Escitalopram.

[hk1993x]

I'm now on week 4 of escitalopram 10mg and still feel anxious and sluggish. Does it get any better? 🥺

@Catsservant yes. I'm 2 weeks on the increased dose of 10mg and still really struggling. I am having difficulty with nausea and lack of appetite, fatigue, worsening of anxiety and depression symptoms, fuzzy head, lack of concentration, no motivation.

There are small glimmers where I feel slightly 'less awful' but feeling 'better' still seems so far away.

I have been through this before on other medication so trying to hold onto the fact I know it can get better. It is very easy to panic though "what if this medication doesn't work for me" or even "what if I need to go up another dose".

I think I was holding on to the idea that if I could hang on til 2 weeks that would be a turning point, but now I am there I need to face the reality that I need to hang on a bit longer.

Sorry to hear you are struggling too, do you think the dose increase is affecting you? I think usually an increase can cause more side effects but usually milder and shorter lasting than starting the medication, so hopefully your anxiety will start to decrease. Is there anything that helps in the moment when your anxiety is really bad?

How long have you been on quetiapine? I don't know much about that, but would be interested to hear how you find it as it was suggested for me in the past.

Hang on in there, wishing you a less anxious evening a decent night sleep and a brighter day tomorrow.

The side effects are torture @Catsservant - keep going and they will pass a little each day. You are in a high dose so I presume that’s why they are bit harder?

@Pineappledancer 4th day tonight, I’m not sure if quetiapine will work, doc says should notice within a week. I’m running out of options unless I switch citalopram, not keen to do that I don’t want to feel any worse!
does sound more like side effects for you though so with luck it will pass and at least it’s worked for you before.

@Lucillebatwings I’ve not really had side effects but then again I cross tapered over to citalopram so so maybe I did!
I am on the maximum now just want to be well and back to my old self again @Pineappledancer is struggling with side effects though

Hi ladies how is everyone today, any improvements

@Catsservant hope you are doing okay. Please let us know how things are for you

I am 2.5 weeks in now on this dose. I am not really sure what to update as I am all over the place. The last few days have been mainly horrible with a lot of increased anxiety. Sleeping at night is now a problem which it hasn't been before and I have been on the verge of giving up several times.

On the other hand there have been a few glimmers where I feel less bad. Right in this moment I don't feel like I am crawling through hell. I'm not saying I feel good, but I feel this moment is bareable. I feel like that is maybe a little progress?

@Lucillebatwings
@DeepRubySwan @localnotail

How is your journey going?

Hi @Pineappledancer I have paid to see another psychiatrist, now stopped quetiapine so on citalopram and mirtazapine. He has also prescribed 1 week of clonazapam with a view to introduce pregabalin, reckons I have depression which can also cause the physical anxiety symptoms rather than the other way round. I have just upped citalopram to maximum dose so I have to have 4 weeks on that but if that doesn’t help suggested a switch to venlafaxine. Fingers crossed this works. You are still so early at 2.5 weeks so hopefully you should continue to improve. I’m not encouraging you to take more meds but mirtazapine has worked really well for sleep, as long as it’s a low dose high doses lose their sedative ability x

@Catsservant hopefully the increase in citalopram will work well for you.

Thanks for the advice re sleep. I had a lot of trouble sleeping as an initial side effect of other SSRIs in the past, but it always evened out again. I had been pleased that escitalopram was making me sleepy in the first 2 weeks. I think perhaps it is just the current spike in anxiety which has knocked my sleep. I am just very aware of falling into a cycle of not being able to sleep because I am anxious about not being able to sleep! I have some emergency sleeping tablets to tide me over but have already used them 3 nights in a row.

I did consider the idea of moving my escitalopram dose to am instead of pm but I am not sure of that would make any difference.

@Pineappledancer I was put on mirtazapine as an add on drug but its great knocks me out much better than quetiapine. Are you still struggling to eat as well I have only ever taken mine at night so not sure,
@Lucillebatwings how are you doing are you any better

I've been on 20 mg/day since 2008, and it has changed my life. My side effects went away in the first few weeks. You won't be able to tell if it's really working until 6-8 weeks in, so don't give up too soon.

Day 16 or 17 for me today. I’ve lost count!

So, the worst of my side effects are away. I take it in the morning when I waken or remember - so anytime between 7am and 10am depending on what I am doing. Last week I had to really push myself to do anything - I had no desire to move and just had no motivation at all. I was also consumed by anxiety about a health issue which is ongoing (recurrent UTi I think) which wasn’t helping.

I dread bedtime and I’m not sure why. I just feel so uneasy and unsettled. This isn’t a new issue for me, I’ve felt it in the past at times but it’s very noticeable at the moment.

Im wakening in the early hours quite anxious too.

I just wish my health stuff would resolve.

Day 16/17 is very early so I’m hoping I feel calmer in a few weeks.

Last time I was on escitalopram my sleep really improved - I hope that happens this time!

@Lucillebatwings you should hopefully notice improvements as your quiet early on like you say, took me about 7-8 weeks for a tiny improvement @

@Catsservant yes food is still an issue. I found the last few days difficult as the heightened anxiety makes eating harder.

BUT after my post earlier today I can definitely say now that I have had an improved day today. A real glimmer of hope that things will get better. I have been calmer and managed to muster enough motivation to do a few simple tasks. Food has been less of an issue today because I am calmer.

@Lucillebatwings good to hear from you. I know what you mean about dreading bedtime. Hang in there.

Counted my tablets and I’m on day 19. But yes still early days.

I wish I could be calmer about my current health issues though.

@Pineappledancer glad you had a better day yesterday and hope this continued today for you.

Roll on 6 weeks!!

@Lucillebatwings thanks. Today has not been as positive as yesterday unfortunately, but maybe still not quite as bad as it has been.

Today I have been overthinking a lot about not being able to get to sleep and whether or not to keep taking sleeping tablets or if I should try and do without tonight.

Also about whether or not I should try changing the time of day I take the escitalopram.

Also very worried about going on holiday next weekend. I find thinking about that can be very overwhelming.

Also worrying how my mental health is impacting my family.

How are you?

I think I am day 19 too, I will take my 20th tablet before bed. Think I will stick with nighttime at the moment.

I’m not too bad. On holiday at the moment but just in the UK. On week 1 of taking the tablets I could imagine being able to find the motivation to pack and come but I managed fine and we’ve had a nice time.

Im just sick of my UTI symptoms and know if they were better I would be less anxious overall. Why do things like this make me so anxious? I think it’s because it’s not going away with antibiotics - they help significantly then it comes back.

Sleep is still an issue though - although I’m trying to read instead of being on my phone. And randomly I’m hungrier at night - taking my tabs in the morning seems to impact my appetite. But also my anxiety in the morning is heightened - though this is slightly better than it was early on.

Sorry you’ve not had the best day - but like you say if it’s not as bad as it has been, hopefully this is a good sign and things will continue to get better.

@LifeExperience thanks for telling us about your positive experience, it gives me hope.

@Catsservant how are you today?

My anxiety was a bit lower this morning when i woke up. Because of this i pushed myself to go out and do an errand after lunch, but think that was a bit much for me and I was really bad for a bit afterwards. It passed though and I feel a little but calmer again now.

@Lucillebatwings How has the holiday been?

I am going on holiday (in UK) at the weekend and am terrified. I am so worried I am going to spoil it for everyone.

I have switched to taking my escitalopram in the morning although haven't noticed any difference from that.

I have now been on 10mg for 3 full weeks. I would say that maybe the last 3 days I am noticing a slight difference? Although I have been taking propranolol more regularly than I was so maybe that is why.

@Lucillebatwings how are you getting on with sleep? I am reading too and trying meditation and relaxing music etc. I am exhausted by bed time but it's like my brain has forgotten how to switch off.

I also usually end up getting up to eat as I get hungry. I have no appetite during the day but try and eat a meal in the evening but then once I am in bed I suddenly want food.

Well done for doing your errand @Pineappledancer that’s an achievement!

Holiday is on the whole good but I can’t relax due to my UTI symptoms. They really keep me on edge 😩 it’s all I think about from the second I waken to the minute I am in bed. Health anxiety is shit.

Sleep - I am sleeping not too bad. Some nights waking at 4ish for a bit but I have had a couple of nights sleeping through - although getting to sleep is trickier as I am so anxious. Not sure what it is about nighttime!

@Lucillebatwings glad that your sleep is alright. I am struggling with getting to sleep too. I often wake in the night but am usually able to get back to sleep quickly. Its just the initial going to sleep that I am struggling with. I am relying on sleeping tablets at the moment and lie in bed panicking that even that won't work.

I am glad I managed the errand, I wouldn't even have attempted it a few days ago. It just makes me feel so bad that I am struggling to do such simple things.

I don't know how I will manage on holiday when I will need to do stuff and go places!

@Lucillebatwings sorry you are struggling with the UTI symptoms and the health anxiety, not being able to stop thinking about it. Hope you are able to get the physical symptom cleared up soon.