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Need Guidance

Posted , 5 users are following.

anne240
anne240

I was on 150mg daily of Effexor for 9 years.  My doctor suggested I wean off it, and that took me months so I did not get any withdrawals.  Now depression returning after a year.  I really don't want to go back on Effexor again. 

I would like peoples views on Citlopram before I go back to the doctor.

~an you help?  What are people's experiences of this?

0 likes, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • loxie
    loxie anne240

    Posted

    Citalopram, like any SSRI medication, isnt suited to everyone.  The side effects are horrible in some and almost non existent in others and dosages vary dramatically between individual persons.  Now you are not taking the Effexor, take Vitamin B6 supplements in the meantime prior to starting on any other meds, Vit B6 is excellent for helping the brain to produce serotonin and dopamine, which will help to lift your mood in the interim.  Cit is an SSRI whilst Effexor is considered to be more potent and an SSNRI, so you may find your body more tolerant of cit.  Ask your doctor to explain the different medications available (eg citalopram, fluoxetine, etc) as they all work slightly differently to produce the same effect.  
    • redmarigolds
      redmarigolds loxie

      Posted

      is there anything else you can take to keep seritonin levels up loxie

       

    • loxie
      loxie redmarigolds

      Posted

      Hi Maria

      Several basic good practice for elevating serotonin levels would be exercise - even gentle exercises raises endorphin levels and in turn serotonin, daylight - during winter in this country we really suffer from S.A.D due to lack of sufficient light levels.  Try to get out in daylight for at least 1/2 hr daily or alternatively buy a SAD light, theyre quite cheap., lastly avoid all white rice, white flour, white sugar and caffeine, all of these seriously negatively affect mood.  Hope this helps.

    • redmarigolds
      redmarigolds loxie

      Posted

      thanx for replying loxie i didnt realise white flour would b an ingredient to avoid something i enjoy but will be easy not to eat and white sugar have to stop taking sugar in my tea which i did drink a lot of cut back but could do better any other vitamins i could take they say oily fish is good but hate fish definitly couldnt put that in my diet thanks for your help xxx

       

    • anne240
      anne240 loxie

      Posted

      Thank ytou.  I have always taken B6 along with multi vitamin and mineral and Omega 3, even when on anti depressants.  Now also taking vitamin D3 and Kalms.  I did not take them yesterday as wanted to see how I went, and do you know I felt really low.  Today I started taking them all again and feel a lot better.  Coincidence??  I don't know.  But I shall continue on these supplements.

      Thank you for your input. 

      Fluxetine was the worst anti depressant I ever took.  Made me very, very poorly.  Never again.

      Yes different anti depressants suit different people.

    • loxie
      loxie redmarigolds

      Posted

      Hi Maria.  I was on citalopram for almost a year but towards the end of that time I was getting so ill, I started to reduce the dose, only taking it every other day, then three times a week and so on until I stopped.  I did get benefits from it in that I calmed down a lot and didnt explode at every little mishap in life but in the end I was getting very depressed at being so sick that the benefits were overshadowed.  I will never be a happy go lucky person, always prone to sad times and worry about everything but I've managed to get out of the black pit and can at least cope with daily life.  Winter is a difficult time for me, I really suffer without sunlight and warm weather and the short dark days bring me down very quickly but I'm trying my best to do all the right stuff and it must be working because I'm definitely not at my lowest point as I was before I started taking the cit.  Not feeling as ill as I did whilst taking it is such a relief that helps too.  I lost most of my hair as an allergic reaction to the cit and to be honest, that brought me very close to topping myself I was so distraught.  My hair grew back but still has episodes of shedding badly and is very thin and dry now where before it was healthy thick and shiny.  My doctor says its 'hereditary hair loss' or down to stress but before I took cit I was extremely stressed and still had lovely hair.  I'm fragile still but I could never face being so ill again as I was taking SSRIs so life is still better than then.
    • redmarigolds
      redmarigolds loxie

      Posted

      i wason them for avout 7 years they did help me a lot for anxiety but decided to come of them went cold turkey wouldnt recomend it was pure hell into my 9th week feeling a lot better going to try some other things that you have recomende my anxiety is a lot better though i have heard about a lot of people losing there hair that must have been awful i must have been 1 of the lucky ones never suffered much side effects on this drug but i wont be going back on anything as i said it has been pure hell coming of them hope you keep feeling better xxx

       

    • loxie
      loxie redmarigolds

      Posted

      So very glad you're starting to feel better Maria.  Re the flour and sugar, it's the processed white stuff that's bad for you.  Although it's best to keep carbs to a minimum in your diet, whole or unrefined stuff is nowhere near as bad, so try swapping white sugar for unrefined demerara, and maybe just use a little less rather than cut it out completely.  I cut out white bread and pre-made cakes and now if I eat some, I feel like someone inflated me with a balloon pump, my gut complains like mad.  Vitamin D3 is good to compensate for lack of sunshine too, it's recommended for those who specially suffer from Seasonal disorder.  I'm vegetarian so I don't get enough B12 in my diet, so I take B supplements too which help.  It's hard work going it alone without pharmaceutical help but like you I definitely won't be going back on them.  Good luck hon.  Keep us updated how you're doing xx
    • anne240
      anne240 redmarigolds

      Posted

      I have been on anti depressants for just over 20 years.  My doctor suggested last year I stop and see how II went.  It has been about 15 months now and is the longest I have been without anti depressants in all those years. 
    • redmarigolds
      redmarigolds loxie

      Posted

      thanks for replying loxie i do feel a lot better after coming of meds will try different vitamins see what works x

       

  • katecogs
    katecogs anne240

    Posted

    I believe Effexor is an SNRI and is there certain foods you can't have?

    Cirtralopram is an SSRI and it has cured me of my anxiety and depression.  You will probably get dreadful side effects for about 2 weeks initially ie heightened anxiety, headaches, weird feeling etc, but get through that and things should iron out and the depression eventually lift.

    I took 20mg for many years then found I could maintain my well being on 10mg.  I don't like taking medication, but I couldn't go back to how I used to suffer.

    People here will support you through the first few weeks - it's good to keep in touch with people going through the same.

    So for me, Citralopram has been the best thing ever.

    K x

    • anne240
      anne240 katecogs

      Posted

      No you can eat anything with Effexor. 

      Thank you for your input.

  • steeko
    steeko anne240

    Posted

    I Am on my 4th week of cit. I would never ever go through what I went through again, the first 1-2 and leading abit into the 3rd week was actual hell. Not physically, but mentally. I stuck it through and I feel a bit better but Its not a massive difference from what I was feeling before the medication, hopefully I will see more improvements. if this doesn't work I won't be trying another SSRI as I wouldn't put myself through what I felt again.

    This is my personal option, not medical advice lol. I hear some people on them don't actually get any side effects at all! I hope whatever you deicde to do all the best! I hope your feeling better soon! I will keep you updated in the coming weeks to see if there are any changes on cit, if your interested.

    good luck!

    • loxie
      loxie steeko

      Posted

      I too had a bad reaction to cit Steeko, unfortunately this medication doesn't suit everyone.  My doctor advised me to stop it as I had a severe allergic reaction to it, both physical and mental reactions.  SSRI's arent for me sadly.  Trying to cope with self-help measures but it's a struggle, I wish I could have continued to take it as some people find it a life saver.
    • anne240
      anne240 steeko

      Posted

      Thanks.  Given me something to think about.  For now I will continue without medication.  Good and bad days.  Can cope at present. 

      I take quite a few supplements and will continue with those

    • steeko
      steeko anne240

      Posted

      I went to the doctor today I was told to come of them slowly and he persribied me propranolol 40mg 1-3 times a day as the side effects I had were beyond what is normal on cit. I am glad I have been taken of them. Hopefully these new meds help me! I am new to all this I start this when my Cit stops in 2 weeks. 

      Wish you all the best! Time to do some research on these tablets! lol good luck mate! Hope you get sorted!

    • anne240
      anne240 steeko

      Posted

      Thank you.  That is very interesting.  I don't want to put myself what you have gone through either.  That is why I asked this question.  Over the many years of taking different anti depressants I have had side effects.  Effexor was such a difficult drug to withdraw from without getting withdrawal symptoms.  I am trying to cope without medication.

      This is the longest time I have not been on anti depressants.  Was on them for 20 plus years and now 15 months since I stopped the Effexor. 

      I am very interested to see how you progress. Please keep me updated.

      All the best and hope you feel better soon.

    • redmarigolds
      redmarigolds anne240

      Posted

      i will keep in touch annie let you know how i am doing x

       

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