Anxiety Symptoms worsen after increase dose in Cipralex

[supermario42]

Hi group,

This is my first post. I have had bad anxiety for about 4 months. I have been on Cipralex for about 7 weeks. My initial side effects were bad, and I was off work for 4 weeks. I was feeling pretty good until I went back to work. :-(

My GP suggests I up my dose to 20mg from 10mg. So I have had two dose increases and it seems that some of the initial side effects are back, like tight jaw, jittery, nervous, feeling dreadful in the am, etc. Is this expected when increasing a dose? It seems like I feel similar to when I first went on the Cipralex 7 weeks ago.

Maybe I should start with 15mg for a week or so and ramp up to 20mg?

As you can probably relate, having increased physical symtoms seems to create more mental symptoms and get my mind going negative again/more.

Any thoughts, advice or encouragement? Will I have to endure nasty side effects again until things settle?

Thanks

SM42

[kconnors]

Hi,

Welcome to the board . . .

I am not familiar with the med personally, but I called a fried who was on Cipralex for about a year or so . . . she suggested that a more gradual increase might be better as she had similar experiences to yours. She was working from home at the time so she could pick and choose when she worked but she said that she felt that she was on high alert for about 2 months and then she felt that the drug had lost its effectiveness . . . after the year, she decided to stop the drug . . . .

You are correct that the physical symptoms increase the anxiety and the anxiety increases the physical symptoms . . . .during my worse moments of anxiety, I really felt like a rat on a treadmill . . . as for advice, hers was a gradual increase and even longer than a week (which your prescribing doctor may not like) and if the side effects do not disappear, to make sure to go back to the prescribing doctor because it may not be the right med for you in the long run. She eventually used meditation, eating, exercise, distraction, and sleep after she left Cipralex and found that this process, although not a quick fix, benefited her more than the meds . . . but, everyone is individual so you need to judge accordingly . . .

Thanks for sharing your experience . . . please, whenever you can, let us know how things go for you . . . we are always interested in learning from experiences of others and appreciate you joining the group . . .take care, kc

[supermario42]

Thanks for the reply kconnors,

So I have had the following increased doses now, 20, 15 and 15. I'll do 15mg again tonight. The symptoms aren't so bad today, they are most problematic in the AM. Which seems common for anxiety and depression sufferers. Mornings are bad for me, but then as the day goes on I feel better.

the doc says I should exercise in the AM, but it's hard with kids and all, and jogging in the snow and in the dark is not much fun, but...if it helps ditch this nervousness then that is motivation.

I am learning meditation as well, and I am working through the Anxiety and Phobia work book, and also reading some Eckart Tolle.

I find staying busy and active helps, getting out and getting going, live in the moment, etc.

I'll post again and a few days.

[supermario42]

OK, so I took another 15mg last night. I slept pretty good, I take my dose at about 9:30pm, it tends to make me drowsy and fall asleep around 11:00. I was jittery and a bit nervous in the AM, but not so much that I couldn't function. Strange, my mood is more or less up beat, but there are these side effects, like jitteryness and nervousness that feel like anxiety, one must learn to know the difference I think. Still, it was a bit hard to get going on my PB on toast.

It's a holiday here in Canada (at least the more civilized parts) so I took my dog and daughter to the park, then I took my daughter toboggining, I pulled my daughter up the hill to get more exercise, later I chopped a little wood. Nothing like some exercise, your children, fresh air and the sun to make you feel alive.

Tomorrow when I'm feeling down at work I'll remember today. I'll remember that happiness can be a state of mind, and I'll try not to let work get me down.

I think I'll try 20mg tonight again.

[supermario42]

Quick update: I have had two nights of doses of 20mg. Most of the side effects of the increase are gone.

At this point I'm feeling and sleeping pretty good. Still some morning anxiety, but it's tolerable.

I have been on Cipralex 8.5 weeks now and I would say that I am happy with it and that it is definitely helping me.

Before Cipralex I was a nervous wreck only getting 3-4 hours sleep, couldn't work, cold hands and feet, chest and stomach pain, couldn't eat, always need to pee, anti-social, and always diarrhea.

Its nice to be able to cope again!

SP42

[kconnors]

Hi,

So pleased that things worked out for you . . .it is indeed such a relief to reclaim your life, no?

Well done and thanks for the update . . .take care, kc