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Donny R
10-04-13, 14:14
Hi everyone

I have been suffering with anxiety and panic attacks since the age of 11 but in those days they called it "bad nerves". In my case it is hereditary but my partner came down big time with clinical depression about 7 years ago. He has been in rehab and although they said his condition was partly burn out for trying to over achieve in his job it was a build up of life problems. He came from a very unloving uncaring familly as a child especially his mother who denied his existence and a fther who was too ill to nocitce him and I think there has been a massive build up and he has fallen hard. Luckily he is now part of a very loving family who care deeply for him and we have two good sons and daughters in law who are very supportive.

After his failure to agree to CBT I have finally pursuaded him to go to CBT sessions which I am hoping will help him to see things from a totally different perspective. Unfortunately he was unfairly dismissed and the tribunal isn't for another year so of course this has now brought him right down again and obviously affecting me too now.

I was diagnosed with mild to moderate depression just over a year ago and at that time my panic attacks were frequent and long lasting - Vile. I just couldn't breathe, I was choking and gagging as if to vomit, my legs went to jelly and I just wanted to run and run and never stop. Sometimes they were so bad I couldn't even swallow a valium to calm myself down.

I was put in venlafaxine (Effexor) 37.5gm last April increasing to 150mg as it is said they aren't just for depression but especially good for people with chronic pain (me) and anxiety attacks. It has been my saviour and I am a much calmer less anxious and feel the depression is well under control. Obviously when something sad happens I get very upset etc but it down't take the hold like it used to.

My partner is on citalipram with duloxetine which I find (and so did his last psychiatrist) a strange mixture. Having said that, it is plain to see that the citalipram and duloxetine are doing absolutely nothing for him and I am trying to get him on to venlafaxine as a trial. The only thing is he has to wean himself off the citalipram and duloxetine and when he tried this a few months ago he just took himself to bed and couldn't move he felt so bad in the interim.

Surely you can go from one to the other mediction without weaning for 6 weeks. After all they are all anti depressants.

Any advice?

Thanks

Donny R

Mark13
10-04-13, 14:29
Welcome to the forum Donny.

They may all be anti-depressants but they have different actions, although duloxetine and venlafaxine are of the same class (SNRIs).

Citalopram and duloxetine are a combination I've not encountered, but both drugs have widely documented withdrawal sydromes and are best reduced as slowly as possible.

Different drugs have different half-lives too (the amount of time they take to reach peak levels in your system), so, while t can be possible to go from fluoxetine straight to another SSRI, because it naturally tapers due to it's long half-life, switching between others can be a long drawn-out process.

Your partner's reaction to abrupt withdrawal seems extremely common.

Donny R
10-04-13, 22:09
Thanks Mark.

The doc said today to half citalopram from 40 to 20gm and duloxetene from 60 to 30mg. Obviously he will feel something but doc said that strong withdrawal symptoms can also be psychological if that is your mind set. Fingers crossed.

Doc said citalopram quite old now so let's hope once over withdrawal from c and d that he will be ok. I'm on 175 mg venlafaxine and I am happy with that. Thanks for your comments.

Donny R