British medhelpers..

Sooo ive been on citalopram about 6 weeks now, im amazingly dehydrated i drink about 2-3 litres of water a day.. have splitting headaches, full blown insomnia yet no energy at all.. im dizzy all the time... BUT i actually feel a lot calmer and less angry now i do feel different in a vaugely positive way i think its working..

A question to the other brits out there who take it what have you found the worst side effects to be? I saw my psychaitrist a hour ago and played down the side effects quite a lot because i want my dose to increase so i feel able to cope with things as its not done a lot for the depression.. i feel guilty about playing down what ive been through to her but i dont trust her and just want to feel better.. the dose for the meds im on ranges from 10-60mg is anyone on or been on over 40? i really want to find a way to make her let me try 40 just to see if it tints my mood and gives me a edge so i can get on with normal things again ive been on a low for a pretty long time now without cycling into mania and feeling fantastic and im worried..

[adel_ezz]

I don't advise you up your dose, perhaps you don't get manic now but you can catch it suddenly like i did. You don't mention your other drugs if you take a strong MS then i assume it's safe, but citalopram/cipram/celexa alone is not advisable. I remember the dose is 20-60 because it's double cipralex/escitalopram/lexapro 10-30 so 40 of citalopram means 20 cipralex which is not huge

For BP they say wellbutrin is safer for mania more or less. I am on a French drug not available elsewhere except in europe and very good anxiolytic too like cipram.

19 years of age is pretty young for playing with doses. I advise you to follow strictly your pdoc. A full blown insomnia could be from it. I tried cipralex for 6 weeks too then suddenly the mania commenced and started to cycle

[Delusion]

I am not on any other medication theyre very strict with it in Britain, ive heard of Wellbrutin but i dont think its used at all here. Assuming i was allowed up to 60mg and it actually helped me would the side effects like the dehydration increase drastically?

With regards to my age..my body and mind have been through worse to put it simply

[adel_ezz]

if you are not on any other med except cipram then i would be very astonished. Either you are bipolar or unipolar. Now for the 2nd no harm to up your dose. But the difference can trick the best pdocs until mania starts then you are at loss and BP1 will be you. So be very cautious with antidepressants.

What makes you mention mania? have you been dx BP for start. When did you start being medicated. Did you start directly with cipram. is your doctor a pdoc or a GP. For me there is something missing in your case. forget about dehydration now, the most important thing never abuse AD's they can really hurt. You have to come into terms with your diagnosis, whether BP or not. If BP they cause rapid cycling and mixed states later if not under a mood stabilizer. Mania doesn't give a notice it just starts. You will start eating like hell sleep less have sexual urge some psychosis sometimes enjoyable at the beginning called euphoria then dysphoria, etc.. to cut a long story short, follow a pdoc concerning meds.

[hell1971]

Hey Delusion as you know this is the exact drug that caused my mania and then mixed state 7 months on and i am still struggling to get stable, i only took the drug for 2 weeks and look what hell i have been through, as you know this is what got me diagnosed and i feel i have been to hell and havent got back yet. take care mate xx

[Delusion]

Okay first of all im a little tired but think im reading clearly are you implying i am in some way or even anyway talking a load of ******** and making up stories? Are you astonished that im bipolar and have been unmedicated completely until 6 weeks ago?

I really dont get off on pity but heres my life story in short... i hallucinate visually and auditorially, visual is very vivid often shadows coming towards me, sometimes when im bad its corpses punching through the floor then a lot of screeching sound and im somewhere else, i presume memory lapses inbetween but i truthfully dont know. I hear whispering voices sexless, accentless fast and often in a language i cannot understand. All of these things come and go and are not with me constantly which is one reason why i have lived a relatively independent and normal life. I am often stricken with very powerful delusions that consume me, they are very paranoid where everyone and everything from my friends and family to my own desk is after me and talking about me, i almost sub consciously think theyre are hidden cameras everywhere watching me as well. Yes that sounds very screwed up and i do realise that fact but when its happening and im in that dark place locked in psychosis i just dont recognise the facts. I often believe thoughts are being placed into my head from some external source, most psychaitrists call it 'thought insertion' but i personally just call it scary and horrible.

I guess that is about the end of my psychotic background if i heard it from anyone other than myself i would say they are schizophrenic and perhaps that is what i have always been but i have to believe inside that i am not insane and that im still a good person deep down.

As far as mood when i am depressed, low, blue what ever the buzz word is these days.. i withdraw for days, cry constantly, cut and burn myself, drink myself into a pool of my own blood and sick then start the fun again the next day. When im manic everything that is wrong with my mind seems to disapear and i am so confident dont sleep for days have so much energy and excitement and get pretty angry if i cant be around people partying and having fun.

I have been begging doctors and psychaitrists to let me try medication for years but no one believes me. I have been on citalopram for 6 weeks and i feel calmer.

Delusion

[ILADVOCATE]

Well that's complex then. Have you explained this to the psychiatrist? That is what you just posted. When I was on an SSRI anti-depressent (for misdiagnosed ocd) it made me extremely psychotic and manic. If you have any symptoms of psychosis regardless it would be best to explain it to them and they might consider an antipsychotic. Only a psychiatrist could decide for sure but you need to explain to them exactly what's going on. Think if things have gotten better or worse since you started the anti-depressent as well.

[Delusion]

Ill put it simply so its really clear: i have been telling psychaitrists and doctors about this ****** up **** for years and THEY will NOT believe me. I just wonder at times how the **** can they think i would make something like this up? Its so stigmatizing why would i make any of it up? Why would i do it for attention? Theres easier ways. Yet still they will not believe me.

I know i am psychotic but that person isnt always with me and its when its not that i try to get better i just cant do it by will power and positive thinking like all the doctors tell me to do.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes well then I totally agree with you and you did post that you had some concerns about your psychiatrist. I would not understand why a psychiatrist would not understand if a person is psychotic or be able to see it on their own or not accept a person speaking to them about it. I would try to explain it to the psychiatrist and if they won't listen then perhaps ask to change to another one. Some things are hard to diagnose or treat but all psychiatrists are familiar with psychosis regardless of cause. It usually works the other way around and the person won't acknowledge it. From what you describe you are being quite responsible and calling it to their attention and they won't listen and they should be willing to discuss the whole issue with you or they are not following up properly.

[Delusion]

I dont care admitting what i am to doctors i know most people are in denial. I just cant keep this stuff hidden from the ones i love forever and i cant break down again i have to many important things happening for that to happen again.

[hell1971]

i hope you get the help you need, keep banging on doors until you do. Do you have anyone who can advocate for you, having someone else be with you who knows you and has seen the torment you are in may help. take care mate x