What the hell is going on?

[Kroko]

Greetings,

I switched straight from Seroxat 20 mg to Cipralex 5 mg five days ago. I'm kind of assuming this is what's giving me hell right now. This has been going on for four days now. I phoned for advice and they said there's nothing they can do about it and I'll just have to wait.

I have been on Cipralex before, and it didn't give me these problems back then, so I'm actually doubting that it's even the cause of my problems and there's something seriously wrong!

I feel panicky (I have panic disorder which the medication is for), disconnected, disorientated, numb, unreal, like every muscle in my body is really weak, at times I also get nausea, and I have the mother of all constipations.

I'M GOING TO GET INTO WHAT MAY BE UNNECESSARY DETAIL ON THE CONSTIPATION IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH, SO PLEASE SKIP AT WILL:










When I try to contract my anus like I obviously normally would, I'm just unable to do so. It's like someone cut the poo wire in my brain.










IT IS NOW SAFE TO CONTINUE READING!

I've read on these forums about people getting some of these symptoms during the first couple of weeks on Cipralex, but I'm not convinced it's just the drug, especially since I haven't read about anyone getting this kind of constipation from it. Also, I've had the "disconnected" feeling, called derealisation before, but not to this extent.

Thanks for pretty much anything you may have to say.

[jill]

Hi Kroko,

Some meds can give you constipation mine dose,
my doctor gave me lactulose solution which sofens
the motion. This does work for me, but you must
ask your GP if it is ok to take with your meds.
The symptoms you are getting are smyptoms of
anxiaty or PA. Maybe it has somthing to do with
you changing meds, give it time it may settle down.
If you are really worried go back to your GP.
Peace of mind goes along way.

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL

What we are today comes from
our thoughts of yesterday
and our present thoughts build our
life of tomorrow.
Our life is the creation of our mind.

[nomorepanic]

Kroko

When I was on meds years ago I had the opposite problem and had constant diarrohea for months on end.

To help the constipation eat plenty of fruit and fibre and if that doesn't work you can get some herbal medication that will ease it.

It will get better if you start to eat more roughage type food.

Nicola

[mabel]

seroxat takes a while to come off. When I stopped taking it I felt terrible for 2 weeks (at least!) I couldn't eat, i felt sick, I felt dizzy and had to hold onto the wall if i wanted to walk anywhere! It maybe withdrawel from seroxat combined with initial side effects from the new medication. Give it a while longer and see if it gets better.
Mabel

[blossom]

from Blossom
I was on Seroxat for three years, and was taken straight off them and put on Cipramil, and I was having a dreadful time, so they had to put me back on Seroxat for about 9 months, and gradually weaned me off them, in liquid form. After that I had to have two weeks without any meds, and then was put back on Cipramil. It was being straight off the Seroxat that caused the problems I was having, I was so bad for quite a while, infact I was unable to leave the house being agoraphobic, I have been told one must never come off that drug cold turkey, It really put me right back, and even now I am not right, feel very depressed,
Thats what I can say about being taken straight off the drug for another.
Hope you are feeling better, not everyone is the same though. Wish you well.

[jo-jo]

Hiya Kroko

Oh No! Sounds like the switch is playing havoc with your system as it were. I really do think that all the things you have mentioned sound like side effects and I guess the best thing is to try and stick with it for a couple of weeks as they will most likely soon wear off. At least you're alread 4 days in so the side effects should start to lessen before too long. Sorry to hear about your 'bottom' trouble [:I] my mum swears by prunes or liquorice :D

Hope you're feeling lots better really soon.

Best wishes, Jo xx

[Meg]

Hi

Thats a mighty switch . 20mg is the standard dose for Seroxat and 5mg is half the standard dose for Cipralex so its not a straight switch as far as your brain is concerned . You're withdrawing . It will wear off as the days pass.

I'm with Jo's Mum - liquorice.

Take care - the derealization will pass as you settle .





Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

[Kroko]

Thanks everyone...your replies really give me more energy to battle this thing. At times I feel like it will never go away, but reading about similar experiences gets my hopes up.

I've been taken off Seroxat before, but then it was gradual and the switch was to a drug called Remeron...no problem there. I've never felt quite like this before, and I'm always frightened by new bad experiences with my condition.

Blossom and Mabel, I'm sorry you had to go through that, I'm glad you're better now. I can walk around the house without having to hold onto walls...at least for now!

[seh1980]

hello there Kroko,

I am on 10mg of cipralex and I had the very same symptoms that you describe at the beginning. They went away after about 2 weeks. Although they are very unpleasant, I'm sure that they are npt worth worrying about. Hope you feel better soon!!

Sarah :D

[Kroko]

Just a little update...

I'm feeling A LOT better now. I don't feel I'm quite back to normal yet, but today I haven't really even been near panicking and my little problem downstairs is almost gone.

[Meg]

Good news Kroko -

Well done



Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

[nomorepanic]

Great news

Glad you feel better today!

Nicola

[jo-jo]

Lovely to hear your good news Kroko :D

Best wishes, Jo x

[Kroko]

Feeling like crap again...

All the symptoms I described in the first post are back, which is odd seeing as how I didn't change anything... :(

[Kroko]

I've been on Cipralex for over three weeks now and things aren't better. I don't have constipation, but the anxiety is even worse than what it was when I did have constipation, and the derealisation is constantly so bad I seriously doubt I'm ever going back to feeling even somewhat normal. My derealisation seems to sometimes take a step for the worse and then it just doesn't go back for the better. It has taken one of these steps again and I'm really getting desperate here. I feel like I have some circulatory problems, I sometimes get what feels like blood moving in a big burst in the veins on my head which makes my eyes sort of fuzzy. I'm getting hopeless and really upset.

[twister]

Hi Kroko

Don't worry, why don't you give the meds another week or two and then go back to the doctor if you still feel awful.

You will feel normal again, I promise

Hang in there.

Emily

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit
Understanding is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad

[Kroko]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">
You will feel normal again, I promise

<div align="right">Originally posted by twister - 06 November 2004 : 23:58:37</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

I'm really not sure about this...the derealisation seems to worsen every year, so I feel like it's worsened permanently again.

[Kroko]

Question! How important is taking the drug at the same time every day?

[jill]

Hi Kroko,

I think it is importent to take meds at a similiar time because
say you take a pain killer it has a set amount of time it works
for then it wears off. All meds are like this so taking it at a
similiar time every day keep it in your system.

Hope this helps.

LOVE JILLXXX

[Meg]

Hi Kroko ,

Seeing ' floaters' in your vision is common.

I know derealization feels so dreadfully awful but you do know that it does pass as it has done for you in the past.

Are you doing regular vigorous exercise, cutting out sugars, alcohol , caffiene and practicing relaxation and meditation.

If you want to you could ask your doctor to run a cortisol blood test. Very occasionally it can have a physical origin.




Meg

You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance

[nomorepanic]

Kroko

Depends on the meds I think. I take blood pressure medication and it must be taken on empty stomach so I take it first thing in the morning knowing that I won't be eating for at least an hour.

Some meds are best taken at night as they have a sedative effect.

Nicola

[Kroko]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">
If you want to you could ask your doctor to run a cortisol blood test. Very occasionally it can have a physical origin.



<div align="right">Originally posted by Meg - 13 November 2004 : 21:59:31</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

I've had some blood tests taken and been in a CAT scan and some other tests over the three and a half years I've had these problems. They also tested me for the celiac disease. What's a cortisol blood test, I mean what can they detect with it? Now I'm pretty worried again, I've gone to all those tests because I've been sure there's something wrong physically, but for about a year I've tried to think it's all in my head, which is what the doctors have tried to convince me.

I'm still not feeling better, which is weird because I've been on the drug for four weeks, give or take a couple of days.

[Meg]

Cortisol is one of the stress hormones that out bodies release naturally and is the one that is thought to precipitate derealization etc.

If you really think you are depersonalized continually it may be worth just checking your levels to ensure you're not pumping out too much continually .

However if this happened as a result of switching medication then its not the issue.



Meg

You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance

[Kroko]

I see. Do you know what can cause that kind of cortisol imbalance? Has anyone developed a drug that regulates cortisol levels?