Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Citalopram no longer working?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
    Posts
    227

    Citalopram no longer working?

    Hi all,

    I suffer from bad anxiety and some depression. Currently on Citalopram 40mg daily, which controls the anxiety. Some depression recently, to be honest.

    Yesterday, the anxiety came back with a bang! Just like when I first had it- anxious feeling all the time, tingles, heaviness. Also not sleeping.

    I reckon that the Citalpram has stopped being effective.

    Any thoughts on that?

    To move, what's the best alternative? Another SSRI? SNRI?

    Any thoughts very welcome!
    __________________
    Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
    Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
    -Groucho Marx.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Posts
    3,229

    Re: Citalopram no longer working?

    I was on citalopram for twelve years and I too thought it had stopped working, so I tapered slowly off it.

    After a while I discovered that whilst I thought it wasn't working, it actually was - as I slowly collapsed into an ever darker place, suicidal thoughts started occurring and eventually I started calling the Samaritans.

    After consultation with a GP I was placed on sertraline which did little for me other than seemingly raise my blood pressure, so now I am on 10mg of escitalopram. Whilst not making me happy and full of the joys of spring - and I still suffer from anxiety - at least I am no longer thinking of taking my life any more. Switching from one SSRI to another seems to be the preferred option; I still marvel at the world of chemistry where arranging the same atoms in a different order can have such an effect (escitalopram is the S-isomer of citalopram hence the name, if you fancy looking up the chemistry).

    I don't wish to sound too much of a doom-monger but certainly I feel I am one of those people with incurable depression/anxiety issues. If you want more than (IMO) useless CBT to help (which is handed out like sweeties because it's so cheap) be prepared to either have a fight with the NHS or go private.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
    Posts
    227

    Re: Citalopram no longer working?

    Thanks pample, I hope it's not so bad for me!

    Doc has supplied sertraline and some zopiclone to help me sleep. Apparently it's normal for the ADs to stop working at some point.

    I do feel a bit better, and managed a few mins sleep this pm.

    Fingers crossed!
    __________________
    Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
    Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
    -Groucho Marx.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Posts
    3,229

    Re: Citalopram no longer working?

    Fingers crossed for you - yes, SSRIs do just "crap out" on people I'm afraid so good luck with the Sertraline.

    If you've not had Zopiclone before, don't be worried if you have a rather bitter taste in your mouth the next morning... it's probably *the* most common side effect.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Posts
    126

    Re: Citalopram no longer working?

    After 12 years on Citalopram I think it has stopped working for me as well and I have relapsed with bad anxiety and depression.
    I did stop and restart twice in those 12 yrs and felt dreadful when restarting but it eventually worked I've had my issues over the years but I feel back at square one with this latest occurrence and getting 5 min phone calls from an impatient GP doesn't really help to change things.
    I am feeling better though and I hope you do too.🙂

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    3,557

    Re: Citalopram no longer working?

    Quote Originally Posted by rcs View Post
    After 12 years on Citalopram I think it has stopped working for me as well and I have relapsed with bad anxiety and depression.

    ...I feel back at square one with this latest occurrence and getting 5 min phone calls from an impatient GP doesn't really help to change things.
    What treatment has your GP offered to get the anxiety and depression back under control?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Posts
    3,229

    Re: Citalopram no longer working?

    Quote Originally Posted by rcs View Post
    After 12 years on Citalopram I think it has stopped working for me as well and I have relapsed with bad anxiety and depression.
    I did stop and restart twice in those 12 yrs and felt dreadful when restarting but it eventually worked I've had my issues over the years but I feel back at square one with this latest occurrence and getting 5 min phone calls from an impatient GP doesn't really help to change things.
    I am feeling better though and I hope you do too.
    Hi rcs,

    I'm not so bad, thank you: I still have the odd "wobble" but I'm better than I have been in a while. Not great, but coping for about 95% of the time. I'm still on the same dose of escitalopram: I am waiting for some one-to-one therapy but I did find that keeping a small pocket diary that I could write my anxieties/worries in and just close the book on them actually helped quite a bit.

    Here's hoping you get something positive from your GP - you do have to push at them, I'm afraid.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. graduated exposure no longer working
    By borojames in forum Agoraphobia
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 13-11-17, 12:43
  2. Mirtazapine No Longer Working
    By LisaCM in forum Mirtazapine /Zispin
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 04-02-17, 11:41
  3. Cipralex no longer working?
    By tn13 in forum Escitalopram / Lexapro / Cipralex
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 09-09-13, 17:03
  4. no longer working
    By Torri in forum Sertraline / Zoloft / Lustral
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 20-04-13, 13:30
  5. Diazepam no longer working!
    By candicemarie88 in forum Health Anxiety
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 12-12-10, 12:33

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •