Does anyone else suffer severe depressive episodes on Celexa?

Treatment and medication
1

Hi everyone!

I was first perscribed Celexa a year ago, at a 20mg dose. Things were going great, until December, when I suffered a setback. I had recently reconnected with my childhood best friend after 10 years (he moved out of the country after graduating school), who was dealing with trying to stay clean off of drugs. Unfortunately, in December, he relapsed and suffered an overdose, and passed. This affected me heavily, and may not have made it without Celexa. In talking with my doctor, I had my dose increased to 30mg. After a few months at that, I went back, expecting to lower my dose, but instead, it was recommended I stay at 30, and was given another year's worth of perscriptions.

I'm extremely happy with how this med is working for me (unfortunately, I've seen on here that it doesn't benefit everyone ), however:

Over the last couple months (only once every 3-4 weeks), I've seemed to suffer what seems like a severe relapse: borderline panic attacks, an inability to do anything, pure desperation. It only seems to last a couple of hours, and thankfully, I can feel it coming on, and can remove myself from social/work situations to avoid being in public when it hits. I've advised my doctor, but she says that it happens.

I don't take any other meds, or drink any alcohol. I'm curious if anyone else has the same kind of reoccuring issues, and what people have been able to do lessen or mitigate such an episode.

Like I said, this medication is doing wonders for me 99% of the time, I'm just looking for advice on this nagging 1%.

2

Can't say much about the Citalopram Matt but I've been on another AD which worked fine. However having been through some traumas at the same time I can tell you they aren't miracle workers.  Sounds like your friend dying affected you and that kind of emotion needs to be experienced.  Now if you're anything like me unfortunately a lot of emotion manifests itself in anxiety.  That's one of the reasons I'm now doing counselling.  Perhaps that is what is happening for you xx

3

Thanks, Louise, for the post. Counselling is something I've been considering, perhaps it's time to try it out

4

Defo. I should have been doing this years back. I always thought anxiety was my problem but through counselling I see that it was my thought processes that are the issue, its that which leads to anxiety and panic. When you think about it they are symptoms of something else.