The doctor increased the citalopram to 40mg daily and referred me for counselling. I'm struggling with the tiredness from the increased dose and my mood is all over the place still. I think I'm starting to feel better though.
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The doctor increased the citalopram to 40mg daily and referred me for counselling. I'm struggling with the tiredness from the increased dose and my mood is all over the place still. I think I'm starting to feel better though.
Hope you continue to feel better Abigail ang go to counselling, I know it is not always easy to open up but I am sure it will be beneficial to you too. Hopefully, the medication can be reduced again then and you won't feel so tired, huggy xx
Hope you continue to feel better Abigail. Good luck with the counselling x
I've been focusing on writing a script. I'm told it's good to focus on something.
I hope you begin to feel better soon and can get off the 40mg. I couldn't believe the difference when I went down to 20mg from 40mg... I had never realised how sapping the bugger is! Good luck!Quote:
Originally Posted by Abigail
I can't believe the difference between 30mg and 40mg. All I seem to do is sleep, I have no energy to do anything. I know it's only been nine days but I haven't noticed a difference in my mood. In fact, things have got worse.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tori
I have an appointment for counselling on the 18th April.
I'd give it time, but if the negatives outweigh the positives, then I'd go back down to 30mg again.
Went to the docs today for more ADs, she asked me how my soul was. Nothing like a doctor in england would ask...
hi abigail,
the high in dosage is given only when the previous dosage doesn't help you out that much.. so it is better to continue the 40 mg, still find hard in improvement then look for some other solution.
My mood has improved considerably in the last few days. I've started taking the citalopram in the afternoon/early evening instead of the morning. By the time the tiredness is kicking in, I'm ready for bed and its not really a problem.
I have my psych assessment on Monday. I'm a bit nervous about it but it is something that I have to do.
I've decided to take some time out after I finish my degree. A friend (who is a psychiatrist) has said I can live with him as long as I need to so I'm staying in Stoke. Its time for me to stop running away from my problems and deal with them. If that take 6 months or a year, so be it. I can't carry on with these massive ups and downs every few months. Something happens, I can't deal with it so I pretend it doesn't exist and put it in the cupboard with all the other things I can't deal with. I can't get anything else in my cupboard and I'm scared to open the door because it will all come tumbling out. At the moment I don't think I would be able to hold down a full time job or even a part time one. My moods are just so unpredictable and they change from one hour to the next. Some days I can't get out of bed at all, others I feel like I'm on speed. Even small stresses, like deadlines, cause me to fall apart.
So much has happened over the last year with my family. My relationship with my mother is virtually non-existent. It's always been difficult but I can't communicate with her at all now. Things have gotten considerably worse in the past few months, I've spoken to her once on the phone since January. Even my relationship with my sister has been severely affected to the point where I can't go home at the moment because I can't deal with her talking about my uncle. She wants to talk about the trial and stuff and I just want to forget it's happening. My sister is the only person in my family that has ever understood me, she gave me somewhere to stay when my mum kicked me out and she's always taken care of me emotionally and financially. More than my parents ever have. I'm hoping once the trial is over things will go back to how they were.
Anyway, I'm waffling :p
I am glad you got your meds sorted to suit you now, good luck with your assessment on Monday, is only natural you should feel a little nervous, but it is another tool for you to get on the road to recovery and being able to deal with all those things in the cupboard. Hopefully, your relationship with your mother and sister will improve again over time too, I imagine your sister is feeling scared and unsure, hence her need to talk about the trial. I wish you all the best x
Thanks Perdita :) It's great that I have so many friends on here and you are all so supportive. I don't know what I'd do without this place to vent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Perdita
I saw the mental health team on Monday for an assessment. I start cognitive behavioural therapy next week. It's done over the phone for 30mins every week. I've also got to chart my mood with a :) or :( every hour of the day. So far I haven't started that task.
The sun has had a pretty positive effect on me actually. I just wish I had time to sit out and enjoy it instead of doing work.
Good luck; I hope it's useful!
I had to do the :) and :( thing once, but also chart what I was doing to see if it had any effect on my mood...
I changed from Citalopram to Venlafaxine 75mg prolonged released on Friday. I feel like a zombie already :( I loaded the dishwasher this morning and it wiped me out. That's all I've done today apart from sleep. I know the first few weeks are always rough on new meds but this is ridiculous. I can't think straight. I have an appointment with my GP on Friday to review.
Has anyone else taken venlafaxine? I've read that the withdrawals are hell but nothing about being ridiculously tired and unable to do anything.
Hey Abigail, good to see you here, missed you xx. I don't have any experience with Venlafaxine but good to know you are seeing the doctor on Friday, discuss all your symptoms, hope you can get the right medication to help you without those side effects xxxQuote:
Originally Posted by Abigail
The doctor told me to persist a little longer and ordered some blood tests to rule out thyroid, anaemia and diabetes. Things have gotten worse over the weekend, I can't get up before midday (I just can't open my eyes) and my joints are aching constantly. I have to go back in a few weeks but if this carries on much longer, I'll be going back and asking to stop the venlafaxine. I'm just concerned about the effects of stopping as it's widely known to be the hardest anti-depressant to get off because of the withdrawals. I'm not sure I can feel much worse at the moment so I'm not worrying too much about it.
Abigail
You can wean yourself off all anti depressants. I managed myself by cutting down the dosage gradually rather than going cold turkey on them. In fairness though you havent been on this new one very long so give it a chance to see if the effects lessen. As Perdy says speak with your GP. See if he/she will get you an appointment with a good psychologist. Talking to a Mental Health professional always helps
Hi Abigail, how're you getting on with Venla now? Hopefully the side effects have weaned off now you're had about 10 days to get it in your system :)
I had to stop the venlafaxine after 4 weeks, I was sleeping all the time and wasn't feeling any benefit. I know it takes about 6 weeks to start feeling better and the fatigue would eventually pass but it is the worst drug I've ever taken. Stopping abruptly wasn't a good idea though. It has a very short half-life so I felt as sick as a dog for ten days afterwards. I couldn't get an appointment with my GP for several days so I ran out and just decided to try living without anti-depressants. I've taken anti-depressants for 2.5 years and before that I was on a mood stabiliser for 3 years so I'm not really used to regulating my brain chemicals naturally.
I've been off venlafaxine just under 3 weeks and I felt myself sliding back. I didn't want to risk a big crash so I saw my GP today and he prescribed sertraline. I took it this morning, this afternoon I had bundles of energy which is unusual for me. I could've managed a bit longer without. A friend attempted suicide last week and was sectioned. It's been playing on my mind and I'd rather not feel like that again.
Long term I don't know what is going to happen. The current guidelines state patients should be weaned off after 8 months of stability but I've never managed to get beyond ~4 months on SSRI/SNRI before I relapse. I think I'm going to ask for a psychiatric referral with a view to going back on a mood stabiliser. I felt a lot more human and stable than I do on SSRIs.
Good news, glad you are feeling better xxxQuote:
Originally Posted by Abigail
Good luck with the Sertraline and possible mood stabiliser! Hopefully finding the right drug will really help you xQuote:
Originally Posted by Abigail
I don't believe that this is such a disease that can be diagnosed. It exposes itself. But
the will power is very effective tool to get rid of it.
Try to avoid medicines more and more.Clarkston Group Fitness
Do take deep breath in fresh air, Take multivitamin regularly, Share your problems with your family,
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and other stimulants....
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