Has citalopram worked for you?

[NoPoet]

When you felt better did you/do you still get the symptoms of anxiety, but you are able to control them better?

Yes, but I find that if I concentrate on my symptoms they can overwhelm my good moods. I'm hoping that counselling will help me with this.

[Lion King]

Hi Psychopoet,

I find the same thing, I try concentrating on imagining/believing in being confident and in control, so that the thinking becomes the feeling, It works but it does take concentration otherwise the anxiety feelings slip back in. With time I am hoping this method will become more automatic, I have read the book 'Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Dummies' and I have found it really useful, but I am currently on the old waiting list for CBT, hopefully by the time it comes round I will be feeling much better, but I think the therapy can only do me good. I am on my 4th week of Cit as you are aware, and I have currently gone through 3 nights of poor sleep, total of 9 hours sleep, felt the worst ever, shaking, nervy, anxious and tense. Last night I had 8 hours sleep, felt much better, but I have suffered bad headaches for the past couple of days, I am beginning to wonder whether the 20mg dose is too much, as my symptoms should have subsided by now.

Are you having any similar experiences on the Cit as I'm thinking of going back to the doctors for his advise on the dosage.

Thanks

Lion King

[NoPoet]

I am beginning to wonder whether the 20mg dose is too much, as my symptoms should have subsided by now

That's exactly how I've been feeling my old matey-peep, I think that I have struggled to tolerate this stuff from the beginning but have just about managed it. I don't want to reduce my dose in case the anxiety comes back at full strength.

If citalopram was an item of wargear in a Games Workshop game, I'd say it offers a 4+ saving throw* against anxiety and depression. Not brilliant odds, not too shabby though, and they probably improve if you're on the correct dose and are receiving counselling or cbt.





* Sorry to destroy the hopes of women everywhere but I really am that sad.

[Hereford Al]

It is a shame that no medication is Terminator Armour....

:-)

[PoppyC]

Hi
I have had a really good few days on citalopram and really feel it is beginning to work, since my gp has told me to stop taking it!
It doesnt suit me as it makes my blood pressure too low - I am coming off it slowly as of next week and then going onto venafalaxine after a short while. I am too scared to come off it
Just when I have had a few good days on it, I have to come off it! Typical !!!

[NoPoet]

Don't worry Poppy old chum, if your blood pressure is low you have got to come off it -- we would be gutted if anything happened to you! This new stuff will work for you, I can feel it in my wee!

Hereford Al, I bet in 20 years' time then whatever medication has replaced SSRis will be like terminator armour with an iron halo. Imagine trying to get through that with the splinter rifle of anxiety

[Ret]

It worked for me! I gotta say though, to anyone about to take it or just starting it: the side effects are horrendous at first. Each so scary and enough to frightening you off of it, but they all went away after three weeks for me.

Don't be scared if it gives you :
Headaches.
More anxiety than before (stick through it)
Random sense of 'disgust'
Nausea, Diarrhea, Stomach cramps
Wiggly little glowing things in your vision
De-realisation
Funny skin tingling
facial rash
Muscle twitches (pronounced at night)
insomnia
Weird, freaky nightmares
dry mouth
lump in throat
tight chest.
heart palipitations
vertigo

I had every last one of those symptoms, I'm not kidding. Not knowing what else to do, I just kept on taking those pills. They subsided a little bit, then I upped my dose and they all came back!

It was a very tiring experience. But know this: I'm laughing again, going out again, getting things done again. It's magical. But let me tell you, I earned it by putting up with that madness.

If you're on citalopram, stay on it. Give it a month. It might not be for you, but it'll get you through. If you're going through hell --keep going.

[Deepest Blue]

Hmm, a fairly poor showing for citalopram in this poll. It helped less than half of voters to recover. I'm worried about how this drug increases anxiety and doesn't seem to cure it -- I'm suffering more from anxiety than depression so that's bad news.

Hi,

I know what you're saying, however, out of everything I've taken, although it hasn't helped as much as I would have liked, it's still the one that has had the chance of helping if it wasn't for the side affects. I am not really sure what else to do right now and I don't feel confident enough to pester my GP about it either as I am sure he would be fed up of me.

[NoPoet]

Wow I remember this thread, it was from "back in the day"

Well 2 months on from my previous post I would say the citalopram definitely helped with feelings of depression and it helped with the overwhelming fear/anxiety. There is still work to be done. Citalopram alone is not enough to get you out of the pit. I found talking therapies help more.

[rainbubs]

unfortunately it didn't work at all, it didn't even make me drowsy or sleepy even on the highest dosage. However, my best friend is on it with great success