Lexapro - Is it right for you? Read this.

i've been taking wellbutrin sr 100mg qam and 200mg qpm for about 2 years. up until about 6 months ago it was working great. now it doesn't seem to be working at all. my anxiety is about what it was before i started taking it and i've also noticed increased depression.

i've taken ssris in the past (paxil and lexapro) and found the side effects to not outweigh the benefits. do you think its time for a new drug? increased dosage? personally i think i need to add a benzo. i felt overall better when i was taking xanax xr. but my doctor was hesitant to refill it after only one prescription.

thanks for your advice,
harry

I've been taking Lexapro 10mg for about a month now - I'm not sure if it's doing anything or not. I am also taking it with Lunesta 3MG for insomnia. Long story short, I take Lunesta at bedtime to help me fall asleep (otherwise I will not sleep) and I use Lexapro apparently to help me function during the day cause of random anxiety/panic attacks.

Anyway I've noticed that Lunesta is a wonder drug for me and had very little side effects. Lexapro, I'm not sure. About 2 weeks in and to this day I am having real bad issues with remembering things. I get 'brain skips' as I call them - you and I could talk and then at times only 10 minutes later I have trouble recalling what we talked about. On the other hand I feel more "calm" and I have more drive to get things done (not to be confused with energy levels though).

I dunno ... I have a doctors appointment saturday so we will see...

I was on Lexapro for a month before I was taken off it. The negatives FAR outweighed the positives. I was able to function prior to its usage, was placed on it because my doc thought it would "speed up the treatment process", and I ended up going completely off the deep end in a matter of weeks. Couldnt sleep but felt tired all the time, lost my appetite, felt light-headed or confused almost constantly, and lost all interest in things I had loved for years, like baseball and music. I also had a "twitchy" sensation and would sweat heavily for the first hour or so after I'd take my pill. Eventually I ended up having suicidal ideations, and I guess that was the kicker, I was finally taken off the crap.

Zoloft seemed to have much milder side effects, though I have had some memory issues, and my life during the 18 months I was on it seem to be a "wash" or "fog" in that I just cant visualize jack schit about that time period. Overall, I'd rate Lexapro 2 out of 10 and Zoloft 6 out of 10.

I am no doctor, nor would I pretend to be one, but I'd advise staying away from Xanax. I've heard its EXTREMELY addicting.

I can recommend a reputable pharmacy

I've taken Lex 10mg since 2007. Last Christmas my doc put me up to 15mg to deal with sleep difficulties. I'll share a few of my experiences with Lex.

1. Start up is hell. The first 1-2 months of starting or increasing can not be taken as an indicator of if it will or will not work. My symptoms included jaw clenching, sleepiness, loss of appetite, stomach ache, head ache, apathy, fatigue, night sweats. This goes away. I do recommend tapering on to minimise these.

2. These side effects do pass and lessen with time. Even the annoying can't orgasm one!

3. I can't cry at all.

4. I didn't put on weight -I lost it at first due to loss of appetite, but have remained stable since.

5. It's not a cure - I see it as allowing me breathing space in order to put other supporting structures in place for myself - yoga, meditation, mindfulness reflection, journaling, exercise, eating right among others. It's just one tool in the toolbox - no more no less.

6. It has helped me manage bad PMS symptoms in that I don't get the extremes of mood fluctuations, fatigue and irritability that go with it.

7. The increase from 10 to 15mg did help my sleep quality improve but am still feeling slightly lacking in motivation, energy. But hey I look well rested! And I expect that will pass. I function OK at work and do what I need to in my own life. I figure I can let go of the rest and take a restorative nap if needs be

8. My ability to deal with emotional setbacks has increased. For example last year I had several instances where several people I trusted let me down very badly. I did feel hurt, angry, disappointed, betrayed, confused and struggling to find enjoyment in simple things. These feelings are a normal part of life and I do not have the expectation that medication will take all the bad things away. What it did do is help me to not fall into a pit of despair and withdrawal and non-functioning while I worked through those difficult emotions.

Lexapro works wonders for me! But only the brand name. I was switched to generic when it came out in March and slowly got worse until I was cutting myself within a few weeks. Back on brand name and doing better. Everything you listed, it does the opposite for me. Makes me feel clearheaded, happy, slightly more energetic, and in the time I have been on it (9months) I have lost 30 pounds, with diet and exercise. So it does work for some. It sure doesn't give me a "whatever" attitude but brings my anxiety down to a manageable level. Guess i'm one of the lucky ones

cJo, please stay strong, believe yourself that you can overcome this.
I just wanted to share my story and ask for some advice here.
I had just been to a psychiatrist recently as I was always under stress and couldn't cope with studies at school. I would say I am quite a perfectionist but one that do not really have the correct techniques to study (bcuz I worried too much). I thought I had serious anxiety but doctor told me it was not serious at all. I was asked to take lexapro 5mg on a daily basis for 2 weeks, and when I told the doc that it was not helping, he switched me onto cymbalta 60 mg (to be taken on alternate days). I agreed to try. However, after some research, I found that many had horrible withdrawal symptoms even when they weaned down the dosage slowly. So, I kind of regretted starting cymbalta as I don't want to sacrifice my physical health when I can actually overcome the anxiety through CBT.
I cn't stop the cymbalta now as I am afraid of the withdrawal symptoms. What should I do? Any advice? I don't want to get hooked onto the drug for years like many had. P.s: My next appointment is three weeks from now.

Thanks for listening. Any advice is appreciated.

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