4 weeks on citalapram

Hi Don...

I suffer really badly with horrible intrusive thoughts...this is the second time I have been on city and I can say they do help.

They won't make them go away...but they will calm the anxiety that they create and therefore lesson the impact of intrusive thoughts and they will eventually subside into the background of your mind .

Here to chat if you want to x x

Hi Don, citalopram made my anxiety and intrusive thoughts WORSE for the first 7 weeks. I have now been on them for 11 weeks and I feel a little better and I think they are beginning to work. You will need to give it a few more weeks to start feeling the benefits but it is worth it. It is a difficult journey but stick with it. Keep talking to family and friends about how you are feeling. You are not alone. Very best of luck to you. Hugs x

Hi Don,

Yer just a pup at the moment! Lol! Not being rude or arrogant, but it is too early to be worrying why these things are happening, in the sense of letting them get on top of you. However, it is very healthy to discuss!

My anxiety interlaced with panic attacks basically kept me indoors for a couple of months, but as we always say here not everyone gets the same side effects or intensity as others do, nor do they all appear or manifest like some of the various ones discussed here do, either..

Intrusive thoughts, I get em now and again moreso in the early days of taking Cita (13 months ago). My thoughts entered my dreams too and I was having multiple vivid dreams every night. If I got up in the night on returning to sleep I would either carrying the same dream or start a new one! It got me way down, but thanks to a kind soul here I changed taking my Cita to just before bedtime and it helped. I find that it works (for me) better while I'm asleep and keeps the days (these days) relatively clear of stupid intrusive thoughts too. However, I just decided to learn to try and live with them, to ignore them or find out why they may have arrived in the first place, even if I couldn't get an answer. Even now I  don't worry, I just say "whatever, now "p*ss off!"

Also try and remember, things may, as you go on day by day, get you down moreso while on Cita (which is one of the better "sticking plasters for the brain") until such time you find your level with the dosage, you may stay on 10mg and it works for you, you may not, you may increase. Again don't worry, you have this forum "probably the best forum in the world!" to help you through.

This morn you caught me on a relative high, but then I don't reply to peoples posts if I'm too down because I'm usually posting for HELP myself!

Sometime last year a group of us here were discussing how to make ourselves feel better when we felt like total and I mean total, cr*p. One thing we all agreed on is to turn yer radio, music system, gramaphone etc on and listen to any or your favourite music and sing along, dance and/or scream and shout - let it all out! Tell you what, it helps me! Ok, so go off and try it and report back later!

In the meantime keep reading, keep posting no matter what and finally "Welcome to the Club!"

Best Regards,

David

 

Ps If you're listening to the radio switch off when the news comes on thats even more total cr*p! Not worth letting that bother you either during these times.

Hi Don,

When I had horrendous side effects on an increased dose of citalopram, I decided I needed to try to train my brain through CBT. I found this wonderful free interactive website called the Mood Gym. You can do it at your own pace, and it calls these types of thoughts 'warpy thoughts'. Essentially the core of it is saying what you think is what you feel, so the exercises help you recognise warpy thoughts and different responses. 

Obv. if ever your thoughts are too dark, then call your GP or MIND. 

It does get better, just have to get through this rough patch and this forum is a great support. 

Hi Don

I am on citlaopram for 13 weeks now 1st couple of weeks were pretty bad with side effects then I had 6 weeks of feeling amazing but unfortunately the past 2 weeks haven't been great.

I thought it was just me that couldn't listen or watch the news I turn it off when it comes on, reassuring to know I'm not alone there, instructive thoughts are dreadful when I'm busy I don't get them as much but when I am on my own I can't get them out of my head, which then causes anxiety it's so horrible

I'm having a pretty bad day today can't seem to get motivated at all, keep crying too have rang all my family to see if anyone can visit but they are all busy

I hope the day will get better

Intrusive thoughts are part of this illness - part of anxiety and depression.

I had intrusive thoughts for 15 years along with anxiety and depression.  I recovered on these meds, helping to put the thoughts back into perspective, taking the fear out of them and so not bothering me anymore.

Intrusive thoughts often come about from an over tired mind.  When we suffer from anxiety and / or depression, our mind get tired and thoughts stick to a tired mind which cause more anxiety ... and the anxiety then produces more intrusive thoughts.  And so a vicious cycle starts.  Break the anxiety and so the intrusive thoughts will dissipate.  The meds will relieve the anxiety in time.

Everyone has weird, scary or annoying thoughts, but they don't bother people usually and get put to the back of the mind ....... but it's when we start to suffer with this illness, that's when they become bothersome and out of perspective.  So when Citalopram starts to work, your thoughts will be treated as they would for anyone else - put back into perspective, become insignificant again.

As the months go by, you'll begin to notice recovery.  It'll be slow, but it'll happen.

K x