Hi guys,
Wondering if I should increase to 10 mg.
I've gone from 2.5 to 5 mg to 7.5mg, since June 22nd.
I thought I was beginning to feel better on 7.5mg, and I have had some better days.
However, got involved in a bit of a family argument this week with my brother and the last couple days feel back at square one. No sleep the last couple of nights, racing heart, feeling jittery. Churning, upset stomach. Absolutely yelled at him on the phone (all deeply buried resentment coming out.) I was a bit scared by myself though.... I was SO angry. Anyone else experienced this anger on cit? Although I do think maybe it was just a lot of resentment that reached boiling point.
This is nearly my 4th week at 7.5mg, will be tomorrow, wondering whether it is quite enough. Perhaps I need to boost up to 10mg.
Or should I give it another couple of weeks? I think it's also partly psychological, as I know I recovered at 10 mg before.
Trouble is, am not sure what is actual anxiety, and what is side effects any more. Tablets do make me feel a bit jittery anyway at the moment. Either that, or just plain exhausted.
I take it first thing in the morning, around 7 am, with breakfast.
Morning Ruth
I would give it another 2 weeks on the dose you are at. As you say the argument with your brother may have been resentment and might have happened anyway, with or without the meds. Not saying you are doing this but sometimes it is all so easy to blame cit for our feelings when if you think about it we are only human and are going to go through emotions regardless. If after another couple of weeks of letting the dust settle so to speak, you are still feeling like Mrs angry then go speak to your doctor. I know when I was trying to adjust to a dose change I got very annoyed with my grandson for not a lot of reason but it passes
Thanks Sue,
I think you're right. I've been really peed off with bro for ages because he keeps stressing out our elderly parents, and I've been sitting on that fury..... so, not really because of cit at all, just anger coming up to the surface. Which is likely a good thing. I think we've all been tiptoeing around him a bit, well, not any more. He got several pieces of my mind yesterday.
I need to follow my own advice and not keep upping the dose. This level could be enough.
Need to remember that I have had some good days over the last 4 weeks, as well as bad.
I definitely feel as if I have more energy, but am not quite feeling a mood lift yet. Also, my sleep is still intermittently rubbish.
I have beta blockers here, but am also trying not to medicate my natural feelings too much, if you get what I mean.
Thanks for replying. I just so want to feel like my normal bouncy self again. But, as I keep telling other people, it can't be rushed.
As others will tell you, you are right it can't be rushed. If you are having some good days then it is working but understand how frustrating it can be when all we want is normal, been there done that now let's move on. Has taken me 6 months to get better because of my frustration and changing doses. Have settled on 15mgs and am fairly back to normal, although 20 was my dose last time on meds.
Don't be hard on yourself about your brother sometimes things need to be said and now he knows how you feel and if he doesn't take anything from that then it is his problem not yours
I'm also really kind of jerky, involuntary muscle spasms.
It's so weird because have had some days where I actually do feel OK. I think what I'm mostly experiencing is an increase in anxiety symptoms, although was also a bit more depressed last week.
Do you think this is kinda normal for about 4 weeks into the increase?
My GP is generally good, but even he is a bit off with timing....eg you should be feeling better in 3 weeks.
Hi Ruth
You have given me some really good advice on coping with my withdrawal for which I thank you. I don't think I can offer any real pearls of wisdom but I think I would ask myself, in your case, do I want to come off this med eventually or stay on it. From previous posts I get the feeling you have been trying to come of it in the past.
If you still have withdrawal in mind I would stay where you are until you get over this temporary blip. Once your head is clear then you can decide what's best for you.
I'm sure you will be offered excellent advise, as I have, from far more experienced citalopram users here than me.
Try to deal with the anxiety issues, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how. I know family situations can be difficult, I am not looking forward to a visit from sister in law this weekend, so overpowering. Worse because I'm not in any state to fight back. I have to bite my tongue.
You will overcome this blip and you will continue to give excellent advice on here I'm sure.
Take care
Yes Ruth it is normal after only 4 weeks. I too had the jittery feelings and the involuntary muscle spasms, that has all gone now, as hard as it is I did tried and flip it with side effects and tell myself that they were nothing to worry about, just the meds doing their magic, (says she who used to come on here and bemoan that I couldn't cope 🤔
Thanks Sue, very reassuring.
Recovery is just tough. It's a long old road..... Ugh. Good to read that you are doing better now 😊
Am gonna get myself out moving very soon. Have a great rest of the day.
Thank you Lina,
I actually called my brother about an hour ago, I apologised for yelling and he apologised for his part in the drama. Family stuff is so hard, and we are not a family who has ever been open with one another, so it's a bit tricky.
Yes, one day I'd like to be off these. But we'll see..... that feels very far down the road at the moment. At the moment, just wanna feel well.
Thanks for your encouragement, much appreciated.
Yes, I understand, oh to feel normal again. Oh for a magic wand!
Take care
Hello, anxiety can causes many symptoms, and sometimes you arent particularly worried about something, or are aware of it. Certainly, irratability, less tolerant of people, anger, worry, insomnia and lots more. You can get used to it, so you arent sure if you are anxious. Feeling exhausted usually follows periods of anxiety, as it takes so much energy out of you. Feeling exhausted and tired is good in a way, as it means you have relaxed somewhat. Otherwise, the anxiety would just continue escalting. 10mg sorted you previously. Youve been on 7.5mg for 4 weeks, so you should experience too much side effects going to 10mg. 10mg is still a low dose, although certainly enough for a lot of people. Id say increase to 10mg. It would also stop you worrying about whether you should increase or not. You can think im on my optimum dose, lets just get on with things. Most people who have taken anti depressants for a long time, HAVE A LOT of experience, have a feel for what dose they need, Intuition. I followed mine with dose increases, felt happier when id done it, and got it right each time. Hope this helps.
Hello Ruth, am sorry to hear that you are struggling. Am i right in saying you were on 10mg a few months back? You have had alot of dose changes in the last few months, I know alot of people would see your dose as being low, and it is for some but not others. I have found in the past that its too easy to increase the dose when going through bad times and have learnt that its not always the answer. Ruth I was on 60mg years back before it was changed to 40mg, my emotions were completely numb, didnt realise how numb until I came off them and me came back. Anxiety is a natural human response to danger, I know you know this, try not to let it scare you its ok to feel many emotions. Have you tried cbt? I found it fantastic, life changing. I may still feel irrational fear and can now rationalise it. Infact at times when i start feeling anxious I see it as a sign that i am overdoing it so take time out.
Two months is not a long time to settle especially with dose changes, can you remember how 10mg affected you? Hope something i have said helps.
Focus on your good days and one day you will have the odd bad day, dont be so hard on yourself, give yourself lots of tlc, you deserve it.
Please remind me of my advice in a few months when I am tapering 
x
Ruth,
Definitely stay at 7.5 for now until you settle. Don’t rush to go up. A month admin I was feeling I should raise up. I’m glad I didn’t and I’m good now
Hang in there. I’m glad you and your brother are speaking. Apologies are great especially from both of you.
Keep us posted of how you are doing.
Will😎
Thanks all.
Spoke to gp yesterday who advised moving up to 10mg, just because she feels it would be better to take the whole darn pill rather than faff around with cutting to get a 7.5mg dose, which is probably a bit inaccurate anyway. She said that I wouldn't really be experiencing side effects now, and that the anxiety spikes are part of the existing condition.
But we know better, eh? When up-dosing, it is totally normal to feel side effects for ages. I do kind of agree with what she is saying about the pill cutting though. I'm probably getting different doses every day doing this.
So. Am gonna give it another week. I took a beta blocker yesterday, to cope with the heightened anxiety. And I made myself go out last night, as planned, even though I really didn't feel like it.... and had a good time.
Problem is, it's school hols and although when well, that is lovely, when unwell, it leaves far too much time to ruminate.
I think this week's blip was due to family stress and the fact that I moved into new flat last weekend.
Thanks everyone. Support much appreciated 🙏
Thanks Will, yep, gonna stay put for now.
You're right, Paula. And am gonna give it a bit longer to settle. Just gonna roll with the bad days as much as possible and see where I am in a couple of weeks. Thank you xx
Thanks Nigel, gonna increase in a couple of weeks if feeling no better. Much obliged for your support.
Haha yes, will remind you of this, for sure! It's so easy to forget. Sun's out today and already I feel better.