Starting Escitalopram

Hi Justine. i have been on escitalopram for about 8yrs. i am 43 & have suffered bouts of anxiety & depression since age 19. i was on citalopram before this but they made me feel worse so i was switched to escitalopram. i started to feel noticeably better after about 4wks. the side effects i got were headaches for 1st couple of weeks which disappeared as my body got used to them, my pupils were a bit dilated/wobbly for 1st week but that disappeared too, & i occasionally get hot sweats/flushes but nothing too bothersome compared to other anti depressants i have had in the past. i find this medication good for me. it makes me feel like the true me again. no more tearfulness, negativity, over worrying, i am able to deal with everyday stress, communicate confidently with people, & sleep properly. i have recently been on the max 20mg daily due to ongoing illness to stop me worrying out of control & getting too down about my illness, enabling me to carry on working & keep a sensible perspective on everything. i am just reducing to 15mg this week (so far so good). my usual maintenance dose is 10-15mg daily which keeps me stable. one other thing i highly recommend is one to one cbt (cognitive behaviour therapy). i was referred by my gp for this about 3yrs ago & it was genuinely life changing. to describe it, you are taught to retrain your thoughts & STOP negative thoughts/worries that lead to anxiety/depression in their tracks. it stops you thinking about what probably won't happen, & what is more realistically likely to happen. it stops you going into "what if that happens" "what will people think" kind of thoughts that can lead you into an anxious spiral. as you probably know with anxiety & depression we tend to think of the worst possibility & worry about it really happening in many situations. i have applied what i learnt from cbt in so many situations at work, problem solving, family disputes etc. your gp can refer you. i hope this helps, persevere with you meds for at least 4wks & see how feel. if you're worried about the dose, you could split the 10mg & try 5mg for 1st 3 or 4 days, then go upto your prescribed 10mg. good luck xx

Dear Justine,

It's alway a bit scary to start meds, I hope that the Escitalopram will work for you. I've been on Cipralex (same medication as Escitalopram) for the last 5 years, at an dose of 10 and 20 mg respectively. This has been the gentlest medication to date and has few side effects.  At 20 mg. I experienced heavy sweating, which was alleviated when we lower the dose to 10 mg. 

I have found a reduction in anxiety and depression without feeling medicated. I have been on numerous antidepressents and benzodyazipines for anxiety / depression. Now I just take the

Oops hit the wrong key. Continued.. Now I take 20 mg Escitalopram, Vitamin D and use a SAD Lite (full spectrum).  The only side effect I experience on the med wer

Hope our replies help to build confidence in trying a new drug. It's scarry when you've had medications with strong side effects - I am reticent to try new meds from my own new experiences.  Let us know how the Escitalopram works for you. kl