Escitalopram warning

[StevenN]

I know there are those who claim it's a wonder drug and I'm happy that it works for them.

I feel a certain civic responsibility to post my experience with this drug: I saw a specialist (£250) who prescribed this to me yesterday (£20 for six weeks). A couple of hours after taking my first dose I experienced the most severe and unrelenting anxiety that has completely derailed my brain after weeks of calming it down. I feel I'm back at square 1. Worried that I have weeks of hell ahead of me (again).

[steveo]

Hi Steven.

Have you ever been on an SSRI before?

Why did this cost you £20 for 6 weeks? Was it a private prescription? You can get it from your GP.

What dose did you take?

It's known that increased anxiety is a start up side effect when starting AD meds but I think that severe and unrelenting anxiety only a couple of hours after taking a first dose is mostly psychological.

I wouldn't call this a wonder drug either. No anti depressant is a wonder drug. Infact there are 2 schools of thought on this drug. One of those schools of thoughts is that it's no different to Citalopram and the reason that the drug company came up with Escitalopram was because it's 10 year patent was due to come up so it came up with this new drug which it claimed to be purer with less side effects to give it another 10 years.
I've used both drugs, and both do cause side effects. To be honest I'm not sure I see a difference between the 2.

Anti Depressants drugs take weeks and weeks to be effective and always will give you a bad couple of weeks of terrible side effects. I'm on my 46th day of this drug and still don't feel great.

Don't expect miracles and don't expect to wake up one day with the dark clouds lifted and anxiety free. That won't happen. It's such a slow slow process you will probably never notice.

[StevenN]

Thanks for your reply Steveo. I have been on SSRI's before. Yes, it was a private prescription. My GP said it 'wasn't on the list' so she couldn't prescribe it to me.

I did indeed feel unbearably anxious after a few hours on a small dose. Probably was a psychological thing. Am seeing a psychiatrist about all this. Kinda worried I'll never feel normal again.

Hi Steven.

Have you ever been on an SSRI before?

Why did this cost you £20 for 6 weeks? Was it a private prescription? You can get it from your GP.

What dose did you take?

It's known that increased anxiety is a start up side effect when starting AD meds but I think that severe and unrelenting anxiety only a couple of hours after taking a first dose is mostly psychological.

I wouldn't call this a wonder drug either. No anti depressant is a wonder drug. Infact there are 2 schools of thought on this drug. One of those schools of thoughts is that it's no different to Citalopram and the reason that the drug company came up with Escitalopram was because it's 10 year patent was due to come up so it came up with this new drug which it claimed to be purer with less side effects to give it another 10 years.
I've used both drugs, and both do cause side effects. To be honest I'm not sure I see a difference between the 2.

Anti Depressants drugs take weeks and weeks to be effective and always will give you a bad couple of weeks of terrible side effects. I'm on my 46th day of this drug and still don't feel great.

Don't expect miracles and don't expect to wake up one day with the dark clouds lifted and anxiety free. That won't happen. It's such a slow slow process you will probably never notice.

[karenp]

Hi Steven, I cannot believe your doctor made you pay for a private prescription as I get it no probs from my GP! And they also actually put you on the therapeutic dose right away and then upped the meds so fast to what I do think is an high dose. I'm only on 10mg's and it's taken me ages to get to that level as I also react terribly to SSSRI start up so only started out on 2.5mg's and worked my way up.
The good thing is, you should get over your side effects and hopefully start getting better at least sooner being on the dose you are (: The side effects will ease off so you just try and hang in on there but it is a slow drug to work in my experience but has worked wonders for me all in all.
I would def query why other people are getting it on the NHS though. All the best of luck, Karen x

Ps.Stevo how are you feeling any better at all yet???

[StevenN]

Thanks for your reply karenp.

My GP was adamant that I couldn't get it on the NHS. The specialist put me on 10mgs right away. The next three days were so indescribably awful, I've not been able to continue on them.

It's nice of you to ask how i'm feeling. Unfortunately not any better. It's costing me a fortune in lost work and phycologist and psychiatrist bills to try and get to the root of the problem. I feel I'm running out of options and above all hope. I'm told I will feel better soon. I'm trying to cling to that.

How are you doing?

Hi Steven, I cannot believe your doctor made you pay for a private prescription as I get it no probs from my GP! And they also actually put you on the therapeutic dose right away and then upped the meds so fast to what I do think is an high dose. I'm only on 10mg's and it's taken me ages to get to that level as I also react terribly to SSSRI start up so only started out on 2.5mg's and worked my way up.
The good thing is, you should get over your side effects and hopefully start getting better at least sooner being on the dose you are (: The side effects will ease off so you just try and hang in on there but it is a slow drug to work in my experience but has worked wonders for me all in all.
I would def query why other people are getting it on the NHS though. All the best of luck, Karen x

Ps.Stevo how are you feeling any better at all yet???

[karenp]

10mg was way too high to start off on, I know people do but I couldn't have hacked that dose at all. I had to start off on 2-50mg.
I have just ben to my GP and got my prescription defo on the NHS so maybe it's a case of the old post code lottery...so sorry you couldn't tolerate Escitalopram any how and good luck with whatever they put you on next. You will get better, I know it doesn't seem like it but this thing will go away one day, I have had 4 melt downs now and have come through each and every one of them xxx

[StevenN]

Thanks for your reply karenp. My GP has now prescribed me Sertraline. I've heard good things about it but we'll see.

Sorry to hear you've had 4 meltdowns. Sounds awful.

10mg was way too high to start off on, I know people do but I couldn't have hacked that dose at all. I had to start off on 2-50mg.
I have just ben to my GP and got my prescription defo on the NHS so maybe it's a case of the old post code lottery...so sorry you couldn't tolerate Escitalopram any how and good luck with whatever they put you on next. You will get better, I know it doesn't seem like it but this thing will go away one day, I have had 4 melt downs now and have come through each and every one of them xxx

[karenp]

All the best with Sert. It was the first Ad my gp ever put me on but I swapped to Citalopram as it gave me side effects not knowing back then that they all do, lol! But I hope you get on ok with it and I know it's one of the top ad's they use these days...just remember it ALWAYS gets better...I know 4 melt downs in 10 years all because of a bad marriage but I am out of it now, ha ha and really good again xxxx