***Citalopram Buddies... ;o)***

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

Well.. jumping in on the act of the other "buddy threads", there seem to a shed load of us on citalopram.

How many of us are there exactly?

What dosage are you all on? Is it working?

I'm on 10mg for anxiety. It certainly takes the edge off the panic feelings and stops me waking up with that dreadful, crippling anxious feeling, as if my stomach's in a vice. But being as things are a bit crap at the moment, I do feel generally down even though I've never been technically considered depressed (just suffering from lifestyle induced anxiety!)

DH is on 20mg. Similar reasons, slightly different symptoms.

We have been on it since June.

I came off mine (sensibly) a month of so ago but the horrid panic came back and I just couldn't face all that again. It makes life "un-do-able" and I have a lot of stuff that I have to get done everyday/responsibilities etc. So not sure what the answer is but I certainly don't want to stay on anti depressants forever and GP originally mentioned a 6 month time slot.

What are other's experiences?

PS I hate the "no orgasm" side effect of citalopram!! It really really bothers me.. main reason I wanted to come off it.. but I hate the anxiety more! Anyone else on it suffer in that way?

[OozingSlashesFromTigerFeet]

Hiya, I'm on escitalopram, a very close cousin! Can I join in

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

bump?

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

Oh hello! Yes "join"!! Shall we have badges!

Is yours for anixiety?

[MascaraOHara]

Hi, I posted then got distracted. Back on Citalopram last week after coming off it in January.

If you've room for tired & miserable cow (atm) then I'm in.

[OozingSlashesFromTigerFeet]

I'm on 20mg daily for anxiety and depression - I've been on it for almost 3 years I have tried to come off it a few times but can't seem to get through the day without it.

A badge would be fabulous "you don't have to be mad to be on (es)citalopram but it helps"

[OozingSlashesFromTigerFeet]

"tired and miserable cow" - you could be talking about me

I am still tired but less miserable these days. Absolutely bloody exhausted most of the time (but dd is going through a non-sleeping phase so that could explain why!). I have been told that the tiredness could be a side effect of the medication. I am certainly less "with it" mentally but I am much easier to live with!

Also get the non-orgasm thing from time to time

[MascaraOHara]

not sure about the orgasm thing but my teeth ache. I think it makes me grit them without realising. Just eating my lunch and they are really aching today

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

Yes I think I'm more knackered on citalopram.. but hard to tell because I've been sleep deprived for 7 years anyway.

The non orgamsm thing really bothers me. More than I admit to DH. I feel sort of as if I don't work properly.. because of all my many issues, non orgamsms was never one of them! And being as sex is one of the few fun/free things in life.. and is so important in keep a relationship on track, it feels like adding insult to injury.

But I simply can't cope with that degree of panic I would get if I came off them.

3 years Oozing?? I assumed we'd get hauled back to the GP some time soon when it gets near the 6 month deadline.. haven't you been?

[Moomalicious]

I've just started on citalopram too, though i've been on it before. I'm just on 10mg for the first two weeks as last time the side effects for me were so awful I took myself off them after a week as I couldn't function. Going back on Nov 5 to get it upped to 20mg. So far I'm not too enamoured with them, I'm shattered, can't sleep (even with sleeping tabs) and am having trouble stringing a sentence together (typing is so much easier than talking). Hope it improves soon but it's only been three days! I'm on it for depression I have anxiety and panic attacks too but I can deal with those without medication after seeing a cbt psychologist a few years ago. I wish I could comment on the orgasm thing, I've not had sex for ages and it's the last thing I fancy

[OozingSlashesFromTigerFeet]

I see my GP every couple of months or so. My problem is that aspects of my life that I have little or no control over have led to me being how I am. I have been referred to the Mental Health team at the hospital but don't have an appointment as yet.

Moomalicious, it can be hard to cope with the side effects can't it, especially at first. I hope they pass fairly quickly for you.

In my case, some of the side effects (in particular fatigue and very vivid dreams and restless sleep) are not at all pleasant but if the alternative is not being able to function on a day to day basis I'll have to live with them

[SueBarooeeooeeooooo]

Oh bloody hell, are these really the side effects? I shall be going on to citalopram in a little over a week (when I've come off my current medication) and half my problem is that I can't sodding well sleep.

[pissed off mad person emoticon]

[MascaraOHara]

I'm surprised at all the side effects you guys are talking about.. for me really it's only ever the fatigue (for first couple of weeks) and the teeth thing.

I must admit I'm quite worried about the orgasm thing now. Not had one with boyf for a couple of weeks but it's a new-ish relationship and has been on the rocks for the last couple of weeks - i thought it was down to me feeling unwanted.

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

I got vivid dreams, lack of appetite, etc to begin with and in the very first few days, felt really jittery but had read the leaflet so managed to ride it out. When I was weaning myself off them (before I went back on them fully! ) I got pins and needles in my hands a lot as well.

Yes Oozing, I'm the way I am too, because of aspects of my life I have little or no control over, or at least because of the way I allow them to affect me I suppose.

[MascaraOHara]

I couldn't sleep before I went on them though.. that's partly how I knew things were getting on top of me again.

For me the sleeplessness will pass, My GP told me when I first went on the to vary the times of day I took the.. E.G if I alwasy felt v tired 6hrs after taking them try and take them 6hrs before bed.. until I found a routine. For me taking them in the morning works fine though.

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

Sue, don't worry, you are unlikely to get all these side effects.. and some of them may not be side effects.. we probably just interpret them that way. As Mascara says, she has only ever expereiced the fatigue.

And the fatigue for me means that I could sleep for England give the opportunity.. so it won't necessarily cause insomnia.

[ShinyHappyPurpleSeveredHeads]

And it doesn't necessarily cause lack of orgasm either.. DH is alright.. (Jack! )

[QuootieSpookypie]

I always join these groups then forget I have done (great side effect!). I am on 40mg, sort of working but major tiredness with then that is only cured with sleeping pills which I am not allowed anymore . Other than that no side effects I think for me, but I feel so rough all the time I wouldn't notice. I don't get the no orgasm side effect though, had no idea they did that.

[MascaraOHara]

I'm so tired now I could put my head on desk and sleep yet tonight I'll go to bed and won't sleep for more than an hour at a time.

[SueBarooeeooeeooooo]

I'm not so fussed about thw sex-thing. I sort of had a clue when I saw the word 'bromide' in the leaflet.

I'm really just at the desperation stage now, it was side-effects that I couldn't function with that have prompted the change. I reduced my current medication a couple of days ago, and am now feeling like I could cry and cry and just sit in the corner rocking all day long.

[Moomalicious]

I've spoken to lots of people who have said they've barely had side effects so don't panic unduly. I think i'm just particularly sensitive to them but the docs weren't very forthcoming with a suitable alternative. I wish I knew why I am the way I am. I've seen loads of professionals in the past but none have ever looked at the root cause of my depression. I suppose I should try and get myself referred. Will do that through the councillor I'm going to be seeing though I think.

[cremolafoamingatthemouth]

i'm on it too
for anxiety, pounding racing heart at night,sleeplessness, goingof the deep endin any situation, PMDD etc
on 20mg and I am a new woman.

[cremolafoamingatthemouth]

bUT no libido and feeling knackered alot.Still this is much much better than original symptoms. I guess you have to weigh things up.

[spookybatoscar]

Can I join too please?

I'm on 10mg a day to aleviate anxiety and depression as a side effect of my MS

I find it really helps. I've been on it since Easter. I have lost my sexual appetite tbh, never thought of that. Had no other side effects really. I've just stopped stressing at pointless things.

I would like to come off them eventually, but I can see they are helping me ATM

[spookybatoscar]

Oh and I do suffer from fatigue but I put that down to MS and DS (a lively 4 yrs old)

I take amantadine for the fatigue

[MascaraOHara]

Does anybody take anything (herbal) to help them sleep?

I could really do with getting back into a healthy sleeping pattern but I'm frightened to take anything such as nytol (or what have you) because I'm a single parent and I'm worried I might not wake up if my dd needs me in the night.