Escitalopram (cipralex) vs Citalopram

[smb25]

Please can someone tell me the difference between the two meds? If I had a bad very bad reaction to Citalopram will I with Cipralex? am terrified to take it!
Thanks x


My story: I had an awful experience with Citalopram last March and had to come off it after 5 days (just couldn't take the increased anxiety, it was major!). Tried Mirtazapine, some success, helped with sleep but not much with the anxiety was on for 6 months.

Just tried/been taken off Sertraline again after 5 days due to extreme nausea and diarrohea.

Will I ever find a medication I can take...... :weep:

[panicmum]

Hi ,
I had a bad reaction on sertraline and citalopram only lasted 3 days :( i have since been on cipralex for the last 12 days no bad side effects and im starting to feel better and my family have noticed a change , hang in there they seem to be working for me xx

[ash1807]

Cipralex is a mor purer form of citalopram. Some people have success on one, and not the other

[smb25]

Thank you both x Panicmum you have given me some hope, I am starting to lose faith

I am due to start it on Tuesday, so I guess by the weekend I should know, I suppose I can't feel any worse...

I will post how I am getting on x

[Anxious-in-Canada]

Hi SMB

I was on Citalopram (20mg started right away on that dose) almost two years ago. The first two weeks were difficult with side effects, of course my anxiety was at the highest it has ever been in my life. So looking back on it (I actually logged my first 22 days in this forum) I can't really determine if it was side effects of the meds or the anxiety causing them.... but around day 14 I was feeling great! and never really looked back...

With a major amount of stress at work, winter time blues, and not eating well and no exercise, I found myself back with my buddy ANXIETY. So I tried coping with it for three weeks before I finally decided to get some help. My Doctor wanted me to try Cipralex this time as it is deemed a cleaner version of Citalopram which is supposed to have much lesser side effects...

I started on 10 mg and now with 30+days under my belt I can tell you much: the side effects were not as severe as Citalopram that much is true, the therapuetic period of the drugs seem to be different though, it took two weeks on Citalopram to feel significant benefits where it was 4weeks+ of Cipralex to feel what i would say is the same effects.

One important thing though is that Cipralex did progress from the start and each day I seemed to get better. Honestly, you have a three choices:

1. Try Cipralex and stick with it for at 6 weeks and see if there are benefits
2. Go to your Doctor and talk about your concerns and try a different med
3. Do nothing, and try alternative methods: exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, therapy, naturalpathy (vitamins and nutritional supplements) to name a few...

Ask yourself what is better, feeling like you do now or feeling worse(only a possibility!) on medication but within a couple of months feeling like yourself again? Only you can answer that question...

I think you are willing to try to get better, hence reading these forums and posting on them, talk to a professional and weigh the options...

Hang in there, you can get through the worst of what your anxiety can conjure up, it can't hurt you.

Sorry to seem a little blunt, just want to help you focus on getting better....

[smb25]

Thank you, i'm going to start it tomorrow as per docs instructions. I am going to be on 5mg to start with. Hoping and praying that my anxiety doesnt get too much worse.
x