Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Hi MrsVN

Thanks for thinking of me. I had an emotional few days - esp in my own family's company. My sister wrote a lovely message in a mug with " you are brilliant" on the mug. It listed all the things I am/was. Mother, daughter, sister, nurse etc - but I don't believe I'm brilliant. Ended up very upset last night too - over nothing.

I'm just waiting for an appointment with the psychiatrist. Have to head out to my sisters 40th birthday tonight - it will be tough, but can't miss it.

I hope everyone else got through christmas.

Keep in touch

beco

It's so hard to remember who we really are with a horrible illness like this. I had to sit down with my my husband last night and put a list together of things I like to do, I genuinely couldn't remember! It really helped to remind me of who I actually am! I'm so looking forward to being able to do these things again when I'm better. At times it makes me feel sad that I've lost 'me' but it also reminds me that I can get there again!

I hope you manage to enjoy your sister's 40th. Coincidentally my sister's 40th is in three weeks time and I desperately want to be well enough to go.

Keep in touch!

Xx

Hi Mrs VN,

I agree with you completely,, I seem to have lost interest in everything and what worries me is the fact that I felt better than this when I was on 5mg before I started to increase the dose again but I just felt that I wasn't coping too well with things but now I feel so down and I'm not taking them for depression but anxiety but I think what is getting to me is the fact that I am not feeling any better after 3 weeks on 10mg and 2 on 20mg, I really thought things would have been feeling a bit better by now as I am sure they did first time round, my main worry that they may not work this time round, do you think I am being too impatient? I am due to see my GP on the 9th Janueary, I hope I can hang on till then and see how I feel.

Beco, I hope you are able to enjoy your sister's birthday party.

Christine.

Hi Christine,

That sounds similar to me, I expected that as I was already on the citalopram I would see fast results but that doesn't seem to be happening! I also went on the tablets for anxiety but decreasing my dose seems to have triggered a bout of depression.

I am getting better slowly but surely. I'm just getting very impatient. Healthy me is usually so outgoing and fun and loves this time of year so it's a real kick in the teeth to be feeling like this. I have to keep reminding myself I'm only on day 15 and it can take up to 6 weeks to start working. I'm due back at work on the 6th but I reckon I'll need a bit more time to make sure I'm fit and healthy and ready to help other people!

My husband just pointed out when I said that we needed to do a food shop that a week ago I wouldn't have even noticed whether there was food in the house and the thought of going shopping would have had me in tears so I guess that is progress even if it doesn't feel like it!

Hang in there everyone, take care of yourselves. We'll get there, it just takes time to heal.

Xxxx

Hi Beco, Mrs VN and Christine

From what I and others have experienced, this is par for the course. The first two weeks are hard, then there are the first glimmerings of a better life. After 3 weeks a lot of folk find a definite improvement. As you say, sometimes those who know you see the improvement before you do.

Yes, it does take 5-6 weeks for the full effect, but that doesn't mean you will not feel better until then - all of you should start seeing gradual improvement very soon.

So do keep going - it will come!

Hope you all have a better day.

Chris

Thanks Chris! It really helps to hear from someone who's been there! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. It dims a bit sometimes but it IS there!

Xxx

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your reassurance, I think I imagined once I upped the dose again I would feel as good as I did before but it didn't happen.

Mrs VN, In some ways it is good to know that you are feeling the same, not that I would wish you to be going through it, it just seems such a long time this time or like I have said above I thought things would get better almost straight away when I increased but there we are, I am just wondering do I count the 3 weeks of going from 5mg to 10mg or should I start counting 4-6 weeks from starting back on 20mg?

Christine x

Don't worry, I feel the same. Glad I'm not the only one having the same experience! I read somewhere that when you up the dose it can be like starting from scratch. I had a week on 30mg but I'm not counting that as I think I need a higher dose to function properly. The fog seems to have cleared a little so I'm off out to go for a walk... Wish me luck! ;-)

Xxx

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Things for me are adjusting still. I moved my dose to before bed and I get some sleep, but it seems I'm up around 3-4 am every night and it's hard to get back to sleep.

Last night was a rough one. Had a small panic attack but worked it away pretty quick but left my chest tight most of the rest of the night. I have a silly question, but does anyone else have a slightly faster heartbeat at night? That's what always seems to bug me and once my brain locks on, it won't let it go. Anyone have a good method to loosed up your brain? Sometimes I think I should just get up and do something and once my mind is one something else, I'll get tired again. I really miss a nice, relatively undisturbed 7-8 hours of sleep.

I'm still only on 10mg, and while I still have some anxiety (clearly) my MOOD itself feels better. I'm holding off on 20mg until I see the Dr. on Monday. I was a little foggy brained yesterday, but that's not common. I just keep telling myself I'm just a touch over 2 weeks on this so far and it takes time.

I've found using the exercises from the book 'mindfulness: finding peace in a frantic world' really helpful to use when I'm struggling to get back off to sleep when I'm feeling anxious in the night. Have you been taking anything to help you sleep? I've been taking nytol and that seems to help me sleep for a bit longer. I still wake up really early but I manage to doze until the morning rather than lying awake with a racing heart! Camomile tea and bach's rescue remedy seem to help me with the racing heart too.

Xxx

I hope you enjoyed your walk and you felt better for it Mrs VN x

Thanks, I did! Had a weepy few minutes about an hour ago but I'm feeling much better now! Hope you're having a good day! Xx

Glad you had a good walk. I have not had a very good day today, evenings are always best and when I am out walking with the dogs. xx

I seem to be much better in the evenings too. It's strange isn't it? I go through a really sleepy phase until about 9 and then I seem to wake up and feel like me again for a couple of hours. I've dipped a bit again but I just keep reminding myself that everything's fine and there's nothing to be worried about. I'm off out for dinner with the in laws tomorrow and I think it's making me a bit anxious. No idea why, they're lovely! Hope you manage to enjoy your evening. Xxx

Hope you have a nice time tomorrow with your in laws xx