Hi just wanted some advice. I was on citalopram for over a year after finally going to GP after years of feeling down, or sucidal. I did seem to get better for a little while, but about 5 months ago it got a lot worse again. The doctor increased the dose to 40mg but no luck. Depression got worse and worse, before I attempted to take my liufe by hanging. The rope came loose around the banister and I fell brusing my back, neck and head. My wife took me to GP, who refered me stright to local psychiatrist and have now been put on fluoxetine. I feel really crap on them, headach, sick, really tired and cant be bothered to do much. I have also not been at work for 8 weeks. Although I feel work was not the entire factor it diffently was stressing me out more then being at home. I just wanted to know if anyone else had similar experiances, and also what they did about not going to work etc. My worry is now I only have 2 weeks left of sick pay, and I am getting really worried about paying for mortgage etc, I have to children and a wife. live in Uk. I feel a little in a catch 22 place, where I cant work as will make me worse, and I need to work as cant pay bills so this is making me worse. Thank you, for reading any advice would be much appriciated.
Mike 29 uk
Hi Mike
I'm no expert but I have a mate in a similar place sans suicide attempt - he is on permanent sick benefit and so gets housing benefit and council tax paid. I know he had to be assessed via the Job Centre but I don't know how to get that ball rolling - probably a referral from your psychiatrist or GP.
Good luck with the Fluoxetine - the side effects can be bad in the first weeks, I'm afraid, and it's supposed to take six to eight weeks to kick in. I started improving after three weeks. I'm now in my fifth week and feel relaxed and OK..
hi Mike, yeah it's catch 22 alright, maybe the Citizens Advice Bureau would be helpful? they give free impartial advice on a multitude of things. Surely there must be some type of benefit you can claim towards paying your mortgage when your sick pay runs out? I'd get in touch with them now so that things can be in place when neccessary. I'm also on the Fluoxetine 20mg, 18 days now, and yes I feel the same as in can't be bothered doing very much and tired with it, I'm hoping that in time these side effects will wear off, seems to take quite a while to be fully effective. Keep in touch Mike, and good luck with everything.
Hi mike so sorry you feel like this, I have been in the place you are and it's dreadful. After months if feeling at my lowest I was also put on fluoxetine and in the beginning I felt so much worse, headaches, nausea and the overcoming tiredness gave me no energy to be able ti go to work for some weeks. But like you I had responsibilitys and bills to pay so after taking the A/D I had to drag myself to work a few weeks after starting the meds which I can say was the hardest thing i have done , no energy no motivation but what I did realise it took away some of the stress as I knew if I let this illness beat me I would lose everything?
These meds knock you down so low at first , but with the meds and wanting ti get better it does become easier to manage. I'm 6 months into the treatment and by far I am not back to my normal self but I am along way from being the emotional wreck i was !!!
Give them a chance to do there job, and I promise you there is light at the end of the tunnel, so don't give up, I nearly did and now I look back and think im so glad I didn't
Hang on in there and please keep me posted on how you are doing !