On citalopram 10mg for 7 weeks. Should I increase?

Treatment and medication
1

I have been following previous posts since starting citalopram 10mg 7 weeks ago and found others’ experiences very useful. I developed severe anxiety during being very physically unwell with pneumonia from January. I had terribe side effects for 3 weeks. A little better for a couple of weeks was starting to feel further benefits at week 7. I was feeling a good bit better but have had a busy few days at family wedding. I feel like this has knocked back my recovery. Due to see go next week and he has already suggested increase to 20mg but after what I have read on here am thinking I should wait another few weeks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

2

wait a few more weeks 10is a good dose .best regards

3

Hi Hejohn/I would suggest that you should wait another 4/6 weeks and see how that goes,also if you went onto 20 mgs your side effects would start again

4

hi, everybody’s different upping doses, but worked greatly for me, be aware of more side effects but nothing like before and for less days, good luck.

5

Thank you. It is just disheartening after feeling an improvement. I have read about blips and am hoping that is all it is.

6

Thanks, yes that is what I’m afraid of and am hoping as I have had a few good days that this is just a blip.

7

Thanks. It is just frustrating after feeling an improvement. I really don’t want to have to face those side effects again!!

8

if you felt inprovement thats a good sign that it is just a blip.best regards

9

After 7 weeks i would increase. I did , had the side effects but it did help.
Try then to stick it out and in time you’ll improve.
I’ve done four months now but have just made a trip abroad! This i consider a triumph fromwhere i was.

10

Hi
I also agree stay on 10 mg for a while longer. This is my thirteenth week on 10 mg and getting some really good days but still the blips and I certainly wouldnt wish to double the dose with the awful side effects as am sure I will get there in the end without increasing. Apparently 10 mg is a good dose for anxiety.

11

Thanks. Had you started feeling any benefit before increasing. I was having a few good days in and off from 5 weeks which is why I was hoping that the 10mg would be enough.

12

Thanks. Can I ask how long your blips last. Mine has come on the back of a busy week…including a family wedding. I felt anxious at the wedding and then at the lunch the day after (yesterday). Am back home today and feel very tired and anxious, so 3 days now!

13

it varies .the blips last hours days or weeks .and they usually occur during any kind of event that is giving you natural anxiety.best regards

14

I found that when I was on the right dose it was like a switch, within a few days I was right. Your dose is low and I wouldn’t think twice about going to 20mg or more to get things right then reduce a bit when you feel better.

My side effects were mostly tiredness but that evened out in about 1 month. Feeling better is the goal, get there then sought out the side effects.

Good luck, anxiety and depression is no joke, it is very very real, break that cycle first then sought other things out a bit later, it is all a package.

15

Thanks. I seemed to have nearly every side effect including nausea, insomnia, no appetite and horrible increased anxiety which was frightening. I am going to try and ride this out and see how I feel when I see my doc in 9 days. I am really hoping it is just a blip.

16

Yes, some benefit. Istarted doing 15mg for two weeks then up to 20. Its a peculiar illness , with me how i wake up is how the morning will be. Good or bad. Afternoons it all eases but i feel i have zero control over it. None of it makes any sense but i suppose you just have to soldier on. No way am i 90% there yet but at nights i’m almost normal.
Hang in there..

17

After 8 weeks i had almost a week of normality then for no reason crashed back again, felt awful for five days but then felt a bit better again

18

HiLast one lasted 3 days.I have been fine these last few days but this afternoon very fuzzy head, bit shaky and anxious. I am beginning to accept how recovery happens and hopefully the good days will get longer and the blips less frequent. I think it is definitely the wedding which has affected you with probably no time to relax. I am sure you will feel better in a day or so.

19

Thats a difficult one only because everyone reacts differently. I hope I’m wrong but when you eventually go up to 20 (now or in a few weeks) you may feel worse before you feel better. Took me a while but now I’m back on 20 I feel it was worth it as I’m sooo much better. Not too sure if that helps you decide? However I really hope you get over this and start to feel life is good soon.

20

ive done 5 weeks on 10 then was bad again due to a physical illness been on 20 for 6 days and its been very tough buy i was on them years ago and they did help so im hoping the wirsened anxiety will end soon