lexapro - long term

[deb]

I was wondering if anyone has been taking this as long as I have. I started with 10mg a2bout a years ago.I started having breakthrough "spells" with depression so my Dr. put me on 20 mg. about 3 months ago. Breakthrough spells stopped but I am concerned about long term effects. Any thoughts?

[russ]

Hi deb: not related but I am thinking about taking this drug for anxiety. are you satisfied or has it caused any unsetteling side effects.

[DebinHillsboro]

I am currently on 30mg of Lexapro and it seems to be doing good. My anxiety level is down, depression is doing better. I have Ativan to take if I need to for a quick remedy.
No side effects on my, I have taken it for about 6months, they test my blood every 6 months to make sure no major organs are effected.
Good luck on your meds.
Don't worry too much on long term effects, or don't read too much info on the web because it's not always accurate.

[Peter Chicago]

I have been taking lexapro for 3 years now. It is the best drug that I have taken (zoloft and another I don't remember had side-effects that I did not like..left me in a cloud). I am in my mid-forties and have been suffering from depression since I was 15. The first year I took 20mg and have been taking 30 for the last 2 years. I have not experienced any major side-effects. I highly recommend not drinking alcohol at all(they do not play well together). I quite drinking alcohol the same time I started taking this medicine. This has been a real lifesave for me and helps greatly with anxiety. I used to bite my fingernails until they bled, but this has helped me quit that habit.

good luck on your journey.

[simon]

hi deb,
I have been taking LP for approx 2 years...I havent really found any SE apart from when I missed a couple of days when I ran out of a repeat script...then the problems started...I went pretty crazy and became quite violent!

[allen]

I have been taking 10mg of LP the last 4 months for GAD/PA, with no side effects. I worry some about long term problems, but I am feeling so good, I do not want to stop taking it. If we worry too much about the future, it just makes it that much harder to deal with problems we are taking the meds for in the first place.

[Russ]

allen wrote:

I have been taking 10mg of LP the last 4 months for GAD/PA, with no side effects. I worry some about long term problems, but I am feeling so good, I do not want to stop taking it. If we worry too much about the future, it just makes it that much harder to deal with problems we are taking the meds for in the first place.

I have been on it for about the same time and it has greatly reduced my physicalsymptoms. i do however take a valum every now and then when when my heart feels like it's in my throat

[tresa]

I've been taking LP almost 4 years now. Made a big difference in my life. I would like to come off of it, but don't know how that will go.

[jj_mclure]

i was on it 6 months 5 mg/day for anxiety/ocd. now im off for a while and see how things go. do any of you find that the longer you're are on lex the more moody you get. i felt great for the first 3-4 months but then after that it was like dragging me down.

i take a valium now when I get hyper

[kennia]

i have been on lexapro 10mg for one year, this drug has no side effect,maybe some nausea or dry mouth but you can handle it. this drugs really help . i decide to lower it to 5mg for 2 weeks and i have no side effects, then i went back to 10mg, i justwanted to know how i would feel with 5mg. lexapro is well tolerated , it has no weight gain. people who say they gain weight on lexapro is because they carry that ontheir genes but notbecause of the medicine. if any one needs help and has question email meat kenia576@yahoocom

[taharris]

Im on Lex 40mg. for 1 year, has really helped me with depression but more importantly for me, my anxiety. If you can get over the initial "shaky" side effects than you will be fine. just stick with it!

[JPawlishn]

I have been on Lexapro for about 3 years now for panic attacks. Yes the attacks have almost completely stopped. But, I am one moody person. I also have not had labs done to check anything.... should i be? I really would like to get off of the med and maybe just have something in case I have a panic attack. I personally don't like the way I am. I am very easily ticked off. Any suggestions?

[TJessup]

I started on Paxil in 2003 and began having the electric shock sensations from it after 6 months. My doctor switched me to Lexapro. I had no problems with it for a while and took it until 2006, it seemed to not work like it did before, I started having mood swings and fits of rage, I developed RLS (which I don't know if it coincidental or caused by it) Against doctors advice I weaned myself off the Lexapro, my moods stabilized for the most part. I still have short bouts of depression and pretty much stay anxious all the time (though no severe panic attacks like before)My legs still cramp like crazy at night, and over the past year off and on I get out of breath walking across the room. I just turned 40 so I don't know if its long term effects of taking the stuff or just part of getting older. Either way I've never felt more UNHEALTHY in my life.

[Jay]

I've been on 20 mg. for a year now. I am for some reason having panic attacks again. But even with them I still feel better than I ever have without the drug. My biggest fear is that the doc will make me go off of it. I am more worried about that than the possible side effects of long term use. Has anyone else felt like their lives didn't start until Lexapro?

[horis]

lex makes me feel very good. it has been very good to me.i like how it alters my brain cells

[jj_mclure]

jay, you control the doctor. if you don't want to go off it then god damit tell him you don't. what's the matter with you anyway? you are paying him for god's sake.

[tom]

deb wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has been taking this as long as I have. I started with 10mg a2bout a years ago.I started having breakthrough "spells" with depression so my Dr. put me on 20 mg. about 3 months ago. Breakthrough spells stopped but I am concerned about long term effects. Any thoughts?

Watch out for the weight gain. I took it for 8 months and gained 20 pounds have now been off it for 2 months and feel almost 100%

[David]

kennia wrote:

i have been on lexapro 10mg for one year, this drug has no side effect,maybe some nausea or dry mouth but you can handle it. this drugs really help . i decide to lower it to 5mg for 2 weeks and i have no side effects, then i went back to 10mg, i justwanted to know how i would feel with 5mg. lexapro is well tolerated , it has no weight gain. people who say they gain weight on lexapro is because they carry that ontheir genes but notbecause of the medicine. if any one needs help and has question email meat kenia576@yahoocom

i am om 10mg daily for the past year

[Sandi]

kennia wrote:

i have been on lexapro 10mg for one year, this drug has no side effect,maybe some nausea or dry mouth but you can handle it. this drugs really help . i decide to lower it to 5mg for 2 weeks and i have no side effects, then i went back to 10mg, i justwanted to know how i would feel with 5mg. lexapro is well tolerated , it has no weight gain. people who say they gain weight on lexapro is because they carry that ontheir genes but notbecause of the medicine. if any one needs help and has question email meat kenia576@yahoocom

No way! Lexapro makes you gain weight, i don't care what anyone says and i took myself off this brain-inhibiting drug. All of these drugs do what they are designed to do but you must give up other things in return, like your figure, your energy and your sex drive. No thanks. You can have it.

[Tiger22]

I have been on 20.mg Lexipro for almost 7 years. I to wonder what the long term side effects might be.
I've tried almost every anti-depressant that there is and Lexipro works the best for me. I don't think anyone really knows the long term effects. In fact, we are the guinea-pigs for any long term symptons. I wonder if I'll be on this the rest of my life.