My doctor recommends Citalopram but I can't help thinking I just need to do more running...

[RunningUphill]

I am depressed. My glorious career went to sh*t last year, my eldest child has been diagnosed with autism, my husband works long hours and I find it hard with work and childcare to get out of the house to breathe/meet people/get some perspective. I'm either furious or in floods of tears or grimly stomping on the treadmill in our front room to try and tire myself out so I can stop thinking.
My doctor says I'm depressed and need counselling and Citalopram. I'm wary of the chemicals and side effects of the latter my knee-jerk reaction is to that I just need more fresh air! but at this point I can't figure out how the hell else to get better. Am very bored of being only able to think about how pointless and crap I am.
Has anyone else been here or got suggestions? I'd be very grateful.

I feel the same as earwiga, I would really suggest you give it a go.

Good luck

HI RunninUphill and you really are, so much is happening now, feeling low with all that is happening is, in my view normal
-have you suffered from depression before?

personally I feel that feeling low is part of life, sometimes feeling overwhelmed is fine, I think it depends how long it has been going for and how much it is really affecting your life and your enjoyment of things
-do you retreat and fail to enjoy things that made you happy before?

I think medication can help to clear up the mind and exercise certainly helps too as does keeping helpful friendships and activities that contribute to your happiness

I feel medication helps but I don't think it is a long term solution, sometimes trying to get back to what it was instead of to what works now may not be particularly helpful

you clearly have skills and strength to cope and have proved that to be true in the past, things will change

I hope that helps, sorry if it doesn't

x

Hi I've read through and just thought I'd add something.

I'm a keen runner too and generally like to exercise but just over a year ago when my depression kicked in it wasn't enough. The endorphin rush was not sufficient.

I've been taking ADs for a while now. I didn't want to but the right ones make a real difference. I wish I'd taken them earlier. I was put on citalapram initially but they didn't work for me. I take dosulepin now and it's been brilliant. No weight gain/loss or nasty side-effects. It's also slightly sedating, which has been brilliant for me as I used to have problems sleeping.

I would say give them a try and then you will hopefully be able to cope better with whatever life throws at you.

thanks madmouse

My Mum is taking Citrolapam after finding things really tough since losing my Dad nearly 2 years ago. The difference in her has been HUGE.

I say take them. It will be a small dose so you will not be hooked, and not plummet into the depths of despair when you stop taking them.

You have such a lot to cope with atm. You need a little help to help everyone else.

I am a runner too, and due to a recent injury could not run as much as normal, and the effects on my mood was very noticeable. It gives you a break, the world stops for me whn I am running and I come back with a clearer head. Do you have a friend or family member who can sit with your kids just for an hour while you get out for a run?

I have taken fluoxetine which is from same group as citalopram for symptoms of PMS - mainly depression anxiety . I too was initially scared to take them as I thought it may make me come across strangely or turn me into a zombie. In fact neither of these things have turned out to be true-I actually feel much less tired and they just seem to give me a thicker skin so that I can get on with all the things I need to do in life( I am probably dealing with too much but thats just the way my life is at present and there's not a lot I can do about it)
I still drink wine fairly regularly with little side effect but libido is definitely lessened. Just have to make more effort!

Oh yes I actually eat less and tend to lose weight rather than gain:)

Thank you everyone. Still undecided about what to do, but feeling much more optimistic knowing that there are other people out there who have dealt with it and got better.

Running, im sorry but your thread title has just made me , i'll tell you why - three year on citalopram, bloody counsellor, didnt work - what worked for me? Sodding running i tell ya!! Well, maybe its not working so great just now as im just about to start my own thread asking for advice, but i may have a look through yours.

I find that running really helps me though, but i tend to get out to run, if at all possible, i call it my forest gump moment because i feel like i could just run and run, but then me being a lard arse keeps that notiion in check, but i still manage about three miles and the anxiety is abated. Thing is i've buggered my hip becaue i didnt warm up and can't run for a bit . I dont think running on a treadmill would help me though, i dont know why.

Another funny thing (i know, thers fuck all really funny about anxiety, i know) but i was speaking to a woman at school this morning about running, and asking her advice because i know she runs alot about my hip, i said sometimes i just have to run because i suffer from anxiety and she said OH MY GOD so do i!! So its a common thing.

Im struggling just now, cant get a job, no money etc, and im battling big time not to go back on the medication, because it made me not give a shit about stuff that i should have given a shit about, ie, i stayed at hiome for five years when i should have gotten a job.

You can get your career back you know, if not that one, a new one (reminds herself to listen to own advice!)

hope you do ok though, you gave me some advice a while back about my running i remember and i was grateful x

Hey Sunshine -- I'm glad I made you laugh. I did see the funny side when I posted that title :)

And yes I hear you on treadmill -- unfortunately I have no choice because I'm stuck in the house so much. But I'm setting my alarm early for the days when I don't have to get to work so very early.

I wish you loads of luck with your own situation. It sounds grim. How about we both take each other's advice and sort our careers out

and a disclaimer here I'm not the RunningUphill who gave you advice on your running! I feel terrible about pinching someone else's moniker!

Take care
x

I'm on citalopram (for depression caused by life events) and doing very well on it. It did have side effects at first, but I often forget I'm even on it now - I just feel normal again.

I can't drink, though, or I get terrible shakes. I've heard it reduces the effect of the drug and therefore this is like a drug withdrawal symptom. But it's still a small price to pay.

RunningUphill you sound as if you are compelled to be indoors all the time. SOme pepole swear by lightboxes (other supplers available!) to help manage this, partic in winter when it is so dark. You might be craving a good light source as well as a run.

Just started on citalopram this week. will let you know if/when i feel an improvement.

Thank you music, cat, demented.

I've decided to get the prescription next week and start taking it. Had a horrible day today -- burst into tears in Boots because i couldn't find the loo paper and then sobbed all the way home. (Bonkers, moi??)

Don't care any more about being able to have a drink: doesn't seem much point when it only makes me feel even lower. Sane and sober here I come.

demented, please would you let me know how you go? it would be a real help, thank you.

will do runninguphill
Drink is also a problem for me, so being on ADs might help me to stop boozing. Day 2 today - am tired and very headachy. Will keep you posted.

I have a huge amount of experience of SSRI's like citalopram (did I spell it right?), and I would say if you can possibly find other strategies to help you, do, these tablets can have serious side effects, the main one being losing your libido and ability to orgasm (this happened to me) and for some people (like me)they can be very difficult to get off of, and doctors don't have a clue how to get people off them, I am now after 10years stuck on them weaning off liquid prozac (it's taken me three years to get as far as I have now from 5mls down to 1.90mls).
Of course this may not happen to you and other people have positive experiences, but if it was me and I had my time again I would be looking at other strategies to help myself.

"Had a horrible day today -- burst into tears in Boots because i couldn't find the loo paper and then sobbed all the way home. (Bonkers, moi??)"

Sorry you had a grotty day and really hope things look up for you soon. I completely understand - this was exactly the kind of thing that made me decide it was time to go on anti-depressants. One day I was in the front garden when someone from the local church came round to give a newsletter - he said "how are you?" I just yelled at him for asking, burst into tears, and ran indoors! I just couldn't cope at all with changes of plan, late trains, or even running out of milk. I'd go round to friends houses, they'd say just one sentence that wasn't quite right, and I'd be sobbing for hours.

I've come a long way. Citalopram has knocked my libido for 6 too in just the same way as you, strawberry, but I just had to do something. Citalopram hasn't been perfect but it's been the better alternative so far.

Runninguphill, keep us posted to how it goes. The first few days/ weeks can be a bit tough until your body gets used to the drug - you'll find plenty of support on here. :)

I never wanted to take ad either. while struggling through the treacle I did find exercise was great for giving my Brain a break but wouldve had to go a lot for it to be able to make the difference. If I the time to do sufficient exercise I probably wouldn't have felt so overwhelmed in the first place,but with young kids time rich was something I wasnt going to be for a while. But something had to give.

Citalopram has been life changing for me. I didn't even realise how bad I truly felt until I didn't feel that way any more. Life is the same but my whole outlook has changed. I have perspective. My baseline feeling is happy, not negative or waiting for the elastic band to snap. Loads of people who dont know have said I look different. Dh is very happy, kids very happy too.

I found actually lost weight rather than put it on. I didn,t drink for a good few months but now have a glass of wine or two with no I'll effects. No awful side effects. First couple of weeks I felt sleepy but similiar to being pregnant. Doable. Libido been similiar but maybe improved, happier me, happier relationship, etc.Orgasm is more tricky though but not impossible. I had cbt too which was helpful but nothing in comparison to the citalopram. I do worry a little that I'll never want to come off it.

What does your dh and family friends think? What ended up making up my mind was me just not wanting to feel bad anymore combined with dh and fam very gently supporting the fact they thought it was a good idea.

Good luck with whatever you decide and hope you feel happier soon..

Soz just saw your update. Hmmm.....it was events like that that made it go from being able to limp along without ad to finding everyday things hard and having to do something.

Should also say the difference was noticeable to myself and others within a week.

my libido is non-existent anyway, so no worries there

.. so i'm on day two of the pills and i have ferocious indigestion!

anyone?

suppose it could just be another stress thing. have just put very shouty toddler to bed after a lot of wrestling over tea and bath and now negotiating with the big one about what time she has to go.

my six months of no drinking are looking very long at the moment.

hang in there runninguphill. Am on Day 5, a lot of headaches but that could be alcohol withdrawal and a bit drowsy, but nothing much else to report.

Yes I found they upset my stomach whenever I started them, I think I read somewhere that there are a lot of serotonin receptors in the stomach, should wear off though.

Hang in there all!

I didn't have indigestion - I guess it affects everyone differently. Not a nice thing, though. I did have terrible headaches at the start, but they eased off over time.

Keep on ploughing through :)