Anti-depressants

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

I take Citalopram which is an anti-depressant, I am having a bit of an issue with it and wondered if anyone else is on similar medication who might be good to help with some advice?

[clanpowell]

Only issue I had was when I first started taking it. It made me stoned for about a week. Other than issues with alcohol when I forgot to take it I'm afraid to say cant help. Whats the problem?

[magicguitarman]

I've taken similar things, what difficulty have you had?

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

They've been fab actually other than making me really tired. But I've been taking them for 4 years now. I've downed the dose when I've been able (with my GP) but last year had to return to 40mg and there's no way I can really go down at the moment.

I think they are starting to wear off and the only alternative I've got at the moment is weaning off of these and finding a new medication. Leaving me for months without meds - a really scary option.

I have a councillor and therapist who I have done fantastic work with and made masses of progress. But at the end of the day I currently have a chemical problem which needs medicating

How am I going to manage in between meds? No one seems to get how bad it's all going to be. I'm searching for anything helpful anyone has to say

[southeast-isher]

I have been on the SSRI fluoxetine for the last 4 years and i get very tired too. The overall effects are a lot less pronounced now but i think that's just the way it goes with SSRIs.

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Yeah, I see tiredness of a side affect I just have to put up with it.

It has got particularly bad recently and a quick google turned up the top two symptons of low iron levels as fatigue and depression so I've got some Spatone to see if it helps.

Going to visit the GP to see if they think iron will help or if it's too extreme to be just iron.

Hopefully by the weekend I'll know a bit more what's going on. I just don't want to feel like life is not worth living because I don't have any sunglasses or because the vents in the car don't work

[southeast-isher]

Yeah, I see tiredness of a side affect I just have to put up with it.

It has got particularly bad recently and a quick google turned up the top two symptons of low iron levels as fatigue and depression so I've got some Spatone to see if it helps.

Going to visit the GP to see if they think iron will help or if it's too extreme to be just iron.

Hopefully by the weekend I'll know a bit more what's going on. I just don't want to feel like life is not worth living because I don't have any sunglasses or because the vents in the car don't work

Well my doc seems to think if i switched to a different SSRI the effects would be much the same. He says i am on the best medication possible (i take an anti-psychotic too) and if anything better becomes available i will be the first to try it lol.

I had been on the anti-psychotic for many years but it wasn't until i was taking the SSRI that the uncontrollable tiredness came instantly.

I take Berocca (multi-vitamins etc) and drink lots of coffee... it helps a lot - but, doesn't rule out tiredness completely. On my meds drinking alcohol is a very bad idea - i can get away with drinking half a pint just about but it just doesn't seem worth it.

[southeast-isher]

The doctor may suggest adding a low dose of an anti-psychotic to your medication regime in order to augment the SSRI. Depends of course on your circumstances.

[southeast-isher]

The doctor may suggest adding a low dose of an anti-psychotic to your medication regime in order to augment the SSRI. Depends of course on your circumstances.

And if done this way you would not need to be weaned off the SSRI and therefore would not be without medication...

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Think if we decide it's medication and not lack of iron then I will ask about that. They may want me to wait and see if the Spatone helps which seems helpful but there always seem to be a reason to wait and see - I would like things sorted.

We shall see. Thank you for the info

[southeast-isher]

Think if we decide it's medication and not lack of iron then I will ask about that. They may want me to wait and see if the Spatone helps which seems helpful but there always seem to be a reason to wait and see - I would like things sorted.

We shall see. Thank you for the info

Whatever you decide and whatever happens i strongly recommend you get some CBT to accompany your medication.

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Don't worry - got plenty of that!

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Only issue I had was when I first started taking it. It made me stoned for about a week. Other than issues with alcohol when I forgot to take it I'm afraid to say cant help. Whats the problem?

Aahahahahahahaha, I read this - didn't realise it was you and thought "I know someone like that!"

[clanpowell]

Also speak to the gp about the course "boost your mood" run at Gloscester college. I went and it really helped. I think. I am still a grumpy old man but I think that's just me!!

[bonniethomas06]

Can't offer any words of advice I am afraid, just wanted to say that I hope you find a good solution. So many people think that depression is something that can be overcome by positive thinking and stuff, without realising that is it a chemical imbalance and a physiological problem just like any other illness.

Good luck with it