Daytime fatigue on anti depressants?

[JumpRope]

I take 20mg of ecitalopram at night. I wake up with the kids at 7am, and go to bed at 10pm. Problem is, my tiredness and exhaustion if off the scale by about 3pm. I feel nauseous with it, and literally dropping off if I sit down.

It's very hard with the children, as I need to get them out each day to have a run around, in the afternoons.

Does anyone else experience this or have any suggestions?

Take it in the morning instead?

I know it sounds kind of obvious but for some reason it took me months of a sleep problem on my current AD to realise that was an option.

I think I have tried that and slept very badly at night, but maybe I'll go back to that for a while and double check.

Try other times too? I recently changed from taking my venlafaxine in the morning to at 9pm to avoid nightmares (keeps me deep asleep through the night but doesn't make me oversleep/groggy). I'm not sure which way would be best for you like this, I'm confusing myself thinking backwards and forwards. It puts you to sleep, not keeps you up right? So maybe 9pm would suit you too?

Also I go to bed late (after 11 always) so 9pm isn't bedtime or near bedtime for me. That's why 9pm and not just 'before bed'. I didn't work this out on my own, I read it somewhere, that's why I'm not much help with applying this to your problem, sorry!

I basically take it at bedtime so I can get a good nights sleep. I recall now the nightmares were dreadful when I was taking it in the morning.

In the middle of the day wouldn't work since I'm not always home and also I get brain zaps after about 22 hours.....

how long have you been taking it? I am two weeks in and my God! i am exhausted :( it literally is too much to put one foot in front of the other sometimes. I swapped from citalopram to escitalopram so was hoping not to experience side effects, but i think the tiredness must be it - went from 20mg citalopram to 20mg escitalopram which is equivalent to 40mg citalopram. Do you think you could manage on 10mg? I might go back down to 10 but i have been really quite unwell so i dont' think my dr is going to like that. I have noticed a significant improvement in my anxiety levels but to be honest, i could walk in front of a lorry and not be bothered just now (not suicidal, i just woulnd't sense the danger if that makes sense).

Oh and the headaches, FFS

Am really hoping it goes off as the side effects are supposed to wane after a few weeks.

Ah, this is me too. I take 60mg fluoxetine in the morning. I usually feel like I'm holding back a yawn. If I have time sometimes I just sleep in the day. It does get to me sometimes, when I have to limit what I do in a day and miss out on stuff because I just feel so droopy but generally I see it as an annoying thing that I just have to put up with- it's better than the alternative. And make the most of the rare moments where you feel bright and awake :) sympathy to you all, though

Me too - on fluoxetine, agomelatine and lithium and it's a constant struggle.

I'm on to week three now. I started taking it in the morning then switched to lunchtime but found I was waking in the early hours of the morning and not getting back to sleep. My GP suggested going back to taking it first thing in the morning, which I have done, and so far it seems to be better. I'm not sure if that is because I'm taking it at a different time or because it is a side-effect that is wearing off - either way, I am starting to feel much better on it now.