I'm feeling much better now.

Should have seen the writing on the wall with two failed attempts to get on it beforehand.

Wishing you the best of luck though!

[Emphyrio]

I found that 5mg of citalopram destroyed my anxiety/intrusive OCD thoughts and helped my depression as well. The whole concept of a 'therapeutic dose' is an individual issue. My OCD book mentions that some people experienced relief on 2mg of prozac whereas other people needed as much as 160mg!

I had to come off it unfortunately because of its side effects (visual and cognitive), otherwise it was great at helping to reduce my anxiety.

[SarahH]

After 10 days the wobbly SE's that I was getting 2 hrs after each dose has gone and I am now up to 5mgs a day (today) . so far no SE's and most definitely my mood has lifted........seriously.!

---------- Post added at 13:47 ---------- Previous post was at 13:46 ----------

Oh! and NO valium since day 3......now that cant be a placebo effect!!

[SarahH]

So I have gone up to 5mgs a day and for the last 3 days the SE's came back...so I have had to take 0.5mgs of Lorazepam each day (again). But I still am feeling mt mood lift a little. It's very subtle and difficult to describe.
The SE's are derealization which starts about 3 hours after I take the dose and last for 4 hours or so.
I may be that the combination with pregabalin is making me feel a bit "fazed" but I am sticking with it and will wait another week before going up to 7.5mgs.

Sarah

[Marty_67]

Hope you get the right mix soon.

I am suffering myself with SEs but in truth I would rather put up with these than go back to where I was 5 weeks ago.

[SarahH]

At the start of day 6 on 5mgs woke with puffy eyes and swollen lips (scary). I made myself get on with my day and took .5 mgs lorazepam. By lunchtime the swelling had reduced a little and anxiety subsided.
I am waiting for a call from my GP to discuss whether this is a build up of an allergic reaction to upping the dose as the puffy eyes started 3 days ago.

So for now I have taken 2.5mgs of Cit instead of 5mgs.
If Cit builds up in your system could this be a reaction that could get worse OR will my body get used to the cit and this reaction disappear????

---------- Post added at 16:18 ---------- Previous post was at 15:12 ----------

Well how strange!!!!!

I have just spoken to the duty GP at my surgery...who I have known for many years and is a senior partner. He explained some very interesting things to me, which makes a mockery of all the "theraputic dose" crap we hear about...

1) In his experience all drugs used for psychiatric illnesses have efficacy's that vary 100 fold!!! He quoted that he has patients that use 2mgs of Amiltryptaline and get the same benefits as those who take 50mgs.
2) He thinks Cit is the right drug for me
3) Says I should stick to the lower dose of 2.5mgs because "it could be that is the right theraputic dose for your body"!!!!!!!!
4) Yes Cit builds up in your body BUT I was on 2.5 mgs for 10 days and 7 of those days I felt well and needed no valium AND my mood had lifted.
5) Keep an eye on the swelling of eyes and lips....they should go down as I reduce the dose.

So there you have it. A GP who knows his stuff....who would have "thunk" it. I trust this GP...he has been at our practice for 25 yrs and I have seen him a few times.......

So I am back to 2.5 mgs from now on and will report my progress.

Sarah

[SarahH]

Back down to 2.5mgs today. Swelling in lips has gone but eyes still a bit puffy....................grrrrr...flippin' side effects!