Hi everyone
Saw my GP this morning - the first time since the beginning of December.
He is keeping me on 3 x 40 mg Propanalol each day - continues to refuse to give me sleeping tablets (even though my sleep is dreadful), and has now suggested I start Citalopram - he has given me a month's supply of one 20 mg per day and wants to see me next week.
In fairness he spent 30 minutes with me, talked me through what he felt was happening with me, the anxiety and panic atacks, commented on where he felt there had been improvements, but still insists that my sleep will improve when the anxiety/depression issues resolve themselves. He is very anti sleepers and is anti any med that can lead to reliance or addiction.
We spoke about why the adrenaline and palpitations are waking me up in the middle of the night (despite the propanalol) - Answer: because, as he says, I'm obviously still worrying about the problems we've had an are having still.
Another GP at the practice prescribed me Prozac right at the onset of my problems; this had me bouncing off the walls, not sleeping and in a terrible state. After 10 days my visit to the surgery resulted in me seeing the GP I now always ask for, and although he is a "Tough love" guy, I think I have some respect for him and his honesty - even though I don't always want to agree with it. I came off Prozac immediately and was prescribed a limited number of sleepers (which didn't work), and the propanalol, which has helped.
As a consequence, I was taken aback this morning when he suggested there was an argument to be made for me to take an anti-depressant. He told me that there should be no side effects, and that it wouldn't be difficult to come off them at the appropriate time.
I've just read A LOT of postings about Citalopram, and to be honest, I'm a bit confused and a little worried.
If I KNOW they could make me feel better, then great; if I KNOW that for MOST people there aren't any side effects, then great; if I KNOW they aren't too difficult to come off, then that's good too. BUT so many of the posts are critical of Citalopram, and I am now a bit concerned.
PLEASE, PLEASE if any of you have GOOD or POSITIVE experiences (be it yourself or someone you know), please post accordingly. I really don't want to go through what Prozac did to me.
He referred me for CBT at the beginning of December. I am still awaiting an appointment and asked if he could speed this up; his comment was that he didn't really feel my mind was "in the best place at the moment for CBT to be at its most effective". As a result he'd review that next week. He's quite young - middle 30s, and as such you'd expect him to be reasonably proactive and modern in his approach, but I just don't know any more!!!
Thanks
Sandie