Hi everyone, first time posting here.
Told my GP of the ■■■■ I experience daily that is anxiety, and was prescribed 10mg Citalopram for week 1 and 20mg thereafter, I was also prescribed Diazepam to take for the first 2 weeks and organised CBT. Day 1 of meds today. I have not taken any medication before this. Just wanted to share my experience and I'm interested in others experiences with this drug for helping with anxiety and any side effects experienced by you.
Hey. Yes I'm having side effects still, started on 5 mg first 5 weeks, doctor upped me to 10 mg now been on the 10 mg for 4 weeks by this Sunday. Today and yesterday, very tired and anxious, told these are normal side effects and give it time, seems 5 plus 4 weeks is a lot of time for wanting to feel like myself again. No fast fix I guess. Good luck to you, I also take clonazepam but that I try to only take at bedtime but maybe during this new cit pill I should be talkin it to help bring that anxiety down some, just hate being so tired and not being me!
Start up side effects of cotalopram can be bad for some people. I suffer mostly with nausea and headache/dizziness.
Yep, I forgot the lightheaded dizziness too. Not everyday, so maybe the cit is starting to level out but today I'm so anxious/nervous tired.
Hi Cindy. Thanks for your reply. My GP told me that the Diazepam was to be taken alongside the Cit to decrease the side effects, to help with sleep and the increased anxiety that the GP said I'm likely to experience until the Cit starts working properly, maybe the Clonazepam would help you with the side effects the same way, try it
I do wonder why your GP put you on 5mg up to 10mg and my GP said straight away to take 10mg week 1 and that we will up it to 20mg after that considering I have never been on any meds before, for anxiety or anything else (I'm now thinking is my dose high ?). How do they determine who needs what dose, I wonder. From what I have been reading 5 to 10mg is a relatively low dose ? Perhaps you could discuss upping your dose with your GP to see if it helps you, from what I have read my understanding is that the correct dosage is most important.
I do suffer badly with anxiety, I manage to work full time though, just not enjoying anything really and I'm sick of spending every minute worry about things that may or may not happen. I don't know how to relax at all.
I plan to post updates for others on what I experience with Cit as I found other people's experiences to be very informative and also quite varied.
I hope you do manage to bring the anxiety down, to regain some energy and get back to being yourself. Thanks so much for your reply. xxx
It does help to talk on here to others that take this pill also, learning that how we're feeling while on it all sounds so normal. The smaller dose to start with is because my body does react to meds so crazy like, but I hate talkin anything but guess I'm in those years where I need some help along the way, menopause doesn't help either, hot flashes and anxiety is part of menopause along with tiredness, so I'm at a loss right now.
Hi Amy, thanks for your reply. I'm quite worried about the side effects, especially the nausea as my anxiety causes me to be physically sick daily anyway and the thoughts of the nausea becoming more frequent freaks me out.
How quickly do the side effects rear their ugly heads It's such a shame that you have to experience the side effects as the anxiety is bad enough without headaches, dizziness and nausea on top of it ! I hope you feel better soon. I have my fingers crossed, hoping I don't get too sick from them.
Has anyone gone to work when they first started taking the Cit ?
xx
Yes, thank you, I already feel better knowing that others are going through this rubbish also People I have spoken to look at me like I'm an alien and can't relate to how I feel, suffering with the anxiety, so I don't talk about it with them anymore really because they don't understand it.
It's awful that you feel that way, do you think you will try the Clonazapam in the day to see if it helps? xx
No problem, my side effects lasted for nearly 6 weeks this time round. I've been back on them for just over 2 months. Looking to increase to 20mg after my holiday as I haven't felt much change in my anxiety. I'm worried as I know the side effects will start all over again I couldn't cope on 20mg last time x
I just did,took half a pill, hate taking my clonazepam during the day but maybe it'll take this edge off. I take clonazepam for insomnia that's why I'd rather take it at bedtime but just took a half can take up to 2 a day, 0. 5 mg each.
Six weeks, sounds absolutely awful. I hope that I'll cope if I do experience side effects like you have. Did you take anything when starting the cit, to help.xx
No nothing! If it happens again I will ask the doctor for anti sickness pills x
Hi Cindy, how did you feel yesterday after xxx
Not the best of day and today, not a good day either. I took half a clonazepam around 2 and a quarter at bedtime, slept good but this morning pretty anxious. You, how are you?
I think I'm anxious because I'm suppose to go for lunch and shopping and I'm just not wanting or able to do that stuff yet, I think that might be making me feel anxious today too. Plus little body aches and pains make me worry about what it may or may not be, hate these feelings/worries!
I would definitely ask for something to help you. My stomach started churning instatly after taking my first dose yesterday like never before, unpleasant but nothing unbearble though. I did feel a bit weird after taking my forst dose, don't know how to descrbe it but I just felt a bit strange, had no appetite because of my stomach.
I take my second dose tonight hopefully I'm ok. I hope I'm not sick for weeks like you, I'm so sorry you have been sick for so long. I feel ok today, woke up early though, didn't take any Diazapam because I don't want to take it unless I have to.
When are you increasing to 20mg, I'm increasing next week after 1 week of 10mg, hoping I'm not to sick for it xx
I know it's so awful to feel like that, sorry you feel that way, I'm glad to hear that you had a nice sleep though ! If you really feel like your not ready for it then don't do it.
Your not up to it today, that's absolutely fine really
I'm actually feeling good today thanks, took my first dose last night and instantly felt sick really, and a bit strange, yawning loads too and no appetite. Slept well last night, woke earlier than usual but nothing ridiculous. Feel fine now though, I'm hoping I don't react badly in the future.
xx
I just sent an email to my doctor asking if I should come down to 5 mg. I really hate this pill, sorry I'm not helping you feel better about this pill but I'm so tired if feeling anxious and tired all the time. I too don't want to take my clonazepam, don't want to be so drugged up all day long or depend on a darn pill. That's part of my problem, I'm fighting these drugs I guess.
You mentioned you had been on 5mg for five weeks before upping to 10, how did you feel then ? That's exactly how I feel with the Diazepam, I don't want to take them because I know it's only a temporary relief, which in the long run won't help.
xx
I was tired maybe not as anxious feeling I don't think.