Anxiety and depression thread (Please read OP)

fr336

Wanderer78 wrote: »

fair play to you, its just a tablet. i ll be taking my second one of the day just after my lunch, they do help

Fair bit of the anxiety already gone but I know that's not the tablet it's just me, always happens when I have done something I think will help (done lots of stuff around exercise, diet etc in the past which feel okay but nowhere near enough to get me functioning properly again. I hold down a job but it's not where I want to be)

Silly question but I've started on 10mg instead of recommended 20mg of Citalopram to hopefully offset some potential side effects. If I want to up to 20mg (probably after a week or two) will my doctor just say to take two of the 10mg or is that dangerous and you need actual 20mg? Obviously I'll be asking the doc and not taking anything here as gospel!

Wanderer78

fr336 wrote: »

Fair bit of the anxiety already gone but I know that's not the tablet it's just me, always happens when I have done something I think will help (done lots of stuff around exercise, diet etc in the past which feel okay but nowhere near enough to get me functioning properly again. I hold down a job but it's not where I want to be)

Silly question but I've started on 10mg instead of recommended 20mg of Citalopram to hopefully offset some potential side effects. If I want to up to 20mg (probably after a week or two) will my doctor just say to take two of the 10mg or is that dangerous and you need actual 20mg? Obviously I'll be asking the doc and not taking anything here as gospel!

i wouldn have a clue to be honest, but your doctor really is the only person you should be asking such things, only they ll know your situation, follow their instructions always

theballz

FOCUS my anxious friends.

Stay BUSY.

This WILL pass.

We will get through this STRONGER TOGETHER.

Tell me how

fr336 wrote: »

Silly question but I've started on 10mg instead of recommended 20mg of Citalopram to hopefully offset some potential side effects. If I want to up to 20mg (probably after a week or two) will my doctor just say to take two of the 10mg or is that dangerous and you need actual 20mg? Obviously I'll be asking the doc and not taking anything here as gospel!

Always, always, always take instruction in relation to medication from whoever prescribed it or a suitably qualified second opinion.


I can comment on the experience of taking medication for depression. It is very much a trial exercise and in many cases can take weeks of a new dose before its effectiveness can be truly measured. This can be very difficult for some people to deal with and so they can claim strongly that it is not working, or indeed, is making them worse and so they come off of it but if they had stuck out for another few weeks, their body may have started to adapt and they could see the benefits.

As I have said before on this thread, I think that a useful exercise is to keep a daily record of your form on a scale of 1 - 10 and to look back on that after x number of weeks to see if a pattern correlates with the prescribed medication and then let your Dr adjust accordingly. As well as doing this for overall mood, you could also do it for the impact of side effects.

One More Toy

Tell me how wrote: »

Always, always, always take instruction in relation to medication from whoever prescribed it or a suitably qualified second opinion.


I can comment on the experience of taking medication for depression. It is very much a trial exercise and in many cases can take weeks of a new dose before its effectiveness can be truly measured. This can be very difficult for some people to deal with and so they can claim strongly that it is not working, or indeed, is making them worse and so they come off of it but if they had stuck out for another few weeks, their body may have started to adapt and they could see the benefits.

As I have said before on this thread, I think that a useful exercise is to keep a daily record of your form on a scale of 1 - 10 and to look back on that after x number of weeks to see if a pattern correlates with the prescribed medication and then let your Dr adjust accordingly.

Second this,

It can take 8 weeks for an antidepressant to take effect

fr336

Thanks all, appreciate it. Almost 3 hours in and no side efffects, though it is of course extremely early days and "only" 10mg! To be honest I've put this off for so long and be trying to get better "naturally", with each occasion making things even worse long term, I've had most of the side effects anyway. Though there are still some I really really don't want to end up with - I know sleep issues are a potential major one, and after having insomnia for years I managed to get where I am now: a very stable sleep pattern with little interruption. Oh well on I go...

One More Toy

fr336 wrote: »

Thanks all, appreciate it. Almost 3 hours in and no side efffects, though it is of course extremely early days and "only" 10mg! To be honest I've put this off for so long and be trying to get better "naturally", with each occasion making things even worse long term, I've had most of the side effects anyway. Though there are still some I really really don't want to end up with - I know sleep issues are a potential major one, and after having insomnia for years I managed to get where I am now: a very stable sleep pattern with little interruption. Oh well on I go...

Never miss a day of it, see how you feel in a few weeks time hopefully you will be in a far better place. Best wishes to you

CaoinDory

Hi all.
So I suffer with depression and GAD. Obviously my anxiety has been very high lately. It is becoming increasingly difficult to deal with as hubby is still in work and I'm home dealing with our 2 ds's, one with asd.

I've been on meds for yrs (ssri's) and normally manage quite well.

My question is though. Has anyone gone to their gp lately and asked for extra meds to help with the anxiety for this pandemic? I'm going to ring tomorrow and ask if I can get something. But just looking to see if anyone else has done this? I would be looking for something that eases the anxiety in the moment... not a long term med.

Or am I just been irrational?

Gremlinertia

Caoin, nothing strange about it, already been to my own doc for the same..

One More Toy

Any joy? They're getting tighter on giving out benzodiazipines

Gremlinertia

I upped my seroquel so couldn't answer you on other meds..

CaoinDory

Gremlinertia wrote: »

I upped my seroquel so couldn't answer you on other meds..

What is that one? I'm on brintalex. But I need something that is gonna have immediate effect. I sitting here in bed on the verge of having another anxiety attack.

I did CBT about 1.5 yrs ago and haven't had an attack at all... until this thing. Now I'm having them every other day.

CaoinDory

One More Toy wrote: »

benzodiazipines

What are these? I've only ever been on ssris. Lexapro, citalopram, now these brintellix

Gremlinertia

Caoin, the best thing is to go to your own gp and see what they can do.. If I said anything else here I'd be giving medical advice which is against the site charter.

CaoinDory

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Caoin, the best thing is to go to your own gp and see what they can do.. If I said anything else here I'd be giving medical advice which is against the site charter.

Yes thank you. Planning on ringing the moment they open... then I've got to face actually going to the doctors office... amid a virus pandemic.

Gremlinertia

CaoinDory wrote: »

Yes thank you. Planning on ringing the moment they open... then I've got to face actually going to the doctors office... amid a virus pandemic.

They may consult over the phone. Hope it helps.

CaoinDory

Gremlinertia wrote: »

They may consult over the phone. Hope it helps.

I'm hoping so. Thanks.

RabbleRouser2k

Trying to get my meds refilled, seems like my doctor's phone is out of order (broken, not being disruptive ).

Tried calling earlier today, but going to have to wait until tomorrow or Friday.

Wanderer78

CaoinDory wrote:

My question is though. Has anyone gone to their gp lately and asked for extra meds to help with the anxiety for this pandemic? I'm going to ring tomorrow and ask if I can get something. But just looking to see if anyone else has done this? I would be looking for something that eases the anxiety in the moment... not a long term med.

I'm debating whether to do this or not, my anxiety levels are higher, and mood can be quite low at times, but it's probably to do with more personal issues than the virus, even though the virus isn't helping things. I've maxed out my medication dosage, but I'm still having issues, so we ll see what happens.

CaoinDory

Just off the phone with my gp and he is prescribing me 2 wks of xanax. Thank God!

Wanderer78

Really not feeling great at the moment, very low, just trying to get in touch with my psychotherapist now

fr336

Took first citalopram antidepressant yesterday, no side effects I haven't had before from naturally feeling crap. But I haven't felt like today for years - instead of just not being able to function on my desired level, I don't really want to do anything at all. Just want to curl up in bed. I've always felt like this in the past when the anxiety has lifted, which it has. Big thing is it took me 3 hours to go to sleep last night when it's usually 20 minutes so maybe just worn out. Was 11am too late to be taking this for it to not interrupt sleep?

One More Toy

fr336 wrote: »

Took first citalopram antidepressant yesterday, no side effects I haven't had before from naturally feeling crap. But I haven't felt like today for years - instead of just not being able to function on my desired level, I don't really want to do anything at all. Just want to curl up in bed. I've always felt like this in the past when the anxiety has lifted, which it has. Big thing is it took me 3 hours to go to sleep last night when it's usually 20 minutes so maybe just worn out. Was 11am too late to be taking this for it to not interrupt sleep?

Probably questions for your doctor, but in my experience things can get worse before they get better. Stick with it, best of luck

Gremlinertia

Meds takes quite a while to take effect, keep in contact with your doctor fr336 both you and doc will need to monitor things by week or fortnight as you both see fit.

fishy_fishy

CaoinDory wrote: »

Hi all.
So I suffer with depression and GAD. Obviously my anxiety has been very high lately. It is becoming increasingly difficult to deal with as hubby is still in work and I'm home dealing with our 2 ds's, one with asd.

I've been on meds for yrs (ssri's) and normally manage quite well.

My question is though. Has anyone gone to their gp lately and asked for extra meds to help with the anxiety for this pandemic? I'm going to ring tomorrow and ask if I can get something. But just looking to see if anyone else has done this? I would be looking for something that eases the anxiety in the moment... not a long term med.

Or am I just been irrational?

I'm in a similar boat. Pandemic is wreaking havoc with my GAD, which had been completely dormant for a few years until this. Don't really want to go down the meds route yet. Hoping I can get myself back to normal once this ends. Just need to try push through. Working from home at our busiest time of year is really difficult though

Wanderer78

Really sad and lost today, very empty inside

Sardonicat

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Really sad and lost today, very empty inside

*hugs* Wanderer.

Hope that feeling improves throughout the day.

Wanderer78

Sardonicat wrote:

Hope that feeling improves throughout the day.

Thank you, feeling better already

fishy_fishy

Sorry to hear about the bad start wanderer. Glad you're getting on better.

I woke up fine (if tired) but as soon as I turned the laptop on my anxiety levels shot up. Normally when I'm this anxious I'm full of worry and can deal with it by postponing worrying, but now I'm not worried per se, just anxious so usual strategies are failing me.

Wanderer78

fishy_fishy wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the bad start wanderer. Glad you're getting on better.

I woke up fine (if tired) but as soon as I turned the laptop on my anxiety levels shot up. Normally when I'm this anxious I'm full of worry and can deal with it by postponing worrying, but now I'm not worried per se, just anxious so usual strategies are failing me.

anxiety issues are rocketing at the moment, for obvious reasons, ive autism myself, so im highly susceptible to it, and im hearing anxiety is rocketing in the autism community, its very debilitating