Increased anxiety still, after 26 days on 20mg. Help?

[Jaysmd]

I think the problem for a few of us on here is that we have been on our medication 6, 7 even 8 weeks and we take a step forward then a step back and we get told 6-8 weeks but there doesn't seem to be any stability or end to it. Then we fear upping our dosage due to the side effects that will make us feel like we have taken even more steps backwards

[Jem21]

Well done on restarting the meds Rich, you're on the right road and started the journey. I'm at the 7 week mark on Thursday, doing a bit better but I'm going to give it a bit longer before I decide to increase. Good luck, you'll get there :-)

[R1CH]

Hi All

@Jem Thanks!

@Jaysmd: I know only too well. Unfortunately for me I cannot remember exactly how long it took but I know it was longer than 9 weeks for me to feel better and it came all of a sudden. Whilst I was in hospital they increased my dose to 40Mg from 20Mg. Unfortunately it is trial on error as you know. Just try not get to disheartened recovery is a step forwards and then sometimes a few steps backwards. I thought I was all better on my imipramine, I took my boys away for half term and had a great time all week, but when I got back everything came crashing down again. What a waste of 13 weeks for me! :( and here I am once again starting citalopram. I'm just hoping the ride is easier for me this time. Stay strong and take one day at a time.

Incidentally have any of you suffered any major insomnia? I had it awful last time and woke with anxiety burning my skin, I thought something else was a matter with me at the time. I ended up on Zopiclone but I'm hoping to not be that bad this time as that was a horrid drug.

Good night all and good luck tomorrow, tomorrow is another day

Rich

[Jaysmd]

Thankyou for your input
If you don't mind me asking... At roughly what week were you put up to 40 from 20mg?
Also why didn't you like zopiclone? I take a small amount nightly to help sleep

[Jem21]

Not this time Rich but I've had the bad insomnia before and the burning skin, also took zop and it helped me to nod off but I would still wake, it was a low dose though!

Jay I think it works when it works, I've been on it before and it worked after 2 weeks, another time it took 4, I've been on different doses. I think everyone is different. I had extreme tiredness this time and the no feelings they have passed but I'm still having anxiety but like you I'm scared to increase as I don't want all them back as they were horrible.

[R1CH]

Thankyou for your input
If you don't mind me asking... At roughly what week were you put up to 40 from 20mg?
Also why didn't you like zopiclone? I take a small amount nightly to help sleep

Hi
Well I cannot remember exactly but I would say about week 7. I was in the hospital seeing the crisis team and I literally could not sit down, I was pacing and shaking and that's when they said maybe you should come in. Also the crisis team like to wash their hands of you as quick as they can and only normally deal with people for 6 or so weeks until they are getting better but I obviously wasn't. It was in the hospital that they increased my dose so it would of been week 7 or 8 i'm fairly sure.

Zopiclone made me thick headed the next day and I found it only worked for about 4 hours, I was on 7.5mg. I would then wake in the early hours with burning skin and I would get out of bed and walk around in circles for hours after, not nice, my mind was a total mess at the time constantly overthinking things and trying to think how I could get better, it was a re-occurring loop. Its important to break this thinking if you are thinking like this. Get out for a run. I go to the gym 3 times a week and do 2 hour session on Tuesday and Thursdays - fighting fit and circuit training, it breaks any crazy thought patterns and makes you feel much better IMO, however you do tend to get a comedown when you wake up feeling the same again in the morning. :(

Day 2 for me has been rough this morning. I stopped all of my imipramine now but felt rubbish this morning. took 20mg cit, 2 mg diazepam and 150mg Pregabalin. Feel better now just a bit down.

Keep up the fight, it'll be worth it

Rich

---------- Post added at 10:27 ---------- Previous post was at 10:23 ----------

Not this time Rich but I've had the bad insomnia before and the burning skin, also took zop and it helped me to nod off but I would still wake, it was a low dose though!

Jay I think it works when it works, I've been on it before and it worked after 2 weeks, another time it took 4, I've been on different doses. I think everyone is different. I had extreme tiredness this time and the no feelings they have passed but I'm still having anxiety but like you I'm scared to increase as I don't want all them back as they were horrible.

Thanks Jem, I'm not getting insomnia yet but then I am only on my second day. I think the pregabalin helps me with sleep anyway.

[LiveAboveIt]

Can Citalopram cause uncontrollable racing thoughts as a startup side effect? I never had this issue before the pills.. It feels like even though I know its anxiety, my mind wont stop racing about it. Is this just a symptom caused by the artificial increased anxiety brought on by the drug? Im day 33 on Citalopram in total, 29 days on 20mg and Im ready to quit taking it at this point.. It seems like it has somewhat numbed the intensity of panic symptoms, but my mind wont calm down and is just going nuts, without any help from me. I dont think I can do this anymore.

[Jem21]

Yes it can, my brain was totally manic and was racing so fast I couldn't keep up, it was really scary but it does pass, it's just a side effect! You can do this slowly breath in for 4 and out for 6 and imagine your body floating! Just count the numbers and think float. It calmed me a bit when I went through the manic phase as I like to call it.

[LiveAboveIt]

Ugh, Im so glad to hear you say that. My Psychiatrist said it wasnt a side effect and just wants to increase my dose to 30 or put me on Lamictol... How long did your "manic" phase last, Jem?

I honestly dont know what Id do without this forum, lol. Speaking with others that are going through similiar experiences is very reassuring, doctors havent helped much with this.

[Jem21]

It lasted a couple of weeks so should be almost through it, I then went totally the other way where I had no anxiety but no feelings at all, you literally could have shot a puppy in front of me and I'd of felt nothing, that also passed. Everything is temporary!!

You read a few posts where doctors have said certain things aren't a side effect but they haven't been through it, we have and if you didn't have it before then it must be! This place has given me more help than most doctors where anxiety ands side effects are concerned!