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Should I switch from Ecitalopram to Citalopram? Confused

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vanessastar
vanessastar

I have had a depression since February. I have had 12 episodes in my life starting at age 21. I am now on Pristiq 50 and lithium 450 EXR. I also started taking Escitalopram at 10 Mgs. Tried to get off Pristiq and no luck feel down the dark whole with obsessive negatives thoughts especially about divorce and being alone. My libido is gone with the 20 Mgs of Escitalopram should I switch to Citalopram?

Or should I go with Fluoxentine. I took that 8 years ago and liked it. But when I took it for postpartum depression it did nothing for means I almost threw myself off the balcony I was SEVERLY DEPRESSED. I feel today like my head is heavy but I have more concentration with 20. I started the 10 mgs of Escitalopram on June 9 of this year. Help!

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5 Replies

  • looloo43
    looloo43 vanessastar

    Posted

    Hi Vanessa. In the first instance i would go & discuss this with your doctor. i would write your post above on a piece of notepaper word for word & get your doc to read it. i have been on citalopram which made my anxiety & depression worse, so was switched to escitalopram over 4yrs ago & i have been on it since. i take 15mg in the morning & this controls my anxiety/depression well. they do say the vast majority of people get on better with escitalopram better than citalopram. i don't know about your other meds pristiq & lithium so can't offer any advice/experience of them. with any ad it usually takes about 4-6wks before you feel improvement & again with each increase in dose. fluoxetine is renowned too for being well tolerated/ effective too, particularly for ladies in peri/menopausal stages in their lives (don't know if you've reached that yet.) also with escitalopram its very common to have temp side effects for 2-4wks including heightened anxiety, dry mouth, excessive tiredness, & small pupils were all temp side effects i experienced when starting or increasing in dose. if you get any terrible thoughs/feelings you must go to your doctor urgently, but i would see your doc anyway to discuss all of this. take care hun, i hope you start to feel better soon. don't hesitate to ask anymore questions if you want, & please see your doc as i suggested. do let me know how you get on. xx

    • vanessastar
      vanessastar looloo43

      Posted

      Thank you so much. I am 39. Still no menopause. But I started on I believe on June 9 the Escitalopram

      And it was 10 mg. then the past two days started 15mg. I just the pills in half. Because when I did 20 it was a little heavy for my head. I made the mistake of asking my doctor for Celexa so I know have to call him back because every forum I have read is that Citalopram makes you more anxious and that Escitalopram

      Is better. Sometimes I have very weird dreams.

      When I went off the Pristiq is when I had a relapse

      and I was taking the 20 Escitalopram alone. And also we were trying to figure out if we wanted to move to Austin while inAustin without my other

      meds. So the stress and anxiety was heightened big.

      time I was miserable thinking I had to move sea from everything I knew while still trying work on my marriage with hubby which for me has not been easy. Sometimes I wonder is it the Escitalopram that has killed my libido completely in the last two months or is it my husband who never wanted to be intimate for years and years and now is finally coming around and now he wants to love no he finally wants to be intimate. I find it hard to forgive and open myself up. I fee like I am plant that was dried up because she was not watered. I pray every single day for God to open my heart so I can love my husband again. I have two amazing and I mean amazing children with him and don't want to lose my family. I just feel depleted. So for now k will call the doctor and ask him to switch the prescription back to Escitalopram 10 mg so I can cut it to in half to make it 15. At least k will be stable, like genes two days without crushing every 2 hours, all day long. Thank you for writing a response it means the world to me. Depression sucks. Thanks again.

    • looloo43
      looloo43 vanessastar

      Posted

      Dear Vanessa. you are welcome. depression does suck, I agree. From your tone, I wonder if one to one counselling or cbt might help you, probably more counselling actually. (in addition to meds , counselling can help to clear your mind with somebody unbiased & evaluate & analise & solve issues that cause your depression & anxiety). xx

  • a-new-day
    a-new-day vanessastar

    Posted

    hello vanessa, have you tried the antidepressant called sertraline?
    • vanessastar
      vanessastar a-new-day

      Posted

      Is that the same as Zoloft? If it is I tried it years ago and put me to sleep all day long even if I took it at night. Thanks though I appreciate all the help. Think I will maybe switch treliptsl at night instead of lithium which is a mood stabilizer. And switch back

      To fluoxetine as antidepressant. I will give Escitalopram another month. Then I will draw a conclusion.

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