Cipralex/Lexapro anxiety

Hi guys.

I have started Cipralex for anxiety and panic attacks, negative thoughts. I was 3 weeks on 0.5mg, but it didn't do much good. So now i am on day 11 of 10 mg. I also take lorazepam 0.5 in the morning and evening.

Do you guys use to have increased anxiety in the hours after taking the pill? I take mine at lunch, as doctor said. And i find that a few hours i am a bit more anxious and restless.

Thanks,
Andrei.

Well. I hope it goes away soon.
I still have anxiety, nausea and upset stomach most of the time. It's been 11 days on 10mg. I suppose the 0.5mg 3 weeks where useless.
It's been some hard weeks...
Luckily for the lorazepam in the evening so i can at least sleep. Even though it's such a small dose 0.5 evening, and 0.5 morning.

And let's not forget about the taste in my mouth

Post Edited (Atticusss) : 11/20/2017 12:33:02 PM (GMT-7)

Cipralex is different or lesser than Lexapro? I have had a cipralex prescription for o.5 for 4 days afraid to take because of initial side effects. Label says can go to 10 mg. eventually. I have Anxiety - I am not depressed. I live alone with my dog as my mom passed late September and I was her only caregiver during her 6 year cancer battle- we were best friends, sisters basically the same person - I started feeling physical symptoms- like stomach issues etc. last January and then one day in July my mom had an episode and I had a major anxiety attack- I haven't been same since-have lorazepam to take when needed and I am not a pill taker but have had to use them for help but dr. Says should have settled me down by now - love them when I take them but obviously will be addictive - so she prescribed cipralex with lorazepam if I get too jittery- she's not a pill pusher - young and smart but said she would take it if it was her- think my biggest worry is I fear feeling out of control with med especially when I am by myself- and at night too.

Cipralex and Lexapro are the same medication

So, I'm not sure if I am going to cave in tomorrow and start the cipralex. I think I can take diarrhea- have it already, nausea?..not looking forward to it but maybe ginger gravol will help? fatigue.. not a very good feeling at all- have had it and hate it...light headed.. have had some already... but jitters? THAT freaks me out - I am shaky inside as i write - can't imagine more- even tho Dr. says take when needed lorazepam.... but if this was a one or two day thing ok...but God how do you go on... sounds like such a long time.. My Dr. says a week of side effects- maybe trying not to scare me.. but that's not what i read. I have spent 4 days not opening my cipralex prescription but I have to do something. My fear as I mentioned is freaking out and I am alone at home. Bad enough freaking out during day but what if in middle of night.. I can't call anybody...as it is I have neighbours who are gifts from God who are there for me anytime but sh^^t I don't know... and these friends are leaving for 10 days from the 17th for holidays- that's why I am thinking if I start tomorrow I would have them for 2 weeks before they go. Really petrified and I'm not that kinda person.And to make matters worse because my best friend and mom passed after my 6 years of caregiving end of Sept. the silence at home is deafening and I have to keep reminding myself that Christmas Day and Eve are about 48 hours.
How do you get through the side effects- are the jitters that bad? I feel I have used up all my strength to push through. Maybe everybody thinks that.

@wanttheoldme

Jitters are the last thing to worry about. I have anxiety for many years, and cipralex has helped me in the past. I also freak out about any sort of pain and discomfort. But, what i noticed about the initial side effects is that they don't get worse. For ex. if you have nausea for like 1h, that's it. The level of nausea doesn't get worse. And it's not the same nausea as you would have from food.

For the night issue my doc put me like this. 0.5 lorazepam in the morning. Cipralex after lunch, 0.5 lorazepam in the evening along with a natural thing that has 480mg of valerian root and hop extract, and that helped me sleep(not sure if something similar can be found in your country).

Empress, I know how you feel. I was crazed last week "deciding" on whether to take cipralex and finally decided (nervously) to start this past Monday and as Dr. requested - starting on 0.5. I have had to take Ativan first thing in morning Mon/Tues/Wed/ because I was really jittery. My dr. said heart palpitations can be part of it although I haven't experienced it yet. I found my anxiety about taking it was extreme as I am not a pill taker. I have even had a friend check in with me every day because of the fear I had of taking this drug. It is 11:38 Thursday morning and I am very surprised I haven't needed an Ativan this morning..so far. My effects have been- stomach in terrible knots(which goes away with Ativan), wafts of nausea but not debilitating, no appetite, couple of times had to do box breathing which helps. Yesterday and today low energy but then I haven't been eating so i will work on that today. maybe it would help if your dr. gave you sublingual ativan- works in minutes. I am only on day 4 -seems like forever but with the support of this forum I will take it day to day and hope there is light at the end of the tunnel...the fact I have not taken ativan this morning gives me hope... but it is early. This forum has helped me to persevere..I hope you can get positive help from it too. Wishing you well.

Hi Empress and welcome!

I am sorry to hear of your challenging s/e's that are going along with your start up/increase. We understand how frustrating it is to have this happen, when you just want and need to feel better!

Try to remember that this is a means to an end....good anxiety management and feeling better once the initial start up effects phase out!

Please see our Resources at the top of the main forum page here for great self help material that can help you through this time...and beyond!

Post with us anytime for caring and support!

Scaredy Cat

Empress, I found the first day I took the pill because as I mentioned I was so afraid of starting it,..that after swallowing the pill I was really agitated because of taking it - not from side effects.. that may be what happened to you...I am on day 5 today- I take it in the afternoon.. but I went a whole day yesterday without taking a lorazapam- though I had moments when I almost caved.. and it is now noon and I haven't taken one yet and my jitters were always worse on waking up. Take it day by day and take comfort in knowing you are not alone - though we don't know for sure how this drug will affect us I tell myself "I am one day closer to being the old me".

Atticuss I know you said your feeling better. Can I ask what milligram you are on? I know I need to be on 10 to feel the true effects and I'm only at 5. Doctor wants me to increase next week but I'm nervous that the side effects will be even worse on 10mg and I'll have to wait out 2 weeks for it to pass

When I was on 5mg about three years ago I was struggling. Like you I was reluctant to go higher but once I did things got a lot better. I don’t recall much, if any, additional side effects. My doc, pharmacist and info online indicated that 10mg is the lowest therapeutic dose for escitalopram, so I went with the higher dose...it was what I needed to break the anxiety logjam.

E.,

As far as increases, I have heard to the contrary! Many people report having lessened effects than with the initial startup...or even none at all.

When reading reviews, try to keep in mind that it is common for people to report their negative experiences. For every bad report you read online...

...there are dozens more that were positive but never got written! ☺

Peace and progress!

S.C.