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Starting Escitalopram

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justine12414
justine12414

I am due to start taking Escitalopram 10mg,but thinking of halving these for the first week,as scared of side effects. Any advice on how good these tablets are for anxiety,also any initial side effects to look out for,would be gratefully received. I was on Citalopram for 19 years,but changed to Sertraline this summer as Citalopram had seemed to stop working. Unfortunately after 5 weeks the Sertraline caused chronic,debilitating diarrhoea,so came off that two weeks ago. I would love to be well for Christmas,but at the moment the thought of it just panics me :-( x

1 like, 115 replies

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  • looloo43
    looloo43 justine12414

    Posted

    Hi again Justine, in reply to you, i take my escitalopram in the morning when i get up with my breakfast or a glass of milk if i dont feel like breakfast. i would agree with Karin in that this is the gentlest anti depressant i have had; it doesn't make you feel spaced out or over medicated like some can. i hope you get on well with the cbt. you may find yourself talking about things with your therapist you didnt even realise contribute to anxiety/depression. be open minded & open, & if they give you thought diaries to complete between appointments, do complete them as situations arise between appointments, they help to re-enforce the strength of thinking differently to avoid anxiety. keep us posted xx
  • christine39684
    christine39684 justine12414

    Posted

    I have been taking Escitalopram 10mg for about 6 months now and am now feeling much better.  Had a few side effects initially but nothing to worry about.  Hope it works for you.
  • sarah15723
    sarah15723 justine12414

    Posted

    Hi Justine - this is exactly what happened to me!

    I was on citalopram for years, working really well but then it just seemed to stop working and my anxiety flared up.

    I was swapped onto sertraline snd about 4 weeks in started getting chronic, really debilitating diarrhea, up to 20 times a day, watery and having accidents sad this was ongoing for weeks being told by my gp to persevere until I refused to carry on and saw a different gp.

    I tapered off sertraline and then stopped for 48 hours after being on 50mg for a few days and my tummy settled a lot straight away!

    After the 2 days, I started escitalopram 5mg and have now been on this for 3 days - today I woke up with that awful run to the loo explosive watery diarrhea again after 4/5 days of it being more settled and am really worrying the same effect is happening and it won't settle - I was wondering how are you getting on with the change now it's been a couple of months?

    Thanks in advance for any info or advice!

    Sarah

    • justine12414
      justine12414 sarah15723

      Posted

      Hi Sarah,sorry to hear you went through the same experience. I have been taking Escitalopram for approximately 8 weeks now,and have to say it's great for me,and hope it will be for you too. Hang on in there,hopefully the diarrhea will settle,I haven't had any problems with it on Escitalopram. It is meant to have very few side effects and be really good for anxiety x
    • sarah15723
      sarah15723 justine12414

      Posted

      That's great news, I'm really happy it's working well for you smile

      Could I ask how long did you have between stopping sertraline and starting the escitalopram? I'm wondering if maybe it's still the sertraline in my system or a mixture of the 2 things or general settling in period!

      Thanks

      Sarah

    • justine12414
      justine12414 sarah15723

      Posted

      I had a gap of three weeks,my choice,not the gps. It took a good three weeks before my tummy settled after stopping the Sertraline,so I reckon it's still in your system a bit. The only side effects I had starting Escitalopram were slight headache,nausea and lack of appetite x
    • jane42137
      jane42137 sarah15723

      Posted

      Hi Sarah

      i really hope you are feeling well. Your story matches mine exactly. I've been on sertraline for about 8 weeks. The diarrhoea has been absolutely terrible. The Doc assured me it would settle. It hasn't. 

      Could you please tell me how you found the new anti depressant? 

      Did you have any withdrawal symptoms from the sertraline or any start up side effects from your new anti d? 

      Best wishes J

  • viccrackwaqas
    viccrackwaqas justine12414

    Posted

    About to start escitalopram for my intrusive memory and thoughts and obsessive thinking with anxiety attacks . Doc prescribed me 5 mg before sleeping . So lets see
    • Sweethome220
      Sweethome220 viccrackwaqas

      Posted

      Hello. I'd like to know how your first week has gone?

      I started last night and am incredibly nauseous today (purposely didn't look online before).

    • mel75923
      mel75923 viccrackwaqas

      Posted

      How did you get on Vicky? I'm nearly 2 weeks in on Escitalopram 5mg and am in a state of panic most of the time, much worse that before I started it. I'm almost unable to go out. Had massive panic attack last week while driving as well so not driving anywhere. I had expected the symptoms to increase at beginning but it's nearly 2 weeks and still panicking - will I feel better anytime soon?? Did you?

    • K71544
      K71544 mel75923

      Posted

      Hi Mel,

      all I can say is I have heard it can take 6 - 8 weeks for it to start working, I know this doesn't help much but perhaps make a doctors appointment so at least you know you have one to go to if you do not notice an improvement.

      Best of luck to you.

    • gina01020
      gina01020 mel75923

      Posted

      Hi Mel,

      I see you must be about a. Month or so in now and wondered how you went re panic attacks.

      I get terrible attacks about an hour or so after taking the tab. I get. Prickly feelings and go red from the chest up and my feet go cold. Nausea and feel terrible. Nearly went to er one night. I'm hoping this settles down because I've beem taken of Mirtazapine and straight onto this one so withdrawals are probably part of the problem.

      Anyway, Hope it's working for you as panic attacks are the pits

      G

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