Day 8 Off Citalopram And Feel Alive!

[boolifooli]

The last 4 days have been yuk but I feel great today! I first noticed yesterday that I am feeling things more, I cried while watching a movie yesterday and that hasn't happened for a while. Although the Citalopram capped the anxiety it also capped a lot of the good stuff. Anyways I just wanted to give some hope to people who are thinking of coming off and worried after reading many horror stories.

Orm, they didn't affect my periods. I'm on Orlistat too, and that really has affected things

Galen, I'm having the same thing. I have cut down to 40mg from 60mg nearly two weeks ago and it has been like having PMT the whole time. My poor DH! That seems to be passing now, but it's being replaced by tearfulness. Bums. I even thought about going back up to 60mg, but I know I need to stick with it to see if these feelings pass.

SkipMummy, you sound like me! I lost it at work in front of everyone. Oh well, it's in the past. I've been on the meds for 20 months now, nearly. I used to work with a woman who had been on ADs for over 10 years!

Wanna, it sounds like you have had a lot to deal with

Lu81, taking the meds again might help. There are other things that could help long-term too. Ask your doctor about counselling, CBT etc.

Summetimefizz I can't offer much advice, but feel free to come and babble here. That's what it's for

Well, it's a new week, so I hope it's a good one for everyone. Let's try to do something for us today, even if it is taking 10 mins to read a magazine article with a cuppa.

Hi Boo, Thanks for taking the time out to reply, I'm going to try and stick it out, the family will be out during the day so I can do all the necessary crying etc without an audience! Thanks for your support.

I would like to share something with you all, though. A few years ago, I was on Fluoxetine (prozac) for about two years. I cam off it sensibly, reducing the dose, then going to every other day, then every third day. While I was on it, my life became a massive fuzz and I couldn't do anything.
But I remember one day, when I was walking along with my mum, and I felt the meds leave my system. It was just like the description in Sylvia Plath's book The Bell Jar: it was like I had been living under a jar, and it had lifted up just a little bit to let a whisp of fresh air in.

Hi Chillo, sorry just saw your reply. Thanks for the invite I'll be taking you up on it frequently

BTW, I was hippomother!

Chillo, My previous post to you was in reply to your first message to me.(IYKWIM) Totally understand, it feels like I'm in a dense fog and can't see past my nose. I'll truly welcome the day when I see clearly ahead of me (OMG I sound like a song!)

The fog will lift, Summer - I can certainly feel my brain getting less woolly now I've cut down to 40mg, and I've been more able to get things done round the house - not that the list of jobs gets any shorter, I have to say.

One thing, in answer to a question a while back - my pharmacist told me to take citalopram in the morning, as it can affect your sleep - and I did start sleeping much better when I switched to taking it in the morning.

ChilloHippi - I second your motion about doing something for ourselves this week - a nice hot bath, perhaps, with nice smellies in the water (though that would mean cleaning the bathroom first - hmmm - may need to consider this further...)!

And this is a great thread - this level of support and understanding is amazing.

Cleaning the bathroom yucky yucky! Go on, I dare you! YOu'll be pleased when you have

I am soooo ratty! Gawd help my poor family But I am going to persist for a few months at least. It's really odd - i can be feeling fine but then suddenly find myself losing it completely. I dragged DS#1 up the stairs on saturday night to have a bath . He was fine but I was so ashamed and frustated at myself. Mind you he is enough to drive a saint to drink

I have been back on the 40s for just over a week now. At the weekend I am going to drop to 24/40 and NOT drop further for at least two weeks! Will you all remind of this if I get cocky again and think I can stop whenever I like?!!!

Have to stay sane for boys - have to.

Walking every day is my lifesaver - if you don't have a dog borrow one if at all possible! Not really joking, it really does make a difference.

Boo how you doing?

That's a problem, isn't it wanna? I have a couple of good days and think I can manage without them.

Aww, I'm doing really well Wanna. The dreams are less vivid and I'm not listening to Kiss FM anymore. The first week I came off the meds I had a dream about an ex that was so real it made it seem like yesterday for a while, VERY unsettling, but by afternoon I had kind of got it out my system.

I have a dog but I also have a poorly leg - it was feeling better yesterday, so dh and I took the puppy out for a long walk, and by the time we got back to the car, I could hardly walk. Then today it has rained all day, and the dog is as keen on the idea of a walk in the soaking rain as I am.

I know - excuses, excuses.

Hi all. I went over to a friends the other night and we had a few too many glasses of wine. the next day I felt quite down which scared me incase it was the start of me going backwards so have started a month long alcohol abstinence to make sure I don't do anything to work against my recovery. Anyone want to join me

Hi Boo, I'm definitely in, 6th day since last tablet, had a glass of vino the night before last, the next day felt really low so decided to steer clear from alcohol to better my chances. I do love my wine though, but I love my sanity much more! Good Luck

I feel great today! I feel all clear-headed and almost normal. I think it's the reduced citalopram. I'm still taking 40mg a day instead of 60mg. I've lost a bit of weight too so I feel better for that.

I know that I couldn't do a month without wine, so I'm afraid I cannot join you there. I also know I would feel better if I did, but I can't. Nobody's perfect (even me!!).

Hey Chillo, that's fine! I probably haven't had a month without wine since I was 14 or something so it's been a long time coming. If I couldn't tolerate the idea of it I wouldn't be doing it, end of. I'm only doing what I feel capable of, no one can ask us for any more, and if they do ask us for anymore they may need some limbs re-attaching

Feel absolutely dreadful this morning, couldn't wait to wave off DH & DD this morning so I could have a good cry. It's day 7 since last tablet but symptoms feel like day 2 getting worried now.

How are you today Summer. I think you have done really well to get this far. Is your DH supportive - can you do anything to make this weekend work for you? Walks? Long baths? Choosing a new chick lit book and leaving the housework for an hour and just reading in the middle of the day!

Hope you are OK. I am going to take 20 tonight, and try and have a wine free evening too. Wish me luck!

How is everyone going? I inteneded to not drink Tuesday night and last night, but I did. Oh dear. Other than that things are going well.
Summer, I hope you're ok and the symptoms were just a blip.

Hi Goonabehappy & Chillo, thank you so much for asking, feeling a bit better today my head's still a bit fuzzy IYKWIM. I haven't really given the full story as to what's going on, so hear it goes....I'm limited to what I can do as I fractured the humerus in my right arm 5 weeks ago (playing tag with DD!!)My arm's in a heavy cast from shoulder to elbow and in a sling. I'm also trying to wean myself off prescription strength Cocodamol which I'd been taking for over 3 years going through 100 a week. I'm now down to taking 2 every other day.(Hope I'm not boring you too much!!!) Also had Mirena coil removed a week ago as the hormone side affects were unbearable including extreme weight gain which sounds trivial but has really got me down. So alot going on, I just thought enough's enough I need to get rid of all these chemicals/hormones in my body as well as kicking the dependancy of them all. The only thing that keeps me going is my extremely entertainig DD who always puts a smile on my face at some point. DH supportive but can't truly understand how I'm feeling, although he did take time out to read this thread and other's that I've posted on. So that's everything I suppose, sorry to have gone on.

Gonnabehappy, Good luck with your wine free evening and going down to 20 it's not easy, but it's do-able!!!

Chillo, You do what you can, when you can, try not to put too much pressure on yourself.

(Wish I could take my own advice sometimes!!!)

Try and have a good evening!!!!

Wow, Summer, that is a BIG cast. It must be really awkward to get things done. It sounds like you are doing well with the cocodamol.
I'm glad to hear that your DH has read your posts. I find it much easier to be honest on here, far more honest than I am face-to-face, so it'll help him to have a better idea of how you are feeling.
I thought about getting a coil once and I am really glad I didn't. Have you had any side effects of having coil removed?
I've just come back from seeing my hypnotist and we spoke about my drinking. She did some EFT with me to help (that's the tapping things), but I am very aware that there is a half a bottle of wine in the fridge and DH is going out shortly for his evening class. I shall let you know how I get on...

Hi Chillo, it's a pain in the butt was told Tuesday will need to have it on until November, not impressed. No side effects with the coil removal just had to persuade GP & FPC to remove the damn thing which was really difficult (My body?). Anyway, hypnosis? Sounds really interseting, have you tried it before? As for the bottle of wine, sounds very tempting but do your best not too... Let me know

Bum...wine called too loud for me tonight. Tomorrow is another day....

you guys sound good - keep going. It is strange how many of us seem to be struggling with alcohol (I tick the codeine box too). what can first; the alcohol abuse or the citralopram?

For me, I drank a little too much and way to frequently but the increase, and dare I say dependence, followed the citralopram.

Exactly Gonnabehappy tomorrow is definitely another day, try and try again!!!

Alcohol came first, can easily get through a bottle a day, a glass whilst cooking, another with dinner, then one to wind down when DD has gone to bed. Codine to help with severe period pain, alot of the times taken together. Then citalopram after the death of a loved one. Easily done, harder to stop....

Chillo, how did you get on ths evening?