Anyone NOT had any side effects on Citalopram?

Thanks Anne,

I am so sorry about your mum also....I know exactly how you feel x

Well I will give it a go and I am also being referred to councelling so that may help also. Im sure you will be hearing more from me on here!

Take care

Ang

Hi Anne and everyone

I don't post that often but read all the replies.

Things are ok at the moment. I'm still on cipramil 50 and seroquel 300. Still making me zonked. I feel my life has reached a plateau at the moment. Not so many down days, but I still have no feelings of joy and happiness in my life. I won't be seeing my psychiatrist until mid March.

My husband had to drag me put for a walk last Sunday. Otherwise I would have quite happily stayed in all weekend. I heard it described on TV last night - it was a lady who said her home was like a comfortable prison. That's how I feel.

I had a counselling session this morning. He said I opened up a bit then I pulled the shutters down. I find it very hard to talk about my self and my past.

I hope every one else is doing well. It did take longer and another dose before things improved for me - so stick with it.

Sleep well everybody

Beco

Hi Beco,

Good to hear from you as I know how hard this is for you, I am glad you still read the posts as it may help you, remember You are so strong to have got this far and you are willing to try everything so you deserve to get there and I know you will, Try to get a hobbie like swimming or jogging or something that will get you fresh air, and it will really help, the counselling sounds like it is going well, yes you closed the shutters today but maybe not next time, just stay strong for yourself you are precious and deserve happiness, let go of the past the only thing you can change is your future, so hang on in there, will keep in touch and you can check in whenever you feel up to it.

Take care xxx Anne

Hi all,

I haven't posted in a while because I've been so busy now I'm back at work, when I get home I'm so exhausted that I've been eating and going straight to bed! Must be catching up on all that sleep I missed out on when I was ill!

Work's going really well and I'm enjoying being back. To think not so long ago I thought I'd never be me again, let alone go back to work! I'd written myself off completely! We're saving to buy a house so I'm starting to feel excited about that again (if it was mentioned at all while I was ill I'd just burst into tears, it seemed so I obtainable and such a huge pressure to even think about it)

Just wanted to reassure those of you starting out on the journey that things DO get better. I had a really severe episode of depression that reached it's worst in December, I was signed off work for six weeks and felt like I'd had the life sucked out of me, I couldn't eat or sleep, at my worst I couldn't hold or follow a conversation. I cried constantly, alongside that I felt physically ill, vomiting all the time and my whole body felt heavy and achy. Any sound, the TV, music, a phone ringing was too much for me to take at times. Now, I'm back at work and loving it, back to my old, sociable and chatty self! I feel like I'm picking up where I left off. The only remaining thing is that my concentration span is still quite poor, I'm managing at work but I think that's why I'm so exhausted when I get home, I'm putting so much energy into concentrating and paying attention at work that it's wearing me out, but I really don't mind. It'll come back eventually I'm sure.

Alongside the citalopram I found the book 'mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world' so so so helpful. It helped me to deal with muddled and self critical thinking when I was in 'the pit' and now I'm back at work it's really helping me to keep on track and not to stress or overload myself with worry. As well as this, last night I went for a taster session at a choir! (It's a secular one as I'm not religious) when I arrived I thought 'what on earth have I done, I'm going straight home' but i decided to 'feel the fear and do it any way!' And I really enjoyed it, it felt really uplifting to have a good sing song and I was in a great mood when I got home and felt really energised, I even stayed up for a bit and watched some telly with my hubby. My friend who had PND had recommended it as she found it really boosted her mood and she was right, it was a great way of helping myself and boosting my mood that wasn't a psychological or biomedical intervention, in fact, it was not linked to my depression or illness at all! I laughed on the way home wondering what my reaction would have been if someone had told me 7 weeks ago I'd be stood in a room with a hundred strangers (mainly older ladies) learning the words and dance moves to an olly murs song!

Hello to all the great friends I made on this group, sorry I'm not posting as often as I was when I was off work but I was good to have a read through all the messages this morning and catch up on what I've missed. Please keep in touch. I'd love to hear from those of you who were on the rocky path alongside me.

Welcome to all the new comers, please be reassured by my story that it WILL get better. You'll be having all these negative thoughts and worries that you'll never get well again, you probably really don't believe me now and think that you're some kind of exception and will never recover. I know I couldn't quite believe all the reassurances that I would get better but it did. I was where you are a relatively short time ago, but now I'm not. You're there now, but soon you won't be. Keep soldiering away and stick with it. If it turns out that citalopram isn't for you, then there's no need to despair (I know you probably will anyway. That's the nature of the illness!) there are so many other options and there will be something out there that helps you.

Please keep on going everyone, you're doing a great job!!

Xxx

*I meant unobtainable when I talked about buying a house! DYAC!

Xx

Morning everyone hope ur all ok? We made it to friday!! Had a really good day yday and wednesday so I know I am starting to feel better but today my anxietys back in full force! Just been down to the chemist in town and one of my mums friends tried talking to me and I swear I made no sense and she could tell!! Sometimes I dont feel 'with it'' when talking to ppl, im just wondering if I will ever feel back to normal and be able to actually hold a conversation cos its embarassing! Just wondering if anyone else feels like this! I know its only been 6 weeks and im still forcing myself to do little things like collect from school/nursery etc but im so desperate to just feel properly normal and after taking 15mg for 2 weeks I got to this stage then moved to 20mg and went down hill and I so dont want to go bkwards again xxx

Hi Mrs VN!

Good to see you're still doing so well. You sound so much better!

I have a tentative confirmed diagnosis now. I had a heart monitor on and went to cardiology clinic for review. My heart is in good structural nick but I have a faster resting heart rate than before I was ill and it goes up to 150 on normal exertion. Saw my gp yesterday and she says it all confirms post viral fatigue with a little bit of anxiety (understandably). I am functioning better, am managing shopping, tolerating lights better and am driving more. Still signed off as now I need to build my strength up now we know there is no risk heart wise. My fatigue means that my body thinks easy stuff is a workout. But I am coping and recovering better. She also wanted to see if I get through my next period without taking another dive. Was really hot yesterday and had sweats and flushes in the evening and overnight but am managing to do activity. Am planning to speak to her next week as it could be 2 things going on at once. Post viral fatigue which is improving but is being aggravated by hormone fluctuations? She asked if I wanted to stop the citalopram but I've decided to stick with it until I'm physically better then revisit. She has always questioned her colleagues choice to put me on it.

Acupuncture is going well and am seeing progress generally. Knew it was never going to be straightforward but I am getting stuff done. Still need to be reminded that I need to reinvent myself as a tortoise because I have bursts of energy and the Hare I've been for years starts to come back. I'm also taking it as a warning that I need to take more care of myself and get a bit selfish rather than working myself to the bone. My fiancé and I have discussed me cutting my hours to get a better work life balance so will see how I progress.

Hope everyone is doing well and remember, take it one day at a time and embrace the baby steps.

:-D

Hi cara it's been 8 weeks for me...... It's so frustrating. Nobody knows what I'm going through at moment apart from hubby, so trying to speak to people and be normal is really hard. I must admit the last couple of days there has been a very slight improvement but definitely not how I would like to be. Keeping me going is the hope that I will get better. I reckon in a week or two we should see big improvements xxx

Hi Cara,

Some people have a dip every time they change dose. It's like starting all over again for some. Bear with it as you've seen before it does work after time. I started on 20mg straight away and it took a good 4 weeks for me to notice any change but I have post viral fatigue so it's hard to figure out what was cit and what was my illness.

Stick with it and with us for support.

:-D

Thank you Anne, I know everyone is different but can you remember how long it took for the nerves in your tummy to go? I can live with them but I find it really hard to relax, even on good days xx

I was on citalopram up to 40mg per day I decided I had to give up work, move to a bungalow and once I did this I felt I could come off citalopram and just stopped taking them!! Big mistake I went through the same as a drug addict on heroine would it was terrible for weeks, that was two years ago, I have now lost three stone and feel tons better - the citalopram must make you put weight on!

Everyone tells me I look much better, another side effect is I cannot remember much either during the tablets or before!! So they must affect your long term memory!!

Hello again,

Cara, with you on the people thing. Dealing with anybody is a nightmare. Feels like I have lost my personality. At least any sense of humour anyway.

Anne, Thank you for the kind words of encouragement. Really appreciate the support.

I read and hear, quite often, the phrase, "You will get there". My wife said this to me, and then said, "It depends where there, is". The mind boggles!

Strange thing happened, late yesterday; we had a bit of a family crisis to deal with. Before I knew it, I had dealt with a very difficult very well. It was only during the short drive home, when I realised, I actually felt normal, in what was a super high stress situation.

Afterwards, I became a quivering wreck and only got three hours sleep.

Today, I felt ok after a very slow start. Thought I would cope easily with a quick repair to the hoover. Did the job, but now shaky and feeling that sick thing in the stomach again.

I will do my best to get it together again.

Hope you are all, "Getting there", and that, "There", is a good place.

Very best wishes, thank you all, Davy.

I literally feel like i just run on a load of rubbish when talking to ppl outside the family, its just nerves I think! Had a lovely afternoon, mum and dad went out and I was snuggled on sofa with my youngest 2 playing games and then drove down and picked my eldest up from school! I think its just baby steps and we will get 'there ' and davy as u say I hooe 'there' is a great place like so many of u all have already reached xxx

Hi All,

Either had a blip today or mixture of blip and cold/flu symptoms. Mood has been ok but Anxiety has been all over. That said achieved a lot today managed o sign on after redundancy ( 2 weeks ago ) and have a crown fitted ( I am no fan of the dentist ).

Stick in their but glad to have the support of you guys and girls.

Jimbo

Going in to week 4 on Monday on citlopram