Dont want to go back onto citalopram as it didnt agree with me but have been advised this afternoon by my GP to start on 10mgs. I dont really want to depend on these drugs to help me. Has anyone tried herbal remedies and if so how effective where they?
hi clare I tried all remedy but none I found to help with axiety and panic but everyone is different I'm on cit been on them for 3 weeks the side effects are annoying for a while but they do ease I have found them to start to work but I'm only planning on taking these for 6 weeks. how long was you on them for and therapy is good to.
Citalopram seems to be the latest fashion in drugs. I've never known anyone to get any better using anti depressants. Doctors don't even know how they act yet dish the things out by the millions every day despite side effects being reported by almost all patients.
You will invariably find that for every drug the pharmaceutical companies hand out (sell) that nature already has something to do the same job. Try St Johns Wort.
I've been told to stay away from StJohn's wort. He didnt tell me why though. Second and third opinions would be the way to go here v
Hi leon...i was on citalopram for almost 6 months. I was told i needed to stay in them for that length of time to see the benefits. I hated the things and wasnt myself on them! So i decided to come off them. Im still getting withdrawl symptoms after being off them for 4 weeks. Everyones different i suppose and reacts to medication in different ways. Gonna try the herbal route for now to see if it does anything for me. Good luck with everything and thanks for your reply x
Its just too easy for doctors to throw you some pills but the side effects of these drugs are awful and i refuse to go through that again. I just dont think they realise just how bad they can get in some people. Il try the herbal route and lots of distractions for now x
Thanks for your reply. Will try herbal route and lots of distrations for now.x
These meds are not dependant. They're not addictive. If you had a heart problem, diabetes, epilepsy ... you'd need meds. What's the difference with this illness - the meds are there to help. They take a long time to work, and yes, the need to stay on them for at least a year is vital as that long helps to ensure the illness doesn't come back. Your doctor is right though - 10mg may be better? They will work if you stick it out for months and months. But of course it's entirely up to you, as they don't suit everyone, but there are other types you could try - these meds saved my life. However, if you really don't want to take meds the herbal alternative I'd suggest is 5-HTP plus you need l-tyrosine too - both bought over the counter (Holland & Barrett if you're in the UK). Do not take them with Citalopram though - make sure the meds are well out of your body first.
5-HTP is a natural SSRI and read it's on a par with Prozac. I've only read that mind. There are no side effects, nothing, and no need to withdraw either. Results are quicker too. I have taken them before and had good results. I came of Citalopram a few years ago and took them for a year and felt quite well. Sadly I had to return to Citalopram as family illness began taking its toll on my health. I will return to them at the end of this year.
K x
Citalopram and similar SSRI's do indeed help people recover from depression. I'd been ill for 15 years and nothing helped, yet within 6 months of being on these I recovered.
St John's Wort is not the same and nowhere near as effective and must never be taken with any SSRI. If anything, I'd recommend 5-HTP though, which again can't be taken with an SSRI.
SSRI's works by hanging onto your serotonin, the feel good hormone, before its reabsorbed into the brain, lifting the mood, making you calmer .... and your body has to adjust to these meds, hence the side effects. People often get caught in a cycle of depression - anxiety - fear - thoughts ... all feeding off each other. SSRI's help to break that cycle - lift the depression, ease the anxiety- all of which takes the fear from it, putting thoughts get out back into perspective and allowing the body to heal.. It takes months and months, sometimes a year for this to happen, but they do work. Many people of this site have recovered on them.
My son had a terrible melt down 2 years ago and was put into these meds. He went through absolute hell and couldn't work for months. Slowly he recovered after 9 months and is today well and happy again.
Yes these meds are tough, but easing onto them is the way, plus withdrawing from them over months too. You can't just stop them or the body will violently react. It's trial and error finding ones that suit you. It's not like taking an aspirin and tomorrow you'll be better. For me, I'd rather get through the side effects than have to lose years of life again, as my illness was no different from the nasty side effects.
Recovery often ten comes in waves too. You start getting better only to find yourself ill again - this is normal and seems the way the meds work. Eventually the blips get less over time and recovery creeps up slowly.
There's exciting research happening now, whereby a simple blood test will be able to determine which SSRI meds will suit you without the need for the long drawn out trial as is now.
Lots of patience, determination and understanding of these meds is needed when taking them. There are many people here who've recovered on them - in fact when recovered, they stop posting. Probably why people don't hear of them.
K xx
Thanks again for this insight of these meds. I must admit i'm going through a blip (i think) and its really troubling me. It started about 12 days ago with a cold/flu type thing. Doc gave me Ampicillin to take for 7 days. Just starting to feel better but my head is buzzing. I have a medical scheduled for next week so we'll see what he has to say. Hopefully I will feel better again soon
I tried 5-HTP and it had almighty side effects. It made dreams super surreal and I woke up from nightmares which ceased as soon as I stopped taking it. I get the same side effects from almost any antidepressant. Here is the result of what happened when I used Trazadone:-
Anti-Depressants - Trazadone - My experience
I have trouble sleeping and my doctor referred me to a sleep therapist who diagnosed depression which he said was invoking the insomnia. He prescribed the anti-depressant Trazadone which he said would help with both problems. I had been taking them for about a week when I got the following odd and creepy experience.
One night I went to bed and as I was laying down I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the TV on the wall was on and was showing a 1950s/1960s type Western in Technicolour. The sound was turned right down as there were others in the house asleep and it was late.
Turning to look at the set I noticed that it was pretty much a standard type of Western with covered wagons slowly moving along a sunlit plain with ridges and hills in the background. One wagon was large and in the foreground and there were other wagons appearing smaller as they went further into the background. All perfectly normal.
I went to the bathroom to clean my teeth and returned to my bedroom. I noted that the film seemed pretty boring and hadn't moved on much since I had been to the bathroom.
I turned over away from the TV and lay down.
Next thing I knew it was morning and the sunlight was peeping in my window. I immediately realised that I had forgotten to turn the TV off before I went to sleep and turned over in my bed to confirm that but
not only was the TV not turned on BUT there was no TV on the wall and I then realised that there never has been!
Lots of things can give cause a blip - being ill for one, so reckon having a cold/flu took it out of you and brought on a blip. It should pass in time. You might get lots of blips along the recovery road - tiredness can cause it, illness :-(
It should be temporary x
Nooooooo way!! That's real creepy! Friend of mine has recently come off Trazadone and she kept seeing things in weird bright colours and felt dreamy a lot of the time.
Only weird thing I get sometimes is sleep paralysis - I wake up in the night unable to move a muscle, and I'm fully awake and fight to move. It's a bizarre feeling. Read that it could be waking from the deep sleep/dream state and your body is asleep, but you're not. Luckily only happens maybe once a year?
How are you now? :-)
Hi there Katecogs. Thanks for the reply. Starting to feel a bit better. Its 3 months today since my cit was increased to 30mg's. I havent been sleeping very well lately so that doesnt help either. Just have to be a little patient i guess!! This journey can be very exhausting but if things work out it will be worth. Once again thank you for youre reply.
Hi Clare, I would steer clear of herbal remedies - they can be very potent. I have just taken myself off Cit after 6 years (gradually over many months). I agree doctors are too ready to prescribe but there just do not seem to be the resources for talking therapies for mental health. I didn't go back to my doc before coming off as I have tried before, just for the doc to put me back on!! The side effects were not good for me and although I needed help and initially I felt better, I can't face the prospect of long term use. I disagree with anyone who says these drugs are not addictive - the side effects and withdrawal symptoms are real and very unpleasant.
I have opted for phsychotherapy which I am paying for myself - it's cheaper than a night out (haven't had one of those in years anyway!) - search internet for a directory of local practitioners who are registered. Good luck.