Motivation low, did you find the same?

[miss sleepy]

Hey folks,
Been on the cit for 3 weeks now and am noticing changes all the time, good and not so good.

At the moment I'm so exhausted all the time and there is no reason for it. I'm sleeping 12 hours a night. When I first wake up I feel like I can't get up and all disorienated. I think that's how I felt before the medication, but I would have had tears and anxiety with it at the same time.

It takes me so long to get up and moving, my concentration is very low and I have the attention span of a goldfish. uni work is starting to build but because I have brain freeze most of the time, I'm not worried about it. I'm trying to do a bit each day, but it really isn't enough.

Was there a point for you when you finally felt awake and functional again?

[robinbrum]

"Was there a point for you when you finally felt awake and functional again?" No,and it is one of the main reasons I came off citalopram - I never got anything done outside of work because I had zero motivation.
But don't let that put you off, because it does have benefits but in the long run for me the negatives outweighed the positives.
Good luck.

[cathycrumble]

Robinbrun are you taking any other antidepresent now? and if not what helps you now? as I have just come of prozac as the side effect were shit sorry but they were I stopped 2 days ago I am waiting for CBT on the NHS. I was sick on them retching couldnt eat I still feel sick now. my anxiety went through the roof I stayed on it for 32 days.

I must say i did go on the cit and after 6 months I was great but stupidly stopped it and just couldnt go back on because of the awful Side effects. I just cant take them.

Cathy xx

[robinbrum]

Hi Cathy
I am now on pregabalin which is an interesting drug because I believe it is mainly used to treat conditions such as epilepsy and neuropathic pain but is also being used "off label" to help relieve the symptoms of GAD and other anxiety-related illnesses. I started a thread on it here http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=106493 and the reaction of most users is that it is largely beneficial.
I am now on 300mg daily,having started on a 100mg a couple of months ago. I am feeling a little calmer but it's a still a work in progress, so to speak so I am reserving judgement for another month or so.
I agree with you about the side effects of citalopram and of course all drugs have them but there gets a point where you realise there is no net benefit in taking them...time to change to something else or just consider not taking any medication at all. I did this for 5 years and unfortunately I am now back where I started trying yet another med which I hope will at least help me control this awful condition.
I hope things work out well for both of us.

[hallam11]

Miss Sleepy, keep going because it's only been three weeks. It took me about 5 weeks before I started functioning well again. I came off mine in July but have had a relapse so I am back on them. It can take a while but they will work. I was on them at university also and I got through it. Whilst at university I saw a counsellor, is there a possibility you could too? It may be that this isn't the right medication for you but give it a while longer because it can take up to 6 weeks to begin working properly.
Take care xxx

[miss sleepy]

Hi both,
thank you for the replies. I hope that you find something that works for you. I don't feel that this is a condition that I am going to have forever, with or without the medication.
My depression is a result of leaving my job and leaping into something completely different, stupily leaving my support network behind me.
I do feel that having the anxiety under control should help me complete this uni course and then I can look at what is next. I don't see me being like this long term, yet without this stuff I would be in quite a state right now.
I've had a couple of bouts of depression in my life, both related to huge changes at the time (dropping out of uni the first time and getting divorced the second time). seems i'm one of those who cycles and when there is a big change things can grip me. Other than that, I'm happy most of the time.
Interesting to hear that some never feel awake again on this stuff, maybe that's the case for me too but I guess I have to give it a bit longer.

[mr.mister]

I've never been very motivated due to my depression, but after starting these tablets and when I get a good moment I want to do anything I can, they are working slowly.

[Anna C]

Hi

I would agree that it is worth sticking with cit for awhile longer it took me about 6 to 8 weeks before I started to feel any better, and my only side effect was that I felt tired alot and I found it hard to get up of a morning.

I still feel tired but its not as bad now, I'm on 40mg, and for me the tiredness is worth it as although it's not a magic ward, I feel that cit has made a huge improvement to my day to day life.
To answer your question I think it is possible to get to a point were you feel awake and able to get on with your life.

Good luck and take care.

[morning_blues]

Hi misssleepy it's still early days and hopefully you'll carry on feeling better and better. I have to say I had a breakthrough at around week 8 when I really started to feel like myself again. Just be prepared for a few ups and downs on the way, but at least the downs are never as bad as before!
Your point about life changes is interesting. I've been seeing a counsellor as well as taking cit and one of the main things she's picked up is that I don't cope well with change - I'm sure it's quite common!
Good luck and I hope things carrying on improving for you :)

[Sophie123]

Hey folks,
Been on the cit for 3 weeks now and am noticing changes all the time, good and not so good.

At the moment I'm so exhausted all the time and there is no reason for it. I'm sleeping 12 hours a night. When I first wake up I feel like I can't get up and all disorienated. I think that's how I felt before the medication, but I would have had tears and anxiety with it at the same time.

It takes me so long to get up and moving, my concentration is very low and I have the attention span of a goldfish. uni work is starting to build but because I have brain freeze most of the time, I'm not worried about it. I'm trying to do a bit each day, but it really isn't enough.

Was there a point for you when you finally felt awake and functional again?

I have been on mine now for 3 and half weeks and I feel exactly the same as you. I am having bouts where I feel a bit better but I am really tired all the time and still getting bouts of anxiety. I am going to stick with it for a bit longer and hopefully it will improve. I have been on cit before and it did work for me but it does take a few weeks to start working.