Not sure where to go next with cit ?

[Rocker]

Hi all

I have been on cit for about 9 months the first 3 weeks were the worst 3 weeks of my life so far as I was so anxious before taking it all it done was pushed me higher than I already was anyway I have had anxiety for about 20years I only started taking cit last December as things all built up and I 1 Saturday I remember it like yesterday as started havering panic attacks one after another and could not seem to pull myself out of them like before so I thought the right thing to do was take something for it.

The Monday I went to the docs and put me cit so I started on the Monday 20mg within 3 hours my anxiety boosted so high I could not even move out a seat that night it even felt like the walls were moving like I had just taken something else I think you know what I mean I am 38 and it was the scariest thing I can ever remember this carried on for 3 days and phoned the doctor which told me to stick it out easy for him to say anyway I cut the tab in half which within hours of taking it made me feel a bit calmer not a lot but a bit.

From there till now I managed to get to 30mg very slowly by taking an extra 5mg at a time I never have felt normal on them well what is normal with anxiety but different my anxiety would be low level all day I did have really good weeks on the way up which made it even worse when it returned so I was on thirty for about 3 months then still not feeling right I could not sit and watch tv any more like before I started them as I needed to be busy all the time like, Well after a while I started getting night sweats so bad I would have to change each night
So I thought that maybe the dose was to high or to low I upped my dose to 35mg bad idea I felt terrible so went back down to 30mg the next day I felt really good again for a few weeks then the night sweats started again every night so this time I went down to 25mg to see if that helped which it did a little for about 4 weeks but still not being able to relax and being sleepy all the time so I went to 20mg which I felt so good for 2 1/2 months I thought I was there with cit no sweating at all quit happy most of the time but then I started feeling strange again so I thought it has to be the cit as I never felt like this without them yes I did get anxiety but I get it with cit it's just different when on these.
I am now on 10mg which I def can relax more than all the other doses I don't mind taking this for the rest of my life if it makes me feel better but the last few days I am feeling a bit strange again feeling a bit low then ok then low again it's nothing I can't deal with but I do expect to feel anxious now and then as 10mg is not a high dose.

Sorry about the long story but hope this will relate to people feeling the same the question I have is would I maybe feel better off cit as they really have not made me feel myself yes they have helped me now and then I before these I would feel ok between months and years I just don't understand why changing my dose down makes me feel so good for a while then it goes all strange again.

Before people say stay on one dose for longer I have done that but I just get worse until I drop down again.

One thing I would say is get a hobby as I starred doing marine fish tank 7months ago maybe not ideal for everyone but has def helped me as it keeps me busy.

Any advice would be welcome with we're should I go now.

Thanks rocker

[STEPHYUNO]

Hey there, I have a quite similar story, I'm 39 and have been on and off different SSRI.s most my adult life, I reluctantly went back on citalopram 10mg last week for first time in couple years, so stilla bit up and down.

It is so hard to get the right balance and like you say, the strange feelings and effects can be as disturbing as low moods and anxiety at times.

I have no intention to go up in dosage as I can fortunately cope on this dosage and don't want to experience the depersonalisation and general weirdness that I have in the past.

It sounds to me like you have just about got there, which is great 10mg to take the edge of of things and taking up some activity, good on you!

The only problem for me is that I like a few beers, but don't know if I should mix with the citalopram and although I wanna be tea total, it's no as easy as I would hope.

Awe the best, Steph:)

[Rocker]

Hi stephyuno

Thanks for the reply

I used to have a beer now and then before I started the cit but decided to give it up completely when I did start them.

I went to a party a 4 weeks ago and thought ah well I will see what happens so I had a good few beers and i Mean prob more than a few anyway I did not feel bad at all to be honest I felt gr8 which is quit bad in itself as drink is not a fix for anything but it was nice not to worry about anything so it did not make me feel ill but everyone is different I think it all depends on how you are at he time I was having a really good month anyway.
I have not had a drink since that party.

These tabs are so strange when taking them as some people are perfect when taking them and some just don't get to the place they want to stay at I been at the place over the last 9 months but can't seem to stay there.

It's a long old journey when taking cit and will hopefully make me stronger and anyone who takes them strong as well I def think I will stick to 10mg as long as I can as I am not feeling 100% but who really does I think the prob I have is every time I was changing my dose I felt so good for a while then it starts to settle down that's when I feel strange again maybe these are not the tabs for me but don't want to give up yet.

Thanks rocker

[Rocker]

Any more advice please

[Laura123]

Personally after this long on them I would say they are not the right meds for you, you have put up with side effects long enough, it shouldn't be that bad, I would go back to doc and try a different ssri x