Any advice would be grateful

Posted , 3 users are following.

I haven't been on here for a while, I have been on 20mg Citalopram  for nearly 11 months but for the last 6 weeks I have been in a real bad place, Christmas and New year were horrible even though I was with people I love I was so flat I hardly spoke at all. Each day seems to be getting harder to even think anything positive. My husband is brilliant very supportive so are my family and I feel so guilty as I feel nothing. I don't know what to do for the best in the past I have been on Prozac for a year came off it for 10 months then went back on it for another year but it stopped working so I was put on Sertaline which just gave me a real loose tum so I only lasted 6 months on that. Then I was put on Amertriptyline which I felt good on but was taken off quickly as I have Glucoma and my drops interfered with tablets. Has anyone got any suggestions of tablet that lifts your black mood eventually and helps you sleep as that's another thing I can't stay asleep, I am only getting about 3 solid hours a night which is also taking its toll.

Any advice would be nice or even reassurance that I will feel some kind of normality again as I haven't for about 8years.

Thanks Karen

 

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    Did the citalopram help up until 6 weeks ago? Could up your dose of that possibly, you are on a mid dose of it
    • Posted

      its never really mad a great difference to be honest if anything made me feel numb and disengaged.
  • Posted

    Hi Karen

    100% I would recommend mirtazipine. I stayed on citalopram for six months.(40mg)

    It didn't help me significantly each time I increased my dose I was hoping it would start wworking for me. My appetite was affected badly on this drug and most of my six months wwere spent Isolating in my bedroom. I was scared to change antidepressants due to fear of more horrendous side effects. Anyway I took the plunge 4 weeks ago and haven't looked back. With mirtazipine I instantly felt better. No side effects (apart from feeling sleepy on the first day) and wow...got my mind, joy, appetite and felt this amazing clarity. I am now back to enjoying life (rather than praying for death) and can look forward to the year ahead. I have had the off day but it's much less intense. I have loads of good days which make me thank god on a daily basis. The only draw back is overeating. .makes you quite hungry. But I need to regain weight so it's not an immediate concern.

    This drug is amazing, could not believe I got side effects at all.

    Wishing you well ♥

    God bless x

    • Posted

      Hi I went to the doctors today and saw a new female doc she was very understanding and gave me time to explain how I was feeling on my medication she didn't even suggest upping my Citrapram but she has told me to wean myself off them over the next few weeks and then start on 15mg of Mirtazipine one of a night time. So I can only take each day as it comes and see how I get on. 

      Thank you for your kind reply

      Karen

    • Posted

      Wow I'm so pleased for you Karen! Remember 1st day is a sleepy day ( not ill but tired) then you will start feeling brand new! Please keep me updated. Also citalopram can take some weeks to get completely out of your system. I stopped it completely 2 weeks ago and I'm now irritable beyond belief! Remember when you completely stop cit you may get a few withdrawals for a few weeks. Don't confuse them with mirtazipine. I got no side effects on this...just joy! Look forward to hearing your progress xxx
  • Posted

    Hi Karen

    When recovering on SSRI's your mood is usually up and down as you probably found at the start.  You can get one of these down times a long, long time after you've recovered - a year maybe?  It doesn't mean the meds have stopped working but could be its just another blip ....... sometimes some small thing might have happened that you may not associate with it, but it can upset the rhythm, and sometimes it can happen for no apparent reason.  Christmas and New Year, whilst an enjoyable time, can sometimes make people feel isolated, depressed, out of sorts ..... even though you're with your family ..... the festive season can just be a strange time when you're already not feeling right.

    It could be that your dose needs increasing as our bodies are all different, but it could be just another of these blips that will right itself in time.  Increasing your dose might be too much for you and you will probably get side effects for a while too ..... but don't let that out you off.  If you do decide to increase it might be better to do it very gradually.

    Also I do find the winter months can be quite flattening for the mood as sunlight makes our Vitamin D3 (our happy hormones) and I know I always feel much brighter in the Spring.  You could try getting a Lumi light box or even taking Vit D3 to help give you a boost.  Another supplement to try is l-tyrosine which is bought over the counter.

    So you could consider these alternatives to help before thinking of increasing your dose.

    I always recommend a book called 5-HTP The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity by Michael T Murray ........ it's a really interesting read.  It tells you all about serotonin and what it does, how depression can come about, how SSRI's work, 5-HTP and l-tyrosine.  It does promote taking 5-HTP which you must not take with Citalopram, but it also talks about l-tyrosine and its effect too.  I do find reading about it and understanding what goes on has helped me when I recovered.

    K xx

      

    • Posted

      Thank you for your kind reply my doctor wants me to go to CBT thinks it will help a long side the medication.
    • Posted

      I think it would help a great deal.  Give it a go ... 🙂

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