New to the drug...

[moks]

Hi, I'm Mark in Canada. Im 37 and this is my first time here. I actually took my first Citalopram this morning, and I'm really glad I found this forum. Somewhere I can go for support, advice, or just to feel like I'm surrounded by people who will understand this journey I'm about to go on. So, Thanks Everyone in advance!

[pheetuz]

Welcome Mark. Youve definately found the right place for support, advice and for people who understand what your going through

[chickpea]

Hey - great to meet you!
The early days on Citalopram can be pretty rough, but you'll find this forum an absolute godsend.
Keep talking if it ever feels too hard - we've all been there and lived to tell the tale.

[moks]

Thanks all, already feeling pretty good about taking the pills knowing theres a light at the end of the tunnel. I can say that I've already gone through dizziness, headache and nausea..all on Day 1! lol! Bring it on! Recovery is worth it!

[chickpea]

what dose are you on?

[moks]

what dose are you on?

Just 20mg

[chickpea]

20mg is quite a high dose to start on, so if you feel ok'ish after the first dose, you should be ok over the next couple of weeks before it really starts to do it's stuff.
One dose of 20mg all but killed me in the beginning, so I dropped down to 10mg and stayed on that for 5 weeks.
I worked up slowly to 20mg and had been really well on that for a couple of months before last week's minor blip (depression, more than anxiety, and tied in with my young children's problems and money worries - so not unexpected).

Are you taking it for anxiety, or depression...or both?

My anxiety started after a couple of years of hell, during whichI was carjacked at knifepoint and my father spent 6 months in ICU, before having his life support switched off.

It was my stomach problems that eventually tipped me over the edge...hence why I'm hoping for some closure from that particular problem.

[moks]

20mg is quite a high dose to start on, so if you feel ok'ish after the first dose, you should be ok over the next couple of weeks before it really starts to do it's stuff.
One dose of 20mg all but killed me in the beginning, so I dropped down to 10mg and stayed on that for 5 weeks.
I worked up slowly to 20mg and had been really well on that for a couple of months before last week's minor blip (depression, more than anxiety, and tied in with my young children's problems and money worries - so not unexpected).

Are you taking it for anxiety, or depression...or both?

My anxiety started after a couple of years of hell, during whichI was carjacked at knifepoint and my father spent 6 months in ICU, before having his life support switched off.

It was my stomach problems that eventually tipped me over the edge...hence why I'm hoping for some closure from that particular problem.

Wow, Chickpea, I'm very sorry for your past troubles. I'm taking mine for depression. I've suffered it for most of my adult life (37 now), I started with counselling a few months ago, which is going well for dealing with my issues, but the depression (crippling, sometimes weeks at a time) still remained...so it's looking pretty chemical.

Today wasn't horrible, but I was surprised that the side-effects happened so quickly, I thought it would take a few days for the drug to work it's way through my system. I am expecting the symptoms to get a bit worse (dry mouth has been horrible), but there's so many different things that can happen that I'm just trying to stay positive and not live in fear of side-effects. I'll deal with them as they come!

Thanks for listening.

[chickpea]

The side effects started 2 hours after my first dose! I was knocked out for 2 hours, then had terrible diarrhoea, followed by an all-night terrors and then general zombified state, not to mention dry mouth, nausea, no appetite...need I go on??!

The dry mouth, nausea and lack of appetite lasted for a couple of weeks or so. The heightened anxiety was on and off for several more weeks after that.

Depression seems to run in my family - my 2 sisters and brother have all suffered from it, and my dad suffered depression and anxiety. In fact, my brother has been on 40mg for many months now.

I am reading an excellent book about depression right now. "Sunbathing in the rain" by Gwyneth Lewis. it's a really positive book, about how depression is actually positive - because it is your body's way of telling you that your old life isn't working for you and you NEED to live a different way.
For eg, if depression makes you sleep a lot, it's telling you that you can't go back to burning the candle at both ends. if it is stopping you from over doing it, you can't go back to being a workerholic etc. Ignore the warning signs at your peril!!!

Gwyneth Lewis is a Welsh poet, so it's not a professional's perspective, but a real person who has lived through it for much of her life.
dare I say, I've really enjoyed reading it, and am *almost* glad to have experienced depression?

[moks]

HOLY Chickpea, I guess the I can consider myself lucky so far today. The nausea is gone, still a little dizzy, but the dry mouth is HORRIBLE, feels like I'm sucking on tissue! Depression runs deep on my dad's side of the family, so I'm not really surprised that I have what I do. Denied it for a long time, which didn't help! I found that 'accepting' what I needed to do was the best recovery step I ever took!

That book sounds very positive, anything that can turn a positive spin on what we deal with is fantastic! I'm going to look for a copy! Thank You. I have always been interested in Buddhism and the philosophy behind that, and they say a lot of the same things, so I think I will delve back into that as well!