donna79 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 I keep posting new things that worry me and appriciate the feed back from others... I am currently taking codine and paracetemol... for my head I have been given tablets to help calm me down today by my doctors called CITALOPRAM Has anyone taken these tablets before or are now.... Why do we worry so much because the chance of it happening again is 99.9% said my doctor x x Any advice on how to stop thinking about it ? ? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Donna Afraid can't help you with the tablets as I've not had those ones. I found that with taking Codeine for a few months after my SAH that they caused worse headaches apparently long term use can lead to that but you should be okay for a while yet. I just use paracetomol and was prescribed Amytriptiline in a low does for the nerve pain but only started taking them last September and they do stop some of the pains. As to worry about having another SAH it does take time for the shock to wear off and as it does the anxiety starts to lessen. For the first 3 or 4 months I had to sleep with the light on if Morris was at work but you do get used to all the weird sensations and pains after a while it just takes time. Just give yourself time and get plenty of rest it does start to get easier. Janet x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Donna sorry I don't know anything about those tablets, Donna it will get easier. Jess.xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Fleming Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Donna Welcome to BTG. I don't know Citalopram but I think it's similiar to Sertraline, which I was perscribed a few months ago for anxiety. After my SAH 6 months ago I had extreme taste and smell distortion and even a cup of tea tasted sewage like and I got very down about it. Sertraline helped me cope with it a bit better and fortunately the sewage taste has decreased a bit and I'm hoping it continues to improve. I'm a very experienced worrier and have dedicated years to worrying when I've had nothing to worrry about. In the hospital post-SAH the neurologist stressed that I mustn't worry about another SAH as once the rupture is fixed, it's secure and also any coil movement would show up on check angiograms. For some reason his words really sunk it and haven't been worrying about having another SAH though I do worry about how much I'll improve. At least doctors are familiar with the insides of heads of people who've had SAH and so we are probably safer than the general population who never get their brains scanned. Best wishes Anne x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Hi Donna Sorry I dont know about those tablets, but really hope they help you. Take care Love Tinaxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vivien Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Citalopram is an antidepressant and should help with the anxiety, I take a similar one and have found it very helpful, although it took a while to work. I was not anxious about having another SAH but got into worrying about my memory problems and lack of a good nights sleep, I still have these problems but they seem more managable now. Hope this helps Vivien x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna79 Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 thankyou vivien I dont think its having another SAH but all the other feelings i have to be the problem.. Ido keep thinking something else will go wrong but I dont know what.. I find myself crying everyday and get myself so worked up... My hubby keeps telling me it wont happen again and the more he tells me that the more positive i do get x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Hey Donna I was exactly the same at your stage. I panicked every day about being left alone in case it happened again and cried at the drop of a hat. I'm better now but I'm more emotional than I used to be - I cry at Extreme Make Over Home Edition!!! It does get easier with time - but I found talking to a counsellor helped me a great deal - it helped me come to terms with my anxiety and fears and also not to blame myself for what happened. It felt easier talking to some one outside of the loop cos then I didn't feel like I was burdening anyone close to me. The emotional side could be cause by Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome which is what I was diagnosed with - it's perfectly natural after what we have been through to feel the way you do. Take care Love Sami xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Hi Donna, before my SAH I took citalopram.....they are good anti depressants and certainly help they def help with anxiety as well, the only thing is they take a few weeks to kick in but once they do you should see a real difference. Everything that you're experiencing right now is normal post SAH. Like Sami and many others I think, I am more emotional than pre SAH, in fact when my sons CPN did a carers assessment a few weeks ago for me he showed me the report he'd done before he submitted it.....he was spot on.....said that he felt I was suffering from emotional lability.....since the SAH. I asked him what his interpretation of emotional lability was and he said that he'd noticed that maybe I couldn't handle things in the same was as before and got emotional more easily!!!! Wow, think i'll ask him for some counselling!! Look after yourself Donna and remember that everyones recovery takes time, just listen to your body and rest when you need to. Love to you, Suexx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna79 Posted June 4, 2008 Author Share Posted June 4, 2008 Sue i hope the tablets do kick in soon but i am trying to stay positive to help them along... I do find that panic attacks take over my body..... feeling faint, breathless and like i cant feel my body x Do panic attacks go with time i just feel like they are running my body especially on a negative day... On a positive day i breath my way through them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna79 Posted June 5, 2008 Author Share Posted June 5, 2008 Sami how did you get to see a counsellor ? ? I dont know if i need one but i am getteing fed up with my anxiety and nerves.... i used to be so cheerpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Hi Donna, just read your post about panic attacks.......I remember having a few in the early days after the SAH.......last one I had was a few months ago.....it does pass, even though I know its horrible when its happenin!! The last one I had, I was in town on my own and I had to phone my husband to come a pick me up. I had counselling after.......it was through my GP, it was prob the same with Sami I would think......it really helped me. Have a good day.... Love Suexx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Afternoon Ladies Yeah I went to see my Doc and luckily my GP Practice has an in house counsellor who comes in once a fortnight. He was brilliant - think I had a bout four or five sessions with him and it really helped me. I do find though that this site is also a good way of realising that you're 'normal' for feeling the way you do. Donna have PM'd you with my mobile number so you can drop me a text to let me know if you're up to us coming over on Saturday evening - would be great to meet you. Weird having someone going through the same as me living about 20 minutes away. TTFN Sami xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yasmin Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Hi Donna Its very early days for you and what you are experiencing is only natural after such a terrible shock. I too was suffering really badly with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome I used to wake up soaking wet in the middle of the night and was scared of going on trains and being in crowded places, its taken over a year but I now have CBT my Dr referred me, at first I thought it was'nt for me but its really helping I'm on week 5 now and I feel so much better and my outlook is so much more positive. You will get better but its a long road and you must try to be patient the most important thing for you is rest. I know how bad you are feeling and I feel for you but we have all been there and there is light at the end of the tunnel I promise you Yasmin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna79 Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Well not having a good day again so phoned the doctors who have uped my citalopram to 20mg.... Why do you feel like you only have bad days when you have one.....it really gets me down glad when all my days are good days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hey Donna At your stage in recovery I didn't have any good days - I used to dread waking up each morning because I didn't know how I'd feel. it is an awful period of the recovery, but please believe me and take comfort from the fact that is does get better as time goes on. I felt like I was going mad for the first three or four months and it was hell - I look back now and marvel at how far I have come since then - you'll be the same sweetie I promise. Get some rest - sleep always helps - that way your body/brain can recover. TTFN Love Sami xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yasmin Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hi Donna sorry you are having a bad day, me too someone smashed my car up and drove off and to make it worse the person who took the numberplate down wrote the wrong number and to make it even worse than that I've just spent ages on the phone to an indian call centre to be told i'm only third party!!! hows that for a bad day Seriously though Donna I'd be lying if I said all your days would soon be good ones, even without having a SAH thats almost impossible, what will happen though is you will start to feel better and more confident and with that you will feel happier from within, when you start to get back to work and being more independent that too will make you feel better. unfortunatly it all takes time but take my word that in the near future you will look back at how bad you were and be grateful, soon I hope for your sake take care yasmin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna79 Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Thankyou all for your kind words i take everything on board and what people say i put towards etting stronger and fighting... Yasmin that is a bad day i have had 2 cars broken into in the past and it really makes you mad how some people can be.. I now have twinges in my haed and my eyes feel heavy goes to showncrying helps get your emotion state better but not your body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasbo Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hi All Donna - I've been on Citalopram since my SAH at the end of 2006. Started on 10mg, up to 20mg and am now weaning myself off them and am down to 5mg every other day. I took myself off them completely last Summer by just not taking any more, but that was definitely not the right thing to do! Sent me doolally and got me a serious telling off from the doctor! I would have come off them sooner but had a second annie clipped last October and have had shingles since January, both of which have not been conducive to psychological recovery! They have been really helpful in getting me through some seriously difficult times. Yasmin, sorry about the car shenanigans. Such a pain and out of your control which makes it even more frustrating. Hope you get it all sorted out satisfactorily. Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Yasmin, so sorry to hear that you're having a rough time......hope that you manage to get your car sorted out ..... it seems to be such a common thing these days ..... it does make you wonder how many people on the road are driving uninsured as well...... think that the police ought to start cracking down on this sort of crime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yasmin Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Thanks Karen, was all chilled out so did'nt stress me out too much had just been to my CBT workshop! hope your well yasmin x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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