Blip?

Thank you for the advice and ideas!

How come this time of year adds to it?

I felt better by yesterday afternoon but once again this morning feeling anxious and sad.

Where do you live Isabel? I live in the U.K...and its very cold..dark nights and dark mornings...and I guess people get the Christmas blues...after having time out with there families then having to go back to work...think that's what my doctor meant!! The trouble with cit...I don't think there's any answers as people are so different! Although I have heard on here many times that people feel at there lowest in a morning! And start to feel better as the day goes on!! I take my medication early afternoon as I work shifts so it makes easier for me!! When I first started on cit...I instantly felt better...like within a day...and again...I think that's very rare also!! The side effects of what people talk about...was exactly how I felt before I started the meds...again we are all different! That's why when I was feeling so low over Christmas...I thought my meds needed upping again!! But as it is...it was a blip and hopefully over it again!! But it did last a week...a horrible long week that felt never ending xx

I live in Montreal,canada. Very cold here also and been freezing rain and snowing a lot lately. Snowing a lot right now as I write this.

Yeah I understand, I felt so good over the holidays and now back to regular every day routine it makes me think of the anxiety again.

Back in September I went to my father in law's and his wife was going on and on about how people who just stay at home and do nothing and play games are a waste to society and should get killed off. I don't agree with this at all and I am a stay at home mom with my 3 year old. And since she said this i started thinking that I am contributing nothing and what am i doing for the world and what am I supposed to be doing? I know it's important to be there for my son but she made me feel like I wasn't doing enough and that I need to have this big fancy important job to matter. And it's been bugging me and also has sort of added to my anxiety and depression. I am very sensitive and never feel good enough,so that conversation bothered me.

I'm not surprised you feel like that. Thing is, unless you've had anxiety yourself you can't possibly know how truly awful it is. Take no notice I'm sure you're a great mum. I feel pretty useless myself as I'm supposed to be back at work next week but have the jitters thinking about it. Never been like this before, I would never believe it could happen to me!

You know, I decided to be a stay at home mum when my children grew up as wanted to always be there before and after school and on sick days like my mum was for me.  In fact, I never sat still when at home.  My choice.  But oh dear, the amount of people who talked to me like I was some sort of drain on society and how many times I heard 'about time you got a job'.  I pointed out that I worked for 16 years full time before deciding to be a full time mum and it was my business ...... AND I never had a penny from any government to fund me.  

You contribute by bringing a child into the world with your love, and society will reap the benefit from that.  Everyone has a choice and nobody has the right to contradict what the next person does.  If you can afford to stay at home, then enjoy every minute and ignore what any biggots say, and if you want to be a working mum then that's also entirely up to you.  There is no right and wrong.

Having anxiety can make it difficult for some to work, and that's nobody's fault.  You cannot help being ill.  If you had a major, major illness that made you real sick and bedridden, then I wonder what the opinion would be then.

Killed off?  I'm not even going to attempt to answer that.

You are good enough - everyone has a place in life and yours is extremely important, whatever you do.

Ok ..... I've put my soapbox away now.

Ho hum ......

K x

Ow my god Isabel...I'm not surprised it bothered you...it would of bothered me too...she sounds like a very insensitive crank to me!!! People have circumstances that make them stay at home...and....I also stayed at home with my two when they was babies!! I only worked 2 days when mine was little!! And if you are in a possision financially that allows you to be a house wife...(which is the hardest job of all) good on ya 👍🏻!! I used to go to work for a break if I'm honest haha...!! But I no exactly what you mean...I'm a sensitive soul too...and this also triggers my anxiety off!! I'm a really kind hearted person...just my nature...but some people take advantage of that...and again...this triggers my anxiety also!!! I hope you're feeling better today and less anxious xx

How would you differentiate between a temporary blip and a real reason to increase the dose or suspect that a change in AD is needed. (Been on citalopram 20mg for 4 mths).

Thank you KC

Often difficult to know really unless you've given the meds a long enough time and you've had absolutely no breaks in the low mood and had no elevated moods all that time perhaps?

If you've had waves of feeling great mixed with low moods then after 4 months I'd personally keep going for a little longer, but if you've had hardly any good feelings then maybe its time to increase?

My son took Fluoxetine some years ago, and after about 6 months even though he had slight elevated mood occasionaly I was beginning to wonder if he should change meds when it suddenly started happening for him.  Took 9 months for him.

So yes, really all depends on how you've been up to now.  It is always 3 steps forward and 2 steps back all the way through .... frustrating.

K x

Whilst I haven't felt absolutely fantastic, I have had lots of days where I've felt normal. Thing is its complicated due to awful insomnia , restless leg syndrome and not enjoying good sleep. I've always attributed feeling iffy to just a lack of sleep and always usually feel better a few hours after getting up. Felt rubbish all day today though

You always say such great things and good advice thank you. I felt better by the afternoon yesterday but once again really anxious and sad this morning. I'm happy i had great days the last while and hope it just keeps getting better and better.

That was the pattern I went through when I was recovering.  By the evening I felt better and normal, yet the anxiety would hit me every morning.  It began to turn into a pattern so that eventually every evening became good and I looked forward to them.  That good feeling slowly crept into the rest of my day and finally I began waking with no anxiety either.

Recovery often comes in waves - so you do sound like you're recovering.

K x

 

Mmmm yes lack of sleep can cause a lot of problems for your body.  Is this just due to the meds or have you always been a poor sleeper?

Having days where you've felt normal shows the meds are working.  I had that and my days (or evenings in my case) gradually increased over much time.  During this time I still had bad days, sometimes weeks, but sure enough, those normal days returned. 

Hi Kate thanks for your reply. Yes I suppose I've always been a poor sleeper bit the meds have definitely worsened things significantly. It's not too bad at the moment but def have had a blip this week

- anxious last 2 mornings a a bit nauseous but had an awful.lot going on . My little grandson was born just before Christmas and then Christmas with everyone round, had a relatives wedding week before Christmas and then new year. Plus I'm due back at work next week, I've been off since August!

Thanks for your excellent and encouraging advice, it makes a whole lot of difference. I'll just ride it out

Awwww Gerrymoo, congratulations on the birth of your new grandson 

You've really had a lot happening of late - no wonder you're feeling a little out of sorts at the mo.  Dips often happen after events - and you've had quite a few fabulous ones of late (how lovely) :-)

Going back to work can make you feel a bit uneasy I'm sure, and so can make you feel out of sorts too.  My son did exactly the same when he wasn't well - was off work from August until the new year, and yes struggled back a little but he recovered eventually.

Yes, just keep going.  There's be more ups and downs to come I'm sure - but they will get easier until all is ironed out.

K x

Kate cogs - thanks for the pep talk, it's a particular gift you have 😀x I think all we want is to get back to some sense of normality- whatever that is !!@

Aww thanks 

I'm sure work will go well once you're back into the stride (is it back full time or are you easing in with part time)?  

Let us know how it goes.

K x

Hi Kate, I work 30hrs per week as a nurse on a chemotherapy unit. I will be going back on a phased return.

Going back to the subject of blips, the difficulty I have is ascertaining what is a blip and what is the anxiety rearing it's ugly head again since both present in the same way. That's why I find it difficult to judge whether a dose increase is needed or to try and ride it out .