cipralex side effects

[madamgg]

Hi all
I just wanted to share an experience and see if anyone had anything similar to report.
I was prescribed citalopram a few years ago for anxiety and it did not agree with me i could not sleep naturally for the 2/3 weeks i was on it and it was an absolute nightmare. My GP then switched me to Cipralex which worked like a dream within 4 days and my sleep was fine. I've never had sleep problems before even with anxiety so i knew it was the drug.
My anxiety came back a few weeks ago quite mild but i was having horrible 'what if' thoughts mostly about my 4 month old baby so i rushed to the gp got cipralex and started on 5mg thinking great i'll be fine in a few days. That first night i did not sleep was totally wired and knew it was the drug, the same thing the next night so i stopped them as i thought my anxiety wasn't that bad but couldn't cope with the insomnia. I went to see a GP and he said that the cipralex prob had that effect as i poss didn 't need it if my anxiety not that bad therefore my seratonin not low so i've in effect over done the seratonin...made sense to me but now my anxiety is getting worse i do need to go back on the pills but soooo soo worried about the side effects i can't not sleep as i have a small baby to look after.
I just can't understand why cipralex had this effect on me this time and worked so well last time, is my gp right that i just didn't need it intially so that's why i was wired?
I 'm really worried i really thought i'd found a drug that could sort me out if i needed it and now feel i'ts been a kick in the teeth.
I'd so appreciate anyones experiences. I know insomnia can be a side effect so maybe i just need to take sleeping pills till it wears off...does it wear off?
Sorry for the long rambly post, any advice much appreciated.
Jane

[KK77]

It's a decision that you have to thoroughly discuss with your doctor because these drugs are really for major depression and anxiety and they come with potential side effects - some of which can be very disruptive, especially as you have a young child.

Sometimes these meds can affect us in different ways at different times and I've been on the same meds twice with different results so I can understand what you say. But if you decide to go on them you must give them a chance to work properly and in my opinion it's unlikely that they'd start to work in 4 days or so - more like 4 weeks!

Insomnia is very common with these drugs but it nearly always passes after a few weeks, so maybe a sleep aid would help for a while (but be careful with them too!).

If your anxiety is mild, I personally think talking therapies/self-help are much more suitable and offer a much more permanent solution to your problems.

[Jem21]

Hi Jane... Sorry you're not feeling good, my experience is very similar, I was on ciprimal for about a year 3 years ago, and it worked great for me, and i was off it for about 18 months, last week it all returned with a vengence and a locum doc put me on 20mg, cant remember if i was on 10 or 20 before but this time around, sinse taking it the side effects are very different, my anxiety has got worse, im not sleeping and i feel really agitated, I went back to see my own doc today who said i should of been started on 10mg but he said its only been 3 days so he prescribed some sleeping tablets just to get me over this stage and wants to see me in 2 weeks, im really scared but determined to persevere as they do take time to work, maybe it might be worth going back and talking to your doctor and considering the sleeping tablets. I hope this helps x

[Dee01]

I have to agree with Melancholia, you should probably give the drugs a couple of weeks to work for you. They do take that long. You were very lucky that you felt much better after the first few days the first time around, but from my own experience, you got away lightly!!! Stick it out if you can at all. Can your parents/friend help with the baby while you give the tablets a couple of weeks? Let meknow if you need to talk or PM me! x

[madamgg]

hello all
thanks so much for your replies it really helps to know others are in the same situation..i was convinced i would never sleep again naturally!
had a good chat with my gp today and have decided to see how i go as my anxiety is not as bad as a few years back, he's given me diazepam to take if i get a really bad anxiety attack and if i do need to take these regularly then i know it's time to get back on the cipralex. I really hate taking pills for anything as i worry what they will do to me but my doc said taking sleeping pills for a few weeks to help a side effect whilst not ideal is a means to an end. I just can't cope with being awake all night it's the lonliest feeling in the world and of course the sleep deprivation is hell.
i'm such a panicer about taking any sort of drugs... i took half a sleeping pill the other night and my husband had to hold my hand the whole time until i 'went under' at least i can see the funny side!!

[Micko]

Anyone on both clonazepam and buspirone for anxiety? wondring about asking my shrink to take me off them and Mirtazapine and try Cipralex again and try and stick with it despite the side-effects!

[Micko]

Are you doin' ok now Madamgg? hope you are! have the Cipralex kicked in now?