***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?

Cool do you want to post me your email address? My pal is a MNer and I dont want to give myself away by posting my email address!!!

Unfortunatly tues is the only good day for me next week, off to the Emerald Isle mi-week. Let me know how you feel. No pressure.

my email address is mushroomofjoy at hotmail dot com (but no spaces, obviously)

kkgirl if you start a new thread let me know

Buddies is anyone there.

Had a good day yesterday, slept well Sat night, and was able to do a lot, but in the evening felt anxiety creeping on. Went to bed but woke up in a panic again, this awful hot burning feeling all over me, and panic attacks.

DH has had enough of trying to deal with me now, he hasn't slept properly for months worrying about work, so I feel even more desperate this morning.

What can I do

kkgirl I don't think you need to do anything except relax today. Just saw on the news that today is officially the most depressing day of the year so nothing matters...

Morning kkgirl

Glad you had a good day sorry about the panic attacks. Do you know what i was like that at the start but didnt know they were panic attacks, i just thought it was me!!

Are you worried about your husbands work, obviously you are, is there anything you can help him with. My husband, just after the LO was born, changed jobs (for the better!) it wasnt. He had next to no money coming in but liked his boss!!!! It nearly sent me off on one. I had to be really hard to him and make him leave. I had enough to worry about and money didnt need to be one of them.

The panic feeling will go away but you do need to relax a bit. Do you get any time on your own?

I'm on my one now, as the kids have gone to school and DH to work. I can't relax though, my stomach is agony, I'm shaking and mind is whirling.
I don't know whether to perservere with tablets as I didn't feel this bad before I started taking them, or will it settle out. I felt so much better yesterday

You really should stick with it kkgirl. I dont know how everyone else feels but I had really good days when my DH said i was like my old self then like yest i didnt get out of bed until 2pm!!

It is your choice but you have come this far so why not try it for a few more days!!!

I think you are doing far better than I did at the start.

I agree with Twigy - you might as well carry on now.

I agree, carry on for a bit longer.

There will be up and down days. I have had a week of 'up' but today am feeling down again, but then not as bad as before ...

Think it was coz I had to go to the docs for another 2 weeks off work and i was so nervous, find it so hard to talk to him

itsa - I saw your post about counselling lower down; I will try and give you an idea what it is like in a bit when I have more energy to post in detail

that would be great, Auntumn, thank you.

kk - how are you feeling now? Have some lunch, even if it's just a piece of fruit.

Itsa

I feel so bad, have been asleep, but feel so weak and drugged up, don't know whether to call doctor, I just feel so semi conscious

kk girl you will be alright, you just need to calm down a liitle bit.

Put the kettle on, im doing the same and sit down and have a chat with everyone. You need a liitle distraction. Think you must have had a deep sleep and it has disoriented you.

kkgirl if you are on day 6 that is about how I felt at that stage but it got much better very soon. Try to drink lots of water and eat something - I was on real comfort foods, mash potato, rice pudding etc and it seemed to help.

My counsellor said stick to carbohydrates and try to avoid too much sugar / chocolate - it gives you a sugar high but then it plummets and you feel worse

Good luck

How are you feeling now kk?

kk that's how I felt too and it did pass. To be honest I didn't mind feeling like that but my OH said I was talking utter rubbish and I couldn't remember anything for more than 5 seconds.
It will pass, I promise.

kk are you feeling any better havent heard from you all day.

I have been busy getting ready for my trip so had a good day.
How has everyone else been?

I ended up calling an ambulance. He came and I was so spaced out and weak, and struggling to breathe so he took me to GP's. She thinks that the side effects are too much, so wants me to come off them.

I feel a bit better tonight but worrying about everything, will I lose my job, will DH lose his, will the kids be taken into care, will we lose the house. This can't be right.

Thanks girls.

Are you off work on the sick? if you are do you get paid. You should not loose your job so try not to worry.

Your stuck ina vicious circle you poor thing. You need to talk to hubby if you havent already. Im sure you can get some financial help!

Its not your fault your poorly.

I am off work and I get up to six months paid, its just I can't see out of this atm. I feel so bad, and so scared that I can't see me going to work for a long time. Wish I could just stop worrying about everything.

Im the same but I have to go back next month and am really anxious about it. I start work at 7am so am up from 5am. To make matters worse my hubby is going away with work for 5 weeks, plus the outlaws who look after LO are buggering off to OZ!!!
My work havent been too helpful either!!

Oh Twigy, do you feel worse in the morning, if so how will you manage getting up and dealing with LO? I think though we build these things up in our minds, I'm forever doing what if this, what if that, and often when it comes down to it, its not half as bad.

The docs has said I should come off tabs, do you think I should or carry on?

Where are you going on your trip?

kk your just like me, if i dont have anything to worry about then i find something small to worry about.

Mornings are hard but i make a plan to do something every day. If LO is at nursery/grandparents I plan a little job to do. Nothing too big but enough to occupy me.

Then me and LO might go for a walk or to the swings or mooch around the market in the aft. I find if i keep myself busy im ok. What part of the country are you from? Do you have nice parks nearby?

Im off home on thurs to see my Dad im from Belfast but live now in west yorks.

kk i am so sorry you are having such a shit time. How long have you been taking the tablets? Has your doctor suggested an alternative? You clearly are in a bad way on them, it seems your side effects do seem more extreme than others have described. I had panic attacks but they were short lived.

How are you feeling now?