Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

afternoon everyone .... yes Ally, I've managed to keep going at work (not at all easy in my job I assure you!) but maybe that has helped a bit as I now hate being at home. I tend to be able to think about things too much when I'm not concentrating at work which just seems to make everything worse.

Spence - I hope the depersonalisation is improving. I'm right with you in that today. Actually Matilda too - I had a few reasonable days when I dared to think I was "getting there" but today has been pretty miserable to be honest. Shaky, weak, down, anxious. I also sometimes wonder if I've made a mistake going back up my dose as I've not felt this bad before when I was on Citalopram (mind you I was in a dreadful state when I had lowered my dose too much). I'm going to stick with it for a few months though as I think stability is important. But yes, shaking like a leaf today and weak. Great!

Louise, throughout taking Cit I've had "cold like" symptoms, sinus pressure etc and cough/sneezing. It's never long lasting though so I'm sure that will improve.

Paul - we're all rooting for you on your stag in Ireland. I'm from Ireland too so enjoy being home and relax if you can. Enjoy your friends

so now I must have a moan. As I say, I've been having a bad day again (yup, very depressing after some good ones) Today is a half day at work so I came home and sat to try and lose myself a bit on the guitar. My wife walks in and immediately starts on me about the mail not being opened, the mess etc etc. Then tells me she's sick and tired of me being so "flat" all the time. I seriously can't talk to her at all about all of this as she just says she has had enough. I can see her point in some ways. I've had to endure ME for 20 odd years but I've kept working, paid the bills, educated my children and generally fought through the years to try and be in decent health. She has had to put up with a lot but at the minute I simply cant deal with her being "sick of me". I cant even argue back. Makes things tough, especially today.

ok .... moan over.

Just wondering, does anyone find food affects you? .... I seem to feel worse when I eat certain things (like chocolate which is a major tragedy!) maybe it's all in my mind, I feel like I'm losing it today anyway lol.

I hope we all have a good evening. I'll be crashing out on the sofa and watching Masterchef wishing I could eat the puddings they'll inevitably be cooking! (even though my appetite is still pathetic)

take care everyone

Rick

Abbie she basically just said it was a result of the stress my body was under from taking Cit and it seems as it's on it's way out now. I'm the same as you, it was the least of my worries and honestly I would've happily picked the cough over the other symptoms!

Sorry you've not had a great day either rick. You would think as we'd both been on cit before it would be a piece of cake but I certainly don't remember feeling like this before. My appetite is back to normal thank goodness but the shaking has been awful I just feel so low today not what I wanted for my holiday at all. Wish I could play the guitar I imagine you are bit of a rocker! Sorry you are not feeling too great at home, funnily enough I'm not so settled at home either. My husband is great as he has anxiety too but I still can't settle at home. I just want to concentrate on films and reading again x

hi everyone,

louise i have had the lump like feeling in my throat for the last two days and just put it down to smoking to much or catching the cold my children have but having seen other people have had it maybe it is yet another of the many side effects.

matilda - i have had a much better day today.

have had a bit of an unsettled tummy but nothing to bad.

definately feeling a bit more positive - have come to stay with hubbys family for a week so hoping the change of scenery will help too.

abbie - im on day 10 today and aprt from the lack of sleep and night i do think the sickness sore tummy etc maybe starting to pass.

x

Hi Rick

Sorry to hear you are having a bad day.

Tell me to butt out but I guess it's understandable that our partners get frustrated with us sometimes and blow a fuse. Mine tells me she is fine with me unless she's had a bad day herself and then she finds it harder. I also feel more annoyed with a lack of understanding when I'm having a bad day and lose perspective

Stick in there rick

Keep up the positivity everyone else too - we can all do it :0)

Mike

Matilda... you would think it'd be easier wouldn't you? sadly it certainly doesn't seem to be the case, or maybe we don't have any luck! thats great that your husband understands, that should be a great help. Me a rocker?! I wish lol. I do play my guitar (a lot lately as an escape) but my career choice is probably the polar opposite and very uncool compared to being a musician! I hope you have a good evening, take care, we'll get there :-)

Mike... no problem and you are of course quite right. It must be very difficult putting up with me. I deal with people all day and in my present state I'm pretty hopeless when I get home. Thats so true about losing perspective when feeling bad. Now I feel a bit better (as always in the evening) I can see her frustration is more than justified! Hope things are going well for you and all is looking up. Thanks for opening my eyes :-)

Amy, thats fantastic you're feeling better! keep going and being strong.

to everyone else, take care :-)

oh yeah... to my fellow 36 odd day-ers. Only a short time to go hopefully!

Rick

Sorry, guys, I tried to post a link to a wonderful site about mindfulness. It has some really interesting and informative videos on it about ways to beat anxiety and depression, but the admins here wouldn't let it through. I'm not sure why. It's not spam and I have no vested interest in it. I've enrolled for a course in May.

Anyone want the link, PM me.

Hi rick End of 5 weeks for me. Feel a bit odd. Very nauseous but mood not too bad. It's like my bodies happy - singing along to music earlier yet I feel no emotion or love. Weird. Progress I guess :0)

Mike

On the same topic as jules. I've got mindfulness for dummies book with a meditation cd. Recommend it

Mike

Hi Loulyn,

I was so desperate at the time I signed up for anything I could lol and yes it did help doing it online as well the site I used was action on depression. I cant post the link as its not allowed on this site, but look it up on the net, good luck with the counselor doing ur CBT that was really good too.

Hi Spence,

Many thanks and yes I am back feeling fresh as had a lovely week and the weather was lovely, blue shies 15 degrees so nice. roll on the summer,

Hi Ally

well done on the new job, it will really help you and as its 2 days it wont be too much to stress you out. it will take your mind off stuff too. so enjoy it. and it will help with the shyness, CBT would help with that too and help give you back your confidence.

Well done Amy day 10

I couldn't be on my own either at the start and would shake at the thought of been on my own, that will all go once the cit kicks in, you will be back to normal, do try the deep breathing when going to bed, as it puts oxygen in your body and will help you stay asleep. but most of all stay strong you will get there.

Hi Paul,

once on the flight you will be ok, and you are going to have a good time with good friends, whom care about you, have a lovely time and try the deep breathing if ur feeling anxious and do it on the flight as well, a little action called the gamut 9 it seems silly but so helped me to fly and do stuff I was terrified of, this is it

locate the Gamut point on the top of the left hand, about an inch below the web between the small finger and the ring finger. (just behind ur knuckle)Gently keep tapping on this point and focus on the problem while you do the following,

without moving your head:

Close your eyes

Open your eyes

Look hard down to your right

Look hard down to your left

Move your eyes in a clockwise circle

Move your eyes in an anti-clockwise circle

Hum a few seconds of any song (“Happy Birthday” works well)

Now count out loud (1-2-3-4-5)

Hum a few seconds again

this brings both sides of the brain into play, taking away the anxiety (promise it works) I used it so many times. felt silly but didn't care as it worked for me. Look it up and see what you think, even try it a few times. It comes from the of practice of EFT which you could look up too. defo worth a read and practice, it helped me big time but I only use the gamut 9 now ,,

well let us know how the weekend goes, stay strong

Anne

I had a nice evening with my friends and they enjoyed my food. Even managed to sit outside for a while as it was nice weather. Just wish I felt like me.

Rick you said your career was uncool, I wonder if it is in local government like mine cos that's about as uncool as you can get!

Doug how was your day?

Anne never saw that technique you told Paul about it, very interesting.

Amy glad you had a better day today, I think you are very brave

Got my gp appt in the morning, don't know whether to increase or not? X

Laura at least you know it's nothing to worry about and hopefully you will get rid if it soon. Maybe mines the same or i might have caught it off someone!

Amy, seems I'm a couple of days behind you, I've actually had a good day today, prob best so far, I have been busy though and I think that helps, I haven't been thinking as much about how sick etc I've been feeling.

I find it difficult to get going in the morning but I guess thats partly to do with the lack of sleep.

X

Hi Matilda,

Honestly combined with deep breathing it calmed me so much, I went to the pictures about 2 weeks into CIT and the noise, darkness and all the people totally freaked me and I stood up to leave, so I sat back down did the Gamut 9 about 3 times and I totally calmed down enough to stay for the full movie, My partner was so proud of me, and I felt so much better and this continued till I was better (I mean when CIT kicked in LOL)

so try it, wont hurt, let me know how it goes.

Abbie great you had a good day today long may it continue, and Yes you will be tired in the morning till your sleep settles down. stay strong and keep well.

Anne

Hi Anne,

I was totally gutted at my councilling session today. I thought the aim of it was to give me CBT but it turns out it's "talking therapy" and they don't do CBT at all. My initial feeling was one of disappointment & now I'm not sure if it will be of any help now. Ah well, the best laid plans ...... as Rabbie said :-\

Hi Loulyn

Oh that's a bomber, the "talking therapy" is still worth doing tho, do everything that may help, have a look at the site for action on depression, I did the online CTB course on that, and a counselor calls you every week to go over how you got on, its free too. Meantime ask your doc to refer you for CBT

Let me know how you go and take care

Anne