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Anyone tried Celexa?

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Anyone tried Celexa?

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 28

Hey Bren,

Thanks for the encouragement. So I see I am not the only one with super sensitivities with medications. Was beginning to think I'm the only one. At first I was feeling a bit drowsy on the dosage with my dinner but considering I've only gotten 4-5 hrs. sleep all this week, hard to tell if it was from the Celexa, lack of sleep or both. I had read on some blog online where someone said it can make you feel drowsy at first, then will start feeling awake hours later. Right now even though I am yawning, I don't feel drowsy at all so I may have to at least take half of my Klonopin just to get to sleep. I will first try putting on my relaxation music on, spray down the bed with lavender oil mist and if I still find trouble, will take the Klonopin. Doesn't matter how little or much sleep I get tonight. Have to be at work tomorrow or kiss it goodbye. I was told for every time I am off (when I have no PTO time), I must have a doctor's excuse for why I was out. Yeah, I can see me going to my doctor paying the co-pay just so I can ask him to write me an excuse for work for insomnia.....LOL. I had to get my psychiatrist to write me an excuse just so I can see him again in 2 weeks for a follow up. He wrote it up to say that I will need time off work for visits and therapy there. Not sure how this will fly when I give it to my manager tomorrow, but that is what they said I need and they know I need to be treated by not only a counselor but a psychiatrist as well and if he requires to see me every so often, that is what will be needed.

I just started doing the journaling the other day, but today was a very rough and emotional day where I went for one of my 3 30 minutes breaks to lay in the back seat of my car (to ease pain and anxiety) speaking to someone at work with our EAP crying my eyes out while talking to her. By the time I was through I thought the good cry would help but it made me feel worse and my entire arms and chest had a rash. I'm thinking that's a result from the stress which releases too much cortisol in the system. Looks liked I will have to go back to using my Aveeno lotion and powder for the tub.

I'm glad that the Celexa has worked for you. As I have read and heard, it's trial and error when it comes to these meds. First med tried was Paxil and that gave me a psychotic reaction and diarrhea (my son said it gave him diarrhea and made him feel weird so he changed to Prozac). So far not feeling anything psychotic and it is such a low dose, just wanting to be able to sleep. Too bad I had to give up my coffee 'cause I could sure use it tomorrow :) I'm thinking along the same lines with you in reference to gaining any weight. Warm weather is just around the corner and I love being outdoors and walking. I'm hoping the anxiety level will be down enough by then to where I can start out with just very slow walking, not going very far, until I have built my confidence up that I won't have a panic attack while walking way out in the parking lot at work. Guess I will just have to carry my cell phone with me just in case.....my little safety net :) I totally understand about being in that bad of a shape. When I asked the psychiatrist about natural things that help increase the chemicals that I am low on, he said that is for mild cases, which is not my case and I couldn't agree more. Even 20 years ago when I was first diagnosed with anxiety disorder it never got to the level that it is now and I was a single parent with a young child to care for. Went for counseling, along with taking Imipramine (an older drug from back then) which helped and eventually was able to wean myself off of that and got them under control with an occasional attack every now and then. Would typically happen during stressful times. This time my anxiety is back with full vengeance so, just like you, I have no choice but to get on something long term. So glad my therapy session is coming up soon :) I'm also working on the CBT as well. Trying every single source I can.

Donna

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 28

Hi Vincenza,

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Actually I've been so used to doing the weight watcher's diet I started 5 years ago, I just continued it on as a maintenance plan which is what you're supposed to do. Even after I herniated my disc almost a year ago, I tried my best to stick with continuing on with the weight watchers since I was no longer able to go to the gym or hiking. I was in alot of excruciating pain back then so sometimes I was in too much pain to where I would just grab something quick or pain so bad just not hungry. For the most part I eat pretty healthy and will treat myself over the weekend. I drink lots of water and juice. I had to give up coffee completely (even decaf since it is still not 100% decaf) since my anxiety came back. I literally cannot eat/drink anything that is a stimulant or else my heart will race which triggers anxiety. But hey, I can't be going wrong with drinking lots of water & OJ :)

Donna

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 424

Hi Donna..

I hope i can help you,i have been on celexa for almost a year now,it has done wonders for me!

Like you,i am very sensitive to medications,so i too started out on 10mg...within a week i could feel a differance,i took mine at lunchtime,and at 6pm,i take a xanax,and at nine pm i take a tylanol pm,this work out great for me,at first,we tried take it at night,but i could not sleep,so we kept working until we found what did work..now i take 20 mg of celexa,and have been at that dose almost a year now,in the beginning,i took a xanax 2 times a day,now i take it only one time,and its the lowest dosage,i still have a few day every now and then,but wow what a differance it has made,i am not having anxiety attacks all the time,i can sleep,my appitite is so much better,i will say this,,you will gain weight,but dont give up,it will be for the good,and spring is on us soon,so you can walk it all off...i do have some little side effects,like headaces,but all in all i would not be without it for now!!!

I was affraid too,but i had no choice,it was in very bad shape then,i have come a long way with this battle..do all the steps in this program,it helped me so much,aswell as journaling!!!

Hang in there,it will be ok,there alot of people on here who can help you,and support you!!!

Hugs!

Bren

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1853

Hi ncladyfromva,

I hope that you find the celexa helpful and that you are able to find more stability at work. It may take a few weeks to feel the effects (~4 to 6 weeks sometimes). In the meantime, be sure you are getting adequate sleep and eating nutritious foods, the basics are so important for a healthy body & mind.

I imagine you will hear from other's experiences with Celexa. Keep us posted as to how you are doing nclady, we're here for you!

Vincenza, Health Educator

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 28

I was wondering if anyone has ever tried Celexa. I finally had my appt. with the psychiatrist 1st time today aftering having my exam last week. He ended up going with the same thing as my primary care physician prescribed for me which is actully the generic of Celexa, Citalopram. It's the lowest dozage possible, 10 mg. which is all I can handle. My body is super sensitive to large dosages of any drug so this is what I am being started out at and was told I can still take my Klonopin of 0.5 at either half dosages or even quarter them to keep the anxiety at bay until this medicine kicks in. He said for me to take it during dinner which is what I did and he said I just may find that it would relax me enough to sleep better. I'm sure he meant this once the timeframe takes for it to kick in. I can't imagine it having that type of affect immediately.

Considering since I returned back to work beginning of this year with one warning from my manager last month of excessive tardiness, taking unapproved days off without PTO, then my final warning from both main manager and secondary manager yesterday, I am hoping and praying this will work. I have had to keep borrowing PTO from the next month since I returned due to time off work either because of anxiety, physical pain, or both and per company policy, we cannot just take the time off without pay if we don't have the PTO and I was warned I cannot continue borrowing PTO as that is raising red flags. I won't even go into how over a year ago, they kept trying to find ways to fire me and was put through monthly interrogation sessions in an effort to make me quit. They knew if I quit I could not apply for unemloyment. I must be a glutton for punishment to stay with this company but considering I need a roof over my head and food in my mouth, I need the job. If I can at least get enough sleep and be able to to get my pain level down (had failed back surgery last year and suffer chronic pain) to at least make it through tomorrow, hoping at least through the weekend it may start to kick in even a fraction. My job is on the line now and they are not cutting me anymore breaks (or as I was told cannot keep giving me special treatment....no comment on that) this medicine is gonna have to do it or I will be kissing my job goodbye.

Just wondering if anyone has tried Celexa with any good results.

Donna

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Anyone tried Celexa?