Stress Center Peer Support

Hi,

I've been going through assessment for my anxiety problems and a doctor at the clinic prescribed Cipralex for me. First 5mg for a week and then increase to 10mg. I'm planning to start tomorrow, but I was hoping to get a bit of support here.

I've taken Citalopram, Venlafaxine and Sertraline before and the first and last one had bad side effects. I'm so uncertain about taking the medicine, but I have no choice. My country's healthcare system works so that if I say no to medication in addition to therapy, the social security will not pay for the treatment and I have to go private, which I can't really afford as I'm not working at the moment. I just find it so cruel that I have to take the medicine. At the same time I've considered anyway before because we've done a lot of travelling and moving around recently and I've had loads of stressful events happen in my life and as I'm not working as well my anxiety's got quite a bit worse during the last few months.

I've just been diagnosed OCD and anxiety. They're still going to double check I don't have anything else, but I'm sure they're not going to find anything else. Can anyone tell about how well this medicine has helped with obsessive thoughts (I've got loads) and anxiety.

Do you think that by taking the medication I could get more out of Lucinda's program? I'm working on a separate OCD program as well in a book called Stop Obsessing - How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions. I've done Lucinda's program before and it helped very well until I found out that my partner had not told me the truth about everything as I was too anxious (and yes, I got always a panic attack when he tried to tell me the things that caused me anxiety - my anxiety and OCD is around this subject). At the same time my mother in law was really rude to me constantly and I slipped slowly but surely back in that hole. I'm also scared the not telling the truth thing will happen again and if I get well, I'd find out something more. He claims he's told me the whole truth about everything and it's ok, but I have my doubts because of previous lying. I feel I'm not getting anymore anything out of the program. I'm on it for the 2nd time and on the 7th lesson.

Anyway, if you could tell comments about the medicine and how it's supported other people going through the program. Thank you.

Cipralex is Lexapro which is similar to Citalopram (Celexa). They are very similar but becuase one did not agree with you doesn't mean the other will do the same. I am curios why they didn't prescribe Effexor(venlaxaphine)since you didn't mention having bad side effects? Yes, I may help using the med with the program. And also remember, if you try the med and have side effects which are not tolerable, you can stop them and see your doctor. The choice is yours. One thing, how do they know you actually took the medication? Do they do a blood test?

Hi Silvana1968,

Thank you for your post.

One of the options the doctor had was prescribing Effexor(venlaxaphine)again, but she decided that we'll first try another one.

I will certainly stop the medicine and see the doctor if I get too many problems with it. They don't know for sure that I took the medicine. I will need to check if any details about picking it up from the pharmacy will go to the doctors, but they don't do blood tests or anything. I will probably try it first anyway to see if I get help from it. If not, I guess I'll just pretend to be taking it since they don't give me the options not to take it, but I'll give it a go first. After all I'm not doing too well at the moment anyway.

Thank you.