Restarting Escitalopram-same side effects as first go?

[Barbarydove4]

Hello there,
I'm a new member of this forum-I've been reading bits & bobs for years but never wanted to "have a voice"...but here I am!

First a thanks and a virtual hug to everyone out there with this illness...and your everyday battles. The words & encouragement to eachother is very inspiring and has lifted a littler corner of the heavy rock that is anxiety, off my life now & then.

I've a mix of a phobia and panic...it started really when I lost my Dad through suicide and I really became afraid rather than sad. I started having panic attacks on trains, etc, and soon started the classic avoidance stratedgy (oh that pesky avoidance!!)had taken hold. I'm a sort of nervous person anyway and tend to lose my appetite when stressed , so I started hating the nausea feeling when anxious & it would all turn itself inside out...

Anyway with two pregnancies later -both of which I had hyperemesis..I developed a fear of being sick..and nausea I suppose. Being anxious was not good as this is what my main symptom is-digestive upset. It soon developed into me not being able to work, not travelling anywhere and not even going to someones house for a cup of tea!

I reckon around three years ago it was my GP who referred mt for CBT, i had had it before and was not good, but this time my therapist was amazing..and after a year of therapy I still wasnt fully fledged but able enough I think-to carry on. I had been put on escitalopram which have worked for me at 15mg, but have recently been taken off them....and this is where its at for me....Today I'm back on them,5mg, having started having full blown anxiety again ...and wondering if the side effects will be the same as when I started? Nausea,insomnia etc,.? is it as bad the 2nd (or 3rd) time round?) I had been off them 4weeks....but am moving house in 4 weeks time and going on holiday 4 days after that!! Help!

Can anyone give me info on what to expect?

Thank you XXX

[alwaysanxious]

Hi there, I suffer panic disorder and anxiety, my doc took me off meds last year. But 8 months later had to go back on them, from experiance its my 4th time on meds always the same ones escitalipram, and yes I still got heightened anxiety and all the crapyness tha comes with it... its my second month on 10 mg after having started a month on 5mg now on 10mg, im slowey getting better. And I dont care if I stay on them for life,, I never ever want to experiance anxiety and panic like I did the past 2 months.i hope u start to feel better soon just go with it takes about 4 weeks to feel a difference. Hope this helps.

Take care lisa. Xx

[karenp]

I'm not expert but after 4 weeks the Cipralex probs has totally come out of your system huns so it will be like starting from scratch again. Hope you soon feel so much better again, I have a fear of being sick too ever since I was sick 24/7 having my little boy. Luckily I am not a sickly person but when I do get vomiting I always panic now, it's horrible. No one likes being sick I know but I know I have a prob.
Lisa, glad to hear you are starting to feel a bit better, I have gone up to 15mg's and feel great!!! I barely noticed the increase too, I think I had 2 days of feeling slightly nervous and headachey and sleepy and that was it...so much better xxx

[Barbarydove4]

Hi there, thanks for your replies & advice,Sorry to hear you have the sickness hatred Karenp - it is quite nasty, especially having to go through pregnancy - it helped me by using CBT techniques to challenge my fears quite a lot.
I'm on Day Three of returning to Escit and it is less traumatic than expected, even after 4 weeks... I have actually slept two nights in a row...woop! Side effects are there but I would definately say much less than when I first went on them...surely they can't stay in your system for that long!
I too was on 15mg dose for over 2 years and it did me wonders... Side effects yes but worth it. Lisa I agree - so much better to be on escit-even a smaller dose could be useful!
Thanks again -it's so nice to have joined ....should've done it years ago!!!
Xxx