I was in the car on the way home from picking an order from a friend, less than 10mins from home I had an attack in the car. I'm on my 10th week of citalopram, I've been ok on the medication but I still don't think it's the type for me. Anyone else have some hints/tips?
You have only been on Citalopram 10mg for about 2 and a half months. Citalopram 10mg is an extremely low dose and it won't help all that much until you up your dose to 20mg, and even then it'll take a month after you up the dose till you really notice it. You probably know this by now, but Citalopram 10mg is just a starting dose to get your stomach used to the medication. Maybe it's not for you, but the other options aren't a whole lot better so I'd stick to Citalopram for a while. No Anxiety medication will stop 100% of anxiety attacks. I still have them on my way to work all the time, but the Citalopram has made it so it's not nearly as frequent as it used to be.
You can recover on any milligrams..I recovered on ten milligrams..and still on ten milligrams..
This isn't uncommon. And you don't have to go higher than 10 mg. Both times I have recovered, I have done so on 10mg dose, the 'therapeutic dose' differs for everyone... Agree with Lois. I'd stick with what you are taking for now, as recovery takes months not weeks. I wonder what's making you feel its not the medication for you....? Are you having other side effects?
You can, but most people move up to 20mg at least. There are people that have to go as high as 60mg. Most people can barely feel the effect of 10mg citalopram like my mom, she has 40mg citalopram and she didn't start getting better until she was on 30mg. As for me personally, I barely noticed the effect of 10mg as well but started recovering after I went up to 20. Also by recovering, I hope you realize there is no 100% cure for anxiety. On a side note your grammar is a little flawed an ellipsis has 3 dots not 2 so it would be... instead of..
I should add, I'd stick with where you are now unless the attacks become more frequent.... but hopefully it was a one off. That does happen.
60mg isn't recommended any more.... Maximum dose of cit now is 40mg. You could ask gp for an emergency benzo, just so you have back up at times of random attacks (bearing in mind it may never happen again.) My gp prescribed beta blockers, which I have used twice when racing heart was freaking me out at work, so that's another possibility.
Sorry to break it to you but the opinions you are leaving are totally wacked..I only give folks my experiences..and aside from all that there isn't a spelling bee on here that i am unaware of is there???you are giving folks advise ..and so I'm I..you ain't no better with your miserable sarcasm..
And also I don't sugar coat anything on here ..there's lots of folks on here that use ellipses..I don't have to explain ..I tell it raw...this is a forum ..and that's all it is..and me recovering on ten is just and example that anyone can recover on ten..my phychiatrist has folks recovered on 5 milligrams..and yes every one is different.and like Ruth says 40 is the highest milligrams..so get it together..
And also I don't sugar coat anything on here ..there's lots of folks on here that use ellipses..I don't have to explain ..I tell it raw...this is a forum ..and that's all it is..and me recovering on ten is just and example that anyone can recover on ten..my phychiatrist has folks recovered on 5 milligrams..and yes every one is different.and like Ruth says 40 is the highest milligrams..so get it together..
Hi Lauren,
I had my one and only panic attack whilst driving several years ago. I didn't realize what it was at the time. It was very scary so I know what you experienced.
When I started Citalopram I took 10mgs but at one point must have felt that it wasn't working so increased my dose to 20mgs. I remember feeling terrible on 20mgs, it seemed they were too strong for me so I went back to 10mgs and eventually stabilized. I remained on 10mgs for several years, I am currently reducing on 5mgs.
If you read some of the posts here, some people feel ok with 5mgs, 10 mgs seems to be a popular dose.
My personal feeling, for what it is worth, is try and get by on a low a dose as possible. Once you are on the highest dose there is nowhere else to go and should you decide to come off at any time it will take a very long time to wean off.
You may need to just give them more time to work on your current dosage (my choice).
If you decide to increase, you will have more start up side effects to begin with, I would go with 15 rather than 20.
If you decide to come off them, my advice would be to wean off them slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms. I made the mistake of coming off cold turkey and the withdrawal effects are not pleasant.
Furthermore, there are alternative medicines and therapies out there.
Only you know how you are feeling on them, the choice is yours.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Hi Lauren, Lois and Ruth have given you great advice, if you can stick on the 10mg and give it more time, it may suit you, if you increase up to 20mg there is a bigger chance of suffering side effects. Is this the first time you have had an anxiety attack? or were you put on citalopram for anxiety? Do you get any other side effects?
There are many factors that are involved when taking these, including age, weight, how long you have been on them, interactions with other medication including herbs. Everyone can react differently to these, like myself who is extremely sensitive to any medication. 20mg could be a high dose for some people and not others.
forgot to mention 60mg is no longer given as can be dangerous. 40mg is the maximum.
Your the one that seems bother not me iam just replying I don't what country your in but 60 is a no-no.the one that looks like and idiot is you.with your fowl language and all .talk about a troll on this helpful forum..I think you need the 60 milligrams .you sound like an extreme case..just from you posting these hateful comments on here you won't get any where..and guess what take your hate and shove it where the sun don't shine you miserable vile human..
Your the one that seems bother not me iam just replying I don't what country your in but 60 is a no-no.the one that looks like and idiot is you.with your fowl language and all .talk about a troll on this helpful forum..I think you need the 60 milligrams .you sound like an extreme case..just from you posting these hateful comments on here you won't get any where..and guess what take your hate and shove it where the sun don't shine you miserable vile human..
Hi Chendrim
I don't want to get involved in any arguments but I used to be a nurse and we used Mims to look up meds.
In November 2011, Mims published an article stating that the maximum dose for Citalopram was reduced from 60mgs to 40 mgs because there was no advantage in taking 60mgs as opposed to 40mgs. Furthermore, for persons over 60 years, 20 mgs is the recommended max dose.
Spare a thought for Lauren who, if you hadn't noticed, hasn't replied to any of these posts, I hope she has not been put off by all of this arguing. Reading this I expect she is wondering why she bothered posting at all.
Take care everyone, life is too short.
Hey there Paulafreeatlast,
I've been on 20mg since around the 2nd week of going onto citalopram. Before i went on the medication i was in a really bad state, when i started citalopram things got rough but after the 2nd week i was beginning to see a difference. It was yesterday (on my 10th) week of citalopram things took a very scary turn. I started on 10 for the first week then it was upped to 20mg
Honestly Lauren, try not to worry, I know it's easier said than done.
The higher the dose, the greater the risk of side effects.........and yes, they can occur out of the blue, even when you've been relatively stable. So you've been on 20 mg for around 9 weeks... that's still early days. Not two months yet at that dose. Things will settle. How have you been since the attack?
Hi Lauren,
You have seen improvements which is great, think of cita as support to assist with your anxiety, if you do have an attack it does not mean it is not working. If you start feeling worse then it would be worth speaking to your doctor.