Lightheaded again

Treatment and medication
1

Hi everyone, it's me again.

I am still on 7.5 after going down from 10 to 5 and back up to 7.5.

I had to take me car to garage two days ago and had to hang around for an hour. I felt my anxiety come back and I have been lightheaded on and off since. I don't know if the anxiety causing it or the withdrawal/start up effects. So fed up with this rollercoaster, I know I caused it myself and I'm really annoyed with myself for messing it up. In need of reassurance for sure.

Hope you're all doing ok.

2

Is the withdrawals/start up again/.....

3

Don't be too hard on yourself, we have all put ourselves in situations we thought it was for the best and or we had control over. That is why after 6 months I am still trying to find my way through this medication journey because long story short, I thought I knew best. You will get through it and come out the other side stronger and wiser

4

Thanks Lois,

Just the reassurance I needed. Hope you doing ok☺

5

Thank you Sue,

It just takes a long time during which I start doubting again. Thanks for your support. Best wishes to you ☺

6

It's the increase, hun, honest to god. Every time you increase, you will have effects. One of the side effects of increasing is in erased anxiety for a while, and increased anx causes dizziness.

7

Thanks Ruth

I would like to feel consistently good for a few days but I keep yoyo'ing. I know I have to wait it out. Hope you're doing ok☺

8

I think it’s either going up or down with the med. I was flying into different time zones and when I took my pill later or earlier by 3 or 4 hrs it affected me. I didn’t think so at the time but now I realize it did. I’m very sensitive to meds.  

Will😎

9

Thanks Will

I've switched times a couple of times so that probably has affected me too. I take it at 4pm now and feel sleepy after for a short while. I never used to feel sleepy with it before. Hope you're doing ok.☺

10

Doing much better these last three days, fingers crossed it holds xxx yes, the yo young is frustrating. It's going to level out in time.

11

Hi Lina, 

Yes I was extremely tired for a couple of months. Weird thing was I could be yawning and then had bursts of energy and back n Forth. It made me crazy. 

Will😎

12

Hi Will

Yes, that's how I've been feeling. I'm afraid I have given in to it and I've gone back up to 10mg today. I can't stand it any more, not able to function properly, so I know this will take a while to settle again but I feel I need to go back to my original dose.

Maybe I'll try a much slower wean in the new year.

Hope everything is ok with you, I understand you have come of it successfully?

13

please remember that every time you change your dosage ,you will feel side effects and try to take your medication at the same time every day.This will help you allot.Also if you want to change your dosage,please let your doctor know before you change your dosage

14

Hi Marsh

Thanks for your advice. I know I can expect start up effects but quite honestly I don't think I can feel any worse than I am now. I was starting to think that I was never going to feel normal again, I had to do something, been like this for months. My anxiety is manageable compared to the withdrawal/start up effects that I am getting, it's these that are causing anxiety. If I didn't have them I could cope. Ironically, I can't remember ever having problems when I first started taking citalopram. What I have noticed after taking 10mg today is my upper back aches, wasn't there before I increased.

Hopefully I will settle back on 10mgs. I'll give it a few weeks and if no improvement I'm going back to doctor.

Many thanks, best wishes☺

15

Hi Lina,

It might put your mind at rest a bit more, now you have gone back up to 10mg, because you know it worked before.

Don't be discouraged, there's no rush to taper. All in good time, and if you decide you want to.

One thing that seems to come up in posts on this forum a lot, is that often people's second or third experiences with this drug are not like the first time. It can take a bit longer to settle in, people have side effects they didn't have the first time etc.

Now you've reinstated original dose, it's just a waiting game, really. And you most likely will have some start up effects, every increase seems to produce them, it's not a bad sign. Bear in mind they don't often come straight away, it can take a week or more for them to kick in.

Am two weeks on 10mg. So, am going through same.

Hang on in there.

16

Hi Ruth

You're right about my mind being more at ease now I've gone back to original dose.

I do hope this will work now, it's been a horrible journey so far. The giddiness has been the worse for me. The horrible feeling of going to the supermarket and wanting to get out of there quickly in case of feeling giddy. I used to be a careful shopper but now I rush around throwing everything in the trolley just so that I can get out from there. It's costing me a fortune.

I hope you are feeling better since your increase. I'll be interested to follow your posts.

Best wishes

17

Thanks Lina. I do feel better over all. But it's early days, and I'm counting on a long haul, really.

I'm a bit tearful, and my stomach is so gurgly.

I'm noticing a pattern in that I'm worse in the mornings, and better if I can get up and out and talk to people. However, when I look back to how I felt in June, when I really didn't want to leave my room and was actually so p****d off at the hot weather, I have definitely improved. Perhaps I would have improved anyway.... I'm just looking forward to feeling like I have stabilised. The good days outweigh the bad, but I'd like the bad days to be a distant memory, and sooon!

18

It's uncanny Ruth, some of my symptoms are just like yours. I too have a gurgling stomach even after eating a meal and I'm tearful at times.

The hot summer was horrendous for me too, I didn't want to go out in it. Stayed home with fans running in every room. Hot weather really affected my anxiety. I go out in light weight clothes most of the time. If I get too hot I feel ill.

Hopefully we will both feel much better by Christmas. 🎅 🙏

Today I got up feeling a little light headed but I got on with housework, cleaning, cooking, washing and ironing. I felt much better after but I'm having a rest now but I know once I get up if will be like starting all over again, that early morning heady feeling again. 🙋 🌻

19

Hey Lina, 

Stay at this dosage of 10 otherwise you will keep getting new side effects.

I’m ok im at 10mg for 6 months now. Feeling good! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

20

🙋That's great Will, it's good to hear success stories, gives us all hope.

Yes I will stay on 10. I still have symptoms but not as bad as before. Tinnitus noticeably louder though.🙏