***Citalopram Buddies... ;o)***

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

Well.. jumping in on the act of the other "buddy threads", there seem to a shed load of us on citalopram.

How many of us are there exactly?

What dosage are you all on? Is it working?

I'm on 10mg for anxiety. It certainly takes the edge off the panic feelings and stops me waking up with that dreadful, crippling anxious feeling, as if my stomach's in a vice. But being as things are a bit crap at the moment, I do feel generally down even though I've never been technically considered depressed (just suffering from lifestyle induced anxiety!)

DH is on 20mg. Similar reasons, slightly different symptoms.

We have been on it since June.

I came off mine (sensibly) a month of so ago but the horrid panic came back and I just couldn't face all that again. It makes life "un-do-able" and I have a lot of stuff that I have to get done everyday/responsibilities etc. So not sure what the answer is but I certainly don't want to stay on anti depressants forever and GP originally mentioned a 6 month time slot.

What are other's experiences?

PS I hate the "no orgasm" side effect of citalopram!! It really really bothers me.. main reason I wanted to come off it.. but I hate the anxiety more! Anyone else on it suffer in that way?

Dont you have any friends or family you can talk to?
I know what it like cause my husband works away alot but thankfully has been home alot lately.
think you could do with starting now and getting on that road to recovery

I told my DP, and some close friends. I havent told my mum, she wont understand. No one elses business unless i choose to tell them.

Hello twigy and haventgotaclue.

I totally understand where you are coming from hgac. Maybe you could go back to your doctor and explain to them that you will be alone on the tablets and worried that the side effects may make you feel ill. They may well wait. They will most likely reassure you that it is ok. I was really worried about side effects, i DID have a couple of panic attacks at the begining, but i have to say, i would have coped better with them if DP had just left me alone with my mantra, of breathe, its the tablets!!

You can always post on here too, i know its not the same as talking, but there is usually someone around if you shout loud enough

Best of luck for the next month, you sound incredably strong and i have the utmost respect for you.

Could it be a good thing maybe being on your own? You can chat here to people who are going through the same as you, mooch around when the young-uns have gone to bed and chill out abit.
I think you'll be fine you taken the biggest step, admitting you need a wee hand, all you need to do now is welcome it.

Hi

Have just started this morning on the Citalopram , so can I join the Buddies Club!!!

I have been stalling from starting on the tablets, I too am worried about side effects, but I have accepted that I can't struggle on any longer and although I don't want to take them, I need to, and I'm hoping if I start to get any side effects, I can hop on here and get some advice/support. I know loads of people who are on tablets without any problems so am going to try and keep busy and see how I get on.

Thanks for Mumsnet for having this great site where we can talk without being judged.

Hi kkgirl. Well done for taking your first one!! Not everyone gets side affects, our bodies are different!!! THe affects arent too bad anyway remember you've been through childbirth, you can cope with anything now!!
I wish I had mumsnet a few months ago, it really is nice to talk to people who are going through the same as you.

Hi

I have been taking Cit since Weds, no real side effects, but wonder if I would be better taking them at night. The first night I couldn't get off to sleep, and put it down to having had an exhausted sleep at lunchtime, so didn't sleep yesterday just rested. Last night, found it hard to get off and have been awake since 4 this morning, DH too, so not sure who woke who up!!!

Should I miss it this morning and go for tonight.

Hi kkgirl was wondering how you were getting on.

I had the same problem as you and went for taking it a few hours before bed. Slept through the night!!! Couldnt get out of bed in the morning though.

It is worth a try switching the time. See what suits you better.

I take mine at night and couldn't sleep for the first couple of nights but after that I was sleeping 10pm til 7am (bliss) plus 2 hours in the day

Been on them 10 days now and sleeping well at night and less tired during the day so I think I was catching up on weeks of missed sleep

I've just had a lay down as I feel so tired, and woken up feeling really weird, all heavy, panicky and don't know how I feel, all over the place, what should i do

Dont worry lovey it is just the side-affects. Maybe you should stop napping and just read in bed for a bit, or have a cupa and read a mag! Chill out a bit. I felt spaced out for a bit and really tired.

Can you be bothered to go outside for a walk, that really helped me. LO slept, I got fresh air and lost weight.

Dont panic though you will only upset youself! Stick with it through i was only like that for a few days then it went away.

ive been on propranonol beaterblockers i was going to try others but i became pregnant im in a mess at the moment with worry

Oh Buzzybee I hope you are ok, I dont actually know what they are but hope they are doing the job.

I thought these tablets were instantly going to make me HAPPY. Seems not! They only take the edge off dont you think?

Twigy

Thanks for your reply. I am one of the lucky ones who hasn't had any personal problems with my mental health, although both my parents have had several breakdowns, the last ones they had resulted in them being hospitalised they were so desperate. Its is such an awful illness, and there is still a stigma attached, people feeling ashamed and embarrassed, and it is wrong, so i can sympathise and in a way, I have a bit of experience with coping.

This morning really freaked me out, as I felt worse than ever, I was shaking, burning, very anxious and scared. I rang the GP and asked for a call back which took ages so by the time she rang back, I was feeling stronger and doing a bit of hoovering!!!
I had an aromatherapy session booked but felt so bad, I couldn't walk or drive there - I have a courtesy car and was too nervous of crashing it.

GP says as it is day three then I should start to get over side effects by Monday, is that right. She says if it is still as bad, then I will have to go back, I want to persevere, buts its hard as all you guys will know all too well.

Buzzybee - thinking back to when I had the twins, I was a bit anxious due to exhaustion for a few weeks (years!!!!) and I had betablockers just for a few weeks, can't remember what they were, they just helped me over a few bad weeks adjusting to life with a 2 1/2 year old and two babies. Just keep posting on here, I think its amazing that you get support and advice whenever you need it.

Thanks

Im finding it easier to talk here. My hubby and best friend have been great but they just dont get it!!

I must admit I dont like telling people and when people ask why im off work i say 'stress'. or change the subject. But my work seem to think I am blagging it! Mmm should I go outdoors in my slippers to prove it!!!!

It good that you can have a good rant here, at least someone replys to you, my LO not much good!!!!

I find it easier to talk here, because as well as there being people who have experienced things and can support and give advice, it doesn't burden them and I don't want to keep on to my friends at the time or my husband.

Thats the trouble with work, I bet mine are thinking that I'm part time anyway, and whats the matter with me, my job is fairly easy really, its the people who are a pain. No one has phoned me this week to see how I am, that says it all I think.

Twigy how long have you been taking the Cit now, and what has it helped with. I'm just wondering when I would start to feel better, mornings are the worst, it starts to pass off around lunchtime luckily, and will it cure this awful feeling in my stomach?

Kay

I'm half way through my counselling and don't want to stop. Only have 3 sessions left after yesterday's. I don't feel like I'll be fixed by the end (i know that's not the aim but it's weird). Maybe I'll feel differently by the end. who knows.

Am much better than I was. I'm hoping my GP will let me stay on Cit when I next go back. They said 6 months last time, I'm 4 months into this lot.

Ps.. to those new to Cit.. you're GP may not have told you but Cit can take between 1 and 3 weeks to actually start working.. Side effects normally pass by week 3.

At least you can moan about yourself here and not feel guilty.

I'm on them about 3 months now. Started on 20mg burst into tears at tesco and lost my car 3 times!! So doc upped them to 40.

Bonus is I have found my mojo, i am now 'jumping off the wardropes', Hubby well pleased. Not as angry anymore! hubby says i am a bit giddy now, which is nice.
Donot feel anxious as much but when i do its bad. Lost loads of weight!!!! I forget to eat so need to keep a check on that. Sleeping can be a bit off still, so i take tab in morning and busy myself for about an hour before bed and make myself tired.

My GP said it would take 2 weeks to start taking effect, I thought it would be longer (previous experience with Mum and Dad). I have felt quite high and almost happy at teatimes, but mornings feel awful. I'm only on 10mg but I know that I don't need a lot of medication to help me, Co -Codamol for pain relief knocked me out.
I am finding it hard to eat, I am not interested in much so am eating a little when I feel like it and drinking water, tea etc as much as I can.

Thanks

I have been on them for a few months now, 20mg. Mainly for pmt, 2 weeks of constant crying and not wanting to do any thing before my period. It has helped although still not too great those two weeks. I must be one of the lucky ones as I have had no side effects although quite tired, but I was just putting it down to these horrible dark winter days, not sure now. But no other side effects definetly not the orgasm ones. All those starting on it or about to, hopefully you want have too many probs either

Twigy hello!

Hi Ya Itsa'
How are you getting on with the happy pils.

ok. the queasy feelings have gone and I am not as spaced out as I was. It's been a week now since I started.
I am having a bit of a problem sleeping but have been to the library and stocked up on books to read at night!
And my appetite has really gone down, which is a really good side effect as far as I am concerned. Shame that the pills don't give you a massive urge to exercise

Thats exactly how ive been. Ive lost loads of weight since ive been on them and my sleep was bad for a while hence the main reason for being off work!!

I walk every day and believe it or not have just done 14min.45sec on the exercise bike which is a big thing for me!!!!

I recon you have come out the other side now!!

How long have you been off work Twigy?
I kind of broke down at work last Tues and went to doc on the Thurs, so I have been off for a week and a half. The doc signed me off for three weeks initially.
I was worrying a few days ago that I was getting really anxious and felt like I was having some sort of panic attack - but them OH read the side effects and anxiety is one of them so I stopped worrying about it!