Hi

[analyn]

Just wanted to say hello.  Got post natal depression years ago with lst child.  Every time I Am put under pressure I get anxiety.  Took sertraline for some years then doctor advised to come off slowly.  I did that and managed 8 months without them though was getting upset.  About 2 weeks ago I had a really bad panic attack - fortunately it was a friday morning and managed to get an emergency apppointment with my own doctor.  Started citalopram at 10 mg and now increased to 20 mg.  Also ativan for panic attacs short term only.  I feel anguished and utterly miserable but keep trying to be sociable otherwise feel I will lose myself completely.  Each day is a hardship to get through but trying to hang in.

Reading the posts on here has helped a little as the sense of isolation and feeling the need to hide feelings of gloom brings pressure in itself.

Hope you are having a good day.

[cloudedvision]

Hiya,

I'm new also :-) and understand what you mean about the isolation and feeling like you can't speak about how your feeling and what your going through for fear of being ignored and feeling like your going on all the time.
I am also on citalopram 10mg.
How are you getting on with them? They doing ok for you?

[stewart]

Hi analyn, welcome to the forums, im sure nyou will get plenty of advice and help here.
i thing pressure and anxiety are very common experiances for a lot of us.

I was on citalopram for several years, 60 mg till the powere that be decided 40mg would be the max. then changed to Sertraline 100mg as i wasnt sleeping well, and i asked me doc abour amytryptaline, she said id have to change from the citalopran as bad interaction. started on 50mg amys now up to 150mg, helps a lot with sleep but gets somewhat dopy in the days.

it always helps if you have a doc who listens and treats you as a person rather than a number.

[Pip]

 sIg_hi

I can't remember the name of the first anti depressant I was on 8 years ago but came off it anyway after several months as I felt like a zombie.  For a couple of years I was on citalopram 40 mg but it did nothing to help with depression so came off that last year.  I take amitryptaline 40 mg - 50 mg for pain relieve and help me sleep but again it does nothing to help with depression.

[analyn]

Hi Cloudedvisions
Thanks for replying it was good to hear from you. 0158
I have been taking 20mg of citalopram since last Friday and 10mg for a week before that.  So far I have not had any side effects but I do not feel any better at all - exactly the same.  The ativan are helping to reduce the panic attacks and the sleeping pills are helping me sleep as I was so tired as I had been sleeping really badly for months.  I kept on trying to go without anything for far too long and I think that was a mistake.  I have fibromyalgia and osteoporosis to deal with and I think this is why I got so down recently.
How long have you been taking citalopram and how are you finding them?

[analyn]

Hi Stuart :
Thanks for replying.
I cannot take those tca antidepressants  they make me totally unable to function properly and I cannot bear that feeling.  Just hoping that soon I am going to feel better on the citalopram if not I will have to try something else, just got to keep hoping this eases.  I was sleeping OK on sertraline but doctor thought I should try and stop them though to be honest I was a bit down on them after some years.  Wish I had not stopped them now though.

[analyn]

Hi Pip
Thank you for replying  0158
I am just literally praying that this citalopram works as I cannot stand feeling like this forever.  I would not mind if I felt like a zombie  -to be  honest it would be a relief from the alternatng misery and panic  I feel.  Alot of my problems are dealing with physical pain issues as I mentioned.   I also have a 14 year old little &$%+zu dog who has been very poorly for a while and I find the thought of losing him very painful.

[Pip]

Oh I know what you mean over your dog.  Our eldest cat died on the 16th Dec 2008 which is a date I can't forget as it was the 9th anniversary of my mother in law's funeral.  She was 13 years old and quite sudden,  We knew she was slowing up with old age but that evening she started crying so husband rang the vet who initially suggested getting her to him but her eyes were dilated and her paws were cold so he he was fairly certain she was dying.  It was quite quick and she died in my arms.  The following March 17th our eldest dog had to be put down aged 15.  We knew he had a heart murmer which he had been born with but for most of his life he was healthy and never needed any medication.  He started having what we thought were minor fits but they turned out to be mini strokes.  Eventually he was in pain so we had to make that painful decision.  Even though we still have two dogs and a cat we still miss yhem at times.