Kathy - Thanks for your post. I did ask the doc how long I’d be taking them and he said initially 6 months but it might be for a long as I’m taking my cancer medication so it’s reassuring to know that your GP said it can be taken long term.
bluepearl - Your experience sounds horrendous. I can understand that you are very wary of taking any thing else. Did this reaction happen soon after you started taking Citalopram or after a while. I hope you manage to find your magic formula.
millikins01 - I’m glad you mention the integrating back into normal life. I feel ‘different’ to everyone else since BC. I thought it would go away with time (4 years now since dx) but it hasn’t. It’s difficult to decribe exactly how I feel apart from one step removed from everyone else. Thanks for saying things settle after the first few weeks, I’ve been feeling a bit down the last couple of days but maybe I’ve got a bit further to go with them yet. I hope you made the appointment with the doc and that you’ll soon be feeling better.
Love to you all. Hope you are all feeling well today.
My husband suffers from depression coupled with an anxiety disorder and Citalopram made him very ill in the same way that it did for bluepearl. At one stage I thought I was going to need to get him sectioned - very frightening for both of us! His GP said that getting the right anti-depressant for a patient is almost a bit of a black art as you can never 100% tell how an individual’s body chemistry will react to them.
In my case Citalopram has given me back a degree of normalcy after awful PTSD resulting from my brush with death on chemo. I’ve been advised that I should probably take it for about a year but during that time the dosage can be modified depending on how I’m coping and that it’s fine to take it for longer if I need to.
I have been taking 20mg Citalopram for 7 years (since dx)…though I have suffered with anxiety/panic disorder/depression prior to this too.
I have not suffered any SE’s on Citalopram but know some who have.
I also take 2mg Diazepam when needed and 5 - 10mg Zolpidem at night.
I’m currently very anxious as I have been offered a new job (have been in present job for over 17years)…and my anxiety level is sky high worrying wether to take it as I do not cope with change and people I don’t know very well…wish I’d never gone for the interview now lol
Thanks for your replies. How awful for you and your husband Nymeria. It must have been dreadful to see someone you love in that state.
It’s good that Citalopram has helped you cope with your chemo experience. No one can understand how this disease affects your life if they haven’t experienced it. I hope you are both feeling much better now.
I thing that I’m probably going to have to up my does to 20mg. I’m feeling much better but not quite ‘there’ if you know what I mean.
Karen - It might be a good idea to write down the pros and cons of taking the new job it may help you to decide. 17 years is a long time and I understand your anxiety. I hope you can soon make a decision you are happy with.