Citalopram survival guide

[NoPoet]

Hi everyone, I've re-worked the introduction and have re-titled the Guide "Until the Sun Goes Cold", which refers to my belief that people can recover from anxiety and depression forever.

My new approach is far more positive than before due to the high degree of success I have had in conquering problems that destroyed my ability to live a happy and successful life.

I am now the Secretary to a newly-formed and registered autism charity supporting adults aged 18+ who have aspergers syndrome. I will be using elements of the Guide as handouts during group sessions.

"Until the Sun Goes Cold" is now the tentative title for my self-help book. I'm not sure about using it, as some people will think it means something morbid. In fact, it's a quote about how human achievements can endure forever.

[Sparkle1984]

That sounds good. I'd love to read your self-help book when it's ready!

[Vowitch]

Thank you so much for this post. I'm new to the forum (haven't introduced myself yet, preferring to lurk), so this is my first post. I wanted to tell you how helpful it was to read something by someone who is able to describe this experience so eruditely, and just how releived I felt. I'm not finding it easy to express myself at present, so, when I tell you that it hit the spot, please understand that is a big understatement, caused by years of suppressing and hiding my true feelings. Xx

[Laura93]

This is amazing. I was put onto Citalopram a month ago and i couldn't get to grips with any of it. Your post has made it all simple as has given so many suggestions to make it easier.
Thank you!

[NoPoet]

Hi everyone, glad this is still helping.

Currently the Guide is better at making people feel more at ease with what they're going through, so I updated it with insights into WHY you are anxious/depressed and what you can do about it.

It is now taking about 30+ seconds to save the Guide even on a 3.3 GHz hex-core computer and my keyboard has a confusing American layout (stupid cheap backlit keyboards from China) which make it painful to update the Guide!

I updated the "depersonalisation/derealisation" parts since nobody seems to actually research these conditions, and if I have to explain them one more time I'm gonna take my trousers down and hop from foot to foot singing "Bread and Butter" (from Game On) in front of a camera, then upload the full horrifying video to the BBC. *

I updated the sections about citalopram sometimes making people feel worse and the areas around that part, with an extensive update to the part about feeling better and wanting to come off.

* "What are you doing, man? What's going on here?"
"I'm performing."
"So why are you rubbing yourself against the mike stand?"
"I was just trying to make it more interesting for the audience."
"This is a song about a lonely old woman who dies of hypothermia because she can't afford to pay for heating!"
"So you don't think shagging the mike stand's appropriate then?"
- Game On

[Noddy]

Many Thanks to the Poet for this guide!

I have only been on Citalopram (10mg) for a month now and have not noticed its effects yet, was starting to worry that maybe it won't work but will stick with it for a little longer and then maybe increase the dose if still no results.

You have pretty much covered everything I was concerned about in this guide. It is important to have good support and help from a specialist.

One side effect that I have noticed recently that was not in the guide, is that I have been getting rather twitchy, and no I don't drink any caffeine. Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this?

Once again, thanks for being there.. (online)

[dottielottie]

10 mg of Cit is very low I was on 20mg for a year now on 40 mg xx

[Tero]

The 20mg dose works for most people. I was on 10mg for half a year first.

[NoPoet]

Hi, twitchiness and edginess (sometimes referred to as "restlessness" or "agitation") are well-known side effects which tend to subside or disappear, but they are also symptoms of anxiety and depression. Improving your ability to relax and reducing the sense of impending doom will go a long way towards combating these symptoms.

[^Frosty^]

A brilliant read. Haven't managed to read all 410 comments so far, but if you haven't been published yet I really think you should be.

Thank you for putting the time and effort in to share your insight and thoughts, and provide a collation of information covering loads of elements that I imagine many can identify with, but maybe not have understood. Insightful view combined with sprinklings of humour, an exceptionally good and useful read