What side effects did you get from escitalopram?

[candle18]

Been on 10mg for a week, started at 5mg. I’ve got various symptoms due to other health issues but wondering what kind of side effects people experienced and if they went away.

None at all

I was wiped out for weeks. Headaches, fatigue. I may have had other side effects but I also started methotrexate a few weeks after starting escitalopram so all the side effects just blurred into each other. I’ve been on it about 18 months now and no noticeable side effects.

It can play havoc with your tummy. If it dose or if you regularly take anti inflammatory meds ask your gp to prescribe lansoprazole to line your stomach, it was a game changer for me.

Good luck x

I had trouble sleeping for a couple of weeks and was also v tired all the time (probably linked!). Now all absolutely fine 7 months on.

I started 4 weeks ago, 5mg for first week then 10mg. Not gonna lie, it's been rough. More tearful and increased anxiety to start with, no appetite, some nausea, distressing physical agitation. Had to call a relative to come and help during the first week as I felt so awful and am a single parent. Horrible physical restlessness and tearfulness lasted about 3 weeks and has thankfully resolved. Only in last few days has overall mood very slightly improved, although not much and I still don't feel like doing anything. I have CFS and am more fatigued than usual (not sure whether a result of having been through the intense anxiety and also not being able to eat much, or a direct side effect of the escitalopram, or a combination of these things). As things seem to be slightly improving, I'm sticking it out to see how I am by 6 weeks, when I have a review appointment. I almost stopped taking them but was encouraged to keep going as can take several weeks to improve and didn't want to have been through all those horrible initial side effects for nothing and potentially go through similar again trying a different medication.

Nausea first week or two. Then great. 3-4 months in my thinking got strangely slow and fuzzy. I have an intellectually demanding job and I was struggling with it. However then I gave myself a right fright with a couple of strange decisions when driving and stopped taking it. I know going cold turkey without involving my gp was wrong (my thinking was not 100%!). I had no withdrawal effects and I was focused and sharper again after about a week. The big life event that was the reason why I ended up on ad had been resolved by then and I have been mostly ok since.

Thanks for replies. Is escitalopram the first SSRI everyone has tried? It doesn’t seem one of the more common ones though my GO said it’s meant to have less side effects

1st one for me. It was actually very helpful while it was working well. It really gave me a mental rest and a chance to recharge. One of the unexpected positives for me that I was able to really stick to a diet and a budget for the first time ever in my life. I just had no impulse to comfort eat/spend. Hope it works out for you op.

After a few weeks of nausea, no appetite etc, things levelled out but.

I get very tired in evenings, then struggle to get up after 6am. Feel really shattered. OK getting up in night, but to get up for work etc, I feel terrible. Currently dropping to 5mg to see if it helps. Certainly works for mood though.

I can't function for a good hour after getting up.

Does anyone get vivid dreams? I’ve started taking it in the morning to see if I’ll sleep a bit better

First one for me. 10mg since May. No side effects that I could put a finger on. Helped me loads

Not my first one. I started on citalopram 12 years ago, only had mild initial side effects for a couple of weeks, stopped it after 2.5 years as it felt like it wasn't helping enough any more (although I was going through a very stressful time). Then tried fluoxetine, stopped after one month due to severe acid reflux. Then went on duloxetine, stayed on it for eight years as again lots of stress, it kept me on an even-ish keel mood wise (although still had bad anxiety on it and developed compulsive skin picking which is so much better since stopping it) and there never seemed a good time to come off as it's a hard one to withdraw from. I don't remember bad initial side effects. Escitalopram has, for me, definitely had the worst initial side effects by far (except for maybe fluoxetine as I couldn't keep food down and needed maximum strength reflux treatment for a while after stopping it). But there is so much variance in how individuals respond to these drugs.

First one I've ever taken. Wish it had made me able to stick to a diet

20mg here , no noticeable side effects but have been on it for many years. I do have insane dreams though, its like i have free netflix in my head!