JUST STARTED ON CIPRAMIL AND AM TERRIFIED!

[PEACEMAN]

HI ALL,
I HAVE DECIDED TO GO ONTO ANTI DEPRESSANTS FOR MY CHRONIC ANXIETY, THIS HAS TAKEN ME YEARS TO PLUCK THE GUTS UP TO DO AND NOW HAVING TAKEN MY FIRST ONE I AM TERRIFIED OF THE SIDE EFFECTS. I AM ONLY ON 10MG OF CIPRAMIL (SSRI) FOR 1 WEEK AND THEN GO UP TO 20 MG THEREAFTER, I KNOW THIS IS A LOW DOSE BUT CAN ANYONE SHED ANY LIGHT ON THIS DRUG AND ITS EFFECTS GOOD AND BAD, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
PEACEMAN X

[Bronte]

Not sure about this Peaceman, but I thinkit is also known as Prozac. (am I right?)  I was given that, but because I suffer from horrible acid reflux and I was told by my doctor that Prozac can cuase very bad indigestion, I did a straw poll around with some friends who were on it/had been on it and 4 out of 5 agreed that it caused digestive problems, so I passed on that and instead I am on 25mg of Amitriptylin.  I take it before I go to bed and I sleep like a baby - fabulous and I don't know if it's conincidental, but since it has got into me, I no longer seem to have the palpitations or the dizzy spells that I had constantly.
Don't be afraid.  They are to HELP you 
Bronte x

[hydads]

PEACEMAN
I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL.I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM TAKING MEDS ALSO.
MY DOC GAVE ME RISPERDAL AND I WENT HOME AND READ THE SIDE EFFECTS AND COULDNT
GET MYSELF TO TAKE THEM.I HAVE NEVER TAKEN ANY MEDS EVER AND I KNOW I SHOULD HVE BEEN ON THEM SEVERAL TIMES.HE ALSO PRESCRIBED ME KLONOPINS THAT I STARTED CUTTING THE LOWEST DOSE IN HALF
AND TAKING THEM MORN AND NIGHT.AFTER A WEEK I WAS STARTING TO FEEL MUCH BETTER AND MY NIECE HAD TO CALL ME AND TELL ME HOW ADDICTING THEY ARE.WELL I THEN DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT SCARD ME TO
DEATH.  SO NOW I ONLY TAKE THEM WHEN I REALLY NEED 1.I GO BACK TO THE DOC ON FRIDAY AND IF HE GIVES
SOMETHING DIFFERENT I AM JUST GONNA TAKE IT AND HELL WITH THE SIDE EFFECTS  LOL
SO ANYWAY YOUR NOT ALONE.THERES LOTS OF US OUT HERE THAT FEEL THE SAME WAY.
GOOD LUCK AND KEEP US POSTED 

[itsmeesindee]

Peaceman,

I have taken Prozac and other antidepressants  before.  It can be a little rought getting on them but don't give up the side effects go away and so does the anxiety and the awful anxious thoughts.  It was so weird the first time I went on meds, I used to think about all kinds of things that were bothering my body (heart palpatations, different aches and pains) but once the meds started working 100% (4-6 weeks) these thoughts would see come a little but they would just drift away and not bother me.  It felt so good not to be worried all the time.  Using Klonopin often when you are starting the meds does help alot.  I would not worry about getting addicted.  When you start abusing meds like not taking them as prescribed and increasing the dose by yourself, that is when you run in to problems.  But I know people taking low doses for years with no problems.

Ihope this helps.  Just hang in there and it will get better.  Just know if this particular med is not right for you there are many others out there that you can try.  But just keep as postive as you can that they will help.  One thing that helped me was keeping a journal.  I could then look back a week or two and really see the difference in how i was feeling.  The good days start coming more and more often.

Take care,

Cin

[PEACEMAN]

HI CIN AND EVRYONE ELSE THAT KINDLY REPLIED TO ME,
I CANT TELL YOU HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO HAVE ALL YOUR SUPPORT BUT THEN I GUESS WE ARE ALL HERE FOR THAT VERY REASON, HOPE I CAN RETURN THE FAVOUR ONE DAY. I HAVE BEEN ON CIPRAMIL FOR ONLY 3 DAYS ON 10 MG AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I UP THEM TO 20MG NEXT WEEK WILL BE THE REAL TEST FOR ME, I KNOW THE ANXIOUS FEELINGS WILL HAVE TO GET WORSE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER BUT HAVING READ YOUR ADVICE I FEEL O.K TO PUSH ON WITH THIS NOW. I TOO AM FEELING TERRIBLE ABOUT PUTTING MY WIFE THROUGH THIS ESPECIALLY AS SHE IS ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH TO OUR FIRST CHILD ANY DAY NOW, I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BUT I KNOW MY BODY CANT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EXCITEMENT AND WORRY AND IT JUST GOES BESERK, TIGHT CHEST, IRRITABLE AND NOW WHEN I SHOULD BE SLEEPING I FEEL WIDE AWAKE. I AM OFF WORK FOR THE WEEK AND JUST HOPE I CAN GO BACK TO WORK WITHOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS SHOWING OR STOPPING ME FROM DOING MY JOB( POSTMAN). ANYWAY I CAN RAMBLE ON A BIT SO I'LL JUST SAY THANKS AND YES I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED. CHEERS.
PEACEMAN X

[itsmeesindee]

Good luck and keep postive thoughts!  Don't for get that your thoughts can make you anxiety worse but the can also make you feel much better.  The funny thing that I do when I am feeling bad is I sing the song "I Feel Good" over and over to myself and pretend  feel better and it helps alot.

Take care,

Cin

[PEACEMAN]

I HAVE REALISED I SAID IT WAS CIPRAMIL I WAS ON BUT ITS CIPRAMOL, IM SURE YOU ALL KNEW THAT ANYWAY.
SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS ACTUALLY PROZAC, BUT MY DOCTOR TOLD ME IT WAS DEFINATELY NOT ADDICTIVE AND I BELIEVED PROZAC TO BE VERY ADDICTIVE, ARE THESE ONE AND THE SAME OR NOT?
PEACEMAN

[itsmeesindee]

I am not sure, but I do know Prozac is not addictive in the abusive sense.  It could however have some withdrawal effects if you suddenly stop taking it.