Need advice please

Hi Personal 20,

Thank you for your kind reply.

Although I am in withdrawal, it is true that covid 19 has brought on more anxiety for me as it has others. I am going to try to get my dose as accurate as possible because I think the slight deviation in strength could be making a difference in my healing.

Kind regards

No problem Sonia, and if you need more support don't hesitate to come back on with another post. Take care

can you not swap to liquid sonia?

Hi Toria,

The last time we spoke you had a chest infection, hope you are over it now.😊

What a good idea, I never thought about liquid citalopram. Have you tried it?

i use the liquid lovely, still not better as doctors say probable covid 19, they gave me antibiotics in case it turned bacterial and i had a reaction to them, i now have neuropathy and intercostal neuralgia, also chest still sore so having an xray on monday! x

Oh Toria, I'm so sorry you are still poorly, it all sounds extremely uncomfortable, as if going through withdrawal isn't bad enough. I hope all goes well with the xray on Monday, and I hope they test you for the virus to be sure. A few members of my family have had symptoms of the virus and they have made a full recovery. Take good care of yourself, sending best wishes for a speedy recovery, 🌼will catch up with you again later. x🌞

thank you my lovely, really hope things improve for you soon xx

Hi Toria

Are you feeling any better?

I"m doing ok at the mo, knitting like crazy. Sent for a scales to measure my dose, hopefully that will work out, if it doesn't I'll switch to liquid. 🌝

Until a week ago I'd have said inaccurate cutting made little to no difference but dropping from 10mg to 2.5mg (so I have to cut halves and quarters!) hit me like a train so I wonder what my tolerance is for imprecise cutting. I know that over a couple of days it'll kind of balance out but when you feel bad you question everything!

Hi Charlie T

I've been on surviving antidepressants and apparently it can make a difference. Lower doses are harder to come off so it makes sense that accuracy is important. Fingers crossed🌝

not at the mo lovely but still battling, ive got phychosis from the antibiotics, i thought 3 years ago it was the steriods in hospital that caused it but i had the same antibiotics then, good idea about the scales, im trying not to get frustrated as i wont be able to drop for a while now 😦 x

Hi Toria

Don't worry about reducing, that can wait until another time, just concentrate on getting well first. 🌞 At least you know now to avoid that antibiotic in future.

Every day is a step nearer to recovery, I hope you start to feel better soon.

Take care x

Yep, I read some of the posts on that site too. I guess you have to remember that Internet forums probably represent those who have the hardest time and SA is no exception. That site is particularly focussed on withdrawal and discontinuation syndrome so, completely understandably, they have very strict views on dosage.

That said, I'd prefer liquid, but apparently the absorption is different from tablets!

thanks sonia, keep me updated how you get on x

i swapped from tablets to liquid and got used to it but have to get the same brand x

Hi Toria

Just dropping by to see how you are, are you feeling better yet?

I'm plodding along, good and bad days. I'm knitting loads and I think it's giving me headaches and stiff neck.

My scales arrived two days ago and they are great for measuring a more accurate 5 mg dose. Fingers crossed. I have a niggling chesty cough, have had it for a couple of weeks, feels like I want to cough to clear my chest but it's only making my chest sore. Worse in the mornings and at night. Hope it will pass soon.

Hope all is well with you.

Take care x

can i ask what scales you bought and how much they were? x

I am sorry Sonia, I didn't answer the question you raised that has covid 19 brought on more anxiety? Yes, without doubt it will and this needs to be taken into consideration.

Please let us know how you are getting on.

Take care

hi sonia, aw thank you for checking up on me 😃 thats made my day, yesterday all symptoms were less which was amazing, today im awful again, but we have to troop on dont we, brilliant news about the scales as i think it would probably take you time to get used to the liquid, i need to try knitting again, my nan taught me when i was little, im crazy about crochet but cant manage it at the moment with my chest etc. anyway i have my chest x-ray on tuesday so fingers crossed that is ok (you know what anxiety is like im thinking cancer) i had to delay it for a week as felt so bad, try warm water for your chest it really helps x

Hi Shorthair

Described as a Diamond 20g 0.001g Milligram High precision digital scale £11.76. There were no batteries and it's very lightweight, the size of a mobile phone. Didn't need calibrating but it came with two weights and a tweezers. Very pleased with it.

Hi Toria

Yes I know the feeling about getting tests done, I'm the same, I worry about getting the results. I get in a state going to the dentist too. You had a fairly good day yesterday so that's a positive sign, you'll probably feel better after the xray is done, maybe it's playing on your mind and that's why you're not feeling so good today.

Yes, the scales are good, hopefully they will make a difference.

Knitting is what's keeping me sane in this lockdown. Nothing too complicated, just soft toys for charity.

Had a busy day today, shopping and cooking for my mother who lives alone and my daughter tried to dye her hair blonde and it went wrong. The drama!

Hope all goes well with the xray, not long to wait now.

Will speak soon, take care x

Hi personal20

I'm not doing too bad lately, thanks for asking. Still getting withdrawal symptoms but accepting the fact that they are withdrawal symptoms has helped me deal with them. I think I was worrying whether there could be another explanation which was causing anxiety. Now that I am measuring my dose more accurately I feel more confident.

Best wishes

had terrible tooth pain today, now think its an abcess gee whiz, and oh dear about your daughter dying her hair blonde, when i was going for silver my hair went green before i sorted it, i looked like grotbags haha, how are you doing today? im a little worse unfortunately x

Hi Toria

Hope it's not an abcess, sometimes these random pains come and go in withdrawal, happens to me. Sorry you feel worse today, maybe its the stress of your upcoming xray. I worry about things like that too.

I've not had a good day today, heady and a bit dizzy. I'm wondering if it's because my dose is more accurate now, maybe taking a bit less than I was taking when I was trying to half my tablet. It's the sort of feeling you get when you change a dose.

The hair drama went on until mid morning today, there was green and ginger streaks lol so she put a brown shade on in the end. Sorted until the salons open. I'm just relieved her hair didn't fall out although there is some damage. 0

Hope you have a better day tomorrow, hope all goes well with the xray. Take care x

haha glad the hair is sorted, sorry about the dizziness but it will right itself soon enough now youre taking the same dose daily 😃 i think its sinusitis as i always seem to get that after antibiotics, anyway x-ray soon so off for an epsom salt bath, speak soon x

Hi Toria

Just wondering how you're doing, are you feeling any better?

I haven't been too good for a few days. Since measuring my dose I have been getting more dizziness and nausea, not much of an appetite too. It comes in waves.

All this lovely weather we are getting yet I can't sit out in it, I can't seem to tolerate it and I used to be a sun worshipper. Another hot one tomorrow too!

Hope all is ok x

oh no bless you! not too good myself, i have costochondritis now probably brought on by the virus, can hardly move as in so much pain grrrrr, im trying to sit out a bit though as my vitamin d was super low, really hope you see improvement soon lovely x

Hi Toria

So sorry you're not recovered from that infection yet. What a coincidence, I've had costochondritis too for many years,it flares up now and again and can be very painful. Stress doesn't help either. At least there's plenty of natural vitamin d around at the moment so chill and rest as much as you can.

I've had a better day today, hope it continues tomorrow.

Take care x

hey lovely, so happy to hear youve had a better day, hopefully the first of many ❤️ do you get pain in your shoulders and higher back when it flares at all? x

Hi Toria

Yes I get pain in those areas with a flare, it can radiate to your whole torso, it's inflammation. It hurts with breathing too. The pain can be very severe and very sore to touch. I have to wear soft crop tops instead of a bra to stop the pressure.

thank you so much for telling me that, i keep thinking i have lung cancer, did you do anything that helped? im in so much pain but its mainly in my right side now x ps how are you doing today? x

Hi Toria,

It's interesting you say left sided pain, do you have any breathing issues? I had the same thing only right sided pain and I was admitted 3 times in April they thought I had corona virus, but it turned out to be a chest infection and now I have a chronic lung condition. I didn't see that coming!

What pain relief are you taking Toria?

Take care

i take zapain, mine was brought on by the corona virus doctor checked my breathing and couldnt hear any fluid etc x

Hi Toria

Just pain killers, not much else you can do. No stretching, heavy lifting. Anxiety makes it worse. It will pass, mine comes and goes.

Not a good day yesterday, dizziness and nausea seems to come and go throughout the day not too bad again today. No appetite though, maybe it's the heat.

Hope you're a bit better today x.

did you try heat and ice? also some stretches on u tube but dont want to damage myself further 😕 im on codeine anyway but they dont touch the pain, cant take ibuprofen with citalopram which help with taking down inflammation so thats all the creams out! ive constantly had inner ear/balance problems since being on citalopram hopefully for you its just a passing thing, x-ray came back normal so thats good 😃 but due on my period so as you know that never helps, hope your appetite improves tomorrow x

Hi Toria

So happy for you that your x ray was clear.

I don't do anything for Costo other than take pain killers although they don't take the pain away completely. My chest gets so tender in a flare up I just keep pressure off it and avoid doing anything too strenuous. Taking a tepid shower gives a brief relief.

I never had dizziness when I was taking citalopram fortunately, it only started when I started messing with my dose. It comes and goes. Since weighing my dose I've had it worse plus nausea and I think it must be the slight change in dose. Don't know whether I'm taking slightly more or less since weighing it but I am taking a more consistent dose now. It seems to come on in waves, some days not too bad. I'm getting the all too familiar insomnia and weird dreams again too when I finally get off which is around 3am lately. I'm hoping it will pass soon enough.

Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery x.

im sure you will even out given time lovely, what are your plans for the citalopram? are you just going to stay on 5mgs? also dont think this heat helps with dizziness but we have a week of rain coming up as of tomorrow boohoo x

Hi Toria

Yes I think so I just need to give it time.

I am going to stick with 5 mgs until everything levels out and then will have to seriously consider further reductions. I am very sensitive to this med, so it seems, so any further reductions will have to be done very slowly over many months or years I feel. The way I feel now is that I just want to stabilise.

This morning I felt light headed but did some gardening and it passed.

How are you today?

we are both sensitive my lovely but im sure we can get off it no matter how long it takes, im just exhausted with trying to fight my mind, had this same reaction to doxycycline 3 years ago 😕 thinking i have a bloodclot in my leg today, anxiety is a joy isnt it? glad the lightheadedness passed 😃 x

Hi Toria

Yes, anxiety can play havoc with your mind. We tend to over think things and constantly worry about why we feel the way we do, imagining all sorts of insidious diseases. It's so difficult to accept that it's just anxiety and to carry on regardless. The trouble is the more we worry about things the worse anxiety becomes. It's a vicious circle. I know you're not well at the moment and external circumstances are out of our control but it is temporary and you will get better. We can then get back to the nitty gritty of citalopram and withdrawal lol.

Hope it's a better day tomorrow for you, take care x.

aw thank you lovely but unfortunately today has been the worst day so far, whole body burning and in pain x

Oh Toria, so sorry to hear that. Hopefully you'll be better by the time the sun shines again. Keep your chin up!

Sending you well wishes x

thanks lovely, every minute is like an hour at the moment and struggling to breath with the costo doesnt help x

Hi Toria

Just wondering how you are now, are you feeling any better?

I'm ok'ish, still getting muzzy head, nausea has gone though. I'm hoping that once I get used to my measured dose it will go. Still on 5mg. I'm getting better moments though.

I hurt my back a few days ago and I can't straighten up. I was leaning over cleaning the bath and it caught me. Goodness knows how long that will take to ease up.

Hope you're ok x

Hi Shorthair, Just wondering whether you started weighing your dose and if so how you are getting along with it?