Citalopram?

[Green Road]

I've been given a prescription for Citalopram. I start my first dose tonight, but the side effects and possible worsening of emotions, is pretty daunting. He told me it won't kick in until about the second week sometimes three. The Pharmacist said the same and once it hits you will know. Well I'm excited and worried at the same time....Never been in the world of anti depressants. I have the 20mg version.

 

Share experiences?

 

thanks.

[Heavy]

I was on 10mg for 6 months, it kicked in after 2 weeks and it cleared my head to make decisions that needed to be made and I sorted myself out.

 

Make sure you are seeing a professional to talk as it helps and make sure that if you have any side effects to keep your doctor up to date on those. When the doctor says it's time to come off them you have to do it in stages and do that to the book. In the meantime do some exercise as it releases the same chemical that you are lacking which will also help the time that you are on the drug and when you come off it.

[Green Road]

The thing I find strange is getting prescribed this by a family doctor after a brief examination and filling out a depression questionnaire. He actually asked me 'if' I want to try as in it is my option. I said if it could take off the edge for a while until I can see a Counselor, then sure.....not knowing how serious this stuff is. Mine are 20mg.

 

I'm thinking about holding off until I see a counselor. I would think they would be the ones to determine if I need such drugs.

[Green Road]

In the meantime do some exercise as it releases the same chemical that you are lacking which will also help the time that you are on the drug and when you come off it.

 

 

For sure....I got my bike out today and lubed the chain and everything...miss riding....some new trails I'm going to check out.

[Dahl]

miss riding....

 

some new trails I'm going to check out.

 

Rooting for you!

[ApocalypseDreams]

Here's my $0.02.

 

I haven't taken Citalopram but I've taken numerous anti-depressants. Most recently I've started Zoloft which is a SSRI, like Citalopram. I've had both positive and negative experiences with anti-depressants.

 

Most of my negative experiences have been in regards to side effects and coming off them. Most side effects I've experienced on anti-depressants are usually short lived and most acute during the first few weeks. With Zoloft, I had really bad nausea and heart palpatations in the first week, which disappeared after this. The one side effect that doesn't seem to go away while you are taking anti-depressants is some level of sexual dysfunction. For whatever reason, I haven't had any issues in that regard with Zoloft. When you stop taking anti-depressants, it is important not to go "cold turkey" and you work with your doctor you taper off it slowly. I've gone cold turkey a couple of times and I felt close to losing my mind. I would not recommend.

 

I don't know how it is where you are from but in my country counsellors or therapists have no qualification in prescribing medications - that is the job of your GP or psychiatrist. Most therapists are also quite biased against anti-depressants, which can be good or bad, and tend not to favour reducing depression and anxiety to issues of your brain chemistry. The process that your doctor used to diagnose you is pretty standard.

 

I think if you can find the right anti-depressant, in combination with therapy, it is a fairly effective strategy to overcoming depression or anxiety. For therapy to be productive, it helps to be in the right headspace. Medication can help you get in that headspace.

 

Of course, getting quality sleep, eating healthy and exercise are all things that will help massively.

[Green Road]

I haven't taken one pill yet. Just doesn't seem like a solution. Seems it would be a last resort Imo, it was pushed too fast. This is some serious dope and could make me feel like hell. Not sure its something I want to get involved with yet. I'm waiting till I see a counselor. I did get some St John's wort to see what happens.

[Green Road]

I ended up ditching the entire contents of my prescribed Citalopram into the toilet and gave it a nice flush. I understand drugs are useful for no other way out, major panic attacks and such, but I feel I am not yet in a state of no return and qualified for drug treatment as of now. I'm going to concentrate on why I believe is making me sad and depressed. I'll work on that and exercise, eat healthy and find motivation. I'm going to take a daily multi vitamin also. I just don't believe I have a chemical imbalance or anything, just been alone for to long and it took a tole. I need to fix that. Drugs aren't the answer in my case and I also discontinued my follow up appointment with the prescribing doctor. I feel his prognosis was rushed and non thourough. I'm going to see a payed phyciatrist in that respect. Thanks.

[Genna]

I personally just switched from Zoloft to Prozac. Zoloft was actually making me more depressed not to mention I'm also on anxiety meds. I plan to do a test and taper off of all meds and try more natural options. Some of the dose effects just aren't worth it. Good luck to you!

[Genna]

Side not dose*

[WithLove]

I ended up ditching the entire contents of my prescribed Citalopram into the toilet and gave it a nice flush. I understand drugs are useful for no other way out, major panic attacks and such, but I feel I am not yet in a state of no return and qualified for drug treatment as of now. I'm going to concentrate on why I believe is making me sad and depressed. I'll work on that and exercise, eat healthy and find motivation. I'm going to take a daily multi vitamin also. I just don't believe I have a chemical imbalance or anything, just been alone for to long and it took a tole. I need to fix that. Drugs aren't the answer in my case and I also discontinued my follow up appointment with the prescribing doctor. I feel his prognosis was rushed and non thourough. I'm going to see a payed phyciatrist in that respect. Thanks.

 

OP, pills are not a "no way out" option a lot of the time - if you have a chemical imbalance, they can be life-saving. A lot of times, though, depression and anxiety are situational and at times medications are very helpful in terms of helping a person become more motivated to fix/change their situation for the better. Then, after some time, you can wean off the pills and go back to normal.

 

Good luck! Report back on how you're doing, if it's helpful to you.

[Jadzia]

I personally think the Doctors are too quick to rush and prescribe pills. Definitely seek a physiatrist before taking any prescriptions for depression. Once your on you have to wean yourself off not stop cold turkey. Some side effects could be worse.

I agree with Heavy. Excersie is so much better and a therapist if you need to talk to someone or support groups help too. I'm looking into doing these two myself as I do not want to start popping pills for my depression. Good luck to you.

[Green Road]

Right now the thing that bother me most and keeps me from being normal, is missing people and things. Even just people that work at a store that I used to chat with while I was in there, or that favorite part of a trail I used to walk that got torn out and replaced. Even a tree I used to look at that got cut down. Anything like that effects me, but more the people(I sometimes barely know) leaving the state or getting a new job. It's just the thoughts of I will never ever see them again...that can set me up for a bad time.

I miss people I barely know, just like I'd miss a close relative.....it's ridiculous and I am sick of being so damn emotionally attached to people. I used to not care who left or went where, I'd shrug it off and go about my day. I want to get that back!

 

I think I feel like this, because I invision these people moving on with life, having fun in a sunny area and they totally forget me and I'm not in their thoughts at all, but they are in mine and I'm still here in the same spot wishing they were here too, but they're not and it makes it feel so vacant and sad. I hardly go into the store I used to go into two years ago, before a girl there I chatted with, left. Just makes me feel like crud going there and she's not there and all the good memories and cracking jokes there with her. She's gone and moving on and I'm still hanging onto those times when she was there. I hate it....want it to stop.

[Green Road]

I could care less if I died tonight somehow. 42 years old, no wife, no kids, friends moving away in hordes, is the use.

 

thanks anyway.

[Green Road]

Well I'm back and embarrassed about the above written, but it was in the zone that day.

 

Anyways I have started taking the Citalopram and I am one week in, 6 pills.

 

I am now thinking about aborting it and stopping now after one week. Reason being, I still feel I was pushed into this drug with very very little testing and not even talking to a professional psychiatrist first. I was offered this drug from a doctor I never met before and after a simple depression questionnaire. It was my choice, but he offered it. I dunno...it just seems like a terribly serious drug that should just be used in extreme cases where the patient needs it and no other option is working. He wants me to keep doing it for 6 months. I just don't know about that....I feel he is looped in with the network of pill pushers and getting kick-backs for pushing these drugs.

 

I'm not feeling right about this and thinking of quitting them already.

 

So far I feel no effect(positive) from them, but I know it takes time. I got nausea last night...didn't feel like eating being afraid I might barf. Perhaps a bit of tingling and possibly flickering....like lights flicker. It could be just my mind making all that up, because I took the citolapram...I don't know.

 

So if I been into the drug for a week...can I just stop right now? or am I going to get sick and have terrible feelings?

[Wiseman2]

Get a second opinion for a board certified psychiatrist if you are having side effects and feel you were not properly evaluated..