prescribed citralopram no way am i taking them!

[fordbird]

hi all i have just had a long chat with my doctor about my severe anxiety depression and ocd(ocd being the main prob). i tried to explain the reasons i do not want citralopram or any other med that has these serious side effects and that i need something for the ocd, yes i feel low but thats just a result of having aanxiety and ocd for me.

Plus the fact this doctor knows nothing about me or the extent of my problems leads me feelin more dubious about taking them after a few minutes consultation and a silly little `how r u feeling form`!

the pharmacist wasnt even any help suggesting nothing to me for ocd!! and only when prompted suggested a highly severe withdrawal tablet for depression thats no longer prescribed-some people just dont get it and r so helpful n caring arent they!

and people wonder y i dont trust no wonder when u get all wrong info and doctors continually prescribing wrong thing.

yet again i have wasted money and decided to get them as i thought theyd help but after reading the leaflet, reading up on net and wat people on here say frankly id rather stay well away from them as i have for the 10 years they have been suggested to me.

great if they work for some but im sorry the side effects and possibility of dying from them IS NOT WORTH IT for me-rather be miserable and have my problems!

if anyone has good comments or suggestions please leave them,
most apreciated.:unsure:

very concerned

[SometimesHappy]

Hey Fordbird,

I first got my depression when I was 19 and was prescribed Cipralex. Been taking it on and off for 8 years and I can tell you that there are literally no side effects apart from feeling normal again and anxiety free. They have stabilized my mood and helped me prevent my constant panic attacks, which were making my life a living hell. I am not a medical expert but I do believe you have to treat your anxiety and ocd differently even though they are connected. Going on anti d's will help you to become mentally more stable to be able to concentrate on treatments avaliable for your ocd. As for side effects, they are very rare and to be honest with you my first couple of month on Cipralex gave me wings as I felt as good and happy as never before. Dont write them off comletely, I know a lot of ppl who were very sceptical but now are very pleased. The meds are avaliable and dont be scared of the side efects. Hope this helps

[fordbird]

thanks for the reply not heard of the one you talk about.
im kickin myself in the teeth for payin for the prescription when i feel so strongly about not taking them but im sick of it all day every day. im having cbt but because its so severe its not easy to recover.
this is why i wanted a chat with the pharmacist so he could let me kow the correct ones as i do not trust doctors opinions after having previous bad experiences with wrongly prescribed tablets.

i should stress my main problem is not the depression it is in fact ocd and constant panic attacks.

think i should go with my gut feeling and stay awy from depressents as they will only bring on more anxiety!

[shoegal]

Hello. I understand that you are scared of taking these tablets. Fiirstly you CANNOT die from taking them. Secondly they are supposed to have the least side effects compared with other anti-depressants. I will be perfectly honest with you, I was petrified of taking Citalopram myself but I can honestly say it's not as bad as you think it will be. The side effects I have had are nausea, loss of appetite, a few tingles in my legs, aching muscles, sleep disturbances (to be fair I had that anyway) and an increase in my anxiety WHICH IS NORMAL WHEN YOU START TAKING THESE MEDS. I'm on day 11 now and the side effects are wearing off and my mood is definitely better than it was. I am taking Diazepam to help me deal with the increase in anxiety but it's only temporary. I would recommend these tablets to ayone with anxiety and depression. I'm no way cured but I can feel the benefits starting already. If you try them and they don't suit you, you can ask to try another med or do without meds at all if you prefer. But what have you got to lose? A few side effects are a small price to pay for a better life in the long run surely? Good luck whatever you decide. :flowers:

[SometimesHappy]

perhaps you could try cipralex as few of my friends are on it and no side effects, and i can guarantee it will stop your anxiety. I know what a massive strain it put on your mental and physical state, but remember that pharmacists are not doctors and perhaps they would be also confused. Take one step at a time, I know accupuncture and meditation helps as well as councelling which I'm undertaking myself at the moment. Hang on there, and keep posted on how you getting on :)

[shoegal]

What is Cipralex?

OK, I've just googled it and it's another SSRI which lists all the same possible side effects as Citalopram. Citalopram is considered the best SSRI for treating anxiety disorders but of course if the medicine doesn't suit you there are others you can try including Cipralex.

[SometimesHappy]

I heard Citalopram is quite similar to cipralex but I do net remember any severe side effects, I did a lot of running during my first couple of weeks of taking it, that really helped me with my mood, but you're right, you dont feel like eating at all, though your appetite does come back after a while :)

[Eternity]

Hi
I have been taking citalopram for two years for severe pms, depression and anxiety. And I have to say, a few weeks of side effects at the beginning was well worth it as this medicine has helped give me my life back.
T x

[fordbird]

thanks for the posts people am still deciding what to do.
have had a long discussion about side effects after trying 2 pharmacists n failin to even be noticed.
he has put my mind at ease a little however i am still concerned about people sayin `anafalactic shock`(which is not listed on the side effects) and serotonin syndrome.

does citralopram work well with ocd and intrusive thoughts as well as severe depression?

[Mezzo]

I was fine on them - no side effects. I recommend them.

[DanielJUK]

Hi, I was left on Cipramil for over 10 years accidentally. I did have some side effects from it and going on and off them was the worst bit but it does help you! I know that everyone thinks pharmaceuticals and medicines are evil but please don't rule them out! you could have a horrid accident or eat a new type of food that could instantly kill you! You never know in life! If drugs were killing lots of people because they were so bad they would be withdrawn! A lot of people in the world take anti depressants and Cipramil (UK brand name, genetic name = citralopram, US name = Celexa) is one of the oldest ssri's in the world. Prozac is the only one older. People have taken it since 1989! So if there is long term problems with it they would have been discovered!

I hope you don't write off your prescription and medication it's a personal decision that you must decide on yourself but there is a lot of people on it right now! If you decide you want to try it, there will be worse symptoms for about 2 weeks and then improve. You can't really see the full positive effects of it for about a month. if you really hate it or feel so bad on it you could slowly come off it again. Drugs are different for each person who takes them but Doctor's don't just prescribe things to harm you or kill you! they think it might help you!

I would say feeling worse going on them and going off them lasts about 2 weeks max! There is pain killers and tranquilers that are far more addiction and almost impossible to get off! I am almost certain you are not going to die taking it! Don't read forums or negative reviews online without searching for some good reviews too! some people say it changed their life! don't forget that :)