Just starting lexapro

[Pat]

Ok so yea, dr. prescribed me lexapro, was very excited about finally gettin on some medication (took Celexa about 3 years ago.. didnt work and now after readig this i think it is respoonsible for some of my weight gain). However, now Im pretty apprehensive about starting this after reading many of the negative posts on this forum. Does anyone non-biased know how common these negative effects are? Are they worth it and does this stuff actually work? Please Im now very concerned that I may never get out of my socially anxious stage i am now in :(

[allen]

Lexapro has worked great for me. All the studies I have seen indicate a small percentage of people do have adverse reactions, which I understand go away if you decide you can't tolerate the side effects, and stop taking the medication. But to a person that has a bad experience with a drug, studies don't mean a whole lot.

[Pat]

How long have you been taking it? How long did it take for the effects to become noticeable? My doctor won't prescribe me any benzo's to help with the transition process and Im afraid I may become more anxious while on this

[allen]

I have been on it for 8 months. It took about a week before I began to feel better. There was gradual improvement up to week 5, and then it leveled off. I feel better than I have in years. I took xanax during a couple of really bad days, and Ambien to help me sleep. The Ambien made me groggy during the day, so I quit taking it. Relaxation techniques also help a lot.

[John]

Read my other posts Pat. I have been taking long term, 5mg. dose from beginning without change and no side effects.
Lexapro works well and none of the "happy happy" side effects either that we all heard about Prozac with my experience either. Ask your doctor about trying it in smaller dose at first too if apprehensive and if after a week or two and no change, try going up 5 to 10 mg.
I am well studied in psychology, etc. but not a doctor so remember even though is not a "narcotic", is still a pschotropic medication. Talk to your doctor.
John

[TJ Grosso]

Pat wrote:

Ok so yea, dr. prescribed me lexapro, was very excited about finally gettin on some medication (took Celexa about 3 years ago.. didnt work and now after readig this i think it is respoonsible for some of my weight gain). However, now Im pretty apprehensive about starting this after reading many of the negative posts on this forum. Does anyone non-biased know how common these negative effects are? Are they worth it and does this stuff actually work? Please Im now very concerned that I may never get out of my socially anxious stage i am now in :(

John I understand your apprehension considering your past results, but I can assure you that in most cases any side effects are minimal and usually resolve in a week or two. Everyone responds differently to any medication, but I have seen this work very well. I have actually seen it work so well that after 4 or 5 weeks the patient feels so much better that they stop taking the drug. This I do not advocate. I liken it to a diabetic who discontinues insulin because her blood sugar readings are now in the normal range. The key here is maintanence. I have noticed that it seems to be more effective in male patients. I have no idea why or even what the studies say about this it is just my personal observation. It works very well as an anti-anxiety drug and this may be the reason why I have seen it work so well in males. It's true that many men do suffer from primary depression, I won't dispute that. I also believe that for a majority of men, anxiety is what leads them into the deep cave of depression. Let me illustrate for you...a women loses her job, bank accounts low and her boyfriend leaves. She is sad, she crys, she feels sorry for herself and before you know it she is severely depressed. Same situation only this time it is a man and its his girlfriend that has left....His identity is lost because he is what he does, he is ashamed because he cries, he feels he has failed because as a man he is expected to provide. He is filled with anxiety to the point that he becomes severely depressed. You see it is socially "ok" for the women to be needy, to cry and be sad so that is what she does. Her end result of depression is predictable and basically less complicated. Do to the nature of our society, depression in men, I feel is much more complicated, and therefore I this may be the reason combination anti-anxiety/anti-depression drugs are a better choice for them. Again, this is just my opinion. Good luck and I hope you can soon see light at the end of the tunnel.

[Tracy]

My Dr. Just prescribed me Lexapro yesterday for severe anxiety. I have a great fear of death and it is overwelming someday's. I have heard that it will make me gain weight. Yes I'm very anxious but I don't want to add 50 pounds on me or I would be suicidal!! Is this a myth? I'd love to hear from someone who has been on it a while.

Thanks!

[TJ Grosso]

Tracy wrote:

My Dr. Just prescribed me Lexapro yesterday for severe anxiety. I have a great fear of death and it is overwelming someday's. I have heard that it will make me gain weight. Yes I'm very anxious but I don't want to add 50 pounds on me or I would be suicidal!! Is this a myth? I'd love to hear from someone who has been on it a while.
Thanks!

Tracy, although there have been reported weight gain in some patients, it usually is only a slight increase, and may very well be that for the first time in a long time, they actually feel like eating again. In my experience, I have never seen anything close to the 50lb weight gain that is seen with drugs such as prednisone. Check with your Dr to see how many calories per day that he or she feels are appropriate for your body style. As long as you watch your calorie intake and get some moderate physical activity on a regular basis, you sould have no problem maintaining your current weight. Forget all the fad diets such as Atkins and South Beach. They may work short term but are by no means heathy when followed long term. If you have no underlyiing medical reason for weight gain, the key is less calories and more physical activity. It's as simple as that.

[Tracy]

TJ Grosso wrote:

<quoted text>Tracy, although there have been reported weight gain in some patients, it usually is only a slight increase, and may very well be that for the first time in a long time, they actually feel like eating again. In my experience, I have never seen anything close to the 50lb weight gain that is seen with drugs such as prednisone. Check with your Dr to see how many calories per day that he or she feels are appropriate for your body style. As long as you watch your calorie intake and get some moderate physical activity on a regular basis, you sould have no problem maintaining your current weight. Forget all the fad diets such as Atkins and South Beach. They may work short term but are by no means heathy when followed long term. If you have no underlyiing medical reason for weight gain, the key is less calories and more physical activity. It's as simple as that.

Thanks TJ,

I am a very healthy eater and do exercise. I guess I was reading too may blogs about the weight gain issue. Some women were saying that it changes your whole metabalism and even if you wanted to keep your weight off you couldn't. But I will continue using it. I am feeling some relief from the constant thought of dying or someone close to me dying.

[mindy]

I just started Lexapro this morning; I am also apprehensive regarding weight gain. I called the Lexapro 800 number to ask if the weight gain actually comes from the pill or the fact that it will increase my appetite. The gentlemen I spoke to said they hadn't done studies on if the actualy ingredients in the pill will make me gain weight. Does anybody know? Also, I would like to know what the half life of the 10 mg pill is. After taking the first dose, my stomach was cramping and in knots all day.

[Tracy]

Hey Mindy,
I have been on Lexapro for a week now and it has actually decreased my appetite. I don't know if that will change or not or if it's because I'm more of aware of my calorie intake for fear of gaining. But I have not felt really hungry yet. I have experienced some highs and lows but my fears have started to dull a little. I am excited to see if it gets even better, so far so good:-)

mindy wrote:

I just started Lexapro this morning; I am also apprehensive regarding weight gain. I called the Lexapro 800 number to ask if the weight gain actually comes from the pill or the fact that it will increase my appetite. The gentlemen I spoke to said they hadn't done studies on if the actualy ingredients in the pill will make me gain weight. Does anybody know? Also, I would like to know what the half life of the 10 mg pill is. After taking the first dose, my stomach was cramping and in knots all day.

[Jenn]

I've been on Lexapro for only a week, but I'm already starting to feel better. I just pray that I don't gain any weight. I've read so many horror stories of 25-50 pound weight gains. I definitely don't need that. I work out 3-4 times a week and limit my calories so I'm hoping weight gain isn't a problem for me.

[billydakid]

i will be starting lexipro today, just wondering what I should expect since is my very first time taking anit-depressants in my life. I had couple of panic attacks lately and the doc gave me lexapro to calm down a little. im also a anxious at times so is for my anxiety as well.

[JNH]

I started lexapro about three weeks ago for general anxiety, and panic attacks. The first few days were a bit odd, i felt a little bit like I was rolling on ectasy [ over stimulated and lots of jaw clenching ]. That went away pretty quick and since then I've felt better than I have in a long time, and I'm usually skeptical of drugs like this. Overall, much less anxious, more outgoing, and sleep better. And thank the heavens above, no sexual side effects.

I talked to my doctor about weight gain, and he mentioned most of his patients have success at 5mg's, which is 1/2 the smallest available dose. Less side effects ( less chance of weight gain ), less over stimulation, etc. At 5mg's I'm not having any side effects and am feeling more like myself than I have in years.

[cuntrygirl]

hi, i recently was increased to 20 mg of lexapro have been taking this dosage for 6 days. having increased anxiety and feeling blue. is this normal? how long does it last?

[billydakid]

im going on my second and taking 10mg a day before bedtime, at first made me dizzy and like and later days i started feeling more anxious like what cuntrygirl explained. i remember taking st john wort and made me feel better than this pills. that was before i started lexapro any suggestions? thanks

[Worried and Devastated]

My spouse just up and left our life. I’ve been forced into bankruptcy, we’re losing the house, the car everything. I just found out that he never refilled his Lexapro prescription at the end of October. Can the withdrawal from this drug create such radical and drastic changes in feelings? He told me he loved me (adored me, actually) almost every day, right up to mid December, then just left, saying his feelings had just “stopped”… Can it be a result of his not taking the drug? He was on it since summer of 2003.

Should I confront him with what I know? What could his reaction be? I assume he is through the "withdrawal" stage, yet he continues in his course of action (moving out, etc). Could his actions Now seem reasonable to him because he still believes the "reasons" he gave for his about-face?

I'm serious, everyone ... It was "I am the luckiest person alive to have you" ..."I love you and adore you with all my heart, my sweet wife" ... "Ever since I met you my life has seemed on the right path." ... "I love you so much. I can't wait to see you." These expressions, and flowers and cards and almost daily text messages were constant throughout our marriage until November (and even a bit through then). Then, "I don't want to be in a commitment anymore. I've already made my decision. No discussion. I'm already gone."

I don't know where else to turn ... and I need some advice, please.

[billydakid]

hi i been married for 4 years and i been on lexapro and i still feel the same way about my wife i love her with all my heart. but i did hear that just quitting anti-depresssents just cold-turkey without weaning off can have very bad effects but it depends on the person because i heard of others quitting like that and they were ok. really sorry about your situation if i was in your situation i would confront my spouse and try and get profeesional help because i know when you love someone so much you can't give up. sorry im not much of help hope but you can work things out.

[Worried and Devastated]

Thanks for your response. Have you ever been "off" the drug, and if so, did your feelings ever "waver" at that time?

billydakid wrote:

hi i been married for 4 years and i been on lexapro and i still feel the same way about my wife ...

[Just Me]

Worried and Devastated wrote:

My spouse just up and left our life. I’ve been forced into bankruptcy, we’re losing the house, the car everything. I just found out that he never refilled his Lexapro prescription at the end of October. Can the withdrawal from this drug create such radical and drastic changes in feelings?

First I am sorry to hear what you are going through. Speaking from personal experience, the withdrawal effects are varied. The first time I stopped taking it, the effects were limited. Just "head zaps" but no real changes in mood or behavior. The second time, last month, I felt MUCH more annoyed at things. To the point where I'm basically at my wits end with a couple people. Some of that is the people, but I know a lot has been the withdrawal.

If you can talk to him and have him take it again, wait 2-4 weeks and see if he feels any different about things. One of the issues I have with Lexapro is that I start to feel good enough that I "don't need it anymore" only to find myself wishing I hadn't stopped taking it.