Depression Blog.com

So it seems I'm between a rock and a hard place! I left a post on May 2nd...the one that ends with the fact that I need to find a different way to control my emotions. For a week after I left that post I stopped taking Lexapro and now I remember why I take it! I started second guessing the things that I said ("why did I say something so stupid"), I started obsessing over the littlest mistakes at work, I started becoming more clumsy. Worst of all everything my fiance said to me irritated me and I would snap at him...and cry A LOT! I was able to stay awake, though...I loved that...but I had to start taking it again for sanity's sake. Maybe being numb...and tired...and bloated is worth it. *shrug* I plan on making an appointment with my doctor to talk about alternatives, but until then I am back on the pills!

How can I put this delicately... My husband is on Lexapro and it seems to be working quite well for him, but it is unforunate that he seems to be experiencing the 'trouble ejaculating' side effect. It seems the rest of that particular system is working fine (libido, etc.) but that act is something that is proving difficult for him. We're newlyweds, so I wonder if part of it is nervousness. (Poor guy! I love him, and hope he understands that I realise it's the med and not him.) Are there any visualizations or suggestions that anyone out there has that I could suggest to him? He's open to herbal supplements, if anyone might mention one. Thanks in advance!

My DR decided that I had been on Paxil long enough, and so did I..I had total emotional numbness...so he switched me to Lexapro,been on it for 2 weeks now, and I HATE everyone..why?? I am experiencing rages, uncontrollable crying and well,my husband is really upset with me, we argue all the time.

I hate Lexapro

It was an awful experience. Did more harm than good. It was prescribed to reduce my anxiety and to make me less obsessive over certain concerns(in my case, overeating). Yea, it worked. but it made me care about absolutely NOTHING. I couldnt bring myself to do anything about anything. so lethargic. slept all day and all night and just so ridiculously unmotivated. Made me feel worse because I would waste away my days and be so unproductive.

Hi,I was taking Zoloft and started with the
low dosage and then was raised to higher
dosage until 100mg. was reached. Although
I had very good results..(took for about 10 mos.)
I began gaining weight. My doctor has had me trying Lexapro since March and I don't like
how I feel. I have nightmares and very strange
thoughts about doing terrible harm to myself,
I get very angry and have crying spells over
stupid things. I think it's the Lexapro and if
the Worst side effect I had with Zoloft was
a weight gain then I most definitely think we could learn to eat differently and add a little more exercise to help with the weight and truly
it's much better for Me as a person to like myself better. ......I cannot stand
my thoughts, my looks or my actions and crying spells on Lexapro. This could drive some one
to drinking, not to mention suicidal thoughts.
Am I a lone on this one or are there others who have similar thoughts and problems ?
I mean, I've always felt inferior but since taking
Lexapro...well, I get even more angry with myself
and the nightmares are so vivid and real...I just don't think I can accept these side effects as
"Good Help" for me.

It's been 6 weeks since I started taking Lexapro, 10 mg. I must be one of the few lucky ones I guess, because I have not experience any side effect so far. This medication has helped me so much, no more crying for no reason, I see everything in a positive way, enjoy life and have more productivity at work.

I began taking Lexapro, 10mg dosage. I take it at night time right before I want to go to bed and it has REALLY helped me. My thoughts had been overwhelming and I had been crying daily. Now I feel like I can deal with things. I did experience a few side effects at first: nausea, headache, dizziness for about the first week. I also notice that I HAVE to sleep when it make me drowsy at night or I feel yucky. I combated some of the side effects by increasing my intake of water and sleeping. It does not make me excessively sleepy. I do have some sexual side effects, orgasm is almost impossible but I don't feel numb to the whole experience. I think low dosage helps.

I was prescribed Lexapro for fibromyalgia, which now doesn't make much sense to me. I don't believe I've ever had depression, and the lexapro never seemed to help the fibro symptoms. While on it, I was even more fatigued than I had been just with the fibro - I mean majorly tired. I slept all weekend and could barely drag myself thru the work day. I've also gained about 50 pounds for no apparent reason. I had trouble paying my bills, etc. Weird dreams. Bad headaches. I was amazed to read how many other folks had experienced these things.

My 20 yr old daughter has been taking Lexapro for over a year. she was diagnosed with depression and was first given Celexa and when the effects of that wore off the doctor gave her Lexapro. It has ruined not only her life but ours as well. She was an honor student, dropped out of college, became moody, tried to commit suicide 3 times. She has crashed two cars and taken to carrying knives and in rages, only apparent since taking Lexapro, has threatened us. She has blackouts after the rages and does not remember things. The Lexapro has turned her into a monster that we don't know anymore and we had to ask her to leave our home. She cannot hold down a job and has taken to drinking, something she never did before. In her rare moments she cries about feeling numb and suicidal ... I think Lexapro is the worst drug ever invented and I would warn anybody before taking it.

i have been taking lexapro fo approx. 2 weeks now. i am not happy with the way i feel , mostly low mood and do not sleep well. I take 5 mg about 10 am.. it makes me feel very lethargic and down.. i here so much about the drug. It was precriobed for anxiety and to help me sleep. i have not seen the help with sleep and that alone worries me . What to do ??????????????

Robert: my advice is to take Lexapro at night
( before going to sleep ) instead of mid morning.
It will help you sleep better and you won't feel lethargic and down. I have been taking Lexapro for 4 months and used to take it at noon and was feeling drowsy/lethargic all day. As soon as I gradually changed the hour ( 1 hour later every day until I finally started taking it at night ) I noticed the difference right away. Remember , change the time of intake from morning to evening gradually ( not at once ), and you won't feel too much the side effects.

taking Lexapro 10 mg
any info about joint pain
I'm overweight but never had such triyble walking and joint pain!

Any info about joint pain?
I'm overweight but never had such trouble with joint pain - hips, knees low back

My boyfriend started to take Lexapro for his depression and mood swings. He was doing fine, but he was very tired. He was then on his way to work one morning, when he backedout at the wheel. He ran off the road and wrecked the car. I dont understand because he was taking it at night before bed. The police came and they actually charged him with a DUI. He told them that he had started a new perscription and they had no sympathy.

I only took Lexapro for three days, but those three days were the worst three days of my life.
I not only turned into an insomniac, but I was also the most nervous and anxious I have ever been. My mouth was constantly dry and I had to put cold washcloths all over my body, due to my constant sweating and 'hotflashes.' It was basically like living in a nightmare for those days.

ive been taking lexapro for about a month now, it has helped my depression and anxiety alot but i have been having horrible nightmares, i'll wake up in the middle of the night soaked in a cold sweat, they occur multiple times per night, and are the kind of nightmares that are so real you think that it really happened when you wake up. it usually takes me thirty minutes to a hour to snap out of it, i've woken up crying actually balling, screaming, you name it its happened. All the dreams are about people i love, its gotten soo bad that i dread going to sleep and sometimes don't. for example last night i had one that my best friend of six years slit her wrists then spun in circles splashing the blood allover my face, then she shot me in the head but neither of us were dead, we were just there and she was screaming at me how could you do this to me the dream continued but thats all i can remember. i would appreciate some advice from anyone willing to give it, this medice has made my depression and anxiety better, but i feel like these dreams are driving me crazy.
if anyone has advice please e-mail me at ehill716@wssu.edu

ive been taking lexapro for about 2 years and for about four months ive had itchy hives all over my body and for about two months ive had joint pain. if anyone has any advice please email me at chel_214@hotmail.com

I'm not depressed, but my doctor suspects that I have fibromylagia. I haven't been sleeping well...waking every couple of hours, getting up to go to the bathroom, etc. When I don't sleep well, I'm in a lot of pain the next day. My doctor prescribed Lexapro and it has been working great. Prior to starting Lexapro, she had me try Cymbalta, but it made me nauseated and didn't help me sleep. I now sleep through the night without waking (even to go to the bathroom....I'm diabetic, so this hasn't happened in several years) and feel great the next day. I would never had guessed that a pill for depression could help me be pain-free!

I quit taking lexapro after 1 week. I had alot of nausea, which is very uncommon for me. I also had headaches. I became extremely sick to my stomach after 1 week, accompanied by chills. I spent the whole day in bed and called in sick to work. I didn't think it was the lexapro to start with, but after a week of those symptoms I think it was.

I have taken my troubles to the Dr. several times since my husband has been on Lexapro. Dr. didn't react after first two complaints about my husband getting fits of anger. He's turns into a mad man in a matter of seconds. Last week he turned a butcher knife on me. No where else to turn so I called the police. He now has three felonies against him. This was a man who wouldn't hurt a fly. A kind, loving docile person. NOW THE DR. DECIDED TO TAKE HIM OFF OF LEXAPRO. KIND OF LATE ITSN'T IT DOC?

I've been on lexapro for about six weeks and the most severe side effect I've had is feeling tired and sleepy most of the time. I'm taking 10 mg. per day so I might have to go down to 5. i need to talk to my doctor about it.

I've gained about 25 pounds since taking Lexapro (for about 4 months now) and feel depressed and irritable much of the time. I've also become so debilitatingly fatigued and lethargic that I literally (and unprecedentedly) fall asleep at the dinner table and am so tired in the evening that I wind up going to bed and waking up in the morning with all of my clothes on. (Perhaps 90% of the time.) At times I am so tired that I am afraid to get behind the wheel. Actually, I've had my first automobile accident while on Lexapro.

I am very sensitive to medications and have been on (and off) of antidepressants for the last 20 years. Though I told the psychiatrist that Lexapro didn't sound like a good fit, he pushed it anyway. Curiously, he had a load of samples the first day I met him. (What a coincidence!) When I describe to him the intolerable side effects, he tells me to tolerate them, because they usually go away. (I've never had a side effect go away.) I've asked him to add a more activating antidepressant, but he seems not the least bit interested. I suppose he wants to see this experiment to its illogical end. In the meantime, it appears I must suffer.

Some of the side effects I am experiencing are:
increased depression, extreme & debilitating fatigue, irritability, indigestion, abdominal pain, weight gain, acne & scarring, lack of motivation, muscle weakness & joint pain, restlessness, bruxism, mental fogginess, neuropathic pain, blurry vision, and increased prostatitis.

I have taken Lexapro for about 6 months now. A little sleepy but it has taken care of all anxiety and excessive worrying. I am an advocate against any continuos meds but I think the Lexapro has offered me a better value of life.

This stuff was a horrible experience for me. I would have nightmares and constant stomach aches that would bring me to my knees. I had no thoughts because my head was too numb. This nearly killed me. I couldn't live life, it made my world so much worse.

Very many thanks for a good work. Nice and useful. Like it!

I'm a 17 year old female that has suffered from anxiety since i was fifteen years old. complete with panic attacks, a nervous stomach . . which eventually caused my IBS. I have also been diagnosed with SAD. which is a form of depression that effects you only in certain seasons of the year. i had been taking st. johns wort for two months and had seen a good change in my attitude and well being. however my ibs got worse so my doctor prescribed lexapro. after just one dose i become unbelievably ill, so sick that i couldnt even stand up. i had an unbearable dry mouth. but that wasnt the worst of it. i became very withdrawn, extremely depressed with feelings of hopelessness, paranoia and severe suicidal thoughts. . i have found that only 6 percent of people experience these side effects and i have discontinued treatment because of it. if you have any information about these side effects and what you have done to feel better please let me know. i would give anything to feel like myself again. thank you. sincerely, julie.

my doc has just prescribed lexapro because the cymbalta gave me terrible side effects....from upset stomach to sexual mishapps.... from what i am reading lexapro is no different!! any help from anyone?? bryongordon@yahoo.com

I've been on Lexapro for approx 10 weeks. 1st month at 5mg then 10mg for 2 weeks, then 20mg for a month now. The side effects were sleepy all the time, anxiety, insomnia, diarrhea. I didn't gain weight but I forgot to say that I'm also taking wellbutrin so I guess it conteracts the weight and sexual side effects.
Didn't feel benefits until I started taking 20mg. I feel more positive but still have ups and downs, still adjusting I guess.
I tried taking it at night and it's much better.

I read somewhere that the first couple of weeks are difficult but it gets better with time. That is if the med is right for you.

For people out there who get really aggressive you should ddefinitely stop. And find the right medication. And please fiind another doctor!!! One that listens instead of just pushing on pills

I have been taking Lexapro since June now, and hate the stuff. I mean, I don't feel as depressed anymore, but on the flip-side I don't feel anything; not happy, sad, excited ... nothing whatsoever. I'm taking a 20 mg. dosage in the mornings right now. Does the numbness, memory problems go away? Or will they remain until I've stopped taking Lexapro? I'm 17 by the way.

I'm 19 and I am currently trying to ween myself off of Lexapro. I started taking it about 3 months ago for anxiety and depresion. It has worked a little too well. I am not anxious anymore at all about anything...including my exams and homework. I just don't care about anything and my once very high GPA is going to suffer greatly if my motivation does not return soon. I also have horrible, graffic nightmares where I wake up too scared to go back to sleep. In my opinion, being apathetic is not a good alternative to being anxious, and I still experience a bit of depression. Oh, I have absolutely no sex drive as well. I'm going to try and work through my issues without medicine. Anyone had any success in doing this?? dance_baby_15@hotmail.com

I have been taking Lexapro for about 4 weeks now. Gyn prescribed this for hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats and having trouble sleeping. I am on 10mg which I take at night and for the most part I sleep very well and seem to not have any more hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. My only side effect seems to be acne cysts. I'm not one for acne but after the first 2 weeks of Lexapro I started getting 2 big acne cysts a day. Has anyone else had acne as a side effect? What did you do about it?

I have been taking Lexapro for about 3 months now. Started off taking 10mgs and ended up in the hospita's psyche ward 2 weeks later. They uped the doseage to 20mgs and it seemed to help. No more anxiety and I am able to function at 100% percent. It has definately taken the edge off!
About a month ago, I started experiencing severe night sweats and vivid nightmares. Most of the nightmares are violent and also, in most of them I seem to have no strength. I see myself trying to walk up stairs and I can't. Trying to speak and I can't. I currently take my dose in the morning. I was wondering if people who take their dosage at night get the nightmares and cold sweats. Please e-mail me at sara@owlfilms.com with any suggestions.

I have been on 1/2 tablet of 10mg. Lexapro since 7/31/06. It has helped me feel better but I have had bad headaches since I started it. I called the doctor in Aug. and they said let them know if it continues. Also this medicine is suppose to help you sleep but I still have a problem going to sleep I am up until 1-2 am every night. These headaches are in the top of my head and I don't take any over the counter meds for them. It's enough to drive you up the wall.

I've been on lexapro for about 6 years, the past month or so, I've tried tapering off to get off the drug. Side effects are very unpleasant. Getting used to the drug when I started it was weird enough, but getting off the drug is 100 times harder to get used to. So....... I'm back on it and feel better. I think I may be on it forever. I have a high stress job and can't afford to act like a freak getting off this drug. Mean, unhappy, all those negative feeling came back with a vengence. Yes indeed antidepressant desensitize us, but at lest I'm a nicer and better person. What to do, What to do.

I HAVE TAKING LEXAPRO 10 mg ONCE A DAY FOR APPROX. 2 weeks.I HAVE STARTED GETTING BIG ACNE & ACNE CYSTS. PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS A SIDE EFECT AND IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE MARKET TO COUNTER ACT THIS. I FEEL THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP A.S.A.P

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My thoughts are foggy, I hate being around my friends, I don't go out anymore, I've gained weight. I feel foggy or numb in the head. I am paranoid, I can't wake up completely in the morning, I feel like shit, i'm tired, sad, and feel hopeless, I feel worse than ever. I feel sick and dizzy and my vision is blurry. I don't know what to do anymore.

Nightmares - I ran a google search of "Lexapro nightmares" and found my way here. To me, the Lexapro made me feel psychotic (I'm not) - it did nothing noteworthy for my anxiety or depression, it didn't help me sleep through the night - I awoke 4-5 times from nightmares with some basis in reality - nightmares of such intensity that I didn't want to go back to sleep. The nightmares did not fade in the light of day. I quit taking Lexapro, and now sleep better... if I'm still having nightmares, at least I don't remember them in technicolor, nor feel traumatized by them like before.

I was taking 20 mg of lexapro but i had to stop it since my schedule was upside down, i changed to zoloft, i ve been taking 50mg for the last two days, but i have a terrible problem that i feel is worst than my depression, i have terrible and vivid nightmares, i always wake up 2-3 times and night and i always wake up at 430 in the morning, i remember my dreams during the day and that makes me feel worst. can someone help me? are you having the same problem? thanks

I've been on Lexapro for over a year following a suicide attempt. Combined with 2 rounds of group therapy, I'm doing much better, although still have a large number of side effects, including vivid nightmares that I can never remember, night sweats, migraines, mental confusion, reduced concentration, especially when reading or writing, as well as suicidal thoughts and sometimes depressive episodes where I cannot get out of bed. Can't hold down more than a minimum wage job at a deli, and I actually have a university degree. Working far below my potential, but I'm alive, and I guess that's what matters in the end: being alive.

I have been on Lexapro for about two months now. I am at 20mg/day. I auctually have really bad anxiety and get upset over rediculous things so thats what I was perscribed it. I auctually have to say that I have noticed some change (in the fact I never get mad about anything anymore!) But I still have some anxiety. I have tried xanax and valium for anxiety. I would say those work better for anxiety. Anyways, Lexapro workes somewhat for anxiety and can help you if you get upset/annoyed for no reason, but if you have very bad anxiety I would say to perhaps try something else. :)
**Also if Lexapro makes you somewhat unmotivated, talk to your doctor about perhaps taking concerta to help with concentration, it truely helps me stay focused and makes tasks not seem as untangable".

So I found this site because my doctor uped my dose of lexipro to 40mg a day from 20mg a day. So, I'm taking 2 20mg pills together in the morning. So I've been up to 40 for about a week now, and I think it might be the cause of some hallucinations mainly auditory, it's like I'll breafly hear talking or a strange noise, but it's not like hearning from my ears...it's like hearing from my mind but it's not like normal thinking. I'm sure someone who has experienced this would understand. and I'm seeing things in my peripheral vision, the first time I saw it I though it was a moth flying but when it happened again in a different place i figured out that it wasn't real. My dreams have been strange too. more vivid, more scary, but not all bad and more real. I've found some other blogs and such where people have talked about this. And I found a clinical study fact sheet.But not much solid information. I haven't found any information about people at the same dosage as me. Well, I do have to give props to the drug. It has really helped with my depression it makes me able to function in the world, without breaking down. But, going crazy might make me go crazy. If anyone has feed back for me please email me at musicinhistory@gmail.com

lexa pro made me numb and fat and depressed

I have just stopped (about 2 weeks ago) taking Lexapro because I couldn't afford the prescription. My finances have gone totally downhill, while I was on the Lexapro, almost 1 year, i didn't bother with paying my bills or even opening my mail. Now I am in danger of losing my house, my car, and am about to file bankruptcy. I am having uncontrollable crying fits now because I can't believe I have let this happen to me. It's like I was living in another world where nothing mattered. I have a very good job, a wonderful son, and now am afraid I will lose everything because I was living in lexapro-world for the last 8 months. Anyone else?

i have been taking lexapro for over a year now. i first was on 20 ml and was lethargic and just wanted to sleep kinda felt depressed because all i did was sleep. i cut back to 10 ml and started to feel more alive and normal for a few months, but now im starting to feel anxiety , not full blown panic but just anxiety everyday. my father just passed away although i wasnt that close i did not even really cry. im wondering if this has something to do with it. i dont have a reg doc i go to a clinic . but i wonder if i should go back to 20 ml. anyone know what i should do or have any thoughts...what about taking 15 ml and just cutting it?? i dunno sick of feeling anxious!!!