Starting Escitalopram today after much resistance

[ovumahead]

Hi there, it's been a while since I posted on here - have been really busy for a long time. Thing have been hard and continue to be hard. Today I finally decided to go to the docs to get some antidepressants as I'm fed up of feeling fed up! Have been feeling really sluggish (mentally), I over eat, can't get myself in to gear and feel incredibly unsociable and lacking in confidence. Yet I can't shake the feeling that taking medication is somehow giving in. I've tried a year of psychoanalytic psychotherapy which helped a bit, but was too expensive to continue. I've received an appointment for CBT via the NHS, but I don't think I'm going to be able to attend the appointments as they don't offer out of hours appointments, and I work full time.

I guess I'm just looking for a bit of hand-holding (electronically!!) whilst I take this next step. And some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing... Feeling so uncertain. And I hate the idea of possible side-effects. And am aware of the corruption of the medical companies that make these drugs, and wonder if I'm swallowing a load of lies!!!

Any thoughts (positive or negative) welcome - I'm happy to be made to think a little more about doing this!

Thanks so much, xxx

[ovumahead]

Thanks Drumlin. I've just called about the CBT and they offer one! 'late' appointment at 5.55pm!!! What a joke - and IAPT is supposed to be about getting people back into the workforce... grrr... Anyway, I'm hoping they can fit me in soon.

Thanks for your reply. I hope someone who has taken this same drug responds - I'm v interested to know about their experiences!

[VegetablePatch]

Hi there,

I have been suffereing from anxiety/depression for 13+ years secondary to chronic anoreia nervosa. Over the years I have had endless therapy, predominantly CBT (as anorexics are thought to respond best to this method).

Two things I can tell you from my experience: firstly, CBT has a far better chance of being effective when 'backed up' with antidepressant medication. The two strategies help you to get the best out of each of them.

Secondly, I have tried MANY different antidepressant medications over the past 13 years and I can honestly say Escitalopram has changed my life. You are lucky that your doctor is willing to prescribe this as it is still a lot more expensive than the more commonly prescribed Citalopram. In my experience it is SO much more effective than many other antidepressants. For the first time in all these years I felt a weight lift and that I might be able to function as a normal human being again. I am now on a combination of Escitalopram and Reboxetine, along with Pregabalin for anxiety, and am feeling ok for the first time in my adult life! Of these three drugs it is undoubtedly the Escitalopram which is the key one that in turn has enabled me to respond to the other two, as well as being able to respond to CBT in a much more positive way.

Obviously everyone is different but friends who I have been in treatment who have also been given this drug report similar things, feeling better than they ever have before.

Phew, sorry for the ramble but I just wanted to tell you my experience (in the context of having been there a long time and having tried a lot of things), and to encourage you to give it a go, you have nothing to lose by trying. It might not be the right one for you, but if it is, it will do you a WORLD of good.

All the best x

[VegetablePatch]

P.S. Would also like to add that I (and others I know who are on this drug) suffered minimal side effects when starting it, certainly less than the side effects of a lot of other drugs. Once again, everyone is different, and it might not be exactly the same for you, but just to reassure you as much as a stranger can!

P.P.S. I promise I don't work for the drug company or anything like that, honest! Just that it has truly helped me and others I know.

[ThatsNotYours]

Can't respond to the OP's issue, but VP am glad you have provided such a positive overall opinion.

I hate taking ADs. I hate admitting I have a problem. I love to go on about the all those side effects listed.

BUT

I am so glad I do take ADs.

"yeh" to more positive posts! and always (well trying to) keeping things in perspective! X

[katiem1986]

hello there, i know how you feel. i was feeling low a long time before i started taking citalopram, i also didnt agree with taking ad's but once i did i knew id made the better choice. although the side effects of them were fairly yuk for a little while, they do eventually wear off. even though i have had my fair share of rubbish days. its not as bad as used to be. i also got refered to cbt and took part in iapt as well as healthy living. i personally found iapt not much use but the healthy living team was really helpfull. the lady who i had my sessions with was so encouraging, im not one to easily share my problems with but she really made me feel comfortable.

[ovumahead]

Thanks so much for your replies, and VegetablePatch it's really great to know you've had such a positive experience of this particular drug. I know a few people who've seen miraculous things happen when they've started pregabalan, but I've never even heard of anyone taking escitalopram before! What is it that makes you certain that it's the escitalopram that's changed things for you?

I've had some horrid side effects so far - endless peeing, occasional shakes, and feeling really sick almost to the point of being sick - I've only take two tablets!!! Really not sure I can persist with it but will give it a few more days... Last night I only took half as I felt so awful from taking a whole one. So - I've only taken 1.5! Blimey.

Thanks all for your responses and I guess I'll just have to see how I get on. Am really worried about eventually stopping them though - have heard horrible things about discontinuation syndrome etc...

[VegetablePatch]

Thanks ThatsNotYours. I am so glad you are able to say you're glad you take ADs. Of course you should be glad to take something that helps you and gives you a better quality of life and it definitely isn't giving in! It's a bit of a cliched analogy but if you have a headache or some other physical illness you take medication to soothe it, I just think of ADs in the same way.

ovumahead, glad you're giving it a try, so sorry to hear about the side effects, it really is a matter of luck who suffers from which effects. In my experience though, they don't last long, not more than a few days but I do know how horrible it can be. Please try for a bit longer.

The reason I feel that escitalopram in particular has been the key drug for me is that there have been two occasions, both involving being away from home and miscalculating how many tablets to take with me (very stupid and TWICE!!). Both times a couple of days after the missed doses I felt the difference and it was NOT good. I can't tell you how dreadfully low I felt, and though I hadn't missed the other medications, I couldn't feel their effect or respond to them at all. I felt suicidal. It is making me cry just remembering, and after the second time I vowed I could never afford to make that stupid mistake and put myself through discontinuation like that again.

Good luck, I really hope the side effects disappear quickly and that you start to feel the benefits soon. Let us know how it's going.