venusbluejeans
03-06-16, 21:48
I went to the Drs Today for a medication review….. I take 40mg Citalopram.
To me this appointment was a refreshing change to ones I have had before, I changed GP practices last year due to a few issues I had with the old practice.
Number one she didn’t speak to me like a child mainly because she knew I had quite a bit of knowledge of anxiety and panic etc. (mainly because of admining NMP) so knew that I knew what she and I were on about.
I am in no way an advocate for medication and I tried a lot of times without…….. I have had anxiety and panic attacks on and off since I was 16 and now I am nearing 40!! I wish I didn’t have to use the Medication but I do and it helps an awful lot.
Dr Steele used the term ‘chronic anxiety’ and flare ups of anxiety when under stress etc. I had never thought about until that point, but when I thought about it then I realised yes that term probably did apply to me.
We spoke about reducing my dose of citalopram but came to the conclusion that to give it another 3 months and then try to reduce……. My Uncle has recently passed away and I am about to start a 3rd job next week so the present time may not be the correct time.
I have always been told at my old practice that I can’t stay on the meds long term but my Dr said to me “we wouldn’t stop giving someone with chronic blood pressure problems the meds they need so I don’t see why you should stop giving medication to people with chronic anxiety when they have the chemical imbalance in their brains” she then went on to say that the medical ‘powers that be’ are now actually beginning seeing that too.
The plan for me at the moment is to reduce to 30mg in about 3 months and then in another 3 months after that reduce to 20mg and then after another 3 months reduce to 10mg………. and then if needed stay on that 10mg for the rest of my life…….. Upping and reducing the dose as needed…….. if I stay on the 10mg then theoretically I don’t get the start-up side effects so bad when I do up the dose when I have a ‘flare up’
It was great to have a Dr who totally understood where I was coming from and who did understand anxiety completely….. I don’t really like taking the medication and wish that I could beat my ‘chronic anxiety’ without it…… but do have lots of strategies to deal with it along with the meds which will be used to combat any flare up as well as upping the dose but touch wood at the minute apart from a few small hiccups I am anxiety free and loving life.
When you get a great dr who understands you…… stick with them :) :flowers::flowers:
Thank you for listening to my ramblings...
Emmz xxx
To me this appointment was a refreshing change to ones I have had before, I changed GP practices last year due to a few issues I had with the old practice.
Number one she didn’t speak to me like a child mainly because she knew I had quite a bit of knowledge of anxiety and panic etc. (mainly because of admining NMP) so knew that I knew what she and I were on about.
I am in no way an advocate for medication and I tried a lot of times without…….. I have had anxiety and panic attacks on and off since I was 16 and now I am nearing 40!! I wish I didn’t have to use the Medication but I do and it helps an awful lot.
Dr Steele used the term ‘chronic anxiety’ and flare ups of anxiety when under stress etc. I had never thought about until that point, but when I thought about it then I realised yes that term probably did apply to me.
We spoke about reducing my dose of citalopram but came to the conclusion that to give it another 3 months and then try to reduce……. My Uncle has recently passed away and I am about to start a 3rd job next week so the present time may not be the correct time.
I have always been told at my old practice that I can’t stay on the meds long term but my Dr said to me “we wouldn’t stop giving someone with chronic blood pressure problems the meds they need so I don’t see why you should stop giving medication to people with chronic anxiety when they have the chemical imbalance in their brains” she then went on to say that the medical ‘powers that be’ are now actually beginning seeing that too.
The plan for me at the moment is to reduce to 30mg in about 3 months and then in another 3 months after that reduce to 20mg and then after another 3 months reduce to 10mg………. and then if needed stay on that 10mg for the rest of my life…….. Upping and reducing the dose as needed…….. if I stay on the 10mg then theoretically I don’t get the start-up side effects so bad when I do up the dose when I have a ‘flare up’
It was great to have a Dr who totally understood where I was coming from and who did understand anxiety completely….. I don’t really like taking the medication and wish that I could beat my ‘chronic anxiety’ without it…… but do have lots of strategies to deal with it along with the meds which will be used to combat any flare up as well as upping the dose but touch wood at the minute apart from a few small hiccups I am anxiety free and loving life.
When you get a great dr who understands you…… stick with them :) :flowers::flowers:
Thank you for listening to my ramblings...
Emmz xxx