Cilalopram...

[YommyMommy]

I can only handle positive stories right now please :)

I have started on 10mg today for anxiety and depression. I'm do relived to b getting some help and looking forward to feeling like myself...I know it won't work over night but would love to hear success stories!

X x

[MissPricklePants]

3 months now for me, dosage has been increased to 30mg as I am still struggling. Felt ok but then started getting more down, fed up and generally felt awful. Hope things improve for me. Hope you are all well x

[Arcadia]

hi xraven. I am glad things are going well for you.
I am feeling good now too, that warm cosy feeling inside, and looking forward to things and enjoying things. I am enjoying my daughter more, and more patient and my relationships are all better. I am also socialising more, and feel more organised. I am handling stress in my life better too; I still get stressed but can somehow switch off from it better and choose to not let it get to me.
Also sleeping well on the whole and no longer tired.
All in all a good drug for me!

[xRavenx]

Two months in, and I'm doing well :)

I don't feel depressed any more!! After the first few weeks I felt ever so happy, which has faded now to just feeling normal. I think I was just overjoyed to be feeling better at first, and now I'm used to it!

My sleep pattern is much bettter although I'm still capable of sleeping 15/6 hours in one go. However I'm much less tired in the day now and no other side effects, even the dry mouth has vanished

I really am so glad I started. I had no idea how bad I was before, until I felt better :) Had a lovely christmas. Think I'll be on these for a few more months but that's not a problem

How is everyone?

[Arcadia]

Had post and run yesterday.

heartofdixie what has happened with your meds now, I wondered if you sorted out your dosage or if the side effects have worn off? I found that they lasted about two weeks when starting and when increasing the dosage but mine were quite mild luckily.

reastie I am a bit worried about the sexual side too. I now remember why I came off ADs about 12 years ago, because sex was just about the only good thing in my life then! TBH sex is not massively important to me or to DP however we do make the effort because it is really good when we do actually bother, and it brings that extra closeness to the relationship obviously. I probably have a higher sex drive than him normally. I don't think these pills have effected my sex drive but they have effected my ability to have a satisfying 'conclusion' if you know what I mean! That is annoying and I hope that it wears off.

babybarrister I have found the opposite that I have lost weight on them, however that may just be the side effect stage as I am only just coming out of that stage, and felt a bit sick so ate less, and have managed to lose a bit more weight and am now at my ideal weight ( had already lost quite a lot over the summer and autumn by doing myfitnesspal) and am now buying new smaller clothes which is nice! I am finding I am turning to food less for comfort than before so hopefully it will not make me gain weight in the long run.

Misspricklepants sorry to hear that you still feel tired but glad that you are having more good days. Hopefully the tiredness will wear off in time.

[Arcadia]

Hope the quiet board means that everyone has had a good Christmas!

I have enjoyed the whole Christmas period a lot more than I expected. My DD has been absolutely delightful, have found time with family cosy and relaxing, the usual family tensions have been dealt with better by everyone this year, and most importantly have had loads of sleep as DD has been sleeping later and later and even sitting in bed reading to herself in the morning while we sleep in a bit!

Just got back from a lovely couple of days in London with PILs managed to get out shopping in sales and meeting friends for lunch and tea in west end, so had some 'me time'!

Glad you enjoyed yours YommyMommy!

Now nearly six weeks into citalopram on 10mg for 4 weeks then 20mg for the last two. Side effects largely gone and feeling pretty good.

Happy New Year to all!

[YommyMommy]

Hi miss pickle pants...glad to hear you are feeling better i am too. Although I think it's downtown time passing as well as the meds! I still feel tired, and I'm not sure if that's medication or just life with young kids!!

I'm really enjoying time off of work n spending days chilling with the family

Hi to everyone else! Hope you all had a fab Christmas x x

[MissPricklePants]

How is everybody? week 6 for me and I am feeling more able to cope! Still feeling really tired and have had a few bad days but the ok days are more frequent which is brilliant!

[reastie]

heart that sounds really odd of the gp. There couldn't have been an improvement so quickly from you taking them I think, but, tbh it's a long term thing and if she thought you needed them a few days ago and just as she thinks you look a bit better today (and, let's face it, these things can vary depending on the day and your mood) she says you don't need them anymore I would question her logic and ability in this situ. Can you see another GP for another opinion? Book a double appointment to talk things through properly? Do you want to take them and think they will help or did you take them just because you were prescribed them?

OK, so does anyone find their libido comes back over time whilst on citalopram? I took it a number of years ago and remember I didn't have much interest but I didn't have a bf or DH then so it didn't matter. I have zero libido since going on them and finding it a bit . This is probably tmi but DH and I dtd the other day and I enjoyed it (although less than normal) but couldn't go anywhere with it IYKWIM and could have just not bothered . We had problems with my sex drive when I was on the pill as I lost all interest and it got to the point where we didn't have sex for months and months (if not a year or so) as I couldn't get into it and it hurt too much because I wasn't interested no matter what we did or tried. I don't want to go back to that again

[HeartOfDixie]

Even more confused now as saw the same doctor who prescribed them, told her all my side effects and she says I seem so much better than when she saw me on Monday I should stop taking them altogether. I told her that i thought the improvement was due to the cilopram but she swore blind it could not have any effect that quickly. But I'm so scared of going back to the tearful depressed me at least now I don't feel anything at all. Think I'm going to do 10mgs and see how I go with the side effects and then try and see a new doctor in the new year. What a palava.

[somewherebecomingrain]

Oops wrong thread. Ignore all!

[HeartOfDixie]

That's right I went straight on to 20, think I will do the half thing. It seems lots of people did 10 in the beginning. The doctor I saw was very uninterested and I was only in with her for 5 mins. Although I am rather large so maybe it's a body mass thing. Have got an appointment for 11:45 so we shall see what the docs says. Thank you for being there Curious.

[CuriousMama]

meant day four (4)

[CuriousMama]

meant to say reason being they can go out of your system quickly so if you're 'topped up' you won't suffer as much. In theory. Good luck.

[CuriousMama]

HOD is this day for of just 20mg, didn't you wean on from 10? I'd have half a tablet if I were you not none at all.

[HeartOfDixie]

Hi guys, I'm on day 4 with 20mg. I'm also weirdly 'frozen' in that I can't make myself do anything, just lie in bed thinking about how I want a glass of water. Couldnot face getting dressed so rang in sick to work. It's all very disturbing but I will take you advice and call the gp. I think I am going to skip my pill until I have seen them as well.

[CuriousMama]

HOD yes they are normal side effects that may last a week or more? I'd ring your surgery and talk to a GP. Maybe half your tablet (under their guidance).

[Arcadia]

What dose are you on HeartofDixie and how long have you been on them? I started on 10mg then went up to 20mg after a few weeks and the first time I felt a bit tired and sick on and off for a couple of weeks, but going up to 20mg the side effects haven't lasted as long. Sounds like you should speak to your GP though if it continues like that as it must be horrible for you, and broken sleep makes you feel so much worse. Hope you feel better soon x

[HeartOfDixie]

Hi everyone I need some advice or hope. The side affects area really awful and I was wondering how long they last. I have an extreme dry mouth, dry heaving, hot sweats and can only sleep for an hour at a time. Do you think this is normal?

[CuriousMama]

Hi Dixie and somewhere and welcome.

I hope the meds work for you Dixie and you manage to start sleeping through? My sleep pattern is all over the place at the moment, hate looking at the clock at 4am knowing i'm up at 7. But I pop back for a nap with dp who works night shift.

Somewhere sounds like you have a lot of stress going on. I hope it all settles down soon for you? You need to be as calm as possible at the moment. What's your Gp said about meds?

I'm not too bad today. I got a painting finished, an actual commision! It's a similar one to the moon reflection I did. Also started a painting of gladioli for a friend's birthday present but that's going to take a bit of fiddling with. I may just give up and paint her something else, maybe a rose? Gladioli are difficult!

I hope everyone else is keeping well? YM glad you're work is almost over.

My best friend is over to stay tomorrow night I'm really looking forward to that, it's been ages since I've seen her. We chat on the phone but it'll be great to spend a night chatting

[somewherebecomingrain]

Hello may i join in?

My story is that i was on fluoxetine, got pregnant with DC2 in August, and came of the fluoxetine. After about 4 months of withdrawal and morning sickness, I had an extraordinary month of happiness. But then my mum got diagnosed with ovarian cancer - luckily an unusual mild type but still not great, they can't cure it.

As we are living with my parents while my DP starts his start-up business it has unleashed a soap opera of epic proportions with my Dad riding us constantly about my DP's un-fruitful (so far) entrepreneurship.

For that happy month I thought: "Hey maybe this is it i can go off the meds". Now i'm thinking can i even make it to the birth without sertraline? (the ssri of choice for pregnant and lactating women).

I can't find any thread for anyone who is suffering med-less while pregnant but this thread looks good - you are mostly mums, you are going on and off meds, you are discussing life on both sides. I've already found useful stuff on here about how to go off meds your life does need to be a bit more sorted.

Maybe I can just chip in with how much i want to be one of you in 3.5 months time, when I'm due and can guiltlessly go on sertraline?

Yommy i've read your story and i'm pleased you are so much better and long may it continue.

curious i am so sorry about your exMIL - i know what you are going through.

xxx

[YommyMommy]

Hi ladies, how is everyone?

I was a real anxious Annie last night but fought it and felt better this morning this is my last full day at work before the big man comes...Half day tomorrow and half day on Christmas Eve!

Welcome Dixie and I hope the pilss work for you? I hated not sleeping at the beginning, thankfully it's better now! When I wake up I try not to let the negative thoughts creep in. The CPN told me to get up have a pee n drink then you'll realise ur still tired, also start with 100 and subtract 7, or just simply say the work 'the' over and over. The 7 subtraction usually bores me back to sleep as numbers is my job, lol!!

X x

[HeartOfDixie]

Hello. I'm new to this thread. It's only day three for me so am very up and down. I was wondering what you guys do when you wake in the night and can't get back to sleep straight away. I lie there with panicky miserable thoughts flying round my head, getting frustrated that I can't sleep. Also any tips for the dry mouth?

I really hate this monster depression but your stories give me hope.

[quirrelquarrel]

Thanks CM and so sorry to hear about your Exmil, bloody awful situation she's in. Remember you can't be good support unless you take care of yourself too.....so it's important to put time aside for yourself

For headaches, have you tried having a shower? I know, I know, it sounds awful- getting wet and cold with a heavy head. I used to have headaches almost constantly at my old school, I was so stressed, and heat always helped at least a little. It almost went during a hot shower. Came back but for temporary relief it's good! That's probably a clue as to what kind of headache it was, but I'm no scientist, don't know. Relief from a hot towel on neck points to tension headache, which I'm not sure you'd get from meds?

Otherwise, have you tried keeping off things like bread, milk, cheese, sugar while you have a headache? Also, seems obvious, but lying very quietly with head and spine aligned and relaxed with the light off for an hour or so really helps. With something playing softly in the background, an audiotape is good, to take your mind off the pain- it's amazing how pain grows when you concentrate on it.