Hey all,

This is my first post but I've been reading through the forum for a little while now. I'm not sure if I really have depression so I'd like to lay out my situation and see what you guys think.

I've been suffering from chronic fatigue and difficulty concentrating since early teens. My mother took me to the doc back then, he ran some blood tests, and it was decided that I had a clean bill of health. Knowing that didn't make it any easier to get up in the morning or do what few chores I was assigned.

Fast forward 10 years... I went to the doc about a year ago and told him I was tired all of the time, that even a little bit of exertion made it worse, and that I was starting to have trouble focusing on my work. I work from home as a writer (self-employed against my will... can't find full-time or part-time work so I do what I have to to get money). He ordered a CBC and a metabolic panel (I'm guessing he did more than a CBC) and it came back clean, so he said I had symptoms of depression and wrote a prescription for Citalopram 20mg.

The citalopram worked at first... I had more energy, which made it easier for me to concentrate. But, the effect was too fast, in my opinion, to be anything other than Placebo effect. I've been taking it for about six months now (took it for two months before and stopped and started taking it again because the fatigue was horrible) and I really don't think it's having any effect on me.

Here's the thing: I am generally happy. I enjoy all the same things I enjoyed before, I sleep enough (a touch of insomnia but I listen to music and it knocks me out), and, while I experience the normal emotional ups and downs, I don't feel sad. On top of that, I have symptoms like orthostatic hypotension (dizziness when standing) and lack of appetite (could be from the Citalopram).

So, do you think I'm clinically depressed or could it be something else? Why am I so tired all of the time? It's so bad that I actually have to make a concerted effort to move my legs sometimes - they feel like they're weighed down with concrete or something.

Thanks in advance for any advice/answers/suggestions.