Escitalopram.

[hk1993x]

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

Thanks - any health issues trigger me. It’s issues down below. Burning, aching, pinching for weeks and weeks and weeks - then UTI symptoms that don’t seem to have fully resolved after two weeks antibiotics. It’s much better but I am so on edge.

It’s pathetic really - one of my kids had their tonsils out a few months ago and all I kept thinking was that they wouldn’t survive the operation.

@Lucillebatwings that sounds like lichen planus that causes those symptoms

I think that’s a normal worry, any operation with a general anaesthetic carries a risk every parent would be the same

@Lucillebatwings I agree with @Catsservant I don't think it's pathetic at all, it's perfectly understandable to worry about something like a child's operation.

How are you both? I had a review with my doctor who wants me to stick at 10mg for another week or two before thinking about an increase to 15mg. I am terrified. I don't want to increase.

@Pineappledancer im going to ask about switching to venlafaxine. I’ve given citalopram 14 weeks with only partial remission. How many weeks in are you now?

@Catsservant I am about 5 weeks in at 10mg, was on 5mg for maybe 6 weeks before that.

The doctor said to give 10mg another week or so as it can take 6 to 8 weeks for the dose to fully work.

Just catching up. Have you started the new dose? I’m wondering if I need to try 10mg…but will stay on 5 for now as it’s still early days.

The positive about gradually increasing is you know what side effects to expect @Pineappledancer and you can just let them come and go without too much anxiety. That helped me this time starting - I knew what to expect.

Im very up and down. On the surface probably appear well. Going out and about with the kids, keeping on top of the house. I’m still off work and will probably take another couple of weeks off. But internally all I think about are my physical symptoms. I time how often I pee, I think about needing to pee constantly - not helped by the fact that I feel like I need a pee within an hour of peeing. So I worry that I need to see the GP again and that they will dismiss me and put it down to anxiety. And I’ve had some vaginal symptoms the last few days too - first time in a while. I noticed though that when when I relax this helps. So maybe anxiety and stress is a factor with that.

I wish I could deal with issues more rationally.

Haven’t heard of this before - not sure my urinary symptoms are linked to something like this?

@Lucillebatwings I have been on 10mg for 5 weeks and have decided to stay on 10mg just now. I am not ready to face worse side effects. I might need to increase eventually but I want to give this dose its full time to work.

I think I am having small gradual improvements, family who visit once a week say they can see a difference in me compared to a week or two ago.

@Lucillebatwings you are doing well to keep on top of the house and get out and about with the kids.

Your situation sounds tough. Is there anything that helps to distract you?

@Lucillebatwings sorry, I just read that post back and it's not really how I meant it.

I know it's not as easy as just 'distracting' yourself from the anxiety and thoughts.

Don’t apologise it was fine!!

So, in answer to your question…I notice distraction helps a lot. Did some gardening last night, today got up and took the kids for school uniforms and for dinner. Was fine all day until I had to pee and then it’s all I thought about. So I need to stop that don’t I.

Im glad you are feeling small improvements - I think we need to really give them 6-12 weeks don’t we. I am also on week 5.

Hiya, I have just started citalopram 10mg and am on the 3rd day and the anxiety has really kicked in, I am having racing thoughts when trying to sleep and just shaking etc, I have some propranolol in the house, has anyone taken propranolol whilst on citalopram and if so how many mg please?

Hi, I am currently taking Escitalopram and was also prescribed propranolol for the increased anxiety.

I was prescribed to take 40mg twice a day. I have only ever taken one a day though.

You should check with your doctor though as they would be able to advise you what is best.

How are you finding escitalopram? I am really struggling at the moment, I think if I could have a decent nights sleep things wouldn’t seem so bad, what kind of side effects did you get when you started?

@UniqueLilacDreamer I have found starting on escitalopram really tough, but I think I am just very unlucky. I get all the awful side effects but also had exactly the same when I started on Sertraline and Fluoxetine in the past.

I get increased depression and anxiety. The increased anxiety causes nausea, loose bowels, loss of appetite, early morning wakening with waves of adrenalin, difficulty sleeping, constantly exhausted. Also headaches, brain fog, not able to concentrate, zero motivation to do anything.

It can be really really tough x

How long have you been on it? And how long did side effects last? I am having pretty much same as you it really is hard I am only on day 4 and don’t know how much longer I can go x

@UniqueLilacDreamer side effects for me were apathy, literally no urge to do anything even talk to people, nausea, zero appetite to the point where I literally forgot to eat, waking during the night, diarrhoea, increased anxiety, yawning, dry mouth, shakiness, sweating.

I am on week 5 now. Still sweating if I do anything - even hoovering! Appetite back, sleeping better though it’s always been an issue for me, and most other symptoms now gone.

I would say week 3 was a turning point for me symptom wise - they were all far more bearable by then.

@UniqueLilacDreamer I think the side effects ease for most people in the first 1 to 2 weeks. Mine seemed to linger a bit longer but got less as time went on. I still have sleep issues and lack of appetite although the nausea is gone. I also blame some things on side effects which probably are not side effects, for example I still have some headache and fatigue (but not as often) but perhaps that is just due to not sleeping well.

I was also prescribed a low dose of diazapam which I could take a few times a day and this was helpful with the side effects of increased anxiety.

Sorry forgot to say I have taken escitalopram for 5 weeks. Like I said I had a similar experience with other medication. Hopefully for you they will not last long. It seems to vary greatly from person to person with some having no side effects or only experiencing them for a few days.

@Lucillebatwings when did your appetite come back? I had a brief spell on Wednesday when I suddenly felt hungry and ate loads, it was such a strange feeling! I was hoping I had turned a corner but it did not last.

The sweating sounds rubbish, I have just had I think 3 nights where I have woken absolutely soaked through.

@Pineappledancer after two weeks with a vengeance sadly.

Yes I’m sweating at night too! Very common side effect! Last time that got better for me too but I can’t remember when.

how have you been?

@Lucillebatwings I am okay, had a couple of really bad days last week but over the weekend things have been a bit 'better' (I don't feel better is the right word somehow). I am just feeling so frustrated and disheartened at how slow things are. I really thought that by 6 weeks I would be getting back to normal.

@UniqueLilacDreamer how are you today?