Dosulepin and Citalopram

[Jumpy]

Hi

Just wondered if anyone is taking this combination and if so how they are getting on with it.

I have suffered with anxiety and depression for 3 years now and I have had very little success in getting better. Plenty of ups and downs.

It took a year to convince my doc I had a problem. I have spent 8 weeks on prozac with dreadful side effects. 8 months on Citalopram the first time(8 months of no appitite) and a year on full dose of Dosulepin. I am now changing back to Citalopram and have just upped today to 20mg and I am still on 50mg Dosulepin.

Today has been the worst day ever and I am wondering how I have managed to get through the last 3 years.

Jumpy

[pollyanna]

Hi Jumpy

I take dosulepin 150mg and have done for around 18 years, in that time i have had higher doses, but settled on 150mg, i am also taking citalopram, started on 10mg, got myself up 15mg, and making my way up to 20mg. i was on citalopram many years ago with dosulepin, i took it for about 3 years together, so i know that it worked ok, i just hope it works well this time round, been taking the 10mg for maybe 8 weeks and not long gone up to 15mg, i really want to take it slow and do it at my pace, but so far the results are positive, i couldnt live with the anxiety at such an unbearable level and had to do something, and so far i think its helping, and seems to be a bit more managable, had a few blips, but in general ,pleased with the results so a far.

P x

[Jumpy]

Hi Pollyanna,

Thank you so much for your reply. I was quite surprised when my Doc said I could take them both together. Last time I took Cit I lost my appitite, had terribble muscle pain and anxiety but it did help with the depression. The Dosulepin calmed me down, helped me sleep and reduced the pain, but I was very depressed. I have been on 10mg of cit and 50mg Dos for 4 weeks and I have been on 20mg Cit and 50mg Dos for 3 days. The muscle pain is a lot worse, I'm not sleeping and I am panicing about all sorts of things. Lost half a stone in the last 2 weeks so I am back to what I weighed when I was 18yrs. Don't want to loose any more though.

How are you? Do you cut a 10mg Tablet in half to make 15mg? Have you always suffered? For me it has come quite out of the blue just over 3 years ago. I never new it could have such an effect on your life.

Lizzy

[pollyanna]

Hi Lizzy,


yes i cut a 10mg tab in half, its pretty tricky as they are so small, and sometimes you just get crumbs.lol

I think i have always had a problem with anxiety, even as a child, but it escalated to massive proportions after i had my son and had a traumatic birth 18 years ago.
It has been a long 18 years, and i have to work really hard at trying to keep myself on an even keel, and sometimes dont make a very good job of it, but keep going as there is nothing else for it. It is very, very tiring living with a high level of anxiety, but i have a good support network which really helps.

i think its only after you have experienced anxiety and its effects, can you really appreciate the devastating effects it can have on your life as you have said.
i tend to appreciate the little things in life now, and if i can do somethng that has caused mne a lot of worry or anxiety, i see that as a big achievement, but others dont always appreciate the effort that has gone into it, as for them it has been easy and they take it for granted.

This site has a great community spirit, and it helps a lot of people to feel 'normal' and accepted, and they can be just be who they are, without having to put a face on, and pretend everything is fine, which in itself is so tiring.
keep going , it does get better. everything you put in to it, you will get back.

good luck, and feel free to pm me if you want to chat about anything. x

[Jumpy]

Hi Pollyanna,

Having this problem has definitely changed my outlook on life and also made me look at my mother in a different light. It explains her behaviour when I was a child. She didn't seek any help till she was 58.

I think I may well have had this problem since the age of about 13 and I struggled on. The overactive thyroid was the major trigger and I have never been right since.

I am desperate to get on top of it as my life is hell at the moment. My doc says I have been turned down for CBT and he told me I wasn't a suitable candidate for counselling. I have been doing the self help books he reccomended but its difficult to take in and do when you can't concentrate. I did the on-line course and came to a standstill as it said I was too depressed to complete the final section.

I have tried to sort more me time. Taken up walking.I am trying to step back a little from a very busy household and I am thinking about going to college in Sept.

The most frightening part has been changing medication this time, as I hadn't realised how quickly the anxiety and depression would return just by dropping and swapping tabs.

[keta]

Hi Jumpy

it's a shame you ve been turned down for the CBT as it can help a bit. I also have some selfhelp books which can be hard to follow if you can't put your mind to it but one thing CBT will teach you is to learn how to relax your body and how to recognize the difference, if you can get hold of a good relaxation tape or CD you can do this at home and you don't have to do much work just follow what they tell you on the tape, i still have a copy tape from my psychiatric nurse which i try to do every night and it helps me go of to sleep too.

[Jumpy]

Hi Keta,

I'd not thought of relaxation CD. Will get my daughter to have a look on-line.

Thanks