I have been on Citalopram for five years after coming off Melleril due to a government directive that Melleril was dangerous to the heart(apparently it just stops,according to my GP!)Citalopram helps to ease the clinical depression and panic attacks. The side effects are a muzzy head, memory loss and trouble with my eyesight which has changed from good long sight to shortsightedness requiring glasses which is rather worrying. My short term memory is bad and my concentration is pretty awful. I am also taking Olanzapine as my central nervous system was totally addicted to Melleril and coming off made me psychotic again, but only a small dose now.I have suffered from mental health problems since I was nine I am now fifty five and going through the menopause is helping to clear the effect of too much oestrogen in my body (one of which is fibroids),I find that Agnus Castus helps and also Magnesium with Zinc and Vitamin B6 to balance the hormonal mood swings.I am hoping to be able to come off all the pills after the menopause has finished as I reckon most of my problems have been imbalanced hormones all my reproductive life!Anyway Citalopram helps the severe suicidal depression,so that is good.I think it would be really good if doctors got to the ROOT of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms.What does anyone else think?
Oh and anything is better than the Black Hole of depression.
Anne:wink:
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Anne, Just read your experience and entirely agree with your correlation to imbalanced hormones effecting your entire life so far.I to feel my depression started around puberty (9-10yrs old)and feel my life has been a constant uphill struggle because although I appear to "Function" normally to other people I think a subtle difference in my hormone levels has a catastrophic effect on my mood.I have to say having a mirena coil (Progeterone releasing device)has made a difference to the magnitude of the pmt but I still go off on one big time approx every 3 months despite citalopram 20mgs.I really hope you continue to reduce medication I am 40 and the thought of this continuing until menopause does not appeal.I am currently off sick for a second time in a year with work strees related problems but feel positive that I am at last addressing issues that are complex and mentally exhausting. I send you very good luck for the future.
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Anne/Lynne I completely empathise with your experiences. I'm 42 and have had bouts of depression for years (currently going through the worst one). I think it is due to a hormone inbalance and as I'm approaching peri-menopause I think it is getting much worse. I too am mostly highly functional and when I do loose it people are shocked. I had been taking escitalpram for about 7 months and now switched to citalopram. I don't feel any better and would really like to see an expert endocrine specialist instead of the mental health team who strongly recommended psychotherepy and then told me I couldn't have it for 18 months! If you are depressed in the UK expect to be offered anti-depressants and very little else. All the the best - be well soon.
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Hi, I typed escitalopram into google and came across this thread, i have now registered and am awaiting reply for full access to the website. Recently I have been feeling quite depressed and went to the doctors, she did a questionnaire with me and told me I had significantly high anxiety and depression. She told me to target this she would suggest a two pronged attack, therapy and drug therapy, to which she suggested the aready mentioned antidepressant. I am a psychology student so I have learnt a little about antidepressants, also my mother who has suffered from depression and addiction has used antidepressants for most of her life so I am very reluctant to take them. I would appreciate the opinion and personal experience of anyone on this drug to aid me in my decision. Many thanks and all the best to anyone reading this or not.
Hi there Pointbreak and welcome to Patient UK
You should receive your activation email tomorrow as there are no staff in the office at weekends. You can still post as a guest until then.
I'm quite sure you will have many replies to your question about should you take them or not.
Personally I'd say try them - what have you got to lose. Doctors are more aware now of the use of AD's than they would have been when your mother first started to take them.
I think the recommended period for AD's is 6 months but obviously this depends on the patient.
Wishing you all the best for the future.
Melbi x
Hi there,
I also questioned taking this medication and posted on here, i ultimatley decided that i would take them despite the posts on here about the side effects, i am happy to say that i have had little to no side effects at all and feel like after 3 weeks i've climbed out of the black hole (once again!!). Even tho i have been taking AD's on and off for 25 years i still seek alternatives, this usually resulting in backward steps. My latest attempt will be homeopathy, as i've tried most other things this will probably be the last. I totally agree with the opinion that in the UK its AD and very little else ( unless your willing to pay privately) very short sighted me thinks.
Well i hope everything works out well for you, this is a really good site and as your probably aware by now-you are not alone.
Take care.