citalopram, stress and work

Hi,

Thanks so much for writing what you did. It was almost as if I had written it myself - as I am in exactly the same position work-wise (really stressful job that is getting worse as more and more are made redundant but the work load remains the same for those left). I got a prescription for Citalopram this morning to help me cope with the anxiety that is crippling me at work. I was scared to start taking it after I'd gone on the web and read all the side effects! I am starting on 10mg. Why don't you go back to your Doctor and they may increase your dose to 20mg? Or he/she may suggest something else? I know what you mean about wanting to keep your job (as that's how I feel) but, your Doctor may give you a sick line - and no employer can legally sack you for that when you've got a sick note! (Afterall, it's your employer that's making you ill!) It's good that your husband is so supportive and understanding - but men are very solution-focused - there are no grey areas for them. All the best.

hello again

it is comforting to speak to someone in the same position but sad at the same time that we should be made to feel like this. I have made an appointment to see the docotr on monday As the stress is piled on us at work, I am less able to cope again but scared that if I go off sick, I will be next when the redundancies come round again. It is an awful trap isn't it!

However, it is making me feel ill so we will see what the doctor says . I think you should be fine on the citalopram; The 10mg helped me at first and I started feeling better immediately, the side effects were not as bad as I thought they were going to be but I did have severe headaches for the first couple of days, followed by a warm, fuzzy detachment from everything till it levelled off, certainly helped with the panic, up until now that is. Good luck with them and your job, This forum is so helpful and supportive, let me know how you get on

best wishes

Marie

Hi,

It might be good if your Doctor gives you a sick line and that way it gives your meds a chance to settle down prior to going to back into work. I know that sense of dread you feel very well. Hopefully this recession will be over soon and when it is the workforce will be very mobile indeed! Until then, try to get your girlfriends together whenever you can, visit the movies and see a comedy, take up a hobby or an evening class (it really helps to remind you that there IS life out of work and it also takes your mind off the events of the day). I know you work hard - now you are gonna have to work just as hard at being good to yourself. Treats are definitely in!

You are so lucky that your guy is supportive. I'm not going to tell my husband about the tablets - he just thinks I should \"stop getting worked up\" and stop \"taking everything so seriously\". He means to be supportive, he really does - but he just doesn't \"get\" it

Hi Marie,

I was experiencing something quite similar to your situation, understaffed, overworked, feeling like you should be coping but you're not. i convinced myself I should be able to handle it or i'd never be a competent employee in any job so I continued to overwork myself on top of what was already happening and my job is stressfull enough as it is. On top that there was a lot going on at home that all just mounted up and 2 months ago I ended up in my gp's office crying! but things are improving. day by day.

and don't worry about needing a further sick line, you are perfectly entitled to it! you do need time to let the medication settle. have you considered any other kinds of therapies or counselling? there are free services you can use and i was encouraged by some friends I'd spoke to to go to some counselling sessions. It might help, you never know.

hello Laura

Thank you so much for your message, I had some counselling earlier in the year which has helped with other things in my life and was helping with work till they moved the goal posts again and the stress levels have increased still further. I am glad your situation is improving, it gives us hope doesn't it.

I am going to the doctors tonight so will see what advice he gives, I don't feel as bad as I did last week but I know I can feel ok one minute and terrible the next.

best wishes

Marie

hello all

The docotor has advised that I up my dose to 20mg in the hope that I might cope with the stress levels better. I am going to leave it for 2 weeks before I start as I am doing a part time degree too and have an essay to finish for 9th Oct, I won't be able to right it if I up my dose so will give it till I have finished.

I have a headache everyday at work by about 10am, it is terrible when it makes you feel so ill isn't it

best wishes

Marie

I have only just sought treatment for anxiety/panic attacks brought on by problems at home, but 'tipped over the edge' by pressures at work. I haven't had a day off sick in over 5 years and have willingly cancelled holidays etc to help my bosses, but when i need some support i'm threatened with a disciplinary if I show i'm depressed/anxious at work. Have even been moved from a busy open plan office to a tiny room with no air con and only occasionally one other person in there... I thought i was going mad, feeling the way I have been the last couple of weeks, just wish i'd found this website before - everything you have written here could apply to me. So to anyone else who might read this... you are not alone, see your GP sooner rather than later, and talk to your friends, no-one can help unless they know you need it. I will get better, and in the meantime I will keep on drawing support from words like the ones written here, with support and time we will all make it xx

[quote:2accaee353=\"akasha \"]I don't know if anyone can help. I was off work with stress and depression for a month last december. I started taking citalopram in feb, 10mg and I started feeling immediately better. I have had a few ups and downs but on the whole much better.

Lately my job has got even more stressful with 3 of us doing the work of 7 or 8. Over the last few weeks, I have become withdrawn again, starting to be weepy, feel sick, not being able to breathe properly and a feeling of dread again. My husband thinks I should go off sick again but obviously I need my job, I could go back to the docs but they will probably up my medication which will send my funny for a couple of weeks anyway. I am dreading going in tomorrow

Has anyone been in a situation like this or can offer any advice.

kind regards

Marie[/quote:2accaee353]

Hi Akasha,

I've been on Citalopram for about 7 weeks now. I feel loads better. The first week was a bit hairy, I felt tired, had random thoughts and was spaced out for a while.

Now I feel happy at the little things, sunny day, my new fence, hula hoops in the canteen at work. I don't feel irritable and snappy or that life it one huge chore which is how I used to feel.

I do however have a very stressful and busy job which requires a lot of travelling and being thrust into situations with people I've never met before when I'm sometimes out of my comfort zone. It would make me feel anxious and worried a lot of the time. My doctor prescribed me half beta blockers which I take as and when I need them. There always there in my bag should I ever have the anxious feelings in my chest and sick feeling in my tummy. Just knowing I have them there to fall back on is reassuring and when I do take them they really calm me down and make me feel relaxed in situations where I would feel panicky. If I feel overwhelmed with my work load, I just take one and I can then start thinking clearly because I feel calm. I have had them on and off for a few years now, mostly off but I go for a prescription when ever I start feeling anxious. It nips it in the bud. There are no side effects at all so you can take them as and when you need to.

You could try asking your doctor if you can try them. They really changed my life.

Good luck. x

Hi Marie,

What are you studying? Have you started on the 20mg yet? That's what I was initally prescribed but past few weeks have begun to get very hard again so I'm thinking I need this increased. Don't go back to see my gp again for another week so I'll take it up with him then I guess.

Maybe the time of day you are taking your meds is effecting you, what time would you normally take them? everyone is different but i find if i take mine very early in the morning, between 7 and 8 before i go to work, the side effects were easier to overcome. if i take it any later in the day i'll get drowsy and get headaches in the evening. takes a while to work it out. hopefully when the side effects pass you'll start to feel better

hello everyone

I haven't increased my dosage to 20mg yet because I needed to get an essay in. I am studying nutritional therapy at uni while working so it is quite hard at the minute. I have got some beta blockers too and take them at work just when I need them, they are good aren't they.

there are redundancies here again this week so even if I don't get ousted which I don't think I will, the stress levels are only going to increase. The doc says he would have no problem giving me a sick note if I wanted one.

Thanks for your support everyone. Hope you are all ok

best wishes

Mariex

whens the best time to take tabs i take mine at 10pm dont get to sleep till 5 or 6am then i struggle to get up

Hello all,

I have been taking Citalopram now for just over three years on and off. I have taken a variety of dosages from 20mg upto 60mg.

Whilst Citalopram obviously won't fix what is causing the problems it will help enough to put you in a strong possition to deal with them.

As I have read , some of you have spoken about the side effects and I completely agree they can be rather nasty and wherever possible I highly recommend taking 14days away from work if you are given the option.

I have recently (8weeks) restarted with mine and I am taking 20mg a day which I am fairly sure will be upped this week to 40mg as my situation and well being is getting worse.

I think this forum is a fantastic place for people using the drug as there are unfortunately far too many people who just don't understand why people have to take anti-depresents. I do believe that some people without realising themselves think of them much like a class a drug!

I suffered to mental breakdowns 3yrs ago, I am only 27 now and have come to terms that I shall always be prone to Anxiety and Depression. I have been told that I will probably spend most of my life of ADs of some form, sadly my Ex partner wasn't willing to understand fully why I got upset and why my leg/foot would twitch or even worse why i developed \"turets head\" when I would twitch as though someone had \"walked over my grave\", it's something that embarrases me when it happens and even more when the response was \"Whats wrong with you now\" I really suffer at work when I'm aware others may see me twitch or excesively fidget. Thank fully Citalopram does help control that so that it happens a lot less.

The one thing that I will highly highly recommend is exercise and I mean anysort whether it is simply down the gym, going for a bike ride or play a team sport! I'm a qualified football referee and I can't describe even with the abuse lol, how much better I feel following a match.

The major thing I feel I want to say is never be ashamed to take the help available, always be ashamed of being ignorent to it!

hello again everyone

Those were really encouraging words Drnick, I walk the dogs eceryday and you are right, exercise does help. As to when to actually take the drug, I think it varies from person to person. I used to take mine at night but now I take them in the morning when I wake up. Work is not getting any better and last night I was panicking and in tears so this morning I upped the dose to 15 to gradually go up to 20mg. I do feel a bit strange, a bit spacey and detached but ok, lets see how the day goes

hope everyone is ok

best wishes

Marie

xxx