The doctor just prescribed me antidepressants for the first time. Advice needed. Citalopram.

reply to post by Scope and a Beam

Scope and a beam
They all have side effects, nausea, dizziness, headaches etc. But only lasts a couple of weeks, then you'll feel better.
Try not to stay on them for too long. Maybe a year, 18 months. The doctors will try and keep you on them, but you'll need to be weened off of them, bit by bit, smaller doses.
The fact is, without knowing why you are depressed that they treat the symptoms (depression) and not necessarily the cause.
I was diagnosed in 2006, and was on Efexor XR for about 15 months. I weened myself off as I was worried I had become too reliant on them.
Two years later after losing 20 kgs of weight over 3 months, I had a blood test and found out I had a gluten
intolerance. I was a Ceoliac, It was confirmed with a gastroscopy.
This can also cause depression, as I said they treat the symptoms. There could very well be another underlying cause which is causing you to feel down.
Also, walking/exercise meditation, eat healthier also will make you feel better.
All the Best

OP, I will relate to you something which someone told me once when I was at my worst. They were saying this to be malicious, but its actually the most helpful thing ANYONE has ever said to me:

Your problems are not unique. You are not the only person going through a rough patch and you won't be the last.

At the time, I thought "You absolute b*stard!" but in actual fact, he was right.

Depression doesn't happen for no reason. Find the root of the problem, and tackle it. Then kick it in the balls and move on from it.

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


I have had an issue with depression for year
The doctor put me on Zoloft
at 100 mg
It did not make a difference
I was envious of "normal" people and the fact they could live "normal" lives and not go through what I was.
Then I made the change to stop drinking coffee. and continued to take zoloft
WOW I have been 2000% better.
I stopped biting my nails (after 53 years)
I can laugh, joke and live "normal"
They work for me

reply to post by steve1709


Dear Steve I agree in what you say, but the only problem with the Doctor is that he doesn't have true taking experience with drugs, I have been reading most of the responses on this post and they are not way out there. Most of us have had experience with taking these kind off drugs and we speak from experience. All said, never stop without consulting the Doctor. A true Doctor will help you with that also.

Peace and happiness too all.

OP. THE DOCTOR HAS NOT TOLD YOU WHAT THE SIDE AFFECTS WILL BE.

Now that I yelled that to get your attention please pay attention.

Citalopram and some other drugs of this nature also affect your sexual drive and your ability to orgasm / ejaculate!

The Doctor won't tell you this because you would refuse the drug. The internet is your friend. Google 'Citalopram side affects sexual' and a wealth of information will appear.

A computer crash lost me the copy of the document used by the US to approve the drug. I have not been able to find a copy since. The study broke the simplest of rules for how human trials are to be conducted. Lastly the drug is only 5% effective over a placebo and yet affects about 50% of humans sexual systems. The study found that MOST people recovered normal sexual functioning after coming off the drug.

With the way drug companies operate it is good safe practice to always put the drugs name and the words 'side affects' into a search engine and do your homework. It is a scary world filled by greedy little bastards.

Personally I would not risk my sexual functioning. I have been there and recovered my sexual functioning. Going through life without having an avenue for sexual release would not make me a happy camper.

P

I can only give you advice based upon my experience. Use them for they are. A crutch to get you through a bad time. But, don't plan to stay on them forever. They play havoc with your body and brain. Learn to deal with your problems proactively. I have suffered clinical depression my entire life and I have finally learned how to manage it without the use of drugs. Get a good counselor. By that I mean on who will work with you not just push you toward medication. Search yourself and your life for the root cause of your depression and work on making it better. Don't forget that you are a living, dynamic entity and you CAN work through your problems. It just takes effort and motivation. The medication can help you think straight so you can find out what the problems are and work on them. Just don't use the crutch too long. Again, it takes effort and motivation. Be motivated to feel better and be healthier. Put the work into changing the things about yourself that you don't like.
Now, that said, some people I know have to take medication because the depression is too much for them and that is ok. I was on anti-depressants for almost 10 years before I decided I wanted to try it on my own. I took my last pill 6 years ago. I still have depressive episodes but I work hard to manage it and, so far, I have been successful.

Step #1: If your problem is that you are just feeling "down", throw that s**t medication in the toilet. Flush. IT IS POISON FOR YOUR MIND. Also expel all other drugs from your life if you use them, including alcohol and tobacco. Also keep in mind that constantly eating unhealthy foods have the same chemical effect as many drugs, so get rid of those too.

Step #2: Do not go back to your regular medical doctor for mental health advice. He/she will just throw pills at you instead of trying to address the issues that are making you think you are depressed.

Step #3: Find a psychologist who does not prescribe medication, not a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists will also just throw pills at you, and in greater quantities. If any mental health doctor attempts to prescribe more medication, walk out of the door and find one that will not.

Step #4: Realize one, very important, fact. Drugs of any type WILL NOT change the factors making you feel depressed. Depression is not a mental disorder that can be changed with medication. It is caused by your life situation, your life habits such as lack of a healthy diet and exercise, and negative social factors and your job, or all of these combined. It must be addressed through the causes of the depression. Drugs will only chemically mask the underlying problems and cause you to ignore them which, in your drug induced stupor, you will allow to grow worse, causing them to hit you like a ton of bricks when your drug wears off, thus causing you to seek more drugs, like an addict, which is what you will become.

Step #5: Put the causes of your depression into writing. Make it tangible instead of just a "down" feeling. Make a list of whatever is causing these feelings and then write how each factor is impacting your mental health negatively. Take this list to your psychologist and she/he can help you begin to address these problems.

Step #6: Throw your TV out of your house. TV is one of the most harmful and negative influences on mental health that exist. After a couple of weeks without TV, you will begin to realize truths you have never even considered before, both about yourself and the world around you. Like the medication, TV is poison for your mind.

Step #7: Change your lifestyle and improve yourself. Begin a healthy diet and workout program. You don't have to go to the gym to workout. Buy a TRX suspension system, or build one on the cheap, and create some workouts you can do in 30 - 45 minutes at home after work.

Step #8: Surround yourself with people who love you, and distance yourself from people who have a negative impact on you. To me, this has always been one of the most important factors in maintaining positive mental health.

After that, your mental health will likely improve, but you must be proactive. Nothing will improve by just popping some pills and zoning out, and things will almost certainly become far worse if you do that. Depression is a significant imbalance of negative factors in your life. Medication only attempts to change and mask the chemicals in your brain that are a result of this imbalance. Medication will not improve the actual causes of this imbalance. If you swallow your pills and plant your ass in front of the TV and continue your negative lifestyle normally, the only thing that will change is that you will be a drug addict with the same problems you had before you were a drug addict.

I hope this helps.

the world feels depressed. I feel depressed, look at the site i am a member of, conspiracy facts read daily leads to a form of depression. Would i take anti depressants, o heck no. for some odd reason i feel like there could be super mini micro chips in the pills and someday it would maybe the link to controlling me, or i feel medications could be used as part of depopulation.
When i feel more depressed then normal i change what i am reading what i let myself realize. sometimes we haev to step away from conspiracy facts and take a breathe digest our new foudn information to beable to continue.
Doctors stay away from me, sometimes we need them but for little things i help myself

Originally posted by wlord
i was depressed once, yo get it over it.

Aww how sweet. You was depressed once.

Yep, nothing like someone who think they're in the worst dire meaningless pit of darkness in their life, when all they are is a little bit sad, to tell people who actually ARE in the worst dire meaningless pit of darkness in their life, how to just get over it.

Awesome, you need a phd in this stuff man, wipe out the entire quackery of medicine in one fell sweep!

Originally posted by Scope and a Beam
Hi,

I've been feeling down and pretty depressed recently so I went to the doctor and he prescribed me Citalopram.

I've taken one and already feel shaky and a bit dizzy. I've read that the side effects get better after 1 or 2 weeks so I'll probably stick it out.

I was just wondering if there's anything people would suggest I do whilst on them? I have never been this depressed before and don't know anyone close enough who has been to ask them about it, so I thought I'd ask here to get some advice.

I've been started on 20mg, after taking only one I feel dizzy, a bit like I'm floating and I'm also shaky. I've seen online that a lot of people also have had this problem, maybe 30% say it gets better. I'm kind of worried these will make me worse.

Is there any way to try and gauge if they're working, other than you suddenly feeling a bit better?

edit on 4-7-2012 by Scope and a Beam because: (no reason given)

I was rockbottom depressed/suicidal and went thru a awakening of sorts and when I was at my lowest I got Citalopram also but did not get the sideeffects you are talking about. I weight over a 100kg but I am a somewhat tall guy so maybe the dosage might not be perfect for you. Pills are there to help you out but are not a longterm solution. Hope you get some perspecitive/help soon so you will feel better. Love

The key is to find the right med at the right dose. Some med may make you feel worse, others will help make you feel better. It is different for everybody. Be pacient and eventually you will find what works best for you.

Originally posted by kaoticf8
Have you tried exercise, some exercise that really gets your heart working is best medicine for depression, it releases all them happy chemicals into your body and makes you feel better. Antidepressants just numb you down a little and then make you reliant on something that could be cured purely by doing a few push-ups anytime you feel down. It works just need to get that blood pumping and heart racing dont become a slave to pills.

If you think exercise get you happy then you should test chakra meditation sounds. That really gives you a body that is lowmaintanance and extreamly happy after a few months. I agree with exercising to keep somewhat in shape and release endorfins. But when you get the pinal gland working as it should thru meditation then you fix the problem permanently if it is a chemical imbalance in the body. I did some weighlifting and yoga to get the body and back in shape but only walk nowdays.

From my point of view.
Pills->Unnatural and temporary fix but necesarry sometimes.
Exercise->Natural and temporary high on endorfins.
A 100% working pineal gland->Natural and permanent fix of the Brain chemistry.

But also as always Spirit over mind over body.

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


I was on Citalopram for years, aka Celexa. I would NOT recommend it what so ever for you if you are trying to get better, this pill is not the answer. It caused huge issues in my health and weakening my immune system. They had me on 150 mgs every morning and half of one of those every night before bed. It did nothing but make my depression way worse, actually emphasized it and made me pick up some 'ticks' I would call them and I would never ever ever ever ever EVER recommend them to another unless you are begging for more health issues. There have been many recalls in Citalopram in the last few years and for good reasons. I have never been as healthy as I am now mentally and physically off of all of that stuff. Please, I beg of you as a fellow ATSer, DONT do that to yourself, it is no good. Take the advice of people who suffered from it, please steer clear from Citalopram. You are probably going through a lot hence why they are trying to put you on this, but know it WILL get better, without that pill! You can get through this without Citalopram I swear it. Please for the sake of your mental and physical health find another alternative to feel better. Don't do that to yourself..,

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


i am not going to pretend to understand the situation you are in but i was prescribed Citalopram and took it for a month. I started to feel like i was poisoning my body. im not sure what it was but i would advise anyone who doesnt absolutly need them to avoid them. I quit taking them and decided to fight my bouts of depression with exercise. almost trying to punish my body physically through running and lifting. 2 years later and i feel better than ever. I still have my swings but i combat them and knowingly acknowledge that i am fighting myself.

also some positive self talk works wonders as well, it all sounds nonsensical but it really does work.

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


Your fainting and dizzy spells will only get worse, it gets very bad, to the point standing up will come with a tiny black out almost frequently. It will interfere with your circulation, and cause your body to struggle to make white blood cells that help fight infection. Meds effect everyone differently, but this particular med is very helpful at causing more health problems then you had when beginning the medication. The reason my doctor took me off is because the lack of circulation to my heart and brain was so slowed I blacked out almost every time I stood up, having to hold onto anything I could find, door frames, chairs etc. My white blood cell count was lowest in my life on that medication. If you believe this is best for you, so be it, but this is just my opinion. You will not feel yourself, the whole give it 2 weeks bs is just so once 2 weeks comes you'll think 'oh he'll I've been feeling like this for 2 weeks now must be normal'...but no. I believe how foreign it makes you feel is not a good way to heal or fix yourself. I was never suicidal until I took this and when I did, I was so up for it that it was scary. I am still coping with trying to bring my healthy natural body back after trashing it with that so called helpful pill. Your body will struggle extremely to fight infection because of the decrease of white blood cells, and just FYI, your dizziness and fainting spells are just beginning, if you stay on them, strap in for the ride. Please find natural healthy alternatives to feel better..

I work in a Pharmacy and I can tell you with complete certainty that aside from Aspirin and Paracetamol, I would NEVER take ANYTHING that they dispense.

The list of side effects aren't just there to cover the drug companies asses, most of those symptoms on that huge list we are required by law to give you CAN and WILL show up. Maybe not the super severe ones like Liver Failure or something like that, but you WILL feel worse. And if you ask the doctor or a pharmacist they will say "Oh well you just gotta give it a few weeks to take affect" which is a load of bull----.

Just my $0.02

Wow it's great that so many ATSers have medical degrees etc....
OP never ask anything to do with medicine etc on this site.
Your doctor has access to your whole lifes medical history and has given you some meds to take.
It can do you a lot of harm if you just stop taking them, if you don't like them tell your doctor and he will slowly get you off them and try something new.
With anti depressants one type may do wonders and one type may not depending on the person, we are all different and different drugs work for one and not another.
Heed the advice on e exercise and diet because they can help.

Oh and to all you budding Doctors don't you understand while your intentions may be good you can cause someone harm by talking BS?

reply to post by Scope and a Beam


I'd try to figure out some way to get more exercise even with the new job. Man I hate to give out medical advice but I've never heard anyone say " the antidepressants were great" , it's more like " they were hell to get off of, caused other problems, never again".

I cycle quite a bit, can't imagine not doing it. Some people just need to move to feel ok, sounds like you might be one of them. You also might want to find someone you can trust to talk one on one about the new job.

Actually, when you are bi-polar and experiencing depression, not mania, anti-depressants can help.

If you don't start feeling better soon (2 weeks tops) tell your doctor.

Do a little research on a couple amino acids take you can use to treat depression: 5HTP (tryptophan) and N-Acetyl Cysteine.

I take them and don't need anti-depressants anymore.

What are Amino Acids?
www.wisegeek.com...

Originally posted by ArrowsNV
...most of those symptoms on that huge list we are required by law to give you CAN and WILL show up. Maybe not the super severe ones like Liver Failure or something like that, but you WILL feel worse...

Sorry to disagree, but that is bull from my own experience of being on a heavy dose of Citalopram for 18 months. The drug 'normalises' or blunts the emotions a little, which helps massively in bad cases of depression. Doctors prescribe it for a reason. It really does take a few weeks to work, just as the qualified pharmacists and doctors said.