January blues/ SAD? / changing medication

Treatment and medication
1

Hey guys, 

First of all I want to say how grateful for this site I am, when I’m having a blip, or feel I am relapsing! It has helped me through so many things and it is so good to know I am not alone!

January. Is such a struggle. I had pretty bad anxiety the other day. It’s funny because the more I ‘relapse’ or have blips- it enables me to identify the cause of my blips and when I start to retract into an anxious/ sad state.

Every time, mine starts with anxiety- anxiety. Not the normal everyday anxiety everyone experiences from time to time. Far more intense.

I’ve been on Citalopram for 2 years now, in the summer- I do not feel the need to take it as much. & at one point was taking it twice a week or every other day... I began taking it again as normal- which took some time for my body to adjust to. It did- felt better.

I am currently on 20mg (I have almost vowed with myself not to increase my medication) as it seems every time I do- it does not agree with me.

I am really thinking it’s time for a change. I don’t want to experience these relapses, where I feel down and out and would like to have a stable period, without worrying that I will relapse. 

I am thinking to change to Escitalopram and wondering if anyone had experiences of that?

Citalopram has helped me in so many ways- however now it seems I am experiencing, more regular blips that start with anxiety and are causing me to feel depressed as a result!

Sending everyone lots of love... and hurry up summer!!

Louise xo.

2

Have you thought about just increasing the dose? I know you say you are against it but it seems more of an effort to withdraw from this medication and then join another if it HAS helped you in the past. 

I too get issues when changing doses for the first couple of weeks. I don't know how bad yours is, however I pretend it's the flu and try to just relax as much as possible during the first couple of weeks and hope that it goes!

Good luck.

3

Thanks John, that’s what I’m thinking.

It’s funny even though I have these blips- I feel I cope better each time maybe that in itself is part of the recovery? I don’t normally get ill- so will view at as a little bout of the flu!

Thanks for your reply

4

Great advice. I totally agree. When I increased from 20mg to 30mg the side effects were not that bad. Like you said though think of it as the flu. Rest up and know you will feel better!

5

That's a good sign if it gets easier I suppose!

No problem, good luck with it all and update us how you're getting on!