The Positive Citalopram Experience Thread

[Vinitharya]

I want people who are having positive experiences with Citalopram treatment to post their adventures and experiences in this thread. I feel that there are too many negative threads here, and it's very scary for the newly diagnosed who are seeking online support and come to this forum. They are faced with terrifying thread titles...... Please don't think I'm trivialising the negative aspects of treatment, or being unfair. I just want some balance here, and I want people who are responding well, and are getting their lives back on track, to feel they have somewhere to share their experiences. It can be a bit awkward to do this in the threads that currently exist.

Anything positive, however trivial it may seem to you, is welcome in here. It could be going outside the house for ten minutes and not going berserk, or it could be falling in love, abseiling, baking, in fact ANY hobby or pastime that made you feel like you were winning!

[Catya]

What is your history.... and what dose are you on? (Just helpful as well)

[william wallace]

My name is Gordon, I'm 55, married 35 years in March, and live in north east Scotland. I've had A&D for about 20 years, and have worked, had a reasonable quality of life for 19 of those years. My wife, family and friends are very supportive.
Back in August I changed from Duloxetine 60mg (Cymbalta) a SNRI, directly over to 20 mg Citalopram without any major dramas. I had no major side effects and coped well raising the dose from 20-30-40-30 and settled on 30. Anxiety is gone completely, but most days I experience the symptoms of mild depression for a short while. These symptoms are easily chased away simply by distraction. I go to the local gym 3-4 times a week and do 20 minutes bike, 20 minutes treadmill, and 20 reps each at 60kg's on each of the machines. My lovely wife and I are best buddies and do quite a lot of cycling and we also have a 16 foot open Canadian canoe that we use for camping/fishing trips. Sex life is good
I dont fly too well so most years we drive to Europe mainly Italy, France and Spain. I drive, Mrs Wallace navigates. I have done these trips many times while taking antidepressants.
This is more info in one thread than I have given in 5 months of coming to NMP. I dont come here for a moan, and have learned to handle my own problems. I come to NMP to offer a kind word or reassurance to anyone who needs it, particularly those who are having problems for the first time, but I'm sure that if things went bad at my end these folks would be there with a kind word for me.
In summary, Citalopram works differently for everyone. In my case I never really felt the benefit until I'd been taking it for three months. Most folks feel the benefit much much sooner. Citalopram is one of the better SSRI's on the market. I have to say it's better for anxiety/panic disorders than depression, but ok for mild to moderate. It cant do it without your help and patience, so keep yourself occupied, get rid of your pent up aggression through exercise/sex/hard work and you wont go far wrong

My daughter in law says that every time she hears U2 perform "Stuck in a Moment" she thinks of me. Which is nice....

__________________

[Pat77]

William Wallace ... I loved your post/reply !
Pat

[william wallace]

Cheers Pat, it was from the heart, believe me

[Tero]

I have panic atacks and there are less of them on citalopram. I'm coming on one year soon on citalopram. Dose went up from 10 to 20mg. Not sure if it is because of tolerance. I can carry out a fairly normal life on 20mg.

See my other thread.
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=106359

The anxiety is till there, but definitely better than without citalopram. A year ago I had not quite figured it out but rejected xanax. It did not do anything in a week.

[Catya]

Posts like these really help me. Many thanks.

[zengarden]

I really need this thread right now so thank you for starting and contributing to it!
I'm supposed to start taking Citalopram but I'm so scared to take the first tablet! I don't want it to induce panic. I have been on Fluoxetine for around 7 weeks and have had a bad, bad time of it. Panic here, there and everywhere.
I've just 'phoned a pharmacist for advice as I was going to half it. She said not to as I wouldn't be getting the theraputic dose. She also said it probibly wasn't the Fluoxetine giving me panics but me, and that the Citalopram wouldn't/shouldn't.
I'm going to have to take it soon, wish me luck.

EDIT: Just taken it. Shoved it down in one gulp. Feel like being sick to get it out. I must remember the olanzapine will help though too. Gah, I hope this works!!!

[william wallace]

zengarden

Citalopram and Fluoxetine (Prozak) are both from the same family of medications. If you have been taking Prozak for seven weeks there is no reason why you should be scared to change over to Citalopram. Citalopram is a far better drug to treat what you are going through than Prozak.
Get it down ya

[theharvestmouse]

Had anxiety for 7 years, I started on Citalopram 2 months ago, and I've gone from being a emotional wreck barely capable of doing anything to being able to work 6 days a week and have changed my whole outlook. I still have a way to go but the Citalopram has definitely helped me.