A bad day....

[SJ06]

Hey guys. I've been doing 'okay' lately. Yes it's a struggle every day and I really mean that it is so hard getting through every day....but I've been having more up or coping moments lately....been more chatty, etc and not as desperately depressed when I wake up usually. Sleeps been better some of the time. Ive started CBT and I like the therapist and usually after I feel alright.

I've been trying to implement some of the coping strategies and didn't do too bad at the wknd...sometimes I still felt bad but managed to work through it....been trying to ignore the thoughts and effectively relabel them.

But todays been really bad....its like all the coping goes out the window...I feel guilty, responsible...haven't been able to postpone my worrying til 'worry time' which Ive just been trying these past few days....Ive been analysing over and over. The thoughts and feelings I get just seem so real sometimes and it's horrible....I suffer from relationship type ocd and it's just horrible. It feels like you can't recover after having a bad day.....Ive come home and cried my eyes out to my boyfriend....I haven't cried so much for ages.

Can I ask your advice about the medication. Yes I have my appetite back, yes my sleep is better sometimes, and yes Im becoming more chatty etc usually....but I am worried about the medication I feel like I just want to STOP it tonight. I worry that it's worsening my ocd...can it do that...can it numb feelings and make thoughts seem more real or is this just the ocd. Im just really worried about what to do....on the one hand I do't want to be massively depressed again AND still have the same thoughts/feelings I get now cos that would be much worse....but I don't feel I can put up with things like this at the moment.....Im on 30mg citalopram....I sometimes feel 'weird' like in a bit of a daze if this makes sense. I just get scared that medication can mess up your emotions and stuff.......

What side effects can you get from just stopping it? I feel like just stopping it and seeing how I feel but Im scared im gonna feel worse.....its a catch 22 situation....feel bad with it, feel bad without it.

Anyone with relationship ocd found this?? or any other type?

[Guest KTC]

Hi SJ06,

I think you should call your doctor and speak to him or her about your concerns with your medication. I have not taken the medication you decribed but I am currently on medication and have been in the past and have found that it has helped lift my mood to the state where I can then deal with my OCD thoughts with the help of a professional. I don;'t think you should make any decisions about your medication until you speak with your doctor. OCD is a doubting disease thefore you should really discuss your fears with yoru doctor.

Take Care

[Guest netgurl]

Hey there SJO6,

You said that you feel that you cant recover after a bad day, im sure in the past that you have had really bad days of over analysing and that you have seen some improvement in your anxiety following this experience. When ive had bad times in the past, ive noticed that they tend to happen, when i am finding it hard too destract myself from a thought, leading me to ruminate for hours, anxiety and feelings of guilt increase, and generally the suituation becomes out of proportion. I find it helpful to try and do things which I enjoy,as this preoccupies my mind away from the obsessive thoughts. In the past ive found it quite hard to do this, as ive felt unmotivated and like i couldnt be bothered getting better, but its really important to not succumb to these thoughts, as thats just giving the OCD more power.

If you dont mind me asking, i was wondering how long you have been taking Citalopram for??

After 1month of taking it at 30mg(after progressing from 10mg to 20mg and now 30mg), and still feeling quite obsessive but alot less depressive, my psychiatrist adviced that i take it for another 5 weeks then we will analyse the effects, to see if i will stay on that dosage or go up 10mg . It seems that once you have found a dosage that is making a visible difference, then its a good idea to try it out for a longer period of time, as it may take awhile to kick in and help with the other things you may still be struggling with. After 30mg for roughly 7weeks now, i have seen even more visible results, and i feel really great .

If the medication, is working then essentially it means that it will decrease the amount of Obessive thoughts. From what you've said i feel that either the CBT or the medication or a combination of both, has been making a helpful difference, as you said your more "chatty"etc. I would recommend that you talk to your psychiatrist, and they may decide to up your dosage or for you to stay on Citalopram to more accuretly see the effects it has.

While I never have felt while taken Citalopram that I have been in a daze, i know that this is a side effect that you may experience on this medication (but do tell your psychiatrist for they dont ask about side-effects) , the only side -effects i have found are lack of interest in food, and im more tired then normal. Some side-effects do lessen after taking the meds for awhile though, as you get more used to them.

Its highly recommend that you do not all together stop taking the medication, this is dangerous to your health , some of the side-effects of doing this is feeling very dizzy, but i know some of the side-effects can be very bad. Its recommend that you always talk to your doctor before making a dosage decision, if they do take you off medication, this it is a gradual process.

Concerning medication messing up your emotions ...well to be honest im not sure! But lets hope not . When i look at it in a logical matter , Citalopram is a SSRI so it works by leveling abnormaties in the amount of sertonian a neurotrasmitter in the brain, so that they are at a more "normal" level, so i dont think it would mess up your emotions, but only aid them, but im no expert.

please take care, and do let us know if you have any troubles.

Lirelle .... a pro in cutting tablets in half.

[catherine]

What side effects can you get from just stopping it? I feel like just stopping it and seeing how I feel but Im scared im gonna feel worse.....its a catch 22 situation....feel bad with it, feel bad without it.

Hi there

Just to say that its not advisable to withdraw suddenly or alone from an SSRI drug such as Citalopram. You might well suffer withdrawal symptoms and usually the drug is withdrawn slowly over a period of a few weeks under medical supervision.

Catherine