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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by whitecat on July 23, 2003, at 11:56:42
hi, can you please tell me if cipramil helps against shyness? i'm taking it since today. i'm not depressed, i do have sometimes panic attacks (i have bad heartburns and can't talk), but my main problem is that i'm extremely shy. do you think cipramil will help?
thanks
Posted by jonh kimble on July 23, 2003, at 13:43:33
In reply to cipramil and shyness, posted by whitecat on July 23, 2003, at 11:56:42
cipramil's an ssri and they are used to treat really strong cases of shyness. i think they help around 50% to 60% of people, and they take about 2 to 3 weeks to start working. it might work, it might not. if doesnt, dont worry theres plenty more to try. most people (including myself) find the med clonazepam helps, not that its always most effective, but it works in just about everybody, although the dose might really vary. but some doctors dont like to prescribe it because they think it can be addictive. also try behavioral therapy (ask your doctor about this one)i hope things work out, i know how distressing it can be and how little most people understand about being really shy.
Posted by whitecat on July 23, 2003, at 15:40:54
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness, posted by jonh kimble on July 23, 2003, at 13:43:33
jonh, thank you very much.
Posted by Iluve on July 24, 2003, at 14:03:31
In reply to cipramil and shyness, posted by whitecat on July 23, 2003, at 11:56:42
Hi whitecat
I've been on cipramil (20mg) for a month now, and it's working great for me! I'm a very shy person with a lot of anxieties- verging on social phobia. I find that now when I am around people (especially ones I don't know) that I am a lot calmer & more relaxed. I don't get so worried or anxious when I realize that I am going to have to talk to strangers. This used to be a BIG problem for me, especially since I've been living in Norway where they speak a language I don't know so well. I'm originally from Canada, so I'm used to english and am VERY SHY when it comes to speaking in norwegian to any norwegian people! :)
Anyways, I still get a little bit nervous, but it's a LOT better than it used to be. I can handle it quite easily, whereas before I used to get really scared & feel really embarassed.So, hopefully it will work as well for you! Good Luck!!!
Posted by whitecat on July 26, 2003, at 3:16:13
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness, posted by Iluve on July 24, 2003, at 14:03:31
> Hi whitecat
>
> I've been on cipramil (20mg) for a month now, and it's working great for me! I'm a very shy person with a lot of anxieties- verging on social phobia. I find that now when I am around people (especially ones I don't know) that I am a lot calmer & more relaxed. I don't get so worried or anxious when I realize that I am going to have to talk to strangers. This used to be a BIG problem for me, especially since I've been living in Norway where they speak a language I don't know so well. I'm originally from Canada, so I'm used to english and am VERY SHY when it comes to speaking in norwegian to any norwegian people! :)
> Anyways, I still get a little bit nervous, but it's a LOT better than it used to be. I can handle it quite easily, whereas before I used to get really scared & feel really embarassed.
>
> So, hopefully it will work as well for you! Good Luck!!!
>
>
hi!
i'm so glad to receive such encouraging responces especially because my doc said "ok' i'll give you cipramil (i asked for it), but it won't help you cause your real problem is that you are very-very shy". BUT: i have terrible side effects till now (i already posted my question about that): i'm taking it for 4 days and all this time i have fever and i'm totally exhausted. so i'm even thinking to stop. yesterday an hour after taking the pill (20 mg) going upstairs was very hard job for me (2 floor). and i'm shy to call my doc and ask for something else - say, klonopin - cause he was against drags for the first place.. fear of rejection, you know..
Posted by Iluve on July 26, 2003, at 6:39:33
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness, posted by whitecat on July 26, 2003, at 3:16:13
Don't worry too much about the fever & dizzyness (unless it gets out of hand!). It's likely just the side effects of your body adjusting to the Cipramil. Hopefully it'll go away soon. I don't think you should stop taking Cipramil until you know for sure it doesn't work, which means that you need to take it for at least a month. If it doesn't seem to help by then, then you can talk to your doctor (who, I promise, won't think badly of you at all- s/he only cares about helping you) about going back off of Cipramil. That you have to do VERY slowly. Lowering the dose little bit by little bit, over a long period of time.
So hang in there- it's tough, but I if you can just make it to the 2-3week mark, I bet you'll find that it's started to help you!
Posted by Francesco on July 26, 2003, at 7:19:03
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness, posted by Iluve on July 26, 2003, at 6:39:33
if cipramil doesn't work i could have a couple of suggestion. even shiness was not my main problem I found that prozac made me more confident and was easier for me to talk with people and so on.moreover since shyness is kind of anxiety every anxyiolitic med can help (only as it the effect lasts of course). anyway my experience whit celexa was horrible. I was not shy but I don't care of anything. best whishes
Posted by whitecat on July 26, 2003, at 23:08:06
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness, posted by Francesco on July 26, 2003, at 7:19:03
> if cipramil doesn't work i could have a couple of suggestion. even shiness was not my main problem I found that prozac made me more confident and was easier for me to talk with people and so on.moreover since shyness is kind of anxiety every anxyiolitic med can help (only as it the effect lasts of course). anyway my experience whit celexa was horrible. I was not shy but I don't care of anything. best whishes
hi Francesco, thank you for your responce, but i didn't fully understand what exactly was horrible with celexa? that you felt you don't care of anything? or something else too? please answer
thank you
Posted by francesco on July 27, 2003, at 14:00:23
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness » Francesco , posted by whitecat on July 26, 2003, at 23:08:06
Hi Whitecat the problem was that I was very dumb and sleepy all day long and I slept 12 hours per night. the worst thing was that I became apathethic (doing one thing or another was the same for me) and I didn't enjoy anything anymore. hope my experience will help you. let me know and best wishes.
Posted by whitecat on July 27, 2003, at 14:20:58
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness » whitecat, posted by francesco on July 27, 2003, at 14:00:23
Posted by whitecat on September 20, 2003, at 15:56:08
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness » whitecat, posted by francesco on July 27, 2003, at 14:00:23
> Hi Whitecat the problem was that I was very dumb and sleepy all day long and I slept 12 hours per night. the worst thing was that I became apathethic (doing one thing or another was the same for me) and I didn't enjoy anything anymore. hope my experience will help you. let me know and best wishes.
Hi, hope you will see this. I just want to tell you and others the whole story, sorry for my English, it's not my mother tongue.
So it's 2 months since I'm taking celexa for social phobia (I think it's SP, not just shyness). I'm actually tappering it off and now taking only about 2.5 mg each 36-38 hours. My experience was just horrible. I started 20 mg, but felt so bad after 2 weeks (one of my first SE was fever that continued 9 days) that I lowered the dose till only 10 mg, then rised it slowly and after a month (since the beginning) I finally was able to take 20 mg. I think that may be it did help a little after a month, I felt a little more free with people, but I even couldn't check if it really worked cause the place I suffer most from my SP is work, with bosses and other people judgment (my fear of it), and I just lost my job to weeks into celexa. I lost it mainly because my SP problem, I'm sure. I lost several jobs in my life because of it.
The side effects of the drug were just awfull. The worst of my SE I began to experience only about after a month: I realized I couldnt stand trips in transport anymore be it a bus or a car. It did me an awful headache and nausea. The second one was that I couldn't orgasm. I also was extremely tired and just felt ILL all the time and needed 12 hours of sleep per night, just like you (lucky me ;):, I didn't have to get up to work in the morning!). So now I'm almost off it, feel energetic and healthy again, but... My SP is here as it always was (when on celexa too). I want to try nardil, but as I understand from the posts here it's a "tough" drug. I'm not scared because of the diet, just of more side effects. That's all hope you and others will read it. I know that all the buzz about celexa is already in the past, but it's my first drug and I'd really want to hear some suggestions. Thank you and all who respond.
Posted by francesco on September 20, 2003, at 17:48:17
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness » francesco, posted by whitecat on September 20, 2003, at 15:56:08
Hi Whitecat, sorry for what happened. I quit Celexa just like you about two months ago because of side effects. If your main problem is social phobia I think MAOIs are worth of a trial since they're considered first-line treatment for SP. Reading the posts it doesn't seem side-effects are so bad and I got the impression the Parnate is easier to tolerate than Nardil ... a lot of people seem to tolerate MAOIs very well, so I hope you'll be one of them. Let us know and best wishes
P.S.
I would like to try MAOIs too for my ADHD but the only one available in my country is a compound linking Parnate and an antipsychotic, therefore I'm quite doubtful about it. Anyway I think I'm going to try it in the future ... I don't have SP but I tend to be social phobic when I'm on meds ... when I told this to a psychiatrist he suggested Parnate, so I think you're on the right way. Stay well !
Posted by whitecat on September 21, 2003, at 1:21:42
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness » whitecat, posted by francesco on September 20, 2003, at 17:48:17
> Hi Whitecat, sorry for what happened. I quit Celexa just like you about two months ago because of side effects. If your main problem is social phobia I think MAOIs are worth of a trial since they're considered first-line treatment for SP. Reading the posts it doesn't seem side-effects are so bad and I got the impression the Parnate is easier to tolerate than Nardil ... a lot of people seem to tolerate MAOIs very well, so I hope you'll be one of them. Let us know and best wishes
>
> P.S.
> I would like to try MAOIs too for my ADHD but the only one available in my country is a compound linking Parnate and an antipsychotic, therefore I'm quite doubtful about it. Anyway I think I'm going to try it in the future ... I don't have SP but I tend to be social phobic when I'm on meds ... when I told this to a psychiatrist he suggested Parnate, so I think you're on the right way. Stay well !Hi Francesco, thanx for the post. I think I'll ask the doc for Nardil, going to see her in a month. I'm not sure Parnate is available in this country. I'd prefer to take Parnate because I've read it doesn't causes sexual side effects. Anyway, hope my new doc will be better then the former one (when I called him a week after I started to take Celexa he even didn't ask how I feel. About my fever he said "It can't be, there is no such a side effect". A day after that I found in the net that THERE IS such a side effect).
Ok, thanx once again and FEEL GOOD!
Whitecat
Posted by Francesco on September 21, 2003, at 14:08:35
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness » francesco, posted by whitecat on September 21, 2003, at 1:21:42
I can sympathize with your experience. When I tried Prozac last month my depression worsened (very much). I told doctor I was more depressed (I could barely talk, I was like dead) and he said: "you can't be more depressed, Prozac is an antidepressant". Of course "depression worsening" is one of the possible side-effects ... Last week I (re)started Anafranil and I had a very bad fever for which I had to take antibiotics. It's not the first time it happens so I'm quite sure it's related with meds. Stay well and let us know how it's going on ! best wishes
Posted by whitecat on September 22, 2003, at 1:41:45
In reply to Re: cipramil and shyness » whitecat, posted by Francesco on September 21, 2003, at 14:08:35
This is the end of the thread.
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