Day 7 on citalopram and feel awful

The GP

I posted this elsewhere but I have to ask I don't suppose you know if your GP has any training with regards to psychiatry and treatments, do you?

The only reason I ask is that there are more helpful methods of coping with anxiety than simply adding to the anxiety by giving you a crutch to lean on until talking therapies (more helpful) become available. For a GP to first diagnose something she doesn't have any understanding of and second, treat with medication without understanding what that medication actually does, is all too common a mistake they make and deeply irresponsible.

Reading what you have said, I've been there - can relate to it totally - and I don't know what advice you've already had in terms of relaxation exercises but currently are you on the waiting list to see anybody else, guided self-help, counselling, EMDR, CBT at all?

I'd urge anybody who is offered medication to ask what right the person has to prescribe it, what training the person has to be able to determine whether or not it is compatible with the individual they're providing it to, and to provide evidence that the medication will give effective, subjective and individual treatment to the person it's being prescribed to with effective, subjective and individual results.

One size doesn't necessarily fit all. GP's are good, don't get me wrong, some have taken that extra training to be able to cope with patients who visit them with a psychiatric difficulty, but a lot really haven't and have absolutely no right putting their foot into the arena. What they should do is refer them to a doctor within the surgery who has that training, and more often than not they will almost definitely never give medication without first offering a different path to follow - that of talking therapies.

I am currently in the process of seeing a link worker to sort out some kind of counsilling etc have had a mental health assessment to.

im being supported by my health visitor too ( i have 2 young children)

Have you ever researched your own ways to calm the feelings of anxiety/depression? Medication should always be the absolute last resort; never th first choice.

This is the 3rd I've tried! Have had Prozac and sertraline and now on citalopram

It's really horrid to have these feelings isn't it. Pm me if you need a chat.  

Yeah i hate it im finding each day harder to deal with. Im struggling woth my 2 kids now too which is making me feel worse as they r so young i feel like im letting them down

I'm on 10mg at the moment as they wanted to start on a low dose and increase gradually as I reacted really badly to sertraline.

Main way I feel is just really tearful n my mood is even lower than usual plus I have a headache I can't shift but am wondering if that just because I feel so stressed out 

Hi again if you can manage on 10mg i would stick with that. Your side effects should wear off after a couple of more weeks. My side effects were worse on the 20mg, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, increased anxiety. On the 10mg i sleep better, eating again and have only had a couple of anxiety attacks in the last few weeks. I am sticking with the low dose as i would rather not take meds but it takes the edge off. I am on here most days if you want to talk again.

Keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on. People on here are very understanding so keep with this forum.

Thank u