I've been on Cipralex for 4yrs or so now (15mg) - so long ago I can't actually remember when I started. Some of the side-effects mentioned here are ones I experience too. The brain zaps are quite something. It can sometimes take missing a couple of doses before they hit but when they do they are pretty crazy. My brain also "aches" after a missed dose or two - not really a headache - but just off. I've found with Cipralex my short term memory is completely shot and I have a lot of problems with focus and concentration. Exhaustion is also pretty typical - 5hr energy shots help for this non-coffee drinker on that front. Sleep can also be elusive. I find Melatonin helps with that and for rough periods my former doctor prescribed me some sleeping pills. Not ideal but I keep their use strictly in check (maybe 1 or 2 a month) when I just really need to sleep. My new doctor has told me he won't prescribe those for me again - probably a good idea in the end. I haven't had any nausea, heart rate or thirst side effects though I do sweat a lot more!
When I went on the meds I was deep in depression - barely functional - so the side effects for the first year or two were worth being able to live and work and have joy and excitement again. So for me the meds haven't leveled off my emotions, rather they've allowed me to feel again. I can still get very happy and very sad in the moment, but the major depressive symptoms are gone. All that being said, the side effects have taken a bit of a toll. My work has suffered from my concentration issues and the tiredness and short term memory hits are starting to wear on me. I've also had periods lately where the meds efficacy seems to drop and the depression symptoms are a bit stronger. I don't know if this is normal but hope to either talk to my family doctor or a mental health practitioner soon about it and whether it may be time to try a different medication.
I have been on Cipralex (10mg) for about one year now. Whenever I miss a dose I can feel it right away. I get little brain zaps I like to call them, almost like a chill or a shudder and it originates in my head and then spreads through my body. One time when I didnt have access to my medication for a while I had moments of memory loss during these zaps. I can always tell when I need to take the pill because I will feel a small zap, I don't need to set an alarm to actually take it because my body tells me. It is so strange.
Also, I find that it makes me extremely tired. My doctor suggested to switching it to nighttime (right now I take it in the morning), but for some reason it made me on edge to take it at night and it made me feel like it wasn't working properly. I did not feel like myself the next day when I started taking it at night. I usually just work through the tiredness, or I take a nap in the afternoon if I have the time. I now need about 9 hours of solid sleep to feel OK, whereas before I was good with 6 or less a night.
One other side effect I have is the fact that I am not as perky or funny any more. That sounds kind of stupid to say, but I used to have pretty big ups and downs and part of my crazy personality. Now I am more calm, and level headed but it has taken away the JOY I used to feel, and much of the sadness too. It's tough because it has helped me out a lot, but it has made me less happy and less depressed at the same time. I am sort of just coasting in the middle. I am content all the time generally speaking. I stopped taking it at one point because I was frustrated with the idea that I don't feel as "in love" any more and I don't feel as engaged in anything I do anymore because I don't care as much now. But as it turns out I do really need it as the quality of my life has improved quite a bit with it regardless of these things. The lows were too much for me to handle, so I had to sacrifice some of the other better things too so I could feel OK.
I have been on cipralex for a year now. I am on 20 mg and i notice that when you try a new medication, we tend to feel anxious about the outcome of the medication. At least that is what happened with me and it took 2 weeks for my body to adjust to the medication. The only side-effect I had was some mild nausea and it went away with time.
Keep track of the side-effects on a daily basis and speak to your doctor about it.
I am glad to hear your mood seems to be improving. Sorry to hear about the side effects though. When it comes to medical questions related to symptoms it is important to talk to your Doctor or pharmacist. Especially when it comes to symptoms related to the heart; please see a Doctor to ensure everything is ok.
I finally got some help from a doctor (overcoming the stigma of actually admitting that I needed it) and am on Cipralex. 5 mg dosage for my first week, and then up to 10 mg. I'm almost done the first week, and I have to say I've felt so much better already - it's easier for me to unlatch from my ruminations, which were essentially destroying any chance I had with happiness. I'm also able to "go with the flow" a lot more, which is a total 180 from my usual anal, aggressive temperament (because I used to feel like if I can't control a person or situation, clearly the world is going to fall apart around me and I'm going to get terribly hurt in the process).
Anyways, even just on the 5 mg dosage I've experienced some crazy side effects: EXTREME nausea, my skin feels "fuzzy" and I'm so, so thirsty. I've also experienced a very rapid heart rate, leading me almost into a panic attack a couple times and going so far as to affect my hearing and vision.
In other people's experience with Cipralex, is this normal?
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