can't cope much longer :-(

[nicola1980]

Hi, well ive been taking citalopram for 8 wks now and im slowly improving but my big prob is my retching/heaving in the mornings, i wake up feeling anxious and nauseas at bang on 5:30 every morning and by the time i get downstairs im retching/heaving in the sink :weep: me and my doc thought this was acid reflux as i have all the symptoms of it, acid, lump in throat, burps :blush:, i did start on omeprazole but this gave me severe headaches and panic attacks so changed to ranitidine 150mg twice a day on fri but its getting no better, I woke up this morning with a bad headache and was literally running back and forth to the sink for a good hr and half heaving (it comes from my stomach like when u r sick) this is really getting me down and obvously making my anxiety 10 times worse, ive spent all morning crying thinking i can't do this anymore :weep: xx

[Jamesk]

I have thrown up in the mornings for the last 30 odd years - awful retching and as you say often into the sink in the kitchen when I go downstairs, which is not great if you haven't done the washing up.

I really really think this is just your anxiety, so whilst unpleasant and a nuisance is nothing more ominous.

Funnily enough, mine goes when I have another specific health anxiety to worry about, which more than ever reassures me it is just my stupid brain.

[Anxious_gal]

I too get that dry heaving in the mornings , had it since I was pretty young.
Often it's like I'm vomiting up air/burps then other times it's acid and green bile.
Is it caused by the meds do you think?

[nicola1980]

I too get that dry heaving in the mornings , had it since I was pretty young.
Often it's like I'm vomiting up air/burps then other times it's acid and green bile.
Is it caused by the meds do you think?
Ive took citalopram before and never had it so not sure?? really getting me down now xx

[ronski]

Hi Nicola
I had problems with Omeprazole specifically agitation and drop attacks, I changed to Lansoprazole and what a difference. Ranitidine is nowhere near as effective as the PPis but it's better than nothing. The other thing maybe you should think about is it connected in anyway to your headache ? Migraine or maybe it's as simple as you having sleep disturbance and you unconsciously swallowing air. Anxiety sufferers do swallow air sometimes in huge amounts.
But if it's only occurred since starting the citalopram then maybe it's a side effect and may pass with time as your body adjusts to the drug. Just some thoughts

[nicola1980]

Hi Nicola
I had problems with Omeprazole specifically agitation and drop attacks, I changed to Lansoprazole and what a difference. Ranitidine is nowhere near as effective as the PPis but it's better than nothing. The other thing maybe you should think about is it connected in anyway to your headache ? Migraine or maybe it's as simple as you having sleep disturbance and you unconsciously swallowing air. Anxiety sufferers do swallow air sometimes in huge amounts.
But if it's only occurred since starting the citalopram then maybe it's a side effect and may pass with time as your body adjusts to the drug. Just some thoughts
Thanks keep hoping it will pass, i can go to bed calm (am taking sleeping tabs but took them on and off for yrs) and still wake up the same :huh: apart from the retching in the mornings ive had a fantastic couple of days feeling 'normal' so think its just knocked me back a bit today, headache is pretty bad tho so could be that plus monthly visitor is due sat so prob something to do with that too!! just very tearfull which is of course fueling my anxiety, its a vicious circle :weep: xx

[chappers1980]

Hiya Nicola, I've been on it for 3-4 weeks, had a great couple of days and then woke up this morning feeling nauseaous again. I think its just my anxiety not quite gone. My husband thinks its hunger though as since all this happened i seem to have lost all my brain signals for things and tend to put everything down to my anxiety.

It may just be taking a bit longer than everyone else to adjust to being on the drugs. My GP said it can take 4-6 weeks for you to start to feel better but it can take others a lot longer than this which is what I'm trying to remind myself every time I feel like I slipping back, I'm going to have good and bad days.

You are doing really well and are a lot stronger than you think, you will get through it. I tend to get up and have a peppermint tea. The warm drink mixed with the mint tends to take the sicky feeling away.

Big hugs x

[nicola1980]

Hiya Nicola, I've been on it for 3-4 weeks, had a great couple of days and then woke up this morning feeling nauseaous again. I think its just my anxiety not quite gone. My husband thinks its hunger though as since all this happened i seem to have lost all my brain signals for things and tend to put everything down to my anxiety.

It may just be taking a bit longer than everyone else to adjust to being on the drugs. My GP said it can take 4-6 weeks for you to start to feel better but it can take others a lot longer than this which is what I'm trying to remind myself every time I feel like I slipping back, I'm going to have good and bad days.

You are doing really well and are a lot stronger than you think, you will get through it. I tend to get up and have a peppermint tea. The warm drink mixed with the mint tends to take the sicky feeling away.

Big hugs x
Thanks so much for ur reply, i think its taking me longer cause i upped to 30mg 4 weeks ago and my god it sent me over the edge i had suicidal thoughts, anxiety so bad i was rocking, severe panic attacks that i just wanted to die :weep: I stuck it for 2 weeks hoping it'd get better, doc put me straight back down to 20mg 2 wks ago and said i obvously didn't need that high a dose so was having an adverse reaction! ive been making loads more progress this 2 weeks on just 20mg but guess my levels have been mucked up by increasing then decreasing! xx

[chappers1980]

I've got to increase my dose to 40mg tomorrow so fingers crossed for me then :0) I just keep telling myself, short term pain for long term gain.

Are you finding you are eating ok as if your appetite is a bit all over the place, you could be waking up with low blood sugar which will make you feel pants in the morning? I'm only just starting to eat properly again.

[nicola1980]

Ive lost a stone a and half in weight! But appetite is slowly coming back now! Good luck with your increase, are you going straight from 20 to 40? X x

[chappers1980]

yep doubled up from 10mg to 20mg a week ago and haven't been too bad so hoping the next step to 40mg will be ok. I should think my anxiety will be heightened for a while but i'm ready for it! Bring it on!

Thankfully i'm signed off work at the moment whilst i get to grips with it all. I feel a lot happier now I'm eating a bit better as i've got some strength back. x

[nicola1980]

Hope it goes smoothly keep me posted x x

[AJS]

Can't give u any advice about the wretching, but I'm on day 3 of citalopram
10mg, doc gave me 20mg but I had some 10's left from the last time! She gave me 2nd diazepam and I have propananol left from before - having a really bad time just now so I understand u feel u can't cope - sometimes I feel I'm going mad and might end up admitted! Let's hope it gets better! Xxx

[nicola1980]

Can't give u any advice about the wretching, but I'm on day 3 of citalopram
10mg, doc gave me 20mg but I had some 10's left from the last time! She gave me 2nd diazepam and I have propananol left from before - having a really bad time just now so I understand u feel u can't cope - sometimes I feel I'm going mad and might end up admitted! Let's hope it gets better! Xxx
Thats exactly how i feel at times, that im going to end up admitted and then like the past few days i feel great?? xx

---------- Post added at 14:22 ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 ----------

oh great..................just got my appointment thro for my screening appointment with the community mental health team this fri..........so now my anxiety is thro the roof :weep: and im going to panic about that all week, does it ever end?? xx

---------- Post added at 16:20 ---------- Previous post was at 14:22 ----------

Can anyone tell me what to expect from a screening appointment? Been told it will last an hour? What will they ask me? Im really anxious about it x x

[pinkdove]

Hi nicola, i have been on a screening appy and there is nothing to worry about, just you and another one person, he or she will ask you some questions about how you are feeling, and then decide what treatment is best for you, i was told that cbt would be best for me, that seems to be the most common outcome, and a lot of people swear by it, it will also help you to talk through your feelings with someone, and will help you on your road to recovery, so don't worry about it , look forward to it , it is very informal and can be very helpfull, good luck x

[nicola1980]

Hi nicola, i have been on a screening appy and there is nothing to worry about, just you and another one person, he or she will ask you some questions about how you are feeling, and then decide what treatment is best for you, i was told that cbt would be best for me, that seems to be the most common outcome, and a lot of people swear by it, it will also help you to talk through your feelings with someone, and will help you on your road to recovery, so don't worry about it , look forward to it , it is very informal and can be very helpfull, good luck x
Thanks so much, i got myself in a right state when the letter came today with the appointment for this friday! It says in the letter it may help if i take someone along with me? not sure i really want anyone in the room with me even my husband but don't think i should drive there on my own as not sure what sort of state ill be in when i come out to drive home.....im not good at talking about my feelings!! xx

[Humly]

Hi Nicola. Hope you are feeling a bit better today. Dont worry about Friday. Its just one step closer to overcoming this and any help is a good thing. Maybe it would be a good idea to take your hubby in with you as he knows everything that you have been going through and if you get a bit upset then he can take over from you. I know what you mean as I am not good about talking about my feelings also and either pretend I am ok or burst into tears and cant talk. It will be fine and its what you need. xx

[nicola1980]

Hi Nicola. Hope you are feeling a bit better today. Dont worry about Friday. Its just one step closer to overcoming this and any help is a good thing. Maybe it would be a good idea to take your hubby in with you as he knows everything that you have been going through and if you get a bit upset then he can take over from you. I know what you mean as I am not good about talking about my feelings also and either pretend I am ok or burst into tears and cant talk. It will be fine and its what you need. xx

Thanks hun how are you doing? X x