need help and advice

Posted , 5 users are following.

I have been on citalopram for 7 days now.  I recently found out my husband was cheating on me therefore divorce in progress.   I have been depressed for a couple of years now, but recently went on a two week drinking binge.  (I haven't had a drink in the last 17 days), but I have extreme anxiety.  The medicine has doubled it and made me very nauseous.  My self confidence is shot and I'm afraid to go out and about.   I am signed off work until the end of the month, so hopefully I will be fine by then.  Does anyone know how long this feeling will last?  Any encouraging advice is greatly appreciated.

0 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

  • Posted

    sorry to hear that

    but the first day of medication u will feel worst than every things will be fine

    it's normal to feel that u anxiety increase , use Dizepam to help u on that

    u will need 2 weeks to recover , so don't worry

    I hope everything will be great within month

  • Posted

    Hi Susan

    Sorry to hear your situation. Keep

    Strong .

    This drug isn't nice when you first start it .

    It sounds like you are experiencing all the normal

    Side effects, tiredness but can't sleep, dreamy feeling, spaced out like, fuzzy head , dry mouth , crazy dreams, loss of appetite , low self esteem etc but worst of all is the aniexty !

    These do last a couple of weeks but good news it they do go this drug just takes time.

    I was off work too but you will know when you start to feel normal again Susan and can handle being back in work .

    Just keep telling yourself these are only side effects and the will pass.

    Hard to take it all in at the moment but each day you will feel better even if your not noticing the slight improvements the now xxx

    Debi x

    • Posted

      hi Debi, you have just described all the side effects i am feeling. this makes me feel better as it helps me realise its normal!! its the spaced out dreamy feeling i cant cope with, its just awful. really hoping it passes soon. xx
    • Posted

      Hi Debi, I was encouraged by reading your post as thats exactly what im going through just now on WK 4 of 20 mg but feeling they r not helping. Dr has said to increase to 30mg tomorrow. But with what u have said maybe I should stick with the 20mg.
  • Posted

    Thanks for the replies.   I had an awful day today where all I could do was lay on the couch.  I am so scared that I will never feel normal again.  I probably sound like a whiner, but my thoughts are just not in a good place today, as I feel like just giving up, but I know that would be a disaster.  My body just feels like it can't handle this.  I will keep pushing through it though.  I guess I need to stay on this forum and keep talking it through, so I thank you again.
    • Posted

      Hi Susan

      I had anxiety and depression on and off for around 15 years and it was only when I started these meds did I recover ... and have stayed well ever since.  During those years early I also went through a divorce (before taking these meds) and remember having a few times of getting very drunk to blot out the pain, plus having time off work because I just couldn't handle it.  Alcohol is a depressant, and mixing it this early on with the meds can make you ill and delay the meds from working.  You're having side effects from the meds at the moment which will take some weeks to settle.  After that you have to wait for the meds to start taking effect.  They're not a pill you can just pop and feel better, but with perseverance and lots of patience they will help you get back to recovery again.

      Recovery is hard to see on the meds as it happens so slowly, but just keep pushing on and on with them.  They certainly changed my life around.

      I feel for you as know what you're going through, and wish you all the best.  Keep in touch.

      K xx

    • Posted

      Hi Suan Ive had a few bad days recently too and feel like thowing the towel in, but after readng Debi's post I feel a bit more positive that given time things will improve. Keep ur chin up lovey, u will get there x
  • Posted

    Hi Susan

    Yes I felt the exact same but it will pass the thoughts will stop . I really thought I was going mad I asked the doctor for something to help me sleep which made a massive difference .

    This forum was a huge help to me I posted most days and everyone is so helpful.

    Drink really doesn't help these meds . I have the odd drink but last weekend I was out Friday and sat and really drank too much as was left feeling awful the following 4/5 days so just be careful as it won't help you recover.

    So your on day 8 Susan how are you today missy?

    Debi x

    • Posted

      Anxiety is a little less, but extremely nauseous.
  • Posted

    Well today has seemed different.  I didn't wake up with the extreme anxiety and my nausea only lasted for half the day.  I am hoping this is a turning point.  But I have another thing that is worrying me. When all of this started in February, my doctor prescribed me diazepam.  5 mg. per day.  Now I am afraid I have created another problem.  I'm not sure if I should open a different discussion for this or not.  I am over worrying about the chemicals I am putting in my body and scared to death of having to withdrawal from two things now.  But I am hoping the citalopram will help me wean off the diazepam too, but the doctor tells me not to even attempt it right now.  Not sure what to do.  Thank you for your replies and I really feel for what you are all going through also.
    • Posted

      Glad to hear your feeling a little better .

      I was worried about the sleeping tablets I got too and was overthinking it all.

      I wouldn't worry too much the doctor knows what's safe to take together . Once you start to feel better again you will find you stress less about these things .

      Debi x

    • Posted

      I had the same thought

      So , I take try taking Dizepam just when I feel that I really need and before I get worst

      so I do this to help me

      1- I onley take it if the time bast 3pm and still not feeling well

      which is mean halfe of the day becz I wake up early morning , So u told me self take it before u get worst, and that's help me

      2- I try not to take every day , at least twice a week , so that u didn't get used to it

      3- even u take it a once a day is still small amount and still in save sied , becz 2 mg is really small and u need to take at least 6mg which equal to 3 tablet a day ) every day for

      more than 2-3 weeks than u will be addicted

      so don't worry , take if u need it but just be a wear and carful

      I hope this help

  • Posted

    I have had a major setback today with feeling so sick.  This is day 10.   Is this normal.  I feel like I am never going to feel better.  I am getting very discouraged, but trying to hang on.  It's so hard to believe that I am going to feel better soon.
    • Posted

      Hi  Susan, I'm in the middle of wk 4 and starting to feel more positive. But I have to say after I take my meds in the morning I still feel quite nauseous for a couple of hours, but I force myself to do things as I know it is only temporary. And remember every day is a day nearer feeling better xx
  • Posted

    I also want to mention that I still haven't had a drink, so it's not that.

    I started to feel better after about 7 hours after taking my pill this morning.

    Just hoping the morning brings about better results.  It seems like when I take my morning pill, I am immediately sick and couch bound.  I almost

    called an ambulance this morning, but then realized it wouldn't do any good, just getting used to the medicine.  Hoping this ends soon.

    • Posted

      Hi Susan

      Yes it sounds normal unfortunately the first 2 weeks for me weren't nice at all but it does get better . It sounds like the aniexty is trying to get the better of you . You just need to go with it at the moment .

      Even although I wasn't great company I tried to visit close friends so I wasn't sitting myself as I was just over thinking everything . Hope this helps.

      That's great about the no drinking as that's defo what you need to do to let these meds work .

      Debi x

    • Posted

      Hi Debi, can I ask how long you have been taking your meds for? I was prescribed diazepam too but was trying to avoid taking it, but now I have de decided to take 2mg as a crutch till the Citalopram has become fully effective xx
    • Posted

      Hi Aileen

      I started on 20mg in jan this year and I was off work for 2 months . Saying that I felt a lot better after a month but just wasn't back to my normal self so I took the time to recover fully before I started back .

      The first 3/4 weeks wasn't nice at all but the odd day I would start to feel a little better and then the good days became more 😃.

      See keep going it's great you are starting to notice the good days x

      Debi x

    • Posted

      Thanx for your reply Debi, I love this forum u always get encouragement and reassurance from people that have been through all the same problems.
    • Posted

      No problem I posted all the time on here and found it so helpful .

      Anything I wasn't sure about I posted lol but yes ppl are always helpful .

      So if in doubt post away 😃

      Debi x

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