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Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 3:10 am
by AllyB
Hey Fab
Sorry to try to speak for you & glad that I understood your situation! I just didn't want others to believe that Cipralex would correct balance issues due to ms, as that isn't what it does...If that makes sense?
I think maybe you might have been feeling a little spaced out, light headed or disconnected and that translated to a feeling of not quite being sure-footed and grounded to the earth, so to speak? This kind of floaty feeling is often due to stress, anxiety etc, so th eCipralex would help.
The good news is that your visual issues could be due to other problems, so let's all hope that you don't end up with a diagnosis of ms! But if you do, this is the place to be.
Keep well and try not to worry too much - hard when you don't know what is wrong and the possibilities are not so nice. But I wish you all the best & take care.
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 4:05 am
by Fab
AllyB, is that´s exactly how i was feeling. Like i was floating when walking which makes me say it´s a balance problem.
I described this feeling as a feeling that didn´t need assistence to walk which made this symptom even more strange because from what i know the balance issues with ms unfortunately lead to falls and the use of canes.
This past months since November when i first noticed the binocular diplopia, made me alot worried that i had some major disease which made me even more stressed out. Now i started to had this floaty feeling when i walk which made me think it´s a balance symptom due to ms but since the Cipralex is working maybe i´m really under intense stress.
AllyB no need to be sorry you got that
Anyway i just hope a great treatment or even a cure for MS is in the horizon because no one deserves to have ms.
Take care.
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:46 am
by Fab
I have to update this again.
I´ve been taking the cipralex for about 2 weeks but today i noticed blood after in my excrements after a d*** (sorry about this word).
The blood is bright red and just small amounts nothing major but it got me worried.
Could this be caused by Cipralex? I can´t see any other reason for this...
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:52 am
by jimmylegs
i searched cipralex bloody stool in google and turned up this result:
* Lexapro may cause bleeding in the stomach or intestines. This is risk is increased in those taking aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen. Symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding may include:
o Bright red blood coating the stool
o Dark blood mixed with the stool
o Black or tarry stool
o Bright red blood in vomit
o Vomit that has the appearance of coffee grounds.
If you experience any of these symptoms, call your healthcare provider.
http://depression.emedtv.com/lexapro/le ... nings.html
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:05 am
by Fab
Damm, i´m going to stop it right away.
I don´t know if i can finish cold turkey but got me worried yet again... i will go to the doctor this week to explain the situation.
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 8:41 am
by AllyB
Hey Fab
Don't quit it cold turkey (get nasty withdrawal effects), rather drop to half a tab per day until you see your doc.
Do you take any anti-inflammatories? If not, it could just be a small pile in the rectum where you might not be aware of it, especially if the blood is bright red - this indicates that the bleeding is from the lower large intestine, probably the descending colon or rectum. Dark or tarry-looking blood indicates a bleed higher in the intestine. If it is just a little, don't gettoo scared - just see your doc asap for a check up - he/she can guide you through quitting the Cipralex if necessary, or get to the bottom of the problem with a simple exam. There may be another drug that you can take instead. I have been on Cipralex for over a year, take lots of anti-inflammatories (mainly because of Avonex) and have never had this problem, I don't think it is a common side effect - but get it checked tomorrow if you can.
All the best and let us know what is happening please.
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 8:53 am
by jimmylegs
fab does cipralex treat mainly the emotional facets of having ms, or does it do something else too?
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 9:19 am
by jimmylegs
so i was reading up on cipralex:
How does this medication work? What will it do for me?
Escitalopram belongs to the group of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is used to treat depression. It works by increasing levels of a neurotransmitter called serotonin in the brain. Increased serotonin levels can lead to an improved mood.
coincidentally (here we go again) i have been reading about magnesium and serotonin related to other thisisms-ers sleeping issues. so i googled magnesium serotonin, and depression comes up in the first result:
Depression -Serotonin, which elevates moods, is dependent on magnesium
on to google scholar:
Magnesium-deficient diet alters depression- and anxiety-related behavior in mice—influence of desipramine and Hypericum perforatum extract
Nicolas Singewald, Catrin Sinnera, Alfred Hetzenauera, Simone B. Sartoria and Harald Murck
A relation between magnesium (Mg) status and mood disorders has been suggested, but evidence remains inconsistent. Therefore, we examined in mice whether Mg-depletion would alter behavior evaluated in established animal models of depression and anxiety and whether these effects would be sensitive to antidepressants. Compared to control mice fed with normal diet, mice receiving a low Mg diet (10% of daily requirement) for several weeks displayed increased immobility time in the forced swim test, indicating enhanced depression-like behavior. In addition, the partial Mg-depletion increased anxiety-related behavior in the light/dark and open field test, while locomotor activity or motor coordination was not influenced. Chronic oral administration of desipramine (30 mg/kg/day), or Hypericum extract LI160 (Hyp, 380 mg/kg/day) prevented the “pro-depression-like” forced swim behavior in Mg-depleted mice. Furthermore, the increase in anxiety-related behavior of Mg-depleted mice was abolished in both the open field and light dark test by Hyp. Taken together, we report that Mg-depletion leads to enhanced depression- and anxiety-related behavior in mice, which was further validated by the reversibility of the behavioral changes by known antidepressant and anxiolytic substances. Further, the utility of Mg-depletion as a new screening model for clinically active antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs is suggested.
love that final sentence. am i crazy, or does that mean "we can test whether our pharmaceuticals work by testing them out on magnesium depleted subjects"!!!
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:23 am
by Fab
jimmylegs wrote:fab does cipralex treat mainly the emotional facets of having ms, or does it do something else too?
It´s mainly to treat depression and anxiety. Mind you i don´t have ms (or at least i think so)
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:29 am
by Fab
AllyB wrote:Hey Fab
Don't quit it cold turkey (get nasty withdrawal effects), rather drop to half a tab per day until you see your doc.
Do you take any anti-inflammatories? If not, it could just be a small pile in the rectum where you might not be aware of it, especially if the blood is bright red - this indicates that the bleeding is from the lower large intestine, probably the descending colon or rectum. Dark or tarry-looking blood indicates a bleed higher in the intestine. If it is just a little, don't gettoo scared - just see your doc asap for a check up - he/she can guide you through quitting the Cipralex if necessary, or get to the bottom of the problem with a simple exam. There may be another drug that you can take instead. I have been on Cipralex for over a year, take lots of anti-inflammatories (mainly because of Avonex) and have never had this problem, I don't think it is a common side effect - but get it checked tomorrow if you can.
All the best and let us know what is happening please.
I´m only taking the Cipralex as far as medication goes.
Btw, i just remembered that yesterday while i was working in the airport i pushed a box to put it on the belt with a weight of about 132lbs.
I had to make alot of strength to pull the box from the car trolley onto the belt, maybe i did something to me with this action.
I was so stressed at that moment wanting to send the box to the airplane which was going to depart in a few minutes.
And today i had to take about 50 bags off the belt and had once again to make alot of effort.
So i have two causes to ask my doctor of what may be the bleeding, the cipralex or the excess of effort.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 2:25 am
by Fab
So i`ve gone to the bathroom to evacuate this morning but didn´t noticed any blood. Everything normal.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 5:53 am
by jimmylegs
excellent!
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:42 am
by Fab
jimmylegs wrote:excellent!
Jimmy yes it is
I´ve dropped the Cipralex for two days now so i guess it was caused by it...quite scary though
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:59 am
by MrsGeorge
Be wary of going cold turkey on ad's - I used to be on cipralex and never had your problem. Speak to your gp and see if there is another med.
I found with cipralex that any side effects usually disappear after 2-3 weeks - it takes a while to really settle into your system. is this listed as one of the possible side effects? If not then definitely check it out with your doc cos it may be something else.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 7:08 am
by Fab
Yes, it´s listed as a side effect. Check Jimmylegs post above.
As soon as i noticed the blood i rushed to read Cipralex´s information and there was the side-effect