citalopram

[Jimbo]

Changing doctors is fairly easy, just phone up your surgery and ask if you can have an appointment but that you'd like to see a different doctor to normal. They probably won't even ask about it, just say that you wanted to try seeing someone else this time, if they do ask. It's a normal thing to do, I didn't get on with the first GP I saw, but eventually found one I got on well with. It's really important to have an understanding doctor you can trust so you can talk openly about exactly how you are feeling.

As for the meds question, it's a descision you have to make yourself, talk with your doctor about it and make sure you mention that you are not so sure you want to take meds they can talk through all the different options. There are plenty of other options, CBT, counselling, etc, but the waiting lists are usually long on the NHS. AD's are not really a 'cure', they just treat the symptoms.

I'm quite a 'pro meds' person, what I say is; if you had an infection you would take antibiotics, without them you might recover naturally but you could also get worse. I don't see it as much different from that. They do effect different people in very different ways and it's an individual thing. Some people are very against taking them, it's each to their own I guess. I know they have helped me and probably saved my life. They've really helped with the desperate feeling that I just can't take it all anymore and I do see at least some hope now.

I was scared too after my experience and the next AD I tried, they started me on a really low dose, just in case anything bad happened. Thankfully I've not had anything like that happen again, with lots of different types. Still stuggling to find one that deals with the anxiety properly but I'm doing therapy too which I think will help, especially in combination with the meds.

Woa, that turned out to be an essay, lol.

I guess what I'm saying is find a decent doc and have a really good chat about it all.

Jim

[Magpie]

Hi, I've just started taking Citalopram and I've had the burning skin as well, during the night which makes it hard to sleep. I'm not letting it put me off though, I reckon it will wear off as I get used to them and I'm prepared to put up with quite a lot in the short term if it'll help me get better! If you're still getting it, it seems pretty likely to me that it's your brain that's doing it rather than the Citalopram, as was already mentioned you've probably developed some kind of association that makes your anxiety trigger the sensation. That's probably the worst bit about these conditions I think, I've got a theory that we're more susceptible to developing associations like that than other people are. Whether your brain being wired that way makes it more likely that you get an anxiety disorder or the other way around, I'm not sure... Anyway, I'd give the Citalopram a fortnight if I was you, most people seem to say that's about how long it takes to adjust. Your doc doesn't seem too hot though, I'd follow Jimbo's advice on that one!

[honeybee]

hi. i put off taking anti depressants for 2 years cos i didnt want to go down that route but in the end i'd had enouh and got some citalopram. i had the same reaction, my eyes were also really shaky and had other stuff going on too. called doctor and apparently i'd had an allergic reaction.. never taken them since, dont still get symptoms