***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?

NoraNora

Thats how it went with me, the terrible anxiety stopped first, but I just couldn't be bothered with anything, and as soon as kids went back to school I used to sleep for a couple of hours, couldn't motivate myself at all, and then gradually I set myself 1 little task a day and then the tablets kicked it and I now I feel fine.

I would give it a little longer if you can and then see your doctor, perhaps these tablets won't be as effective as the fluoxetine. I don't know as its my first time on AD's so I can only go by how I have felt.

Good luck, let us know how you are getting on.

Hi NoraNora,

I've been on 40mg and feel so much better that i am ready to reduce to 20mg. KK is so right. Give yourself a little task every day, visit a friend for a coffee, go for a quick walk or spring clean a room. Then you have a purpose for each day. You will be fine just stick with it. If you have a bad day post here, there is usually someone about.

Hope you other girls are alright. I'm knackered but in a good way. I love this new job, miss the Lo but so glad I took the job. Havent had a bad day in weeks now!!

brill news, Twigy. I'm glad the job is going well - and even more glad that it's somewhere where I shop! Discount, here we come!

This thread has been a godsend for me - it's really helpful to get things off your chest, and even better when you get a sympathetic or useful reply.

Twigy's advice about having a purpose for each day is good.

Hi

Twigy Where have you been!!!!! I'm glad the new job is working out for you, what hours are you doing and where are you working???
Glad you are so much better now.

Itsa how are you doing, when you had your review with Occupational Health what did they do? I have mine at end of March but am back at work, the trouble is none of my problems either at home or work are resolved so I am worried I will be back to square one before long. Was in tears yesterday trying to cope with it all, DH isn't doing enough practically, he's a workaholic so I am a bit down, never mind, could be worse.

Oh KK, I'm sorry that you still have problems at home and work.

I've been working 30hrs now in a sweedish flatpack company. You know the name!!!!

Absloutly knackered but loving it! My DH works alot as you know and is a lazy shite when he gets home. I have left the house in a tip now when I leave for work and now he has got the hint exactly what I do!!!!

Is there anyone you can talk to at work to get your problems resolved. What do you do, are you a teacher?

Hi Twigy

My main problem is that I have a 14 year old and two 11 year olds, who though we love them all dearly and wouldn't be without them are very unruly and don't get on which causes a lot of stress and tension. Also my Dad is 82 has Alzheimers, Myeloma and now Skin Cancer so he is in a bad way and my Mum 76 looks after him but she is struggling. We live 35 mins away so cannot help on a day to day basis. We see them every weekend, but I worry about them. So I have been doing well,while I was signed off sick and the ADs kicked in, but its the treadmill of day to day life and as I said DH works so hard, that by the time he comes home, he is too knackered to want to do anything. Its not a major problem considering what other people have to cope with, but I just feel, that I will be run down again in no time, and maybe my work will have to give.

For my sins I am a civil servant.

So glad that you love your new job, it means a lot if you are happy with what you do, doesn't it you have done really well.

My DH is away tomorrow until Weds, I don't like it when he is away, but I will go to bed early without feeling guilty about leaving him downstairs on his own.

Hi,
Can I join in? Im on 20mg a day but admittedly I stopped taking them a couple weeks ago. I just don't like the thought of being on them for so long (since Sept). Im extremely tired whether I take them or not. I still have bad days when Im on them. But if I don't take them my bad days are really bad. I just broke down the other morning in the kitchen, dp didnt understand what for. So maybe I should go back on them. I do get the pain/tingling in my arms and hands, as for the lack of orgasm I dont even want sex at the mo which is depressing in itself. I loveit when my dp is away. Sounds awful but it feels like I have less to do.

teabreakgirl, welcome. We understand!! (God sounds like a cult, eh??!!)
Are you sure that not taking them is the best thing to do?

hello
have been prescribed citalopram today for anxiety etc which has been gathering for the last few months, probably a PND thing (DS was 1 on Saturday)
took sertraline for PND after DD was born and it did the trick, hope this does the same. Am planning to take it in the evening as breastfeeding and that way he should get as little as possible

not going to start until Wed though (am in NZ, it's MOnd evening) as actually going out for DH's birthday tomorrow and would like a couple of drinks, probably best not to do that right at teh start of taking them. Feeling a bit apprehensive about side effects, can only wait and see obv

am on 20. Dh is a long term AD taker, he simply cannot function without them and that's all there is to it. So not sure why I feel like a failure for having to take ADs, especially as I'm always the first to say how marvellous they are and they shouldn't be stigmatised etc.etc. And I feel a bit crap as I don't usually say personal stuff like this on Mumsnet & I hate to admit I'm really struggling (and I have no reasons really - there isn't an awful lot for me to moan about TBH). But there we go

sorry am rambling but have had a bit of a rollercoaster day today and my head is in bits!

Hello vizzbizz!

Hiya MrsJ - I've said some pretty personal stuff on here too, so don't worry. Feel free to offload here and you'll get a sypmpathetic and understanding response.
Whereabouts in NZ are you?

in christchurch

oooh well if you see my toerag of an ex, give him a punch for me! he's in Christchurch too.

I shall keep a look out for him

Hi MrsJohnCussac.

Have to say I absolutly LOVE him!!! I'd deffo give him my last Rollo.

Anyways, welcome. This thread has been a lifesaver for us girls. Feel free to confide in us, a problem shared and all that.

I've gone from 40 to 20 and am having problems dropping off to sleep then if I get woken during the night I cant get back to sleep!! Ah well at least I feel better now.

How is everyone else?

Twigy, I hope you mean that you love John Cussac and not my ex. Were you one of the 18year old sluts he was sleeping was with???!!! ha ha

I'm ok. Got 8 weeks off work again now.

well I never. You think you know a person...

Hi girls. Welcome to Teabreak and MrsJohn.
KK, sorry things are hard for you at the moment - keep your chin up!
Know what you mean about the sex Teabreak, no wonder I didn't concieve last month !!!!!!!! Hope I get pregnant this month then I can go back to pretending to be asleep when dh comes upstairs .

hands off my husband
am starting pills tonight

Hi ladies

My LO turns 9 months tomorrow and I have just been diagnosed with moderate PND - cant sleep properly, cant eat anything, feel a mess etc etc

Just been diagnosed 20mg of Cit starting tomorrow, was planning to go away for the weekend with girlie friend but bit worried about the side effects now and being away from home.

Are they bad?

Pipsicle, if I were you I would wait until after the weekend to start. I felt queasy,lightheaded and generally quite drunk to start with!! The side effects lasted a couple of weeks I think. But I did feel really anxious, which wasn't good.

Doh - just saw response - took first one this morning at 7.15am. Have a cold coming so think thats making me feel rough!!

Hi,
Im not sure its a good idea either. But dont want to be stuck on them for years. Im going to the Dr tomorrow so I'll have a chat then.
Its trues pips that you feel a bit dodgy when you start them, mind you, I still feel a bit funny. Cant remember words etc!! Quite frustrating for me as I love to talk!!!

Hi there, how are you all?
You sound pretty fed up! I can understand that as I've been on medication for depression for the last 12 years since the birth of my first son. I went totally bonkers!

I've tried out more than 30 different anti-depressants and I'm sorry to say they all have loads of side effects.

However I'm now using a combination of Citalopram and Quetiapin and I can honestly say Citalopram is one of the better ones. You really don't want to try the older ones.

The first couple of days are difficult and you may begin to wonder why bother with them because you tend to feel worse than you did without them, but it does get easier if you can hang on in there.

Many people I've talked too say that Citalopram has made an amazing difference to how they feel.

This has not been the case with myself however, but maybe I'm one of the unlucky ones. I appear to be one of those unlucky souls who get just about every side effect listed.

I think it is having apostive difference on my life - I don't think I'd have made it much past February without them!