Scared.

Hello, ive been med free for a while now.. well 2 years to be exact but im at my worst again :( bit of a downer in itself i suppose.

Anyway been prescribed Escitalopram 10mg and im petrified to start incase im allergic/side effects, cant afford to be out of it with a 1 year old to also look after

I hate even taking paracetomol but i have run out of ideas to try and help myself..ive tried cbt, meditation, reading, mindfulness programmes and after about a week im back to my worst.. im not coping well at all regarding panic attacks/anxious and then it brings out the depression.

Any reassurance i guess is what im asking for.

Thanks and sorry for posting again.

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Originally Posted by xleax

Hello, ive been med free for a while now.. well 2 years to be exact

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What med did you take, and what was the dose?

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Anyway been prescribed Escitalopram 10mg and im petrified to start incase im allergic/side effects, cant afford to be out of it with a 1 year old to also look after

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Allergies to SSRIs are rare and most people experience only mild side-effects, especially with escitalopram and citalopram which generally produce fewer side-effects than other SSRIs. However, I do suggest you ask your GP to prescribe a 5mg starting dose for the first 7-10 days to limit any side-effects that may occur, or even 2.5mg if that would be easier for you to take. Severe side-effects are very unlikely at such low doses. Escitalopram does not come in 2.5mg tablets, but 5mg tabs can be cut. Pill-cutters available from most pharmacies make cutting tablets easy. It is also available in liquid form, but it is probably easier to cut the tablets.

From personal experience, avoid reading about side-effects as this can itself trigger symptoms. An anxious mind is very capable of producing our worst nightmares if given free reign.

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I hate even taking paracetomol but i have run out of ideas to try and help myself..ive tried cbt, meditation, reading, mindfulness programmes and after about a week im back to my worst.. im not coping well at all regarding panic attacks/anxious and then it brings out the depression.

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Unfortunately, med phobia is the 'freebie' many of us get along with our primary anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, the only fix is the very thing the phobia makes it hard for us to take.

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Any reassurance i guess is what im asking for.

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I can't guarantee that you will have a trouble free experience, but there is a good chance you will. For most the disorder is much worse than the treatment.

I"m in the same boat. I want to start meds and am so afraid to try. i'm not too concerned with a little nausea but more concerned with the potential side effects with mood or more anxiety, or suicidal/homicidal thoughts.

Xleax -did you start the med yet?

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Originally Posted by cofo

I want to start meds and am so afraid to try. i'm not too concerned with a little nausea but more concerned with the potential side effects with mood or more anxiety, or suicidal/homicidal thoughts.

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Despite the impression often given by support groups such as NMP, most people experience only none to mild side-effects when first taking ADs. It is the relative few that do who come to support groups. Also not all side-effects are necessarily caused by the med. Psychology can also be a significant factor, especially for those with anxiety disorders. Become convince that you will suffer greatly and an anxious mind is very capable of producing our worst side-effects nightmares for us independently of the med. Antidepressants can be awful meds for some at the start, but when they work they can almost magically change lives. Escitalopram and its older parent citalopram usually produce fewer/milder initial side-effects than the other SSRIs.

What is the prescribed starting dose?

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Originally Posted by cofo

I"m in the same boat. I want to start meds and am so afraid to try. i'm not too concerned with a little nausea but more concerned with the potential side effects with mood or more anxiety, or suicidal/homicidal thoughts.

Xleax -did you start the med yet?

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Look up the Nocebo effect. So many people "nocebo" themselves when they're scared of side effects.