***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?

am not reading 33pgs at this time of night but have been on citalopram for a year this time for various reasons but now off it due to being pg

both my aunts are on it now too but much higher doses than me though - I was 10mg a day and they are 20 and 40, I think

can I join in even though am not technically on it at the moment - could bring in the aunties as colletoral!?!

of course! welcome dizzy x

Hi dizzydixies, you're welcome to join in, we all just support each other and I find it helps you to know others understand what you are going through and I rely on this thread to help me get through the days.

Chubby So sorry to hear about all the issues you have to face, especially your cat, its so upsetting with pets, I even cry when the kids little hamsters die, they all have different characters.

Sounds like you are doing really well, and thats encouraging, although I have only been on tablets five weeks, I am a bit nervous about when it is time to come off again, although thats a few months away yet.

Itsa Sorry to hear about your finances, thats a real worry, can you get any other help as your pay has halved now?

I didn't really want to read thru lots of pages, but can I join? I haven't been on mumsnet for a while been so busy.

I am on 20mg for depression. It's helped a lot, though I know it will be quite a while before I am ready to come off it. Still too many issues to work through.

I did an acupuncture session the other night and the lady knew I was very emotional from my reaction to some of the points. When I told her why she said she'd work on that along with what I was there for. In honesty I did come out of there feeling more relaxed than I have felt in quite some time. Anyone else tried that?

Hi everyone, not been around for a while as been having a bad time! I'm finding it really hard to cope with just everyday things at the mo, ds1 is being really naughty all of a sudden and i've even been called into the heads office. Can i ask if citalopram is know for making your periods go funny? Also i'm getting loads of headaches has anyone else experienced this?

Welcome Viz and Dizzy.

Gosh what a busy weekend, I am tired but in a good way and everyone in my new job seems really nice. I still havent droped my dosage yet but going to do it tomorrow so fingers vrossed.

Itsa things will pick up soon for you, i think we have all been there before just curb your spends for a bit even if it does seem to be a bargain, it will go towards your grocery bill!

Chubby , sorry about your troubles Im upset about your cat (i love cats) and will be thinking about you tomorrow, Oh and keep us posted about the addition to your family, exciting!!

KK glad your meet went well with your boss and look at it in a positive way, you dont have any responsibity and dont have to take any flack in work, that poor wee girl does, 'hee hee'

Tigger, yes. Citalopram has made my periods do very odd things!

Twigy, why do you have to be so damn sensible??!! BTW, you are right, those charity shop bags do make bloody good cat litter tray liners! You are the queen of household hints!

Well ladies I can't remember if I told you or not, but I am finally seeing my Occ Health on Weds. I have been off work for a couple of months now in one block, and three months on and off. I'm quite nervous about it as I don't know what to expect, and I'll have DS with me to wreck the place tee hee.

I did get a lovely big bunch of flowers delivered from work last week, which was a lovely gesture, but made me feel a we bit guilty.

Here's to a good week this week for everyone, eh?

thanks itsa, its good to no its just me! Just read some of the thread and see you talked about it the other day,sorry.

s'okay!

Hi girls.
Well the cat didn't make it through the weekend, she seems to have gone peacefully though. At least the decision to have her put to sleep was taken out of my hands and thankfully my son wasn't there when I discovered her!
Had a bad weekend (not just due to the cat), started to think i've come off the ad's too quickly and even thought briefly about going back on them. I won't though because I really want another baby so can't go back on them or I'll have to put extending my family on hold. Didn't even take paracetamol when pg with ds!!!!! Got a friend who's in a similar possition (although worse because I've noticed her slipping down and down over the last few weeks and she doesn't seem to be coping well at all). Has anyone ever taken ad's when pregnant and if so what type? Were they classed as safe to use in pregnancy? Tried to persuade her to have a chat with the docs but she won't because she knows he will just tell her that this isn't the right time to be starting a family. Told her to have a look on here and chat to you lot, it's really helped me!!!!!
Just read that back and it sounds like one of those 'I've got a "friend" who.....' stories. It's not though honestly!!!!!!!!

Oh chubby you have my sympathies. RIP little cat x x
I don't know about ads in pregnancy, but I think that some docs would advise taking them if stopping them would cause you more harm. It might have been Twigy that told me that, so ask her when she is around.

Thanks Itsa, the ones I was thinking about are called sertraline, they aren't supposed to be too bad if used during pregnancy or breastfeeding but I couldn't remember what they were called. I know I've seen it on here somewhere but I wasn't going to trawl through 33 pages to look for it! Just found it on another thread.

chubby "look at this page"

Well I went to occupational health and saw a lady who looked far too young to be a doctor.She wasn't very sympathetic and googled post natal depression.
But on the plus side she said to have a review in 8 weeks.

Hi all

I am really tired at the moment so only a brief chat.

Chubby so sorry to hear about your cat glad you are doing OK without the pills despite everything; if you relapse I would talk to your doctor. I got pg on fluoexetine but came off as soon as i knew I was pg, but of course that wasn't until at least 8 weeks into the pg as I had not been expecting to get pg! Dd is fine too.

Itsa glad OH went Ok - I think they are like any GP really, have limited knowledge but at least she knew that she didn't know and looked it up not pretended and made silly errors. I have my review with mine on Friday (just a phone call)

Twigy hope the new job is still going well and you are doing Ok on the reduced dosage if you started it?

Welcome dizzy and hello again tigger

This week has been hard with dh away for the second week - I am really tired and the house is a tip. I think the lack of 'me' time is getting to me - the first 30 mins away from either work, household chores or dcs was a quick walk and sit in the sun at lunchtime.

Still I will try and do some work tonight so i can have some time for me tomorrow

My 'nemesis' at work came back today - she was one reason I was off but she has been away for the last 3 weeks since I got back so life was easy! I did not speak to her but even her being there it felt different and fearful but I suppose it can only get better and my boss knows the issues and will (hopefully) do his best to keep things on an even keel .... I have also found out it is not just me, someone else has complained about being bullied by her, so in one way I am happier as i know they are taking action (lots of hush hush discussions behind closed doors ).

Spring, I am glad your boss seems to be doing something about the bully. I was bullied once at work and it's not nice. You stick it out and show her!! I took the coward's way out and left.

Hi everyone, chubby i though i would just let you no my experience on ad and pg. I was on ad before i got married and came off to try for ds1, i was fine all through trying to get and being pg and infact until ds was 5 months old. It was at this point that i seemed to hit a brick wall, i tried to go without ad but completely lost it just before ds 1st bday. I went back on ad for almost a year and came off to try for ds2, again i was fine until ds2 was 9 months, this time i went back to counciling as ad for me were out of question as i was still breastfeeding and didn't think you could take them. In the end i had a breakdown and ended up back on ad at the end of last year just after ds2's 1st bday.
I was offered the chance to see a consultant to find some suitable medication for pg and breastfeeding mums, but decided to carry on with citalopram and give up breastfeeding instead. This i think was the best decision for me and i'm glad i had my boys when i did, i may have made myself worse or i may have been like this anyway who knows! I would say to you and your friend that you should do what you feel is right for you , but if you start to go downhill there are options for you and you should get help asap if you feel you need it!
Sorry this is such a ramble but i hope i may help a little.

hi everyone, can i join?
i was on fluoxetine 10 mg before which helped me doing daily stuff aand more, but i think it didnt help me with my anxiety.
i have started ecitalopram 5mg, its been 14 days now. first week i felt so ill physically, i am better now. entering the third week i feel down, does this go away?
thank you

Hi noranora and welcome! Yes the feelings are bad at first but they do go after a few weeks. I was on 20mg and now I'm on 40mg.

Hello! Wow I can't believe this is still going!

I have been off mine now since early Dec. Still v. stressed (nature of my life it seems) but no re occurance of the dreaded 24/7 panic.

I shall have a little read and see how you all are!

thanks itsahardknocklife
i hope it goes away. i feel like i cant function well, i feel down.
i will wait 1 week more. i want my old self back and get my motivations back.
thank you again

Hi Nora Nora and Itsa

Itsa I have to have a review in a few days, just a formality for my record as I started back on reduced hours this week, have worked all of 9 hours over three days!!!!!

Nora Nora I'm on Esciprolam (Cipralex). Did the GP talk to you about increasing from 5mg. I was only on 5mg for a week and then increased to 10mg and after three weeks felt fine again. Are you feeling anxious or depressed or both?

hi kkgirl,
i feel like anxiety mostly gone, but feel depressed, like bored of doing the same things again and again and again, motivations gone, when i was on fluoxetine i wasnt like that, but i dont want anxiety so i will wait a week more.
i have high blood pressure as well, so i intend to see gp to start a suitable hbp med that can go with ecitalopram.
the gp gave 5mg because of side effects that may happen i guess.
i feel like i have to use 1 month like that and see what happens along with my hbp.
thanks.

Noranora,I had the opposite to you. A few years ago I was on fluoxetine but it turned me into a zombie. With the citalopram I have more motivation. It's weird how different things affect different people. Give it a while though and see if you feel any different.
Do you manage to get out to do things?