Escitalopram….day 11 & struggling

[TinySpark]

Hi everyone, I’m on day 11 of this medication and feeling a bit worse rather than better. I fully expected the first week or so to be rough but it feels as though my symptoms have ramped up the last few days and would be grateful for a little reassurance that this is to be expected. A lot of the nervousness is in my stomach….like butterflies on steroids with trembling all over. Please tell me this goes away soon. I feel like I’m losing it 😞

Hey op, I'm on fluoxitine and I definitely felt worse before I felt better. It took about 6 weeks but I've also been put on propranolol for the physical side effects. Hope you're ok x

Hi @Helplessandheartbroke thanks so much for your reply. I hope you’re doing ok also. This waiting period for the medication to work is awful. Can I ask when you take your tablet? I started in the morning then switched to evening to try and sleep through the worst of the side effects and it initially knocked me out but now I’m back to waking In the middle of the night. Unsure if this is just part of the adjustment process. Completely appreciate you’re on different meds and that everyone is different xx

Hey op, please read up on the side effects. I take mine in the morning as one of the side effects is insomnia. I still wake through the night though as I can't switch off. Anything you want to talk about? X

Hi @Helplessandheartbroke, I’ve had a chat with my GP who said it affects everyone differently. So trial and error it seems. I think I’ll start taking it earlier each night in the hope it helps.

sorry to hear you’re struggling to switch off. It’s awful isn’t it, the constant negative chatter. Do you do any mindfulness exercises? I find they help xx

@TinySpark I'm having cbt so I've been working on strategies they've given me. Just think, it can only get better can't it.... there's some good support threads on the mental health board x

Oh definately…small steps every day.

I’ve been reading positive stories and they do help x

@TinySpark glad you can find some positive things that's a step in the right direction x

@TinySpark I know this is an old thread but this is me right now. Day 11 and feeling worse than ever. How did you get on? Did things get better?

Hi @Pineappledancer really sorry to hear that you’re having a tough time. Hope it helps to hear that I’m still taking Escitalopram and doing great. I can’t remember exactly how long it took to properly kick in but I don’t think it was longer than 2-3wks xx

@TinySpark thank you so much for taking the time to reply. A positive story gives me a bit of hope. It is reassuring to hear from someone who was in this position finding day 11 so hard that it gets better.

No problem at all. I remember this feeling so very well and how I looked for positive stories. I hope you’re feeling better soon xx

escitalopram here !!
deffo felt worse before better -
absolutely life changing for me -
was riddled with anxiety / dissociation and low mood before - this medication makes me normal !

Day 10 here for me but second time round and my side effects are starting to lift slightly.

Last time it took 2 - 3 weeks - by the third week though some symptoms were easing off and subsiding. First two weeks were rough.

For me the worst ones this time have been having absolutely no interest in anything, significantly increased anxiety and no appetite. Sweaty too.

First time I also had a very dry mouth and couldn’t satiate my thirst, I yawned constantly and was extremely sweaty doing anything.

It does get better.

@Lucillebatwings glad to hear I might start to notice improvements soon. These last 12 days have been horrendous

@Bumdrops nice to hear a positive story. How long did it take til you started to feel a bit better?
How long did the side effects last?

Ooft the yawning! Completely forgot about that!

This makes me so happy to hear. I’m glad it’s helped so much.

I have terrible terrible health anxiety - I have some health issues at the moment. Women’s issues and possible UTI - and I can’t see anything other than death / dying / sinister when anything like this happens. I can’t cope with any health issues at all. It’s terrible.

One of my DC had a tonsillectomy recently - routine, we waited for years for it due to recurrent infections. My anxiety was through the roof. I convinced myself she wouldn’t make it through the surgery. And then after I convinced myself she would suffer a catastrophic bleed. And when she did bleed I was sure it would be the worse case scenario. I barely slept for days and days.

When things are ok and there are no health issues I am ok. Although I’ve realised recently I’ve been body scanning again and doing things I did years ago…prodding, checking, seeking reassurance. Possibly linked to work stress.