My Cipralex Journey

[HypoCanuck]

So after many years of battling anxiety I have now given in and know I need medical help with this. Currently I have not started taking it yet. But over the course of the last year or so I have had 3 doctors tell me I need to take this to feel better. I have done dozens of tests and still feel I have some forum of terminal illness and not getting better.

I just decided to write this out tonight in order to help me proceed with my plan on taking the drug to help me, because tomorrow or the next day if I feel better (usually happens temporary making me think i do not need it) i may not take them.

Currently one of my problems is I have no one really to talk to about this. Over the years I have built up a wall being like ice cold to people and now when i seek help no one really knows what to say or do. My family doesn't know and even my soon to be wife doesn't know what to say. They just say stuff like do what you think is right ect....

I have a sister who has a mental illness and I watched medication ruin her life IMO and I am afraid of this happening to me. Even though over 10 years ago i once took PAXIL and had some good results, although its hard to recall cause i was an alcoholic and drank 10 beer a night to wash down the paxil.

I have since stopped drinking, i no longer smoke (49 days) and I am trying to be a healthy/better person in all respects - I no longer want to hold grudges, I no longer want to be ice cold. I want to find spirituality and happiness and have meaning in my life.

So I have decided I need to take this to help me, but one of my fears is serotonine syndrome which because i have/sometimes take nexium for GERD i heard its not good to take together, so i may have to stop taking that completely. But the doctors do not seem to think its an issue.

SO many fears abut taking it but i plan to take it real slow at 5mg for a while maybe 30 days and then up to 10mg. I do not want to take more then that but i will play it by ear.

Please anyone feel free to post in my thread and offer advise and your story, Over the course to the JOURNEY i of course will share why i am taking it and go into a history, i also plan to seem pschotherapy and deal with past issues.

Wish me Luck

[karenp]

Hi there, I'm Karen and have been on Cipralex just over 3 months at various doses ranging from 2.50mg up to 10mg. I do get blips still but all in all feels so much more normal again and Cipralex, I will be honest and say isn't exactly a picnic to start up on but it's not totally horrible like other ssri's either.
I just think unless you suffer yourself this sort of illness is so hard to understand but you have come to the right place as every one here nows exactly what you are going through or at least what it's like to suffer with either anxiety, depression, ocd whatever. You will find so much support here but always remember everyone is different with how they react to new medications, people sometimes are having real bad days but at other times really great ones so the site will help you a lot just knowing there are people all in the same boat here....when I first took Cipralex I mainly had hot flushing, headaches and a bit of agitation, I also found sleeping hard for a few weeks and still do depending on how stressed I am but it's more or less good now. My side effects all passed really quickly and I left it a good couple of weeks or so before increasing if I felt I still needed to but you seem to have that all worked out well any how and not to rush.
All the very best of luck and we are here if you need any one at all xxxx .Karen xxx

[bab]

Wishing you loads of luck hypo