Citalopram day 22 I'm struggling

Thanks bob,

I want to keep going as I need to try and get sorted I'm a single mum to 4 kids at home, and it's tough going, I feel bad for them sometimes,

I am hoping it is still just side effects, thank you for your support everyone, sometimes I just feel I'm going backwards or mad !!

Wendy xx

wendy

I feel we all need a little madness to survive

BOB

Thanks bob, not doing too good today, feel so anxious scared and alone, I have the kids to see to and it scares me, I'm so tired and feel sick,

Hope you are well

Wendy x

Hi Wendy sorry you aren't feeling good today. Have you been referred for cbt? I see a private cbt therapist as the wait for NHS was ages. It's definitely worth it. There's also some books which are really good "cbt for anxiety for dummies" and "cbt for dummies" they explain the cbt approach very simply.

Unfortunately there's no defined time for the side effects to subside or for improvements to start to be felt, which is really frustrating. I'm 11 weeks in and only just starting.

Keep posting on here everyone is so supportive. Try not to question and analyse how you are feeling try to accept (it's easier said than done). There are lots of meditation videos on you tube too which can help.

Take care xx

Hi Victoria, how are you feeling 11 weeks in? I'm 5 weeks in, what you say about trying not to analyse how your feeling is just so true, I was feeling a bit brighter yesterday but not as good today so immediately thinking I'm back to square 1. Mornings are by far the worst, have to really fight the nausea and anxiousness in order to get out of bed. How are you finding CBT? I'm finding it quite hard to get my head around

S x

Thanks for your reply Victoria,

Haven't be referred for cbt, I'm still waiting on counselling which has been a year now, I know I shouldn't analyse things as I feel I'm back to square 1 , and it is early days just started on my 4th week

I just feel awful, high anxiety and no energy, too, Iv done nothing all day,

And I hate this feeling of fear,

Thank you again for the reply

Wendy xx

Try to breathe in and out, or look on the internet on excuses u can do when having anxiety, etc.

Wendy thaks

Always around

BOB

Hi Wendy, even now I feel just like you when I'm feeling grotty, straight away I think about how bad I feel and forget the better spells.  It is getting a bit easier and I've learnt a lot with the cbt, but its the physical symptoms that I suffer with the most.  I just keep telling myself that I am slowly getting better. Whilst the anxiety is still there, it's much more manageable now, feeling sickly is tough though and the mornings are the worst.

Things do calm down, it just takes time xxx

Hi Sara the cbt is ok, I have struggled with it too, mostly because it isnt a magic wand and doesnt make me instantly feel better (if only it did!)

I will admit that it has been a very long 11 weeks but I am feeling some improvements just not a quickly as Id like.

I'm still bad in a morning, mixture of anxiety and habit now

xx

Thank you Victoria for getting back to me, it given me a little bit of reassurance that it is normal to have a few bad days, and your right I do forget about the better days Iv had, it's also the physical symptoms that affect me more too, I hate them, especially mornings,

Least I know it's just early days and to give it more time

Thank you

Wendy xx

wendy

Keep a hold you know where we are

BOBx

Thanks so much for your support bob

I will let you'd know how it's going

Wendy x

Hi everyone, still not feeling great today, quite agitated and a feeling of dread/fear/ pit of my stomach is the only way I can describe it, also always tired, no motivation whatsoever, and I seem to get a dread panic feeling over everything no matter what it is, does this sound normal? (I'm hoping so) thanks for those that have helped me so far xx

Yes Wendy, that sounds like me last week. I would get very nervous and anxious about changing activity during the day e.g. coming home from the doctors and going to the shop. My nerves were in tatters and the smallest thing was making me feel very nervous and uncomfortable. That feeling is much better this week. Hang in there xx

Wendy

Thank you

Keep a hold

BOB

Thanks sara,

Did you feel scared to do anything? I find it very difficult to go to the shops, and I feel anxious incase there isn't enough food,

Also I have no appetite, feel queasy and waves of panic on top of the anxiety,

It's a relief to know I'm not alone, even though it feels like it and it's scary

Thank you xx

Hi Wendy,

Yes don't worry, it's par for the course for some of us I'm afraid and although it's a truly horrible experience it is only temporary.

Gradually your days will get easier to cope with and you will get to know your best and worst time of day. The better times will get longer !

Im nearly 10 weeks in and still have a yuk feeling a lot of the time but the heightened anxiety has mostly gone and I can face normal situations again. Just wish I could sleep, it's driving me mad and making me very tired !

Keep going wendy x

Hi

Sorry for late reply, still struggling through just started 4 th week, buyback I do find I'm coping better at night times, mornings seem to be my worst,

Today seems to be a bad day with agitation, has anyone went up from 10mg to 20mg doctor wants me to do this and I'm a bit worried 😩

Thanks guys xx

Hi Wendy,

Mornings for some reason seem to prove difficult for many of us whilst adjusting to citalopram. It seems to be the part of the day which is last to improve.

I increased from 10mg to 20mg after 3 wks on 10s. Now done 6 weeks on 20mg so 10 wks total. I did experience the side effects again particularly nausea and anxiety/agitation. I think I just dealt with them better because I understood what was happening and also I knew that the intensity would subside..

Just wish I could get a decent nights sleep, the insomnia is awful !

Hi Gerrymoo

Thanks for the reply,

Do you find 20mg better? I'm hoping that 20 mg will work better for me and I will start to feel the benefits of it,

Sorry to hear your having trouble sleeping I'm the opposite I could sleep for ages,

Wendy xx

Oh I wish I could sleep! Awake every 1 -2 hrs and when it gets to 3am ish I often just lay there and that's it for the night 😔. GP thinks it will all settle down. It's not too bad whilst I'm still off work on sick leave but don't know how I'll manage when I go back.

Having said that, I'm so much better in myself, not worried about going out now and the horrendous nausea and anxiety has subsided. I am starting to look forward to doing things again without the dread of not coping. So yes 20mg is good for me so far. I still think I've got some way to go but at least I'm functioning again. It's all been a really frightening experience, something I've never experienced before and don't wish to again x

Aww no sleep does make matters worse, I know that from experience, I'm defo sleeping but I don't think it's a proper sleep as I wake feeling shattered, and usually remember stupid dreams,

Maybe I shouldn't worry too much about upping to 20mg, I think I'm just scared of side effects again cos they get quite horrendous and scary,

But as you said it's all been a scary time, I can't wait till I start to feel even a slight bit like myself again, as it's been a really difficult nearly 2 years for me and my kids a few times I though I wasn't going to be here, so no I wouldn't wish this on anyone xx