View Full Version : Time to start the Citalopram I think...
Hi all,
I know there are a lot of old posts about Citalopram but it would be really great to get some direct advice from people that have used it or know anything about it.
I have been suffering from GAD for the past 6 months which has now turned into quite a heavy and constant depression. I was prescribed Citalopram at the start but really, really didn't want to take meds and wanted to get through this on my own. I have been in psychotherapy, tried lots of different books and the techniques within them, but I just seem to get worse and worse.
My depression is now about the fact that my relationship with my wife is disintegrating. She has not recently coped well with me being unwell and it is only a matter of time before it is over between us. I have been trying to tell myself that this is not the case but now I am having to face facts. I can no longer trust her.
I do not feel that in my current state I can face this and fear for how low my depression is going to go. It is a change which will completely and utterly change everything in my life. I also really feel that I need the strength from somewhere to see whether I actually want to be with her - recently I have been clinging to her for support because it is better than being alone, and I feel I am too unwell to be able to make the right decision about whether we should be together.
Any thoughts on all of this welcome. How long should I take the pills for? I understand that the side effects will probably be bad for the first month or so and then calm down? Also, I really enjoy a few drinks on the weekend - how badly are the pills going to interact with the alcohol?
Its funny, I think I wrote a similar message in this forum many months ago. Its terrible that after all my hard work on myself I find myself in a worse situation than I was at the start. But I suppose this is mainly because the effects of my anxiety/depression have actually driven away the one person in my life I really relied upon. So not only have I lost my mind, I have lost my wife, and my life as well. I am just trying very very hard to not give up on life and I suppose that is what I hope the drugs will help me with.
Thanks,
Gareth
*** I think, therefore I'm anxious ***
Hey Gareth
Im sorry about your marriage, I know how u feel because my husband and i split up in May. This was due to my illness, i became distant with him and cold. My doc prescribed Citalopram for me but i didn't take it after i read the side effects!
Ive nearly lost my job, im on school hols at the moment but i don't feel up to going back in September and im already panicking about how i will cope.
My husband has moved back in but only to help me cope, although he is pushing for us to give it another go. The problem is I feel as though im in a bubble, i'm here but i'm not if you know what i mean? I feel alienated from everybody...
Sorry to ramble on but i do understand how u feel and im thinking of u and feel free to pm me if you like.
Take care
Maddie
Hi Gareth,
I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. I can only say that Citalopram changed my life after a very bad year losing 2 family members and a failed relationship. I barely had any side effects initially, I think I felt really tired after taking the pill each day for the first week and if I didn't take it after breakfast I'd feel nausea for an hour or so but after about 3 to 4 weeks my life changed considerably. I went back to work after a year off sick and felt the best I think I'd ever felt. All I will say is that to come off them, ignore your GP's suggestions and do it very slowly. I actually did it over 3 months halving the dose each time until I was taking the stuff in liquid form down to 2.5mg then off. I took them for about a year and a half and since withdrawing I've never suffered depression since, I also suffered no come down or withdrawal symptoms as I did it gradually and I would say that my case was pretty severe.
Hope this helps and good luck with your situation. Keep us posted!
Mark
Hi Gareth,
You say that the drug was prescribed to you at the beginning. Have you been back to your GP to tell them that you have now decided to take it? If not, your GP may well advise another drug which would be more suitable for your current situation as things have obviously changed over the last 6 months.
Sorry to hear that you are feeling so unwell at present.
Kate x
FRANKIEISBACK
23-08-05, 15:48
Mate splitting up is dreadful but it is unfortunately part of life, very few people havr truly successful relationships, there are rocky patches for many.
Have you tried marital therapy? If you and your wife want to stay together then depression and anxiety will not split you up, if however you have tried and it isnt going to work then you need to talk to someone to deal with your feeelings.
Thanks everyone for your kind words.
Mark - your experiences with Citalopram sound encouraging. Did you find that they had any effect on your anxiety, or just the depression? I'm sorry to hear about the losses in your life, but glad you got through it.
Kate, you're probably right that I should go back to the docs and get a re-evaluation of what pills to take. I wasn't suffering from depression when I got them prescribed but I most certainly am now.
Maddie - I understand the symptoms you are going through and have had those at various points. I can only say that I think it is a great thing that your husband wants to support you. You will come out of this anxiety in time, and when you discover that he has been there all along for you you may find that a really lovely experience and you may need him all over again.
Frankie - yes, I guess splitting up is part of life. Its just that right now getting over the pain of having invested 7 years in this relationship, and the pain of thinking that I am going to have to be on my own, is too much to handle. Thus the thoughts about a temporary crutch, the pills.
And I agree, if my wife had really wanted to be with me all along she would have stuck through the anxiety and depression. Her love for me would have been stronger than those problems. I guess being ill has just highlighted the truth about me and about many of my relationships and friendships. I am all for a little bit of truth but right now it just feels like I have lost absolutely everything.
Thanks again everyone,
Gareth
*** I think, therefore I'm anxious ***
Hi Gareth,
Sorry to hear about your problems with your marriage. I really hope things work out for you.
I was REALLY scared about taking Citalopram. In fact, I was really anxious about taking medication full stop after I'd heard so many issues surrounding it but my doctor was really helpful and advised me that if used correctly and with lots of monitoring on her part, that the medication could be a highly succesful form of treatment.
Even though I have been suffering with GAD for probably about 5 years or so, I have only just plucked up the courage to go see my doctor and start taking the meds. Its early days on the pills and yes I've had a few side effects but all in all i am trying to stay positive and hoping that in a few weeks time I will start to feel much better.
I hope this helps Gareth. Let me know how you get on
Take care
Emma x
:D
Hi Gareth,
I took citrolapram on and off for a few years, and it was really great for me it worked for me within weeks, and i did not really have any side effects just felt i little bit sick and had slight tremors which was weird, it took the edge of things stopped my panic attacks and it gave me time to think things though in my head, i just needed a bit of help through a very bad time,
i was really worried about taking medication, but i would if i had to take them again without a doubt. i got to the point where i was forgetting to take them so i knew i was getting better, so i stopped taking them altogether, that was in feb this year, i was on 20mg a day, i always took them at nights as they did make me feel very tired, and touch wood i have been fine sinse then,
so for me a deff, thumbs up, they dont suit everyone but i would recomend them to anyone,
good luck let us know what you decide
kairen x
Hi Gareth,
Yes, they were very good for both anxiey and depression for me. I reacted very well to a low dose as well (10mg) and it helped me well back on the road to recovery after a full year of the worst days of my life!
The only real side affect I had was a slight loss of libido (which went due to depression anyway) but the pro's WELL outweighed the cons and the libido did start to come back!
Best Wishes,
Mark
Hi Gareth,
I have been on citalopram for 6 years now, i was on 20mg, but for the past year on just 10mg now. For me they turned my life around, and now i just stay on them to keep me 'bobbing along' incase i have a stressful event come along. My marriage ended to due to the anxiety problems, i was told to pull myself together and get on with it, but as you know thats easier said than done, but as it turns out i am far happier now that it has ended.
Feel free to pm me if you ever need a chat.
Take care
Trac xx
its "just a thought"
Again, thanks everyone for your very kind replies.
My wife and I are trying to work things out and she says she is still committed to me and still loves me.
I am very confused, however, about whether I can still trust her, and whether I am only clinging to her because I have been unwell and am not strong enough to be alone right now. So its very much see how it goes at the moment.
I have two questions for you;
1) Given your experiences with the drug, do you think it gives you a clearer view of your real emotions? What I mean is, it is possible that I will be able to see clearer on the drugs whether I want this relationship, or will they cloud my judgement? I guess I am asking, do they bring you closer to your REAL feelings, or do they take you away from them...
2) How did you / do you get on with alcohol and the drug. I like to go out and have a few pints a couple of times a week, drinking is a big part of my social life. I know everyone is different but just wondering if you all found it OK to still drink when taking the pills.
Thanks everyone,
Gareth
*** I think, therefore I'm anxious ***
Hi Gareth,
I can understand what you're saying and I'd say the drugs give you the "helping edge" which lead to MUCH clearer thoughts. I found I was quite needy whilst depressed but the drug helped me feel better about things in general without clouding my emotional state. I felt like I was able to move rather than being stuck in a low. There was no over night "bang" where I suddenly felt different, it was quite gradul.
As for alcohol, I had no problems whatsoever drinking on Citalopram. Some people find that after a few pints they may feel a tired or just the opposite, they can have a load to drink and don't feel it as much. In moderation, I was ok drinking on them.
Hope this helps,
Mark
I had no problems drinking while on the tablets, I was going through a split up with my ex at the time and it took away the edge made me see things clearly without the panic, as that sometimes makes you feel more dependant on a person, when you are in an emotional state, they just calm you down, so you can think about your situation and try and work it out in your head without going into a blinding panic,
do hope it works as well for you give it a try,
you can always stop taking them if your not happy,
but i can honestly say at the time i dont know how i would have coped without them, thats why now i say never say never !
kairen x
Hi all
Ive just been to see a locum doc in my practice and i went thinking that he would be dismissive as he is a locum...but omg he was fantastic. He actually listened and appreciated my symptoms.
He has refferred me to a counsellor, given me a blood test for ankolysing spondilitis and encouraged me to give the citalopram a go.
I told him i was scared of having a brain tumour and he tested all my nerve functions, balance, back of my eyes etc.
He was fabulous, i only wish he was there permanently :(
However, the reason for this post is to say that i AM going to start the meds, so fingers crossed X
Maddiex
That's a really positive experience - wow!
I have NEVER in my entire life had a good experience with a GP, and it does make you end up not using them in the end and self-diagnosing.
Well done you for making the decision to go for it. I am getting closer and closer.
Do keep in touch and let me know how it goes,
be well,
Gareth
*** I think, therefore I'm anxious ***
Hey Gareth,
Have you started taking the meds yet? I am now two weeks into the Citalopram and it feels like a big black cloud has lifted - I can think clearly and i feel like my old self again - I'm so pleeeased :D
I hope you have plucked up the courage to give them a go. Also, I have had a few beers on the meds and there was no ill effects (wooohooo!)
Let me know how you're getting on.
Take Care
Luv Curly XX
Hey curlybird,
More encouraging news, thanks for that!
I have been taking them for 3 days, only 5mg a day. All that has happened so far is an increase in my anxiety and being tired all the time, but I hear this is normal.
I am going on hols in 2 weeks so I am really hoping that they will have kicked in by then as I really want to enjoy myself, and I don't care anymore if its only because of the drugs!
glad you are feeling good, stay in touch,
Gareth
*** I think, therefore I'm anxious ***
Gareth,
I'm a PTSD-er and as yet no one med has been found effective for this condition. Along the way, I have tried more than a few meds. The very best one I found for anxiety is called Moclobemide. One brand of this is Aurorix. It made me "bullet-proof" for anxiety but when my wife left me (for respite) because she couldn't handle the distress of seeing my situation, I weaned myself off it so I could see how I really felt about this. I then demanded something that was good for anxiety AND depression. And got something else. I'm not sure about the UK health systems but generally GP's are not highly proficient in dealing with depression and anxiety. They are good generalists. Have you thought of asking your GP for a referral to a psychiatrists? Good ones are worth their weight in gold. There is no stigma to this - it's what they specialise in.
Hope this adds value to the thread.
sincerely
Antipodes.
My suggestion is, TAKE THE TABLETS and any help you are offered. If your wife leaves, she dosen't care enough for you as you need all the help and support you can get. My Mum stayed with my dad all the way through when he went into be sectioned. he was in there for 4 years. You must get yourself sorted before others. If this happens, it is a start of a new life and think that she isn't good for you. I'm sorry to be harsh but that is what i believe! You need help and support and medical help. Just hang on in there. i am sorry to be harsh but you need to look after you! xx Good look mate!
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