new to Escitalopram (esto)

[sweetg]

its my 3rd week on the pill, i take 7.5 m.g (3/4 of a pill), i have experienced sleepiness for the last 9 nights (sad ha).

i take it around 10:30pm on full stomach,the damage was done, i stay awake for long hours & nights, i'm afraid it affects my heart, what are your thoughts?
should i switch to mornings or leave at night but add "Clonopin" to fall asleep?

not sure how my body will react from the change.
i feel sleepy but its mixed with restlessness & anxiety so i can fall asleep.:weep:

also will changing Escitalopram to the original brand Cipralex would benefit?
begging for help, much tx!

[Sober2000june]

Hi sweet,

wish you the best, im about to start my cipralex tonight(2.5mg), however that might chage to am -we'll see:). Just want to get out of this hole before take family on holiday next month

Paul

[sweetg]

u starting?? u might experience a form of side effects...have a nice holiday

[karenp]

I'm still not sleeping without help after 6 months on Escitalopram but I think it's more to do with going through a never ending bitter divorce than anything else.

I've always taken my meds at night but when I was on Citalopram, I have taken that both morning and night and really found not great difference.

Good luck Paul, I started out on a weenie dose too and took it very slowly, the first day I felt perfect, the next day a little anxious , then I remember feeling very sleepy and flat during the day but soon started getting much longer periods of feeling well, mornings remained hardest for a while but I have felt pretty much normal since around Christmas time now onwards and started Cipralex in October. I do however still take sleep aids and Lorazepam when I wake up but not always now.

[sweetg]

Hey karen

thats why i take it mornings instead of night time, it says specifically that one of the side effects of Esto is insomnia.

btw is there any difference between Esto & Cipralex?
also how long have u been on a lower dosage (5mg?) before u increased to 10mg?
much tx!

Gary

[karenp]

Escitalopram is Cipralex with another name. (:

I was on 2-50mg's for ten days and then moved up to 5mg's for a good few weeks and then up to 10. I've been a bit higher too but then seemed better on 10mgs but I am having a bit of a blip week for some reason this week after feeling the best I have for a long time last week, how odd is that!! I'm not worrying though. I'm just going to eat properly and go for some nice long walks (:

[Trixie]

I am on 20mgs but I haven't felt drowsy taking it. I put my drowsiness down to my under active thyroid gland.

[chantelle]

I am on 20mg too and take it in the morning. Good luck with it, have started to have clear moments so hopeful it is now working. Had a blip fri & today so far but heading to friends so am determined to feel more positive.

[karenp]

Have you had many other side effects going up to 20mg's??? I think I may need it finally unless I am going through a blip but feel terrible at the mo mo.

[Horace]

I'm on 5mg and it sometimes makes me sleepy in the day. I don't think it keeps me awake but sometimes I don't sleep well and have to have a snooze.

[sweetg]

i feel sleepy too after 2pm on 5mg, not sure i need to raise my dose, should i??
i feel normal but not "wow". can i be on 5mg for months & maybe up to a year??

[karenp]

You can do whatever feels best for you darl...I stayed on 5mg's for a while and then decided to go up to 10.

[sweetg]

not sure i will, i'm anxious with 5mg, the only benefit i get is that i sleep better.so far i'm disappointed with Esto.

[karenp]

It takes time to work, it really does, I found it quit e a slow drug to kick in for me...the real turning point I found was after I had been on it 6 weeks and when I increased to 10mg's but I did have good days earlier on too xxx

[sweetg]

really? maybe i should increase it then, Perhaps first to 3/4 of a pill (7.5 mg) or should i go straight to 10? what do u think?
tx.

[ewood79]

Hello Im on 20mg and take in the mornings, i voted but accidentally put after supper! Sorry!

[darline]

I have been on 10mg Escitalopram for three months (in the process of upping it to 15 mg per my doctor's advice). I was taking it at 6pm or so and was having trouble sleeping. My doctor advised me to switch to the morning, and that has worked out much better. He also put me on a 50 mg dose of Trazodone as a sleep aid. I also occasionally take a half-pill of 0.5 generic Klonipin in the late afternoon after work, for the breakthrough anxiety that I am still dealing with off and on.

[sweetg]

Darline

if u take both Trazadone & Klonopin then u prone for addiction, Maybe that's a relief, but long term wise its a merciless cycle