MetaChat - I Gave Myself a Present

It really does make a difference, doesn't it? I'm glad I finally gave up the fighting-the-storm-with-a-sword approach and went with SCIENCE! I find that, unlike other antidepressants, Citalopram makes me feel like me--not speedy borderline-hari-kari-committing me (Prozac), not high-as-a-kite-on-mushrooms me (Effexor), just me, but with much less bleakness. What an incredible relief, no?

posted by elizard 23 December | 04:42

What an incredible relief, no?

elizard, it's just right... although I've never tried the others you mentioned. I feel quite silly that I didn't go and ask for it sooner.

My problem is that I always feel like I should be somewhere else, doing something else... so I can never focus and I feel all anxious.

Now, I feel normal and relaxed - happy to be here. I also don't need a smoke or a drink. Cigarettes don't work anymore, and although I still enjoy a beer, I can take it or leave it (a big paradigm shift for me). I can also enjoy a little toke if I'm around when people are having one, but it would never occur to me to have some

I'm also not irritated all the time; I have a short fuse, generally. Everything is much more harmonious if I'm not flying off the handle over nothing.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 04:50

Relaxed, focused, not anxious/irritated, kind of horny = WIN!

Glad to hear it chuckie-d, and Merry Crimbo! I got that from my special secret agent man undercover in London, so you can't say it ain't Brit enuf! :)

posted by taz 23 December | 06:23

Thanks, taz. I really wanted to post this here so that others who were thinking about it would maybe go and try it. I mean, if it didn't help, it wouldn't be as popular as it is.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 07:49

I'm on 10 mg of citalopram, too. It is good for my new website business. It has not impeded my creativity, networking skills, political shit, or anything else.

It does however make me clench my teeth. Do you get this chuck?

posted by By the Grace of God 23 December | 08:06

Thanks for sharing. I wish that in the good old states, we weren't blackballed by the insurance companies for needing something to help. If I was to even ask for something and it go on my records, they'd up the premium and it would be on my record forever. We had it happen with my hubby's illness. When the policy renewed they upped the premium to $900 per month. 1/3 of our income.... We lived off credit cards for those two years....and I'm still paying off bills. However, I am thankful that we had the insurance because the bills were enormous.

posted by mightshould 23 December | 08:48

It does however make me clench my teeth. Do you get this chuck?

Nope. Just the extra energy and the other thing I mentioned. I was wide awake at six this morning. That NEVER happens.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 10:27

mightshould - when I took it before, my mate who was a doctor helped me out and gave me a bunch of samples. I wouldn't have had any idea how to procure some otherwise.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 10:29

No side effects... well, just the one (it makes me kind of horny).

Seeing as how the usual SSRI side effect is the exact opposite, that isn't necessarily a bad thing!!

posted by kellydamnit 23 December | 11:27

I took Wellbutrin as Zyban for a while during a smoking-quit attempt. I did think it helped a great deal with anxiety, which was one of my main reasons for smoking. I found it a mild and comfortable drug to be on, and I'm not a fan of pills, usually. I didn't stay on it, but would try it again if nothing else worked. Fortunately I have pretty good anxiety-disippating results from regular exercise, when I am good about keeping up with it.

posted by Miko 23 December | 13:08

I, for one, did the whole SSRI thing several years ago, on Prozac, the Classic Coke of anti-dep drugs. I loved it - everything was superbright (at night the world turned into a massive lite-brite kit), I was massively energetic, focused and horny as hell. Plus, sweets tasted like Godfood.

The downside was at 3am when the drugs subsided and I was fetal in bed thinking black thoughts.

I prefer not to do them now - there's something slightly weird and Orwellian about taking pills that can affect my mood so much. I'd rather take the middle road and trust that with exercise and a little patience, I can live well enough.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 23 December | 13:28

Seeing as how the usual SSRI side effect is the exact opposite, that isn't necessarily a bad thing!!

No shit. Whenever my doc would try to talk me into trying an antidepressant, he'd add the obligitory, "side effects, of course, include weight gain and loss of libido." To which I'd reply, "So you're saying that I'll be fat and not getting any, but I won't mind? You're not selling me here."

I'm so glad you've found something that works, chuck, and applaud your reasons for sharing that. The general attitude towards mental health-related drugs makes it hard to admit when you need them and stick with that decision. I wish I'd found something that worked long before I did--it could have saved me years of misery and total lack of motivation, and my family years of untold grief and stress.

posted by elizard 23 December | 14:09

It's great you're feeling better chuck, and thanks for sharing.

posted by goo 23 December | 14:24

I'm loathe to try anti-depressants just because I have the sense (probably wrong, but still) that many of them are hunting mosquitoes with sledgehammers. But there's no doubt that some of these pills work for some people. I'm glad you've found something that helps!

posted by BitterOldPunk 23 December | 14:49

Apparently, my mom is on the same exact medication, only she's on 40mg a day! I guess that means she has 4x as much anxiety as me.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 16:07

It's great you're feeling better chuck, and thanks for sharing.

It's my 'exquisite replica of Happy'.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 16:09

I'm loathe to try anti-depressants just because I have the sense (probably wrong, but still) that many of them are hunting mosquitoes with sledgehammers. But there's no doubt that some of these pills work for some people.

I think it just allows me to function like a normal person rather than a grumpy, grouchy ball of stress whose first reaction to everything is a negative one. It allows me to maintain a comfortable, calm detachment that most people take for granted.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 16:11

I took Wellbutrin as Zyban for a while during a smoking-quit attempt. I did think it helped a great deal with anxiety, which was one of my main reasons for smoking. I found it a mild and comfortable drug to be on, and I'm not a fan of pills, usually. I didn't stay on it, but would try it again if nothing else worked. Fortunately I have pretty good anxiety-disippating results from regular exercise, when I am good about keeping up with it.

Miko, I rarely (if ever) smoke anyway, but when I take these pills there just isn't any point. You can't get a nicotine buzz on this stuff.

posted by chuckdarwin 23 December | 16:12

Good for you, chuckdarwin. I'm glad you're getting the help you want.

posted by occhiblu 23 December | 18:26

I'm thinking of going on Wellbutrin since I would like to quit smoking. I already ordered the patch from the NY Quits page online, but I suspect it will not be enough. How is it, in terms of the side effects? (weight gain in particular... my bad ankle just won't take any more weight on it.)

posted by kellydamnit 24 December | 00:24

kellydamnit, for smoking cessation you would be on a very small dose and only for 2 months at most. Chances are you'll be off it in a month so weight gain should not be a problem.

Other side effects can include lightheadedness, dizziness or nightmares. I had no problems except for some lightheadedness for a couple of days after I quit taking the pills.

posted by arse_hat 24 December | 00:43

Well, there's usually a bit of weight gain when quitting smoking anyway, so plan to offset your quitting attempt with lots of extra walking, or cardio, whatever you do to burn more calories. That ought to take care of anything from the drug. I noticed no, and I mean no, side effects when I was on it, but of course YMMV and the doc is the best authority.

Don't let anything scare you away from quitting if you're interested in doing it. Nothing is as damaging as smoking is, not even a little weight gain that will come off again when you stabilize.

posted by Miko 24 December | 01:00

Shit. I did have a pretty weird nightmare the other night, and I don't usually.

posted by chuckdarwin 24 December | 04:27

*is proud to still be the last non-medicated person on two continents*

posted by jonmc 24 December | 11:15

23 December 2007