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Original poster

Anyone taking Citalopram?

178 replies

SPARKLER1 · 14/01/2005 17:53

Doctor has just started me on them.
Just interested to know if you have taken them and if you found they helped. Some of the side effects sound a bit worrying but I have taken them as I am fed up with feeling so low (have been now on and off for 3 years).

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Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 16:00

upper parkstone - off Rossmore Rd

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amynnixmum · 17/01/2005 16:01

Not too far from me then and just round the corner from my parents in law. Which schools did you go to?

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 16:03

Trinidad, Alderney and....................... KW but I was one of the good girls.

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Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 16:06

and you??????

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amynnixmum · 17/01/2005 16:12

I'm not from Parkstone originally - I grew up in Milford-on-Sea, which is near Lymington so I went to school there. I am catholic though so went to St Peter's in southborne for 2ndry school. I asked because dh and all his family grew up around Parkstone - in fact my fil has lived within a square mile radius his entire life (he is 67). DH's family is catholic too so they went to St Joseph's combined and then onto the grammers.

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 16:17

My dh went to grammar school. He is 31. How old are your dh and family? Were they at school together??

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amynnixmum · 17/01/2005 16:19

SIL is 36, DH is 33 and BIL is 20 (iirc). I suppose our DH's might have known each other - especially if yours was into sports.

amynnixmum · 17/01/2005 16:19

Sorry BIL is 29 not 20

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 16:20

Dh was very good at High Jump and played rugby, I think!

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amynnixmum · 17/01/2005 16:23

Dh also played rugby - he was hooker until he was 14 and suddenly grew a foot in a year. He is now 6'4". Big footie fan as well.

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 21:00

. asked dh if he knew any of the older rugby players but he doesn't.

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Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 21:31

For the first time in four days the headache has eased and also the nausea. I have woken up for two nights running and haven't been able to get back to sleep for a couple of hours - unusual for me. Has anyone else had this problem with this medication?

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lunavix · 17/01/2005 21:33

Sparkler - GP started me on them today, so I'll be able to let you know. Nearly had a heart attack reading the side effects though...

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 21:43

We shall have to keep in touch. What doseage have you been started on?

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Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 17/01/2005 22:32

Have been feeling quite tired this week and going to bed a little earlier. Have been afraid to go too earlier this evening as I don't want a repeat of the last two nights. It has taken me hours to get back off to sleep in the middle of the night. I'm wondering if its the tablets.

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lunavix · 18/01/2005 08:22

I can't sleep at all but I'm only starting today (tues) doubt that can get worse.

I've been started on the 20mg apparently it comes in a night time version to help you sleep but my GP said to try this first...

amynnixmum · 18/01/2005 09:06

I had problems sleeping with them too. It took me a while to get to sleep and then I would wake in the night and take ages to get back to sleep. It was definatelt the tablets as i had not been having trouble sleeping before i took them. like i said earlier in the thread it did take a while for these particular ADs to settle down for me but after about 7 weeks I started to feel better. At the moment I have really high anxiety levels (but not depression) and I have realised that it is this that stops me sleeping. I am taking beta-blockers for my anxiety and these definately help. I also take Kalms which are a herbal remedy that you can get in pretty much every supermarket and chemist. Apparently they have also started doing a special nighttime version but I haven't tried them yet. Another thing i find helpful if I am really stressed at bedtime is to have a bath with some lavender essential oil in it - not too hot or you don't get the benefit and anyway hot water can raise your blood pressure which you definately don't want. I sometimes put lavender on my pillow too. Relaxation techniques help too - controlled breathing and visualisation.

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 19/01/2005 20:19

Hi Lunavix. How's things going on the medication?

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lunavix · 19/01/2005 20:24

Sparkler - Its day 2!!

Well didn't sleep last night, but not unusual as I have a problem with insomnia anyways. Woke up very bunged up, me and ds have come down with a major cold - went to pharmacy and apparently there's no cold and flu medication you can take with citalopram! B***ds!

On the up side, just found out this is what a good friend of mine has been on for a few months and it's done him the world of good. He says that if you miss a dose though, it will really hit you.

How are you hun?

marthamoo · 19/01/2005 20:42

I've been on Citalopram for three years now, since ds2 was born. I was lucky in that I didn't have any side effects at all. I started on 20mgs but that didn't help my PND at all and my GP upped the dose to 40mgs. I definitely needed anti-depressants - but now I have been on them for a long time I can be a little more objective and say that I don't really like the way they make me feel. I've mentioned this on other threads: they kind of "take the edge off" emotions (which is their job, I suppose) but a lot of the time I feel my emotional responses to things aren't as true as they would be, were I not on anti-d's. I feel sort of cut off sometimes. It's very hard to explain. And another word of caution - I am finding them very hard to come off. Have dropped my dose to 20mgs after several attempts but can't seem to get any lower. When you do come off them you will need to take it so slowly.

I have been on Imipramine and Prozac in the past - and didn't have trouble coming off either of them (took it slowly though). I don't want to be alarmist - but I feel it's important that people be as honest as possible about their experiences with anti-d's. I couldn't have coped with my PND without them - but they are a mixed blessing and I will be glad when I'm finally off them (I hope....)

Best of luck and keep posting. I hope you start to feel better soon.

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 20/01/2005 17:27

I haven't been too bad thanks. I have been feeling a bit more positive about everything this week.

Don't know if there is a slight chance that the tablets can be helping this early???????

I think has just helped me by admitting to everyone and GP that I wasn't happy and that people are more aware. Dh has been fantastic coming home from work asking how I am and giving me hugs. Have been keeping on top of things at home too which makes me feel good. Before I couldn't even get motivated to do any housework.

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amynnixmum · 20/01/2005 17:29

Glad you're feeling better Sparkler

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 20/01/2005 17:41

Thanks. ANM. Just out of interest - has anyone taking these tablets and felt a slight difference in just a few days?

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Titania · 20/01/2005 17:45

I have just upped to 20mg. feel really sick and heady.

hope you are all feeling better soon x x

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 20/01/2005 17:49

That's interesting Titania. GP started me on 20mg and for the first couple of days I felt the same. Headache and nausea.

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