I have a dilemma..advice appreciated

[ladybird64]

Hi all

I have been on Citalopram for approx 5 months now (started on 20mg) and have been fine, apart from a few minor side-effects when I started.

At the same time as starting I made quite a few lifestyle changes and have accomplished a lot (I have anxiety and agoraphobia) and feel confident that I can continue to make slow but steady progress with my practical anxiety issues, going out etc.

I was actually put on Citalopram for depression and it definitely helped, enabling me to make the changes I have mentioned.

Unfortunately due to personal circumstances in the family, I am starting to feel "unwell" again..forgetting things mid-sentence, waking during the night and having problems sleeping, feeling like I want to withdraw and not talk to others...I have been here before and I do not want to go back to the place I was in back at the beginning of the year.

The dilemma I have is that I have so far refused any change in dosage of the Cit as I felt it was unecessary, I was doing ok.
I know that I'm not doing ok now but just going from one day to another doing my best not to lose my focus.

My family difficulty is ongoing as quite a few of you know (a disabled daughter) and over the past few weeks there has been no let up in her aggressive behaviour, we have experts helping but bottom line is we are having to deal with it on a 24 hour basis.

Now her problems are not going to disappear and are likely to continue as they are for the foreseeable future so would there even be any point in going back to the GP and asking for an increase? (I really don't want to).

The famly problems are not something I can change so I honestly wonder about the wisdom of taking more tablets..I really don't know what to do for the best.

I would appreciate any advice you can give me please.

Thanks

PS. A dear friend has suggested that I may need to increase as she thinks my levels are now up to normal and that I may need to boost the dose so my mood evens out.

[gregcool]

Hi ladybird
well you sound like you need some extra support yourself.
What you have to remember is that sometimes
we all need help, and for you allready with anxiety and depression and agaraphobia, its realy hard to cope with shock and personal changes in life, as you are now having,
my advice to touwould be to see you gp for advice and poss incress in your medication to help you cope in these difficult times untill you r ready to come down again. You will not be able to offer your own full support, if you r in your own suffering,
you r number one priority, if you r not well then others would have to watch you slowly deteriate and that will efect everyone. Esp your health.
There isnothing wrong needing more medication.
If my kids have a bad cold i wouldnt hesatate to give them the medication they need to feel better this is the same for you. But more complex and most cirtain , that you need the extra help. Hope this helps, but see your gp. Asap
take care
gregxx

[calm]

hi ladybird....what wonderful advice from greg xxxx thinking of you and supporting you xxxx

[Dragonsblonde]

Hi

I would always advise discussing this with your GP obviously. I will say that I didn't want meds in the first place, but now feel it is the best decision I have made. It allows me the space to breathe and deal with myself properly. Once you are on them you may well need to up or down the dose at times depending on your feelings.

Don't forget though that they take a while to take effect once you increase so also look at the meditation or managament techniques to help you though. Talk to loved ones and friends and see if they can help ease the pressire off you too

Jo

[Faethra]

I'm sorry you're in this situation... Life isn't always kind to us, but we have to always march on.

If you feel increasing the dosage is unnecessary, see if maybe you can get another form of help... Talk to a counselor or a church pastor (whichever you feel most comfortable with), have a good chat with family and friends. I'd say make a day for yourself, but I'm not sure you can if your daughter is in her situation... Take solace in the things that relax you and make you happy, make it a goal for the end of the day to help you unwind and feel rewarded for your efforts.

I'm not a professional, and I'm still young and foolish about many of these things, so please take my suggestions as ideas worth considering, but I don't know what would be best for you...

I hope things get better soon.

[ladybird64]

Sorry I'm so late in saying thank you for taking the time to reply.

In the end I decided against changing the dose because my mood has lifted slightly after a meeting with professionals concerning my daughter, I also had a good natter with a friend of mine.

Your combined advice gave me some thinking space which is what I needed and I am feeling a lot better than I was when I wrote the post.

Thanks again

[Dragonsblonde]

Glad to hear life has evened out for you hon.

Is good news that you can manage the ups and downs using other tools with the meds as a helping hand along the way. All good news xx