tips for nausea??

Hi, Im in day 2 of taking escitalopram and Im wondering does anyone have any tips to help beat the nausea? Im terrified to say the least and Id really appreciate any help. thanks

did you try eating before you take your meds?

I went on line and looked up Escitalopram...nausea is one of the common side effects. escitalopram seems to be related to several other drugs but a cleaner version. If you have been taking it for only a few days, I would give it at least three weeks to work out the kinks. At that point if you are still suffering from naseau...go and complain to your doc until he does something. After all you want your mind to be stable but your body should not suffer for it...take some time to get some info on the meds you take. No one seems to offer the info when they hand you the pill...it is up to you to be informed. You take care...thoughts are with you...Mojo. (ps...try taking with a glass of milk)

Some times a sip or two of gingerale or a carbonated beverage helps.

Have you tried ginger tea or "Gravol" ginger tablets?

Hi bob101,

I posted an answer to your same question over in the anxiety forum , but thought I’d leave it here for you too...

I don’t know anything about escitalopram and I’m not sure what can and cannot be mixed with it. If you’re interested in a natural source, ginger anything is wonderful for nausea. I swear by ginger tea, candy, and even the raw root for my own nausea issues. I don’t think it would react weird with your med but I’d definitely run it by your doc just to be safe. Best of luck with it all and I hope you feel better soon.

Take care. ~ Bee

Thanks so much guys - really do appreciate the replies. just terrified i will be sick/vomit (phobia).

hey
i have a vomiting phobia myself and while ginger and such helps for mild nausea, it may not help with drug side effect induced nausea.

and if you have a phobia about it, hearing 'it will go away in a few weeks" isn't much help...it's actually the worst thing in the world!!!

i don't understand how anyone can function at all when feeling nauseated, so i've asked my doctor for some prescription anti-nausea drugs to take along with things that make me feel bad.
my advice would be to explain this to your doctor and see if they will give you something to make the symptoms better.

thank u ruby - its horrible isnt it. and so frighteneing. I asked my doc doc and she said there was nothing i could take as its nausea due to drugs. THere is an anti-sickness drug here called metoclopromide but unfortunately u cannot take it with SSRI's. Thanks for ur post - it reaally is awful to hear "it will go away in a few weeks" yes.

Good health to you.

Hi Bob,
Peppermint works for nausea. Get a piece of hard candy and suck on it.

Ask your pdoc for some phenergan. It is an anti-nausea medication and won't interfere with what you're taking.

I feel for you. I never want to throw up either!
Best,
Okie

Compazine does wonders for drug caused nausea and vomiting. I do use gingerale too though. Yes, peppermint, I had forgotten about that Saltine crackers might also help. While I'm thinking about it, try using natural digestive enzymes... I take this to eliminate heartburn and acid reflux etc... as my system no longer makes enough of the digestive enzymes on it's own. Maybe the drug you're taking is upsetting that balance in your stomach too? They are easy to find (and they are the same ones/names as your body should make: protease, amalase, and lipase. You can find them always in the health food store, and sometimes the grocery mart.

Feel better soon. (((Hugs)))

A regular piece of Peppermint Candy always helps me out when my stomach is upset...... either from meds, food or IBS.

thanks so much for the replies guys. Im still struggling and I feel so ill - doing the bland foods and the peppermint etc. Went back to doc and was told to stick with it - i just dont how long i can go on like this Im so miserable.

there is a drug called promethezine....i believe in europe you can get it with out a prescription. (lucky bastards!!!) which is very helpful for nausea. it makes you sleepy though.
i can't beleive the doctor didn't give you anything for it.
they just truly don't understand how bad and scary it is for some people.
i came back here to see how you were doing.
medicine induced nausea needs strong stuff to make it go away.

Thanks for that Ruby lizard - I have been feeling horrid but in the last few days (touchwood) it has not been as bad - I did the peppermint and the ginger crackers and bland foods. I cant believe the docs either - it just seems they see symtoms and not the whole patient. Thanks for checking back in - I really appreciate it.
I wonder - I probably have to up the dosage of the meds (started really low dose BECAUSE of nausea problems etc and i wonder when i up the dose will the side effects come back again?

bob101 - The above are all excellent remedies for nausea. Just remember, your body is adjusting to the escitalopram (Lexapro™ - CDN). The nausea is caused by the escitalopram binding to serotonin-type-3 receptors (5-HT3), which are abundant in the small intestine. Once the body adjusts to the physiological effects of the escitalopram, the nausea will resolve. This process takes anywhere from a week to a month to completely disappear. The rate limiting step in this procedure is how rapidly you body can modify the concentration of those 5-HT3 receptors in your gut. The intensity of the nausea will gradually decrease to the point of where, after a week, it is an annoyance rather than a debilitating side effect.

I know that this isn't an answer to your question, but the others gave advise that I cannot improve upon. Anyway, I hope that this is of some help. - Cam

Hi. My Doc. prescribes Phenergan for my nausea. Works like a charm. dottie

thank u both very much for ur info and ur tip. I do appreciate it.

When I was having horrible migraines, they were giving me the anti-nausea med compozine....only problem was that a side effect to that & reglan is the possibility of having parkinson's symptoms as a side effect to those drugs....& wouldn't you know it....I ended up with the parkinson's symptoms.

When I was having anorexia problems 2 years ago (my nausea was so horrible that I couldn't eat...not real anorexia). I was in the hospital for 2 months during that time & they were giving me meclazine. I still have the prescription for it because when I get stressed, I get horrible nausea....& I can't stand to throw up so I just don't eat to keep from throwing up.

The meclazine is one that they prescribe for cancer patients on chemo. I just wouldn't suggest compozine or reglan because of the side effects they can cause.

Debbie