Day 7 blues

[TRISTAN]

So day seven of taking this pill and feel worse , lost 6 pound as don't feel like eating and not really sleeping :( is it really worth me carrying on taking them ?

[Emphyrio]

Most of these side effects disappear around 4-6 weeks, when the meds kick in. Of course, if you feel you can manage drug-free then by all means go for it :) Zero side effects that way.

If you feel you need medication, but find the side effects hard to cope with, you could start on a low dose and titrate up slowly. You can cut a 10mg tablet in two and have 5mg a day if things are really bad.

[teej]

Tristan,

I had exactly the same in the beginning. 7 days is incredibly early for you to be feeling any positive effects. Citalopram took a month to work for me and I'm still a bit up and down.

Maybe you can ask your gp for some extra support in the first few weeks like I had to.

T

[Anti-socialbutterfly]

Definitely carry on with them!!
I'm on day 5 now of 20mg, so I'm only 2 days behind you, Tristan.

Think positively, if you can, about taking them. They won't cure the anxiety but they'll take the edge off it. As for the sleeping, I have exactly the same problem. My first day I was up for 27 hours straight after taking one. It worked better for me to take them in the morning, at about 11, so I could keep busy in the daytime and keep my mind off the side effects. You could try that? Though be careful about dosage.

I'm now sleeping ok and forcing myself to try and carry on with life as normal, even though I've been signed off work sick. You could try walking outside and get some daylight vitamin D? That's really helping me and the only time my head actually feels clear.

Please keep with it! The alternative is to carry on as usual without trying...have hope xx

[TRISTAN]

I am still working at the moment but getting harder as time goes on think I am getting the affects of coming off other pills too , seem to be going to the toilet a lot today for some reason and just feel scared , what other support did you have ?

[Anti-socialbutterfly]

I've had mild depression and anxiety for years but recently started with full blown panic attacks too. I can rationally pinpoint a deterioration in my condition back to my mum dying two years ago and starting a job shortly afterwards.

I've been on beta blockers for the anxiety for a couple of weeks, but still had a massive panic attack in work the week before last. It was then that my doctor prescribed me citalopram and has made a referral for me to go to CBT.

I've had support from my husband, sister and friends, but other than that it's mind over matter and going it alone. It's terrifying having panic attacks and constantly living in a state of high anxiety is taking its toll, so suffering the side effects of the cit is well worth the hope of bring able to function normally again.

Stick with it, have hope, let us know how you get on. X

[TRISTAN]

Can't function today and the anxiety feelings are not good but guess it gets worse b4 it gets better , been a bad year for me and worried about feeling this way for Xmas :(

[Anti-socialbutterfly]

Tristan - how are you feeling today?

Christmas will be difficult, but I'm sure it will be lovely for you.

I've been researching SSRI drugs on the net and looking at how they work. They stop serotonin being reabsorbed in the brain as they block the receptor sites at the end of neurones. This means you should stay happier for longer. So what we actually need to do is get you making serotonin in the first place! So here's a list of things you could try to help you make some serotonin:

Eat protein in your diet - serotonin is made of something called tryptophan. Tryptophan is found in proteins so technically eating them should give you the blocks for building more serotonin.

Exercise boosts serotonin so even a 10 min walk could get some serotonin being released!

No caffeine or alcohol, or you could get stuck in a stimulant-depressant cycle trying to find a balance between the two.

Bananas - contain serotonin, eat some! It may help with the levels in your brain, and it may not. But give it a go and see :)

I hope you don't think any of this is patronising? Just wondered how you were getting on and hoped that some if this may help!

Take care x

[TRISTAN]

Having a really bad time of ot at moment but think its due to me coming off other pills , can't relax and keep getting weird feeling going through my body ;( how you getting on with yours ?

[Anti-socialbutterfly]

I think it's helping with me not being in work to be honest.
Managing to sleep at night now and gave got up and dressed which is a start! I'm not feeling sick or anything any more, but I'm still feeling anxious about things. The difference is that instead of my anxiety turning into full blown panic attacks, I'm managing to think myself out of it now and do some deep breathing to calm myself down.

Have you tried asking your doctor to be signed off for a while? Or do you think that work is a good distraction for you? It may be a combination of you coming off the other meds and the side effects from the citalopram too.

I hope your day gets better x

[TRISTAN]

Was signed off 9 months ago for 3 weeks but just added to my worry I have just learnt to put a front on now and a fake smile and push myself to get through the days , thank you so much for support and advice and between us we will get there I'm sure ?, do you have an email add I can contact you on as doing hypnotherapy and got a few good listening things that you might find useful ? X

[Anti-socialbutterfly]

That would be nice, I'll pm you my email address, thanks.

Had a terrible evening yesterday. Had a beer and was violently sick! Also had the worst headache of my life for about 5 hrs. It was the worst day I've had yet on Citalopram. Feel shattered and rubbish today :(

[TRISTAN]

Sorry to hear that just upped mine to 20 today so fingers crossed

[paullong]

hi guys....Day 21 here on 10mgs. Tried a couple of days on 20 around day 14 but couldnt hack it so went back to 10. Still suffering with pretty rough side effects. Tingling , buzzy ears and a bit not me most of the time amongst others. Will keep going ....best wishes .....

[Anti-socialbutterfly]

Hi Paul,
Glad you're still keeping going on them too! Ive been told quite a few times that I should just stop taking them by my family if the side effects continue, but I feel like I've invested 9 days into taking them now so should just keep pushing on with it. Are you going to try upping to 20mg again soon, or just stick at 10 for now?

Tristan - how are you getting on with 20mg? Did you up your dose and stick with it?

Day 9 of 20mg straight for me now. Just took 20mg from the off. Still having trouble sleeping, there was vomit-gate when I had the beer (never again!), and occasional bouts of panic, but apart from that it seems to be settling down now.

Let me know how you get on gentlemen x

[TRISTAN]

Hi , I'm on 20 now and have been for two days going to work is still hard work due to anxiety , got the weekend now and can't get motivated to do anything but I will keep going and hope for better times 2013 has been a shit year for me and my family but as everyone keeps saying , you will get there !