Been taken off Citalopram. May start Sertraline (Zoloft)

[Gaz_hmmmm]

In late November I was taken off Citalopram because of the heart problems associated with it and the fact that I'm on Methadone Maintenance Therapy and methadone can cause heart problems. The doc' said if I wasn't on MMT I could have stayed on citalopram (I'd been on it for over a year and a half.) but cause I was they didn't know the risks and said I had to wean off it. I was told I could be moved onto sertraline(Zoloft) but didn't. I was told that SSRI'sall seem to cause this heart risk that's associated with citalopram so I thought it was stupid that I was offered another SSRI.

Anyway I'm now feeling shitty again, not anxious (I was citalopram for anxiety) but.getting mood swings and feeling abit suicidal. Though I'm due a testosterone jab (I have one every 3months) in 3 weeks. So it could partly be that.

My original question was meant to be how have people found Sertraline/Zoloft and also how does it compare to Citalopram?

Also has anyone tried L-Trytophan instead of SSRI's? Here in the UK it's used as an anti-depressant but I think stupidly it's used as a last solution for people who don't respond to other anti'd's.

 

[wooger]

hmm IIRC methadone can cause prolonged QT syndrome which is very dangerous....

If I were you I would have a good try at some form of counselling or therapy, I know it can take a long time to get access to such things on the NHS but just keep fighting for it... do you have a case worker? They might be able to speed things up for you, keep going back to show a real interest in getting clean...

I think zoloft is a bit more effective than citalopram but it might not be worth the risk, just keep pressing if you can for some form of counselling or therapy, it might take a few months but it will be worth it.

Best of luck to you

 

[Darksidesam]

Hey i was also put on Citalopram 20mg,
I come off at 2 weeks because my brain was malfunctioning, i got body disassociation, which was also full of anxiety.


I think you can do a simliar job as SSRI's with certain foods + Sunlight exposure + Getting up early enough each day (Maximum sunlight exposure)

Have a look at the food list here:

http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/entries/...equire-lower-dose-and-lessen-have-no-comedown.

The idea behind that 'e-diet' is it helps to put back some of the lost serotonin when using mdma. So it just might work for you, If you have low serotonin levels.
and if you try it, give it a chance to work, it might take a week or 2 to start to notice any effects.


2 Bananas + oats + 1 pint of milk = amazing smoothie

Also Broccoli juice, broccoli and walnuts seem to have an anti anxiety effect.


I hope this helps.

 

[Sheffsam]

Also has anyone tried L-Trytophan instead of SSRI's? Here in the UK it's used as an anti-depressant but I think stupidly it's used as a last solution for people who don't respond to other anti'd's.

I've been on Citalopram a number of times, then Fluxotine, and recently I started trying 5-HTP (roughly the same thing as L-Trytophan). So far I've only been using it a couple of months, but have found it better then either of the SSRIs. I use 150mg per day, 50 in the morning and 100mg before sleeping at night. So far it seems to be keeping me out of the worst of the depression, but without the almost manic episodes I used to get on SSRIs.

It's available easily from Holland & Barrett in the UK, so might be worth giving it a try before considering another SSRI.

 

[Gaz_hmmmm]

I've been on Citalopram a number of times, then Fluxotine, and recently I started trying 5-HTP (roughly the same thing as L-Trytophan). So far I've only been using it a couple of months, but have found it better then either of the SSRIs. I use 150mg per day, 50 in the morning and 100mg before sleeping at night. So far it seems to be keeping me out of the worst of the depression, but without the almost manic episodes I used to get on SSRIs.

It's available easily from Holland & Barrett in the UK, so might be worth giving it a try before considering another SSRI.

From what I know about 5-HTP not much passes the blood brain barrier to be coverted into serotonin there. So it doesn't help depression as much as L-Trytophan can.

Also Citalopram really helped, that's why I wanna go on Sertraline/Zoloft and to be honest.

 

[Darksidesam]

From what I know about 5-HTP not much passes the blood brain barrier to be coverted into serotonin there.

interesting, so do you think the High in L-Tryptophan diet would be more successful at raising serotonin levels than 5-htp?

 

[Sheffsam]

From what I know about 5-HTP not much passes the blood brain barrier to be coverted into serotonin there. So it doesn't help depression as much as L-Trytophan can.

Also Citalopram really helped, that's why I wanna go on Sertraline/Zoloft and to be honest.

Fair enough, like I say it seemed to work for me but it might have been coincidental, and 2 months is really too short a period to say for sure if it works. I just thought I'd throw it in as a suggestion. If you're pretty sure SSRIs will work for you then it seems a solid option, and it's not usually hard to get em out of the doctor.