"i went through a life threatening situation. i couldn&#039;t sleep, eat nor get my body out of flight fight mode no matter all that i tried (yoga, meditation, accupuncture, herbal remedies) i got sick and tired of the every day battle with my mind and body so i sought medical help. it was the best thing i ever did! cipralex took 6 weeks to kick in @5mg dose (i took clonazepam to counter the increased anxiety side effects for first 2 weeks). i got brain zaps, spacey headed, sleepy and had dry mouth. it all went away within 3 weeks. i took it for a year.. a slow wean is key to minimize coming off side effects. i did it over  4 months. it takes time to build up on your system, don&#039;t give up as weeks 1-4 are rough. after that, you reap the benefits"