Jul 20, 2012
(Started Sep 02, 2009)
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Effectiveness
Moderate
(for depression/anxiety/panic attack)
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Side effects
Mild
(for Overall)
(memory problems, dry mouth, deadened emotions, lack of motivation, feeling of disconnection)
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-
Burden
A little hard to take
Dosage:
20 mg
Daily
Advice & Tips:
cipralex was good for my anxiety and depression, and there isn't weight gain with it, so that was a positive... it's just i started to need other medications to help me with my depression and anxiety. I had to keep increasing the cipralex cuz my condition changed a bit, or like it got worse, and the antidepressants alone weren't helping me anymore
Cost:
$50-99 monthly
Side effects:
lack of motivation, memory problems, dry mouth, deadened emotions, feeling of disconnection
Apr 16, 2010
(Started Sep 02, 2009)
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Effectiveness
Major
(for depression/anxiety/panic attack)
-
Side effects
Mild
(for Overall)
(memory problems, dry mouth, deadened emotions, lack of motivation, feeling of disconnection)
-
-
Burden
Not at all hard to take
Dosage:
As needed
Advice & Tips:
i think i've had to go more slowly with taking it, or, mabye my body or system had to take more time to get used to them to begin with, cuz at the beginning, i felt "out of it", spacey, good at times, but also really out of it at times! I was really scared! So I stopped taking any medication for 3 months with a really bad outcome in the end, like i couldn't function, i was irritable and moody, crying, hardly functionable... So I started again in January 2010, having stopped totally at the end of Sept 2009, but I took it every other day instead of every day, at that low dose, 5mg... and then.. after 3 months, like at the end of March 2010, I went to 5mg everyday cuz I was starting to have really huge mood fluctuations, huge ups and downs, pretty much every other day! plus I started very soon at the end of March there to feel NO effects from taking 5mg every other day, so i just listened to my body and my moods, and increased to 5mg every day...I increased to 10mg every other day, alternating with 5mg on April 10 until now. So, i have to listen to my body and monitor my moods to see when and whether to adjust my medication accordingly, I think! I think from my experience that it's better to take the meds regularly though, not every other day yes, and then no, but I guess I had to do that to begin with to get more used to taking the medications, I guess? It's going well for me now :) I'm taking lots of other vitamins and supplements too: a Centrum multivitamin, B complex (100mg day, and 50mg supper), C, D (every other day), magnesium/calcium, zinc, (I'm taking birth control though, so some of the vits and minerals are to help make up for the depletion of some nutrients from taking oral contraceptives), & I'm taking digestive enzymes (that help w breaking down food), and probiotic to restore good bacteria in digestive system and intestines..
An unexpected benefit from taking Cipralex, for me, is weight loss... I think it just helps my body & mind function better, so I just feel better and fitter! (the vits and minerals and enzymes and probiotic probably help with that too).
Overall, I'm feeling really well now taking Cipralex 5 and 10mg alternating every other day - always monitoring how i feel to increase the dosage, or stay at the same dosage) - Cipralex, for now, is really helping with my moods and well-being and functionability.. I'm also using cognitive-behavioural therapy, using "coping statements" to help me deal with specific thoughts that really cause me anxiety! It helps...
Cost:
$50-99 monthly
Side effects:
lack of motivation, memory problems, dry mouth, deadened emotions, feeling of disconnection