Citalopram

[DuckPancake]

Was on citalopram 20mg for about a month due to low mood from feeling like I was stuck in a rut.

Now I've found full time work I felt happier and on a medical questionnaire for my new job it asked among dozens of medical issues if I was taking regular medication and if I suffered from depression/anxiety. Panicked I circled "no" and decided to stop taking my citalopram because I'm sure I'll be happier once I start working this job full time.

But now I've noticed I'm in such a foul mood and moaning about everything my DP does/doesn't do. Is that because I've stopped taking my citalopram?! Should I go back onto it and risk lying to my new employer? Why do they need to know this?

None of their business, unless it's for a medical insurance application through your employer. Yes your low mood is due to stopping the meds. Get back on them and see how you go. Don't give the questionnaire a second thought and try to take back some human dignity in not sharing every single aspect of your life with a new employer, who would only ever use it against you...
But, by the same token, citalopram is not a big deal. Millions of people in the UK are on anti-depressants/anti-anxiety meds. And the majority are probably employed. Go easy on yourself.

I would agree with mrs Maisels comments and would also suggest that if you have been off them for a while perhaps cutting down to 10mg a day would be enough to lift your mood, give it a try and keep up with the 10 as a maintenance dose and if you don't feel any impact then creep back to the 20, the usual advice is never to cut out the citalopram straight away you should wean yourself off gently, even after years of being on citalopram if I go more than a day without my head starts to feel really foggy and headaches appear, then I suddenly realise I have missed my medication. it always surprises me how quickly the symptoms appear. I have been on various doses over the years and have been on 10mg for over a year now and feel quite 'happy' and when I do feel under pressure I remind myself that things might be less manageable if I wasn't on my 10's. I am a very mature student and in my final year of a degreee, when I finish this spring I am planning on reducing my dose even further to eventually being free of medication but definitely not until my course has finished. hope this helps

Thank you both. I will be training and starting a new career in pharmacy which I am really excited about, that's why I panicked. But I suppose it really is none of their business. Any one of their employees could start a new medication without their knowledge. Makes no difference. DP said I've been grumpy as hell this weekend and to get back on my meds.

I've only been off the meds for a week and that was because I shoved them in my bag after we had company for roast dinner last weekend and I forgot about it since then. But I'm really feeling it now. Will I have to take it for a while again before I feel the benefits?

Dropping down to 10mg sounds like a possible plan. I'm seeing my dr for a follow up on Wednesday anyway so will discuss with him.

It's really hard to say myself if the citalopram had a positive effect on me or not without an objective point of view such a my DP who said he definitely noticed a difference with me being off the meds. I don't know if I just felt in such a daze that I didn't notice the improvement in my overall mood while I was taking the medication? Maybe it's only when you 'accidentally' stop that you actually realise the benefit?