Hi Poppins
I do hope that things get better for you soon and that you can have the medication that works for you.
I can not imagine being alone with 6 kids and with PNI.
My husband worked away as a merchant seaman when I had PNI and I was alone often for many months. I only had one child and I REALLY struggled when alone with just me an my child.
I wondered if you had also tried counseling or supportive psychotherapy for PNI? As I found that the person centered approach - Carl Rogerian based - really helpful for me when I had PNI
It is interesting that you are a psychiatrist. You may not now be working professionally now but you have the qualifications and training so even if you never work again professionally as this you are and will always be a qualified psychiatrist and maybe when your children are older you can hopefully use this training again?
if not directly as a practicing psychiatrist perhaps in a related friend or with a charity or other organization that can use your previous experience and training in some other way.
So I do hope that after PNI and when your children are old enough you will be able to resume your career in some way .............. even if in a voluntary capacity if you do not want the stress of such a pressured job.
As in my opinion the profession needs those who understand from direct first hand experience what it feels like to suffer from such mental distress. And also to know from first hand that you can recover from many forms of mental distress or illness.
As in my experience far too many people, including professionals in the field, view any metal health issue as a lifelong thing and an illness that prevents you ever pursuing a professional career of being a useful member of society.
We have in fact over the years had doctors, midwifes, Health visitors, social workers and even one other psychiatrist on this forum as PNI sufferers.
Which just disproves the common public 'miss assumption' that only 'inadequate' and economically, educationally and socially 'deprived' women get PNI or as more popularly known, PND.
However while some of us here might have medical training or other relevant professional backgrounds, we are a self help and mutual support group and anything we say here is only our opinions based on our own person experience.
As to generic medicines not being the same in terms of side effects I can not speak for Anti depressants as I have not taken them since a young girl of 17 and did not take them when I had PNI in my late 30s.
However I am now at 56 on constant medication for another - physical - and lifelong condition. And I have found that drugs containing the same active ingredients but made by different manufacturers certainly have different side effects.
They all do the same job in terms of dealing with my condition/illness but it is the side effects that are different.One I take in combination is known to have Central Nervous System and mental health effects in some which is not part of what the drugs are supposed to do but an unwanted side effect which for a few is so extreme - as it can ever cause psychosis - that some patients have to stop taking them.
I am lucky in that they never have any undesirable mental effects on me. However if I take the same drug but by one manufacturer it makes me euphoric and feel slightly drunk!! which is not undesirable but it is a side effect.
But the same active drug by a different manufacturer does not do this but tends to make me suffer more nausea!
The difference between one manufacture and another of the drugs I take is quite marked for me i.e the one who is taking them, but I can not get my consultant to accept that this is actually the case and not my imagination.
So I am sure that genetic drugs will have different side effects from others and may vary between all manufacturers of the same active ingredient.
This does not mean that they do not work for what they are intended for, but I do think that you are right.With my current medication regime for my physical illness I always insist I am prescribed the medication made by the manufacturer that suits me best, whatever my consultants opinion on it being my imagination or not.
So with citalopram I can only suggest that you do the same? I am sure that especially with your background you will be able to get this? So I feel it would be worthwhile to go back to your GP and try to arrange to have your medication only made by the manufacturer that suits you the best.
If it does not help at least you have given it a try and put your mind at rest that you have done your best.
However I think that from what you describe it probably will be helpful.All the best to you and if you are alone and coping with 6 children I think you are doing a marvelous job, with or without PNI.
Veritee XX
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