Cipralex 10mg to 20mg - increased anxiety?

[nixe]

Hi,

I had been on Cipralex 10mg for quite a while (although I was supposed to be on 20mg) for anxiety/depression. My doctor asked me to go up to 20mg which I have been on for about a week. I am finding my anxiety and depression to be the same or worse - is this usual and just a side-effect? When can I expect to start seeing a decrease in these symptoms? Any help appreciated, thanks!!

[Tunnel]

Nixe:

When I first went on Cipralex i went through a week to 20 days where my anxiety symptoms got worse. Increased anxiety is a known side effect of your body adjusting to the medication. It should mellow out soon.

Mike

[nixe]

Thanks Mike, I didn't realise that increasing the dosage would have the same side effects as when starting the medication for the first time :/

[Thumbelina]

Hi nixe,
That what was with me 6 years ago. I started cipralex and i gpt worse - i was so upset, as i thought it was supposed to make you feel better. Doctor was insisting on me continuing and promised it will get better later. I followed his advise and it did get better.

[Danielsun]

Hi,

I had been on Cipralex 10mg for quite a while (although I was supposed to be on 20mg) for anxiety/depression. My doctor asked me to go up to 20mg which I have been on for about a week. I am finding my anxiety and depression to be the same or worse - is this usual and just a side-effect? When can I expect to start seeing a decrease in these symptoms? Any help appreciated, thanks!!

Hi Nixe,

I'm in the same boat as you - I was just starting to feel better from being on 15mg dose, but dr insisted I up to 20mg.
3days later my panic/anxiety came back almost worse than in the beginning and side effects like burning hands, hot flushes and no appetite(to name a few...).
Hope to hear that it will pass soon and that we will feel some real benefits.
Good luck to you and please keep posting if you feel better.

[karenp]

Hi Nixe, I was supposed to up to 10mg's yesterday but have had increased anxiety the last few days on 5mg's but have a really bad cold so I don't know if that's effecting me. I've been on Cipralex 28 days but the first week I only took half a pill so also suspect I might have reached the peaking period where the 5mg's has now totally gone into my blood stream and just needs to get used to being there. If it's any consolation I am super sensitive to SSSRI's and always get heightened anxiety with the, whether it be starting them off or increasing a dose but things always do ease off if you can just stick it out and as I was on normal Citalopram 3 times and this is much newer form, I have every faith in it getting me back to how I was this time last year: PERFECT!!!!! Hope you will be ok (: I absolutely hate feeling like this, all nervy but hopefully it will all soon be a bad memory again really soon. Keep in touch won't you x

[Cocomademoiselle]

Hi, the first time I took Cipralex I had no start up effects so was very encouraged by this. Started at 10mg and had to go up to 20mg 2 years down the line, again fine. I trusted it and new it worked so had every faith in it. This time im back on it I expected everything to be the same easy start up etc quick results, what I found was I felt worse ?! I panicked OMG its not going to work this time around, im going to be stuck in anxiety forever and also depression, I thought I was going mad, horrible thoughts, wanting to die. Anyway, went back on 10mg for one week, I thought eff it Im gonna go up to 20mg quickly mainly because I Wanted to get it in my system as quickly as possible. I did feel worse for about 2 weeks was confused as the first time I remember it working very, very quickly. I had a horrible weekend awful, but Monday I was at work and I felt "ok" ?! I didnt want to hope but I actually felt ok. The next day was ok and today is ok so far apart from being late for work due to snow but what can you do. My doc said it takes 4-6 weeks to feel better and get full benefit. When people say "you will feel worse before you get better" you just hear the feel worse and think it wont go away, but it can and will.

[karenp]

So encouraging, thank you so much. And so so glad you are feeling so much better xxx

[karenp]

How are you today Nixe??? I hope your side effects of increasing are dying down a little now (: I'm supposed to due an increase but want to give it another couple of days until I am over a cold and I have stocked up on sedatives (wimp, ha ha)

[Danielsun]

It's been exactly one week now since I upped my escitalopram dose from 15mg to 20mg - it's been a bit of a nightmare so far and no end in sight yet...
I wonder if I should prepare myself for another 4weeks of this terrible anxiety before relief kicks in?
How are the rest of you doing wrt side effects/anxiety from upping your dosage?
(I guess it would help to know i'm not suffering alone)