bored-a-line Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 hello, so i am entering the world of antidepressants finally, and the lucky drug is citalopram..never heard of it..anyone had any experience of it, bad side effects, comments...anything. this is all very new and exciting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 I was on citalopram (Ciprimal) around 2yrs ago I was on it for around 3-4months it personally didnt do anythong for me, I gave it the 4-6wks to try get into my system and then a little more time but in the end I switched to another med and unfortunatly kept swtiching till around 6mnths ago. WHile on it the only side effect I can remember was dizzieness. Id say its good ur getting that added help and give it the 4-6weeks to get into your system and start owrking before you start to doubt it as I know their are many many anti-d's out thier and it is an entirly INDIVIDUAL Response to the medication and how we react. Take care HOpe it works for you KAty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudyfox Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 I also have been on citalopram, about 2-3 years ago. I didn't stay on it long because it made me hyper anxious. I was shaking all the time and afraid of everything. I think it took me 2 weeks to decide not to take it any more (and me being me, I didn't tell the doctor or go back to get the medication changed!). I have enough anxiety problems as it is without having it magnified to that extent. This time around I have been prescribed fluoxetine (Prozac) and I have been pretty ok on the starting dose (20mg a day). It makes me more numb to things like life and emotion so I can hold it together more. It doesn't take things away, but it puts a little protective barrier up. What I would say is that if you do find the medication to cause extreme anxiety or any other side effects, don't just stop taking it like I did. Go and see your doctor and tell them about it - they might put your mind at rest or change it to something more suitable for you. Take care Cloudy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored-a-line Posted November 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 thanks guys cloudy, my doctor said he doesnt prescribe prozac at all, he wouldnt elaborate on it for me, why would he say that? because i've heard that prozac is particularly effective for bpd problems of emptiness etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudyfox Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 bored-a-line - I don't know why your doctor doesn't prescribe Prozac. I know it can cause an increase in suicidal thoughts in the first few weeks so maybe that's why. My doctor thinks it's great though as long as it's used carefully. She's seeing me every fortnight because she won't give me more than 2 weeks worth at a time in case I take the lot! Cloudy x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostsoul Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Hi bored. I was on Cipralex - citalopram. It helped reduce worst symptoms of depression and anxiety for me - but it also made me go a bit manic, and that was a pisser, so I stopped them after three months. I guess they got me out of my hole (hello mole) jeez i'm in a weird mood today. Anyway - verdict is, not bad, not great. Won't fix all your problems but then i guess you know that already. Mum's been off it now for three months and is starting to CRASH. Oh yey. Now me and mommy can be NUTS together all over again. We're off to see the psychiatrist, the wonderful psychiatrist of oz, because because because because, we're starting to go back to how we woz!!!! I'll bugger off now I reckon. :wacko: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored-a-line Posted November 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 yeah my doctors pretty hilarious i reckon, he was reading me through the side effects and going " oh you wont go manic, no you wont get nauseous" without having asked me if i tend to get manic. he's also kind of enjoying getting all the goss about how i want to kill myself and stuff, you can tell that he just doesnt know what the fuck he's dealing with but he's trying to look all competant and being as helpful as possible...which is nice of him. its funny when you get that look of total bewilderment tho. i've never really had it before cos i've never really fessed up any of this stuff except on boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudyfox Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Maybe that hyper anxiety I was talking about was a form of mania then. I didn't really know about the side effects until I took it! Have you asked to be referred to the Community Mental Health Team? That's what I've done - had an assessment last week and they were having a meeting about me today. I should find out what treatment they're planning next week. Stop me if you're already doing this, but the point is the CPN told me that GP's do the frontline stuff - it's when you get into therapy that a psychiatrist or whoever adjusts your meds and finds what really suits you. Might be worth a try (I'm assuming you're in the UK and have access to the NHS). Take care Cloudy x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored-a-line Posted November 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 yeah, seeing psych on 24th (=ages). so day one on meds and.... OH MY GOD how the hell isd anyone supposed to cope with these side effects...its like being on a speed comedown and psychologically really unnerving..physically putting a hell of a lot of effort to walk right, talk right etc. felt pretty sick all day. woke up at 5am, felt like such an effort to breathe. i heard that the reason why people with mental ilness get portrayed as dribbling twitching wrecks is due to the fact that the meds people give them make those twitches and dribbles happen, not the illness. I totally can see that being true after todays experience. FUCKED UP is all i can say. i'm alarmed and scared at how the hell im supposed to start my new job on monday...what dyou reckong shouldi skip a few days to see how it is at work first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tory Posted November 14, 2004 Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 Talk to a dr about the side effects and dont stop taking them without seeking medical advice. Some side effects go after a few days but i dont know so please talk to a dr. Good luck with job. Take care Tory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudyfox Posted November 14, 2004 Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 Glad to hear you're seeing the psych. Your side effects sound awful. Have you managed to talk to a doctor about it? Give the out of hours service a ring and hopefully they'll be able to give you some advice about what to do. Take care Cloudy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Cipralex has been a wonder drug for me. But I have experienced similar side effects from many other ant d's . This is the first one actually that I have been able to function fully on and stay sane. So if after a few weeks its still not ok, or if it really is to much to bear right now go see your doc about changing. Just with anti d's alone I must have tried well over ten types in a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored-a-line Posted November 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 i totally stopped taking them, and had like the best nights sleep ever, now im not sure whether i can afford to waste days away being all hyper and weird and sleepless. i swear my face looked more scarier when i was on the drug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginny Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 Cipramil was great for me - until they stopped working and had to take more and more... Finally my psych put me on a drug called Lexapro - very similar but a changed molecule which specifically targets certain serotonins in the brain - this drug is working great for me generally - but cant be taken too late in the day as can be a cause of sleeplessness. Thats it from me.. Good luck Ginny :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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