***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?

Thanks CaptainC. Are you more relaxed now Sparkler? Im only relaxed when my dp buggers off. Sounds awful doesnt it? We're just not getting on at the mo. His response to depression is "cheer up". We've got 2 dc's. Im not as stressed or anxious when its just us 3. But when he's here its like.....well, never mind. Things are not good. Dont know if Im miserable because of pnd or just because of the relationship iyswim. I could just be a naturally miserable cow

Hi all. I've not had a great weekend or Monday - been really tired even though I have had enough sleep. Also been extremely paranoid. My skin has gone all crap and blotchy and the hayfever has kicked in. Bloody great.

Hi

I was on 40mg a year ago and over the year have gone down to 20mg. I went on it for post natal anxiety - couldn't drive my car without thinking baby would be injured by another car etc.

I was terribly tired for first 3 months but then started getting better, now no tiredness and no other isde effects at all. I was going to drop to 10 mg but thought i'd wait a little longer as still get a bit uptight and anxious....

Ax

Oh just a warning - somedays you can have a couple of glasses of wine and feel fine and other days one glass has you legless...its a side effect !!!

Ax

teabreakgirl I think sometimes that we get into a routine without the dp / dh and then they come along and 'mess' it up My dh struggles to control the children as he is inconsistent so they play him up, and everyone ends up getting fraught! Mind you he is indispensible in the morning as I am definitily not a morning person

It has been hard for me at work the last few days - management are trying to bring in something most of us disagree with but have had long chat today so hopefully it is now sorted

Sparkler - sorry you have had a difficult few days; I think things can go in ups and downs anyway but we are just more aware of it

Twigy - hope work is going well despite the 'tears'

Itsa - hope you feel better soon, too. hay fever must be pants; I am slightly allergic to dust and come out in blotches every so often but thankfully anti allergy tablets seem to control it - can you take anything for your hayfever?

Hi to everyone else, hope you are having a good time

Yeah I can - I was on quite strong tablets for it last year from the doc, but I was still under my maternity excemption and now I have to pay again - I don't think we can afford them and my ADs.

Oh itsa poor you these prescriptions are so expensive, and they never give you very much in one go. Does the prepayment thing help at all?

I realise how lucky I am that the basic generic stuff at 89p for 7 works OK most of the time, and if it stops working, then just switching for a week or so to the more expensive one means the other one then works again for a bit iyswim!

I haven't looked into the prepayment - someone said it was £90odd a year, which would be good value, but you'd need the £90odd to start with. I sometimes lie and put maternity excemption on the form and hope I don't get into trouble. Naughty, huh?

But if I don't go back to work and get income support or whatever, it'll be free won't it?

Have a look here and here

Yearly one is £98.70 but you can pay by 10 instalemnts so £9.87 per month; or 3 monthly one is £26.85.

HTH

thank you x x x x

Sunshine, You are so right about the routine thing. But honestly its like having 3 kids! I never understood women who said that about their dh's when I was younger now I def do! Though last night we had a chat and he said "I can only concentrate on 1 thing at a time" I cracked up, so at least I got a laugh . Hope you are enjoying work now things are all sorted? Itsa hope you feel better? ive started to get an itchy eyes and nose but I dont think its bad enough yet for meds but I do feel for you.

Hi all. A and a to hope you are all having a good day. I'm still not feeling like "me" and DH has noticed big time that I've not been feeling right. It's making him feel and that's not good.
I've been to the doc surgery today to put in my request for repeat prescription but have added a note with it to ask doc if I can stay on the 20mg. I'm worried that even 20mg isn't working now as I've felt so down this week.

Hi I'n new to Cit - have just finished my first packet of 20mg. I've suffered for years with feeling very low and denying that I had depression to myself because it comes and goes - in fact I usually felt better when I had a problem to deal with as after a cry and a rant I could then get on with sorting it out but lately I've felt totally overwhelmed by everything in my life that I can't control or things I feel I should be able to control. Wasn't sleeping well, bursting into tears, ratty at everyone, feeling totally unmotivated, even the smallest problem just felt like a mountain so I just crumbled at alot of small problems and then my beautiful dog got cancer and had to be put to sleep and I felt this is the end - 2008 has been a totally shit year so far (and still the problems continue) so I went to the GP for help. Have the letter for counselling but a waiting list of 2-3 months and tbh totally terrified of what to expect - will the person I end up seeing just think I'm pathetic and stupid? I feel a total failure as a person but I put on that fake smile because it's how I've grown up - never let anyone know how you're feeling/that you're not coping and cry as soon as the door closes behind you. The side effects of the drug seemed to be just feeling sick for the first couple of weeks. Now I feel tired and I am having very vivid dreams but not really trouble sleeping which is good. Headaches that I was suffering from seem to have gone as well at the moment. I'm now terrified that I'm feeling better because of the Cit and that at some point my GP might take me off it and I'll crash?? Any advice from anyone who has received counselling and gone past the 6 month mark gratefully received.

Hi and welcome Kitti

I have had counselling but not yet got to the 6 month mark

Mine certainly did not make any personal judgements, initially she really got me to talk about the issues I thought there were and by gentle questioning and talking we got to the real issues. Even when I got really low(the unmentionable S word ) she was fab and did not do anything specific to dissuade me but did point out consequences so I would think first!!!

I started counselling at the end of Oct (altho did not go on the meds until early Jan) and 4.5 months on am ready to stop, altho I can still see her anytime if I need to

Glad to hear you have got through the first month on the meds, that was the worst for me as i was so tired all the time. Now I feel pretty much fine with no side effects.

Work is back to being good again thanks teabreakgirl, especially as I am not in now until after Easter

Sparkler hope you start to feel better soon maybe you should speak to the doc for a review if things do not improve?

Good wishes and mucho choc (well it is nealry Easter ) to everyone

Kitti - I've had counselling in the past. Also felt the same as you. Worried about whether or not the counsellor would think there was nothing wrong with me. I thought I was lucky compared to many other people out in the big, wide world. I had a lovely home, two beautiful healthy children, a husband who loves me and would and does do anything for me yet I still felt so low.
After the first session I felt absolutely drained - remember going to the supermarket afterwards and just walking around staring at everything on the shelves not thinking straight. I had a few more sessions after that and I started to see things I had not realised before that I was doing to get so stressed and what I could do to relax myself more.
It's definitely worth a go.

Hi Kitti,
Ive had councelling too. A few years ago, as I had to talk about something that had happened in my life that I couldn't let go off. She really helped me with that. So I agree with what sparkler and sunshine have said about it. Make sure your Dr is clear though about the aims of the counsellor. He referred me in Oct last year and I worked myself up for the appointment only to discover that she wasn't technically a counsellor but some sort of therapist who is supposed to teach me relaxation techniques. Its not good to arrive expecting 1 thing only to receive another, particularly in this situation. I talked for about 45 mins before she told me .

thanks to everyone for your responses. I just collected my 2nd month of Cit today. I am still very tired. I think it's helping because when I get bad news I would usually feel so down and want to cry but now I feel kinda numb and then resigned to just accepting it. I know when I've talked probelsm over with the school family advisor I felt much better and knew that I would benefit from counselling but I am now worrying that I won't like the counsellor or what they will think of me personally!! Silly I know it's their job but the biggest fear is I don't want a man!!! I would prefer a female counsellor. Has anyone ended up with a male counsellor or are they usually women?? Sorry always a question!

Hi Kitty, I'm in the same boat as you. Been on Cit before and didn't have coucelling. I seemed to be able to drag myself up that time. Been back on them for seven days and waiting for an appointment from councellor. My biggest fear is that i'm going to get there and she going to to be someone that i don't feel i can open up to. Which is stupid because that what they are trained for but i keep imagining a beautiful woman who makes me feel even more inferior.
I can relate to what you say Sparkler. I am so grateful for the life i have. Three healthy children, a home, loving husband. I feel like i don't have the right to feel the way i do. Like i'm doing someone somewhere an injustice. I have had my fair share of crap in the past. I just wish i could leave it there.
Someone said that the cit makes them grit their teeth, i keep finding myself doing that, I'm sure it's the cause of my headaches.

Aw kitti - your worries are the same as mine. I am now waiting for counselling. I just keep reminding myself that it can't do any harn.

Pocket, I have been grinding my teeth since I have been on the tablets, which is nearly three months now. I try not to worry about it.

Hi everyone
Pocket don't worry if your counsellor is gorgeous, so was the last "therapist" I saw. She was still helpful but looking back on it I think she did some things that a counsellor shouldn't so it doesn't make them superior to you!!! Every1 has problems.

Hi all. Hi to all the new people who have come onto the thread.
God I felt like crap yesterday and feel even worse today. Dunno why. Lethargic, can't be bothered to go out, even though I should. Very short tempered with DS. Any suggestions?

Maybe the weather? After the lovely weather we have had recently this cold wind seems even worse,and I hate winter dragging on as it were so maybe it is the same for you?

The Easter break is so riduculously early too - I do not feel in the slightest bit prepared!

Very quiet day today - end of term now too, they are not back until 14 April so no more peaceful days off for me for a bit

Hope everyone is doing well and has a good Easter

It could have been the weather. A friend came over this afternoon so I forced myself to walk to the bus station to meet her (with DS in pushchair and dog!) and I felt a lot better afterwards. A bit more back on track now.

how is everyone? we woke up to snow this morning - yay! but now it's melting - boooooo!

SOmeone a while back was talking about headaches - can the tablets cause them?

Hi Itsa,
How are you? Dont know about headaches but teeth grinding and pins and needles I know about. I get headaches anyway from time to time so cant tell if its due to cito though I stopped taking it a while ago. I thought I'd see how I went without it. Don't think Im any different tbh. Just seeing how it goes. Wish me luck