2 Years on Citalopram

[UrbanMark]

Hi folks, hope you are well.

I Just wanted to post details of my status, after being on Citalopram 20mg for two years. I can honestly say that the past year has been the best I've had in the last twenty. I feel more laid-back, relax and a lot less worried.

Typically, pre-citalopram, a day for me would be a constant cycle of worrying about everything, thinking about the past, being depressed, always thinking the worst and being afraid of social interaction. I'd be afraid of travelling by car, bus, train and a foreign holiday was impossible.

In the past year I have travelled everywhere with hardly a worry, I have met a nice girl and we have been together for ten months. She knows about my condition and she doesn't care about it, she's happy.

On the downside, and this is trivial compared to the benefits, I don't really sleep that well, but if you had to offer me that and the great life I've had in the last 12 months, I would take it in a heartbeat.

I hope this reassures some people afraid of going on medication, it really has enormous benefits, coupled with CBT, it's been fantastic for me.

Onwards and upwards folks, think positive - it really does help.

[carla g]

hi mark did you not notice anything really in the first year im on my first month and dont think i can cope feeling the way i do for mutch longer x

[happycamper]

Great post Mark,

I've tried to give positive posts on citalopram as having taken them the last 5 months has given me a huge relief from anxiety and panic.

But even for people like me I'm not sure if it will be sustained and many of us are having blips, but to hear from someone for whom it's helped so much over a long period of time is very reasuring indeed! Thank you X

[Dragonsblonde]

Oh I want to fall at your feet and weep Mark lol, good news is so good to hear

6 months in on 20mg cit and having a longish blip. Can I ask what dose you ended up on before settling the way you have?

[UrbanMark]

Hi Carla,
The first two months were up and down for me and seem to be for most people. I've been there and I wanted to stop taking it too. I felt terrible at some points - even worse than I was before taking Citalopram. But TRUST ME, it gets better and better each month. I was against taking medication for twenty years, I just wish I had taken it twenty years ago!

But I'm happy now.

Hi Dragonsblonde,
I started on 10mg for about 4 weeks, but get my dose upped to 20mg, I have been on 20mg ever since. But I think the CBT is also a big part of my recovery.

Go for it.

[Dragonsblonde]

Hi Again

I have found that up to this point the CIT has helped a lot, I guess this blip has scared me a bit. Have chatted to others and bad weather, winter etc plus I have hurt my back has all laid me a bit low. Am in some CBT at the moment and trying to get a handle on some mindulness meditation to help, but I admit I probably haven't been working hard enough on the CBT

[suzy-sue]

Ive been on it 2years too .My experience has been positive as well ..I found the first two months very hard but the drug worked for my depression quicker than for the Anxiety /Panic ..35MG WAS my theraputic dose that kept me stable enough to recover .But you need to learn to cope and understand about what makes you stressed and anxious .Also positive thinking is a must .Im now coming off and am currently taking 20mg .Reducing 5mg at a time ..so far so good .I still have the odd period of feeling anxious due to life events .But i know my limits and let it ride over me .It no longer stops me from doing anything ,Because I dont pay it any attention .Its just a perfectly normal ,as we cant feel 100% all of the time .No one does .. Its silly to expect otherwise . Sue

[carla g]

this is so good to hear iv been down for a few days and talking to people that have been on these for a long time and they have really helpd them really helps me, i just hope in a few months time i will be abel to say the same as you x

[Lion King]

Hi Mark,

What dose are you on?

I'm on 40mg and I still get bouts of stress/anxiety, I'm wondering if an increase is what I need to rid this.

Do you plan to come of the medication at anytime?

Well Done by the way.

LK

[UrbanMark]

Hi Lion King,
I'm on 20mg and have been for nearly two years. I used the CBT and the medication to HELP me, not `cure' me. In my case I hardly ever left the house or attended social events due to my depression and self-esteem issues. But I gradually eroded away that feeling one day at a time. I went out more, I said yes more and most of all I got busy being happy rather than sit and brood about being depressed.

Most of us are in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars...:)

[Lion King]

Well Done Mark!

[PoppyC]

Well Done, Mark. I am really pleased for you that everything is going so well for you!
I am on 40mg of Cit and have been taking it for 2 years.
I do sometimes still get bad days of being down and anxiety, but I have a lot more good days, and I am so much better in comparison to how I was before I took them.
I hope you continue to keep feeling good. :yesyes: