what do you think? (meds)

[mummy4]

i hope im posting in the right place.

i have been on 5mg cipralex for just over 4 years now and i have to admit my anxiety has been pretty bad again for prob the past 18 months. about 6 weeks ago i thought the cipralex aint doing anything for me (though i have been much worse not on them) i started taking 5mg every other night before i get into bed.

my doc once told me to 'wean' off them i should take them every other day but i have read few posts on here saying dont take them every other day as its 'messing' with your system by doing so.

i must say the day after i have taken one i feel so drained and tired compared to the days after when i dont take one.

so what is it best to do do you think?

[mummy4]

anyone?

[BexieB]

Hi Mummy

I'm very suprised that you've been taking an ongoing does of 5mg cipralex. 5mg of cip is merely a start up dose...10mg it considered the lowest theraputic dose, so i'm not suprised you're not finding any benefit from it. Please check in with your doc..you may benefit from upping the dose rather than weening off. I was on cip and only found any real stabilisation at 20mg. It's a great drug once you find the right dose.

Sending you love and hugs
Bexie

[mummy4]

hey bexie

thanks for your post.

actually i did see the doc back in nov and he suggested i up it to 10mg every evening but i never did...because im literally petrified of the side effects.

i took 1 10mg dose just before i went to bed about 6 months ago and spent most of the night shaking uncontrollably it really frightened so i never took another one again and the next night went back on 5mg x

[BexieB]

Mummy

I understand how horrible the side effects can be on this drug...i went through them myself; trembling, sweating, not eating or sleeping. But you'll hear them same advise all over this site...you do come out the other side. You're well established on the 5mg, so why not trying upping to 7.5mg for a little while and see how you get on. But before that go back to your doc and discuss any change of dose, either up or down.

Bexie

[mummy4]

hey bexie

because i have been taking 5mg every other day of about 6 weeks now im even a little scared to get back into the routine of taking them every night :( feel a right mess at the moment x

[Bill]

When I lost my "best friend" (my dog) before Christmas, I just couldn't sleep because of thoughts and images that kept disturbing me so I decided in the end I had no choice but to ask my doctor for an ad to help me sleep and ease my anxieties.

As soon as I took them they knocked me out and they really helped me with coming to terms with my loss and bad thoughts etc.

Within a few weeks I told the doctor I was feeling better so we agreed to gradually reduce them. I've not taken any now since the beginning of January and I feel Much better without them.

That's what I think about taking meds. Take them in the short term when we feel we need a little support but don't look at them as a long term cure because they only help to ease symptoms but can also open a whole new can of worms because of the side-effects, and if we grow to rely on them.

The main point is anxiety thrives on attention. The more we "think" about feeling "ill" and anxious, the more anxious and ill we feel...and therefore meds can be counterproductive because they act as a reminder by making us focus on feeling "ill". Anxiety and panics forget us when we learn to forget anxiety and panics in our daily lives by learning how not to be afraid of them.:hugs: