Just wondering if anyone can put my mind at ease or give me any useful hints/coping mechanisms. I am on week 8 of taking 20mg Citalopram and it's been a slow process but I've been feeling good after the initial couple of rough weeks. I'm now having a few blips and been experiencing head aches and sore stomach! Which obviously gets my anxiety ramped up. Has anyone been in same situation? Should o not be almost there after 8 weeks! I spoke to a Dr today and they said its still a bit early and I need to give it 12 weeks. I am also taking nexium as the anxiety has given me really bad acid reflux. Looking for any friendly encouragement or words of wisdom to keep me going....
You will get loads of replies because 99% of Cita users experience what you are right now. Of course the type and intensity of the side effects varies from person to person as we are all uniquely one off individuals. Your GP is right you have to give it time and just try to go with it. This sticking plaster for the brain does give us some strange and annoying side effects and like now the odd blip.
My first month on Cita was accompanied by man flu and I was in such a state I didn't know if it was side effects or flu so, in a way I got off lightly during the initial settling in period. Remember that Cita does cause anxiety to be able to treat it so hopefully you'll get over that soon which does not help with health paranoia. I was convinced so many things were wrong my GP sent me for every test inder the sun until I got over that.
Anyway, there will be more people around soon to give you better advice due to similar experiences with stomach and headaches. Stay tuned!
Keep posting, keep asking, no matter what, and try not to over thonk or worry about things.
One more thing - Welcome to the Club! It is all inclusive and gives great advice!
Hiya Ems, it sounds very familiar to the recovery process to me. My headaches, nausea and tiredness are all signs of blips and stress active in my body. I'm currently in 10mg and 5 and a bit months in. I've definitely in a better place than I was when I started but very recently I've had the headaches, nausea and a few othe symptoms and because I'm on a low dose I will see how long this lasts for before considering talking to GP about upping my dose. But from what I read into your experience I would say this is absolutely normal for recovery with Citalopram. I hope this reassures you somewhat. Stephen
8 weeks is early, yes. Count recovery in months, not weeks. Took me 6 months to recover. What you're experiencing at the moment is normal and it'll pass. You'll have many more of these I'm sure.
You need lots of patience on these meds and lots of perseverance. Just keep going, relax towards the blips and let them be there - they'll surely want to have their say anyway.
Thanks Stephen. I think when you have such a run of good days it throws you! I am a lot calmer and can handle it but my mind still starts to work overtime. I had it in my head it was around eating and now I anticipate some kind of symptom when I eat! I'm starting CBT soon & that will help too but I just had to ask as I was slightly panicking. I had been told 8 weeks was early but then others said it wasn't so knew I'd get good advice here. Thank you
I was trying not to count but this blip has come out the blue and thrown me. My doctor did say 12 + weeks I should see considerable results but I just thought at 8 weeks I should be getting there.
I'm able to control my feelings before I get in full panic mode which is good but I still hate the feelings. I've been back at work for 4 weeks and all is going well, I just get caught up when I feel not great again.
I'm staying positive and thanks for the reassurance it helps me so much x
Hi David, once again good advice.....I've had ten quite good days now when I eventually get out of bed, but getting earlier and earlier! Been to my craft shop today and done loads of walking (backache!)
I'd like to avoid upping my dose of I can, so going to try sticking it out till 12 weeks if I can. Scared of side affects going up a dose too. It's never ending! Just got to stay positive and keep fighting, thank you x
Hi Ems, I was still all over the place at 8 weeks and my journey has been a couple of ok days then mostly lots of anxiety days followed by a few more good days and lots of anxiety days until it was about 50-50 then the good days outweighed the bad. As I said before I've hit a bit of a patch myself but I honestly think this is because I've not managed some recent stress and my job can also be stressful. I would definitely not look at upping and reducing dosage every time anxiety seems better or worse as I sometimes see posted on the forums. There's a few people with a lot more experience than I have with this medication ( Katecogs being one of them ) and their suggestions I would say tend to be spot on. Stephen
Thanks Stephen it really does help when you know others have faced the same obstacles. I'm not going to up my dose I'll just keep moving forward and take every day as it comes. I'm back at the Dr in 3 weeks so I can discuss then if I have any worries I suppose. Today just made me question my recovery and I got a bit stressed. I work in a hospice as a PA but I interact a lot with patients and deal directly with admitting then and sometimes reading how they are suffering makes me panic too. I'll get there slowly but surely and it will make me stronger :-)
Great name btw You are going through the usual side effects as teh serotonin increases, unfortunately it does take some time as the building up is critcial for the mood and chemistry to balance, You are almost there hang in there my friend dont lose faith dont stop taking them either they will surprise you soon how good they are Take care
Hi I've been on 20mg citalopram for just over 4 weeks and I feel terrible. I was getting some relief late afternoon and evenings and had a good day on Sunday but the last 2 days have been terrible. The nausea is constant and I can't eat, the anxiety is still there but beta blockers help with it. I'm just so fed up I want to feel normal again and get back to work xx
Hey Stevo, thanks.. It just confuses me as most people have said 8 weeks and then to be feeling so good then have a few rubbish days it gets you down & my mind just goes into overdrive! My GP did say give it 12 weeks so I'm going to ride it out the best I can. I'm not going to give up it just sets you back. I hope I'm posting soon saying how great I feel 😊
Aww Victoria I really sympathise with you it's a tough journey but it's worth it as id rather not have the panic I was experiencing before! This is my 2nd time on citalopram. I was in it last year and as I felt great I took myself off them after 6 months! Huge mistake, I crashed and burned.. So here I go again. I am better this time as last time I couldn't eat, sleep, had to take Valium to calm me down & had 3 visits to A&E in an ambulance as I really thought I was dying! I also tried propanalol to help with the physical symptoms but that is not for me. Hang in in there, we can do it 👊🏼😊
Hi David, thanks for the wise words😀 I have been responding well but these last couple of days I've really doubted my recovery and over analysed everything. I just thought at 8 weeks in I would be a lot stronger, but I am going to stay positive and keep going.
I'm back at work, doing all my mum stuff and getting on with life, ice stopped googling and checking my heart beat too 😊 it's just these wobbles have scared me.
Though I say it took me 6 months, I was feeling well before then, just that it was that long before I could finally wake without any anxiety. After that I still got the occasional blip but it didn't last long.
And you are getting there - you said you've been feeling good ..... that's exactly how it works and is about right at this stage. You'll probably find you'll start feeling well again soon, and of course it'll be followed by more blips. Slowly those blips get less and less and weaker each time until they finally don't come anymore. Its how it works.
You might well see a big change at 12 weeks, but it works differently for everyone. You do need so much patience and you will get frustrated many times. But keep going, and you'll find recovery will creep up on you.
Forgot to add - it doesn't matter what dose you're on, you will still get to this stage of being up / down. Its just your body adjusting to the meds, and the bigger the dose, the more adjusting it has to do.
Hi everyone, just wanted to say I had a much more settled day today, had around 20mins today were I felt a bit anxious but so much better! I just need to embrace the wobbles I have and keep going. Still interested why I'm still having little moments but I'm glad I am feeling something and not numb😊 so taking every day as it comes now. I can do this 💪🏼