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Are these 'start up' side effects of Escitalopram?

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gillian62018
gillian62018

I have needed to up my Escitalopram dose from the 5.8mg (Cipralex) dose I'd been taking for a year. I'm sensitive to medications so planned to do it slowly and what I thought was sensibly (I'm aiming to get to 10mg). I went from 5.8mg to 7mg, then two weeks later upped to 7.6mg and then one week after that up to 8mg. During this time I had a few niggly side effects but nothing too bad. Then all of a sudden since last Friday (so for 4 days now) I have felt AWFUL. The mornings aren't so bad (I take my dose at 7am) but by about 5pm I start to feel really "grindy" - like I've drunk 25 coffees in a row - and the nausea and stomach upset is really bad. My head feels wired, I'm sweating etc. Come night time there is no sleepy feeling at ALL... I eventually go to bed about midnight and thanks only to the Mirtazapine I also take, I am managing to get some broken sleep.

Could this be side effects from raising the Escitalopram? It seems like such a small increase to be causing these side effects, bearing in mind that doctors START you at 10mg and all I've done is go from 5.8 to 8mg in the space of four weeks. It also feels quite delayed to have had this reaction considering I was fine for four weeks until four days ago. I'm very used to the sensations of withdrawal but not so used to the experience of upping the medication! I wondered if anyone else experienced things like this / if people think this is likely to be 'start up' side effects?

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1 Reply

  • Felis
    Felis gillian62018

    Posted

    Any increase in doses of this drug cause side effects. you are best to stay on 5mg for at least two weeks then up to 10 mg i did this by multiples of 5mg until i reached 20mg and then it took a further six weeks before i felt great.

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