Depression Blog.com

My partner has been on Lexapro for almost a year now, was on Prozac (absolutely useless for him) before that and then Effexor (made him worse). The Lexapro doesn't really seem to do much for him at all and the drs are so bad over here (Irl) with regard to Depression, He has not yet been diagnosed with a particular type of depression, he had to wait 8 mnths for counselling and that is ending soon without any results so yet again he is being left high and dry and therefore more depressed. He grinds his teeth ferociously at night (seems very common from what I have read on this wsite) and has bad dreams and feels hopeless. What can I do to help him? I've read and read about depression and years ago I had a short episode myself so I understand a bit what it feels like but there must be something I can do for him...can anyone help?

i hate lexapro, I've been on it for about a year now . I have every side effect you could have, sexual side effects are horrlble. I've been on paxil before and hated it too. Both do nothing to improve my mood.

I have no other experience with other depression medications for a frame of reference, but my experience with lexapro so far is as follows:
Started on 5 mg two months ago for general depression. Noticed the second day a dramatic increase in energy and a strong everything’s-going-to-be-alright feeling for the first time in over a year. The horrible headaches, nightmares, and all-day crying stopped immediately. Drawbacks at this dosage included some occasional nausea (only a couple hours a day, mostly on an empty stomach).

After 1 week I was moved up to 10 mg, and within two days unfortunately felt all the benefits ripped away...like it had stopped working entirely. In addition to continued slight nausea, I had a freak-out moment on my second day where I felt a rapid vibration combined with a tingling feeling from my hands down to my feet - thought it was coming from some nearby construction like a jackhammer, but after asking the person next to me about it I realized it was emanating from INSIDE me. I was starving at the time, and ate immediately. It went away, and never recurred. Between this incident and feeling blue in general, I asked my doctor about going back down to the 5 mg, thinking maybe 10 was too much for a petite person and somehow this made it ineffective. But my doctor and experienced others were convinced I needed to do just the opposite and increase it to 20 mg. Several reluctant days later I felt full blown depression again and increased the dosage to 20 mg.

I've leveled out on 20 mg for 5 weeks now. I’ve never felt as good as I did on the 5 mg that first week, but that may have been my body’s initial reaction to getting seratonin. Other than a slightly temperamental tummy, fatigue, and only a very rare ability to orgasm I feel “normal” again. Anxiety is gone, I feel empowered, decisions don't scare me, and I don't cry every day. When I'm angry or sad I know it's for a good reason, and not the depression. For me, the side effects are worth having the perspective and confidence to make tough life decisions.

I just took my first 5mg dose of Lexapro recently recommended from a Dr who I see but don't entirely trust. With little or No background on my depression issues my DR gave me this drug. I have never taken anti-depressants but having read so many negative things from users on-line today I am very concerned about getting involved. If somone gets this please let me know the following. Would it be safe to quit taking the drug right away having only ingested 5mgs?
I broke a 10 mg tablet in half as my 1st dose as prescribed. Is it safe to just not take anymore or can or will this make me sick or have reactions. Nervous in Chicago.

[moderator comments: I am not a doctor (so my advice should not act in place of or replace the advice of a doctor), but I doubt you will become dependant after a single 5mg dose. You may want to do your own research, but if you feel your doctor is a med heavy flake that prescribes stuff you do not need I would suggest talking to another doctor who talks a bit more to you.

They can do at least a test of your urine to see what some of your amino acid levels are like...I certainly would have that done before taking medication unless I felt like I was really really really bad.

Moreso, the placebo effect is strong. If you don't think you need the medication and you do not think its going to make you better it probably will not introduce positive things into your life. Any way you slice it, you are only going to get better when you want to.]

I've been on lexapro for about four months I guess more for anxiety, anyways I started at 10 mg a day and was moved up to 20 mg a day. I tried to wean myself off of it twice. The first time i just quit taking it and was going to call the dr and try sommething diff, well i didnt get around to it in time and on the 5th day i ended up in the er with breathing problems, like i wasn't getting enough air and a rapid heart rate. it was in the 90's and i felt the need to run and scream or like my muscles had excessive pent up energy or something.anyways they said it was lexapro withdrawl and told me to talk to my dr. she decide to put me back on it and a few weeks later i decided to wean myself of. i tried cutting the pills in half for about 5 days then in quarters for about 5 more days. Next thing i know for about three days straight i was so nausted and had headachs!! i was sick in bed vomiting for about three days. well i got through that which was about 9 days ago and i'm still experinecing nausea and headachs everyday.!! i dont know how long to expect this but i tell you i wont ever try one of thesse drugs again. hopefully the symptoms go away soon i'm pretty much stuck at home from the stomach upsetness. any ideas please help!!!

oh i also forgot to mention i am a normally very thin person who has had 3 children with no lasting bad effects, pretty much eat very crappy and still stay slim, but on this i started gaing about 1 lb every four days!! not real impressed with that one!!
christy

I have been on lexapro for what I believe to be at least a year. I have used anti-depressant drugs for at least 4 but Im pretty sure I only switched to lexapro a year ago.

Lexapro has caused a complete lack of motivation. I do not care about anything. The only reason I do things is because I have to to survive. Like work for instance. I'm almost always tired. My sex drive is nearly non-existant. Basically I have turned into something of a robot. I was on 20 mg but cut the dosage in half against my doctors suggestion about two weeks ago. I had very very mild withdrawl and almost didnt notice it. Ill be cutting it in half again soon.

Taking lexapro over 11 months. First of three SSRi's that scares the hell out of me. Doc said no side effects. Great. Much better than Paxil and Effexor which I had been off for over a year. Started at 10mg daily. Lost 20 lbs in two months. Great?! Emotional steady but dead feeling - no highs no lows no interest no energy. Esepcially no focus. Then 20 mg after 3 months. INcreasing lack of life. Finally decided after putting the 20lbs los back on rapidly - that must come off. Started to wean when 20 mgs started to cause major sweats all day and night. Took 1 months and went to 10mg daily. Then over 1 month 10 mg every other day - then every second day - then tird now off completely 7 days. Side effects comig off definitely outweigh benefits of going on. I feel like my brain in flaoting a s jar of water. Dizziness causing nausea, elecric chocks, pain in hands and legs. I am trudging without though. Had I known this would be so hard would never had taken. Had better oerformance with effexor and little withdrawl over 2 months. This drug should be studies more. Suicide thoughts much more often and with deeper emtotionghydgdrueawknesb ttooued stedsgigheccxiaxects

I was having several severe migraines a week, even after trying to avoid my triggers. My doctor prescribed Lexapro but I was reluctant to take it at first because of a bad reaction I had to nortryptoline the previous year. Finally I made a deal with my doctor, I would try it for three months. The first two weeks I was on Lexapro I had 11 migraines as my body adjusted to the change in seratonin. The good news is that, after six months, I average only one migraine every six weeks and it is usually mild. The bonus part of taking Lexapro was it helped with my anxiety. I feel normal now. I don't dwell on things all the time or circle-think until I make myself sick with worry. I have had very little side effects (after the first two weeks). The only side effect I have now is a lack of appetite (which helped me to lose 12 pounds and keep it off).

Been on lexapro for almost two years now, and think I was overmedicated --not sure. But when I recently had an insurance hang-up, I just went off it cold for two months. I experienced some heavy anxiety and downswings, but better up moods as well. By the end of that two months, when my insurance finally came through, I was starting to feel a little more evened out, if still a bit anxious, and then I went back on, 10 mg a day. And I felt scrubbed from the inside out. Nothing, no spark. Slept all day, couldn't sleep at night. Quarts of coffee kept my brain going but it didn't seem to connect with the rest. I'm in grad school and teaching --it was a hell of a mess trying to keep up with everything. So finally I just went to half-dose, to see what would happen, and it's making a huge difference. I've been at half-dose (self-prescribed) for three weeks now, and feel more normal than ever. Still can't sleep though, and the ambien isn't helping that. Not sleeping is going to throw the seratonin off all over again, so I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to just get the hell off lexapro and get a stronger 10 mg dose of ambien? Has anyone else tried this?

been on lexapro for one year now, and can't say enough how much it helped me, but realize these are extremely personal experiences and situations.....

struggled with depression for several years, but not as bad as some others......typical sleep problems, self-esteem issues, suicidal thoughts, etc......tried zoloft a few years ago, and just didn't feel right, so stopped....

only real side-effects i've experienced: increased sweating and body temperature for about the first month or so, and occasional feelings of overmedication (like irritability, euphoria, trouble-putting-up-with-other-peoples-crap, etc)...

anyway, just wanted to contribute one positive experience with escitalopram, but not to discount others' troubles with it.....i haven't felt as connected and optimistic in years, but ymmv.....

I was prescribed lexapro for mild depression last year. My husband was away in Iraq and I was the typical stressed out mother. The therapist who met me for the first time the day she prescribed the"happy pill" , said most women my age (30's) were mildly depressed due to life stresses, hormones , etc. The first month, I felt sleepy and had no emotions at all - I wasn't stressed out anymore so that was great, but I wasn't happy , sad, angry, nothing - I was like a robot emotionally - only a low functioning robot because I was so sleepy all the time. Unloading the dishwasher became a 2 hour chore because I couldn' focus on it for more that 30 second periods, then my mind started racing, then I had all this "energy" which now I believe was a drug induced mania. Pretty soon I was sleeping only 2-3 hours a night, calling people- anybody who would listen and rambling on about nothing for hours. Then came the rage- intense and deep anger about everything , toward everybody, all the time. I am married to a gorgeous man who I have always been extremely attracted to and I would get furious and push him away if he tried to touch me. Finally, after my husband (poor man) had enough, he told me it was over, I fell apart ,went to see another therapist and decided after I accidentally missed my "happy pill"that I felt a little calmer, not so punchy. So I didn't take it on purpose the next day. I went cold turkey and within 72 hours, my mind was clear, I was processing thoughts at normal speed, my energy was low,but I didn't care, I was starting to see glimpses of the old me again the me I liked. It has been three weeks now, and I feel extremely calm, in control and am functioning like I used to . My relationship with my husband is improving, but the damage that resulted from my Lexapro era may be too great to hold it together. I did and said some very hurtful,lasting things and I didn't even know why. The scariest thing about the whole experience was I started believing I truly was insane. My head was never quiet. I never wanted to stop talking because when I did, what was going on in there was so loud I couldn't take it. I became a TOTALLY different person- a person I am ashamed of. If you are reading this , and thinking of taking any mind altering medication (And yes ALL antidepressants are mind altering, no matter what doctors say, because they change your mood and behavior -that is their job) please be informed and have a thorough physical exam and meet with your prescribing doctor several times before you make the decison to hand your mind over to a chemical. It is not as simple as it is made out to be on commercials. There is no happy pill . Life is hard, and painful sometimes, but I almost lost EVERYTHING I had spent my life building because I made the wrong choice. Choose wisely. Your life could depend on it.

I have been on lexapro since february, and it worked fine. It started not working, and then they raised my dose. My depression is worse than it EVER was and ive been depressed for 5 years atleast. I need help. I dont want to leave my room, and this is destroying my great relationship i have. A month ago my boyfriend and I were discussing marriage, now we are almost broken up. PLEASE HELP ME

I have been taking lexapro now for one month. The first week I struggled with alternating mild to moderate nausea and severe dry mouth. My depressive symptoms continued - foginess - fatigue - general apathy - moodiness. The second week I felt amazing - extream high energy - a wonderful love of life - I felt that this medication had been made for me. Up to that point my complaints were still mild nausea coupled with a decrease in appetite - a total loss of sexual intrest - increased sweating - especially in the evening. The last week however I feel almost worse than before I took the drug -I have been sleeplin a minimum of eleven hours a night and fight to stay awake all day. I feel more apathetic than before - the world has begun to seem overwhelming - I have had a few sucidal thoughts - one if not 2 small panic attacks - I just feel as if everything is just too much - I want to feel better but almost feel too hopeless to care. I also have epilepsy and am curious about how the 2 drugs affect my body. My plan of attack is just to give this lexapro a few more weeks -

Where to start.

I used lexapro to get off of effexor. I now have the same brain-shocks I used lexapro to remedy. With lexapro, I was ALWAYS terribly tired. I quit dating, hanging out with friends and found myself dangerously angry all of the time when I wasn't too tired to feel any emotion.

Now after being on lexapro for over a year, I have been tapering off from 20mg to 10, 5 and now 1 week without any.

My brain feels like it is going to explode. I cannot walk well, drive, think or remember anything. I tried to dull the pain with about 8 martinis and that didn't help at all! I have tried many drugs (legal and illegal) to ease the horrible pain to no avail.

Percocet is all that has helped at all, and even it was not enough for me to function.

Lord, I wish I would have never taken ANY drug like this.

Good luck to others in my position, it surely seems like an uphill battle from here...

Lexapro worked for me for a while, but then started causing some of the worst insomnia and weight gain I'd ever had in my life!

I have been taking lexapro for about 6 months. Prior I took Effexcor which left me sleepy all day. Paxil which did not seem to do much of anything. The Lexapro takes the edge off, however I do find it hard to cry. My libido is gone. Overall I am pleased. I hope to reduce the amount I take sometimes next year. If I skip a day or two, I am able to cry more freely (I am grieving so this sometimes helps me).

I took lexapro for the first time 2 nights ago I woke up feeling like my body was set on fire I had the worst panic attack i was throwing up and i had a terrible headache my pupils were dialated and i was so dizzy i couldn't hardly walk. that was yesterday and today i feel wiped out and nausous. This may not happen to everyone but be careful before you take it.

I have been on Lexapro 10 mg for a year now. I had almost no side-effects except sweaty palms. My problem is that i have trouble concentrating on tasks due to high anxiety and procrasinate on many projects. I have had less anxiety but I recently increased my dosage to 20 mg (two days ago). I am hoping that it will help me to focus more. I do believe my procrasination is because I can't handle anxiety that it provokes. I am curious about other people's experience. Can increased dosage make a difference?

Oh, by the way, I take my Lexapro in the morning. I sleep well, so take lexapro in the morning.

I just wanted to say that I've been on Lexapro for 3 weeks and love it so far. I am happier. I do have vivid dreams and occasionally feel dissasociated. I also am now capable of sleeping 14 hours. But the disassociation and extra sleep don't feel as heavy and ominous as they did before I was on Lexapro. Now, its a happy sleepy. I feel much more engaged with the world, and able to communicate with people. Thank you, Lexapro. (I am on 10 mg)

been on lexapro for 2 and a half years, started at 10 mg
went to 20mg after a couple weeks, I've stayed at 20mg
now from the remainder of the time. Felt great! No more
being test with the kids, no more fights, out of control with my husband, outgoing like I use to be, just happy.
The worst side effects have been the weight gain. I was a size 8 sometimes a 10, in the past two years I'm up to
a 14, i'm a 165 pounds, at my heaviest the dr said I should be 130. I'm 5'5. I feel disgusting, and all I want to eat is carbs, and sugar. I decided to try to get off this med. Talked to my dr. He dropped me down to 10mg, this is my second week of 10mg, I've noticed that I'm back to being tesy again, and I have a constant headache. I hate being in a bad mood again! But I really hate being fat. Any advice?

I was on lexapro for 1 1/2 years. I gained about 15 pounds which is a lot for me because I am small. I stopped taking lexapro about a month ago coming off it slowly with my doctors guidance. The withdrawals weren't too bad at all. HOWEVER, I can't seem to lose the weight!!!! I am exercising 4 times a week, sometimes more. And I mean I am sweating like a pig doing a really tough workout on the eliptical machine along with doing weight resistance exercises. Despite all this, I got on the scales this morning and I have gained more weight!!! I have heard that lexapro can change your chemistry and metabolism even though it is advertised as having a low occurance of weight gain. Does anyone know anything about this!? I can't stand this weight!!!! I feel better emotionally except for this. This is depressing and it is bringing me down. Also, even though I have been off for about a month I still do not have a libido!! HELP!

Lexapro seems to work well with my depression, but I have gained weight and have not been able to lose it even with watching what I eat, so I feel it helps in one way, but now I feel bad about myself because I'm more overweight than I was to begin with. It also makes me very sleepy so I have no motivation to exersise.

I GOT PUT ON LEXAPRO OCT.05 AND I HAD JUST LOST A BUNCH OF WEIGHT... I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS SO MY DOCTOR PUT ME ON LEXAPRO 2 MONTHS BEFORE MY WEDDING.. AND I WAS FINE UNTIL THE 4TH MONTH I BEGAN TO SLOWLY NOT FIT IN MY CLOTHES. I WEANED MYSELF OFF OF IT 1 MONTH AGO AND I HAVE GAINED A TOTAL OF 28LBS! I STILL TAKE MY CLONAZEPAM IF I HAVE ANXIETY BUT I AM FEE AND CLEAR OF THE LEXAPRO AND I AM TRYING TO GET THIS WEIGHT OF AND HOPE I JUST GO BACK TO THE WAY I WAS AND FAST LIKE PUTTING ON THE WEIGHT. I WILL NEVER GET ON ANOTHER SSRI AGAIN! I HEAR THEY ALL MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT. THE WITHDRAWLS GETTING OFF WHERE CRAZY BUT NOW THEY ARE GONE I WON'T PUT MYSELF THROUGH THAT AGAIN. WHAT IS CRAZY IS I WASN'T DEPRESSED BEFORE JUST PANIC ATTACKS! NOW THAT I GAINED ALL THAT WEIGHT AND MADE MYSELF GET OFF OF IT.. I AM DEPRESSED WITH ALL THIS EXTRA WEIGHT!!! DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THE WEIGHT TO COME BACK OFF OR DOES IT?

I have also just come off lexapro, having gained a lot of weight. I have always been thin. Now I am 5'3" and 160 lbs. My boyfriend and I started a diet a month ago. He has lost 10 lbs, and I have gained 2. I have read so much about people gaining weight on lexapro, but I can't find any stories of people coming off and losing it again. I went on the medication because I was depressed. Now, I am depressed and fat. I wish that someone had told me before I started. I have felt so much guilt about gaining weight like this. Does anyone have a hopeful story about getting their body back after going off the meds?

I have been taking Lexapro for 4 weeks now for depression & anxiety. I am past the initial anxious feeling in my chest. Now I notice very subtle effects, such as less dwelling on depressing thoughts and more patience. Again, very subtle. I am prescribed 10 mg a day. I wonder if I should ask my doctor to increase it to 20. Any thoughts?

I originally started taking lexapro b/c I felt my zoloft was no longer working after 5 yrs. I'm at the stage of not knowing whether this was good or bad decision. Lexapro really helped my mood. I rarely had the urge to cry while on this and my anxiety was slim to none. However, the side effects were not so desirable. I lost absolutely all of my sex drive and gained about 30 lbs within 6 months. I wanted to believe it wasn't because of this drug, but after reading everyone else's symptoms on here it's pretty hard to deny. I spoke with my doctor and she has switched me to wellbutrin... I guess we will have to wait and see how that goes.

Lexapro is the biggest nightmare I have ever experienced in the drug realm. I felt great when I first started taking it and then, libido gone, I became very lethargic espically in the afternoons and felt generally rotten.I started to titrate off and the real fun began.I get Zaps in my head, my hands and feet are sweaty and then cold,neck aches, backaches,trouble concentrating.It's been three weeks since my last dose. Will I ever feel better?

I have been on Lexapro for about four months because I had two major upheavals in my life at the same time and I was having trouble coping. I have gained at least 10 pounds and I have lately been having trouble sweating. I'm past menopause and past hot flashes so this must be caused by Lexapro. Two weeks ago I cut my dose in half (10 mg to 5). I feel just fine. I plan to wait two more weeks, then take 5 mg every other day. I can't wait to get off this drug and I hope the weight goes back to normal. I still haven't read on this site if anyone lost the added pounds after weaning themselves from Lexapro. I hope this will happen! Good luck everyone.

I can't stand the way this drug makes me feel. I've been on it for about two months and it makes me feel insane. It gives me insomnia-it makes me super confused-it's having a great deal of effect on my short term memory as well as my moods. It makes me feel numb-it's almost like it takes your soul. I can't even put my finger on everything that's changed. I get diareah all the time now-the headaches lasted for weeks and it seems to be incresing my heart palpatations. I have gone from 20mg down to 5mg still without positive effects. My anxiety level sucks. I need my xanax back or something.

Hi my name is jessica and i recently started having anxiety attacks. I also worry so excessively that it keeps me up at night and prevents me from living a normal happy life. When the doctor first prescribed me Xanax I thought i was in heaven. It just mellowed me out and made everything ok. But then i was told xanax is not for long term use. The doctor then prescribed me lexapro. I refused to take it because i was scared to death of what would happen and did not want to be addicted to pills the rest of my life. I have been trying to fight it but i just can't do it anymore. I am moody and i get these weird pannicky feelings in class. I feel like im going CRAZY! I gave up and cut one of the 10mg pills in half and took it today. I am scared out of my mind of what's in store. Somebody out there talk to me. Does it make you tired? Is lexapro hard to get off of.

Have been on lexapro for 2 years and have in the last week finally weened completely off it. It's horrible. I feel weird in the head and am feeling very anxious and bad tempered. How long does this last. HELP!

I tried Lexapro twice and each time, 7 hours after taking the pill, I had the worst burning sensation from my neck to my abdomen. I wouldn't have taken it the 2nd time but my doctor said to give it another try and I almost had my husband take me to the emergency room the 2nd time. I was put on them for anxiety so you can imagine that didn't help. Threw the pills away!

I started Lexapro about four months ago. I was terrified to take it due to severe reactions to an antipsychotic and anti parkinsonian drug I took five years ago. I finally realised I had to take something after getting to the point I couldn't even talk to my mum on the phone I was so anxious. At first I took 2.5mg, and I was fine, a few headaches, feeling groggy, but not much more. I then increased it to 5mg and noticed that I felt better after about a month, with my social phobia slightly decreased, and my depression slightly lifted. However, after three months I started getting severely down again, so I've increased the dose to 7.5mg and after a week of feeling slightly anxious, I am now feeling horrendously anxious and I can't sleep at all! It's nearly four am and I'm just sitting up in bed with my laptop whilst my boyfriend snores away! My bad thoughts are back, my fears, the achey face from muscle tightness. Horrible. Also, I've been getting a twitchy nerve in my chin that is really strong and now I'm terrified I'm going to get tardive dyskinisia or something similar. I hope this will go, it's horrible!

I only feel subtle changes. I have been on 20 mg Lexapro for about 3 months. My doctor just added 150 mgs of Wellbutrin. I only notice subtle changes in the way I feel. I am going to ask him if I he can increase the Wellbutrin to 300 mgs. Any thoughts on this?

Thinking about switching from Prozac to Lexapro for depression and anxiety...any user comments on the effectiveness? Also, any sexual side effect?
Thanks,

Jt

2 Years ago I under went a complete hysterectomy because of severe endometriosis, I was 32. Because of the endometriosis I would have to wait 6 weeks before going on hormone replacement therapy. When I was discharged from the hospital I was sent home with the regular pain killers, antibiotics and another little pill called Lexapro. When I went to my doctor for a follow-up 3 days later I asked her what this was. Oh dont worry, this will just help you get through the next 6 weeks without your hormones. I was placed on this while still in the hospital, no one ever discussed this with me. Anyway, six weeks later, I said to my doc, so I can stop taking this now right, its 50.00 a pop even on insurance...no, I think it is best if you stay on it for awhile at least a year. A year later I just stopped taking it. About 6 dyas later I was in the ER, I thought I was dying, having a heart attack or a stroke or a siezure, or god knows what. I had jolts of electricity going through my body, dizziness, tunnel vision, numbness in my hands and around my mouth. They hooked me up to everything, all tests were normal! What??? How could that be??? Anyway they start asking me if I have started any new medications...No I tell them, nothing...but wait, I have stopped a medication. Bingo...They tell me whoa, you cant just stop taking a medication like that...A medication like what? What have I been on. Mrs, you will need to resume your medication and see your doctor to make a plan for coming off this. They gave me a pill and within 2 hours all my symtoms were gone. ALL OF THEM. I went to my doctor the next day. I really dont think you should come off of this medication, it really helps a lot of women deal with having a hysterectomy...Well no one asked me if I wanted that "help" or If I even felt I needed that "help" God was I mad. I started cutting my dosage down slowly in May of 2006, from half a pill, to half a pill every other day to a quarter of a pill every other day to nothing 14 days ago. GEUSS WHAT, I have jolts of electricity going through my body, dizziness, tunnel vision, numbness in my hands and around my mouth. Heart palpatations, Migranes...the withdrawl symptoms are getting a little better, but are not even close to gone yet even 14 days into this. To add insult to injury I weighed 125 when I started this, today I am tipping the scale at 156, I am 5 foot 1 inch...pretty huh! So my Lexapro Feedback. This sucks, I feel like my life has been taken away from me right now. I have been reading some forums and have heard some real horror stories, children being put on this medicine for grinding their teeth...etc. I HATE Lexapro. Hopefully someone will read this BEFORE they go on this medicine, hopefully they will be GIVEN THE CHOICE of going on this medicine or not. I will keep all of you who are trying to come off of this in my thoughts, and hope you will keep me in yours. I will never put anything in my body without completley researching it...NEVER no matter what any doctor tells me. Listen to others, their is a reason they have found this site, a reason they have posted their experience. Use their combined experiences to make the best choice for you

Lexapro made my depression worse. I first started in last year and it helped. I stopped for a while and restarted because of IBS symptoms. This time it didn't help at all and made it even worse. I am stopping it immediately.

I took Lexapro three years ago and only for about 3 or 4 days. I initially took it b/c of depression but when I started Lexapro I was out of my mind and panic attacks started. I had never had a panic attack so I literally thought I was dying. My doctor then took me off and put me on Zoloft and for the first two months I was also on valium for the panic attacks. I'm still on Zoloft but the panic attacks never stopped. If anything they have gotten worse. After reading what everyone else has to say about anti-depressants. I want off of them NOW! I also used to be extremly thin, around 115 and now I weight 174. And I put all that weight on in 3 yrs! I blame Lexapro completely for the way my life is now. The panic attacks have nearly taken over my life! My advice to anyone is to never take any kind of SSRI. Just see a physcologist.

I just started on Lexapro 10 mg three days ago and really haven't noticed much. I suffered from consistent, fairly extreme anxiety, mood swings and occasional bouts of depression for most of my 45 years. Going through a very hard time right now with work and family and went to see my doctor on the recommendation of an old friend who is both a doctor and takes SSRI's. He started me on Wellbutrin XL 150 mg, which at first was OK, felt like a coffee buzz without the jitters, but nothing special or really good. Still anxious and angry, especially at the end of the day. I tried upping the dose to twice a day. Awful. Could barely control my anger. Two days later I stopped. Went back to the doc and they gave me more Wellbutrin and the lexapro. Took both, and within 24 hours was back on the anxiety trip. Stopped the Wellbutrin again and now just taking the Lexapro. My wife and mother-in-law have both done well on it by itself. Evened out my wife's moods and I'm still surprised at how little things don't set her off anymore. I'm hopeful it will help me. I'm pretty low and freaked out right now, waiting for this stuff to kick in. Right now, I don't feel like getting out of bed or leaving the house, very anxious, disengaged. But these stories are mostly hopeful for me. My doc is fairly certain after my Wellbutrin experience my issue is with serotonin not dopamine or norepinephrine. Staying hopeful. Would love to read responses from anyone with similar issues who's had a positive Lex experience.

OK, I'm another 12 days in. I just want to say something. Wellbutrin made me CRAZY. I am one of those people who don't need norepniephrine boosted and needed serotonin dealt with. Lexapro has not been perfect for me. I've been sleeping too much and haven't had the energy to work out in 4 weeks. BUT, I am happy and positive and optimistic for the first time in two years and haven't lost my temper in 3 weeks. Just saying. This stuff isn't perfect. But when you find the "balance" you need, this stuff can help.

I am 57 and have been on either hormone therapy, Prozac, and now Lexapro for my post-menopausal life. All of the three have helped me, in succession, cope with stress and anxiety, but I get to a point, where I am now, that I believe there's got to be something better, as there are constant tradeoffs.

Okay, I don't harp anymore on my family, BUT, this is what I get in return: an extra 20-30 pounds that won't leave me, constant fatigue, recently frequent dizziness (especially after sex), stopped drinking wine because the dizziness became impossible to cope with (my world felt upside down - literally). I can sleep all afternoon, couldn't care less about work, etc. etc. I do not call this drug a success in my life.

As of today, I am looking for better-experienced psychiatrist who has more tools than my GP, who has prescribed this. I am eager to wean off, but know I will wake up feeling as if I had stuck my finger in an electric socket, with heart palpitations, incessant headaches, the whole mess.

This is not a drug to be prescribed lightly, not a start-and-stop solution. I am coming to the conclusion that I am made of body, mind and spirit and that all three have to be working in harmony for my life to feel good. Back to a real gym workout, which should help, very balanced and healthful eating, lots of veggies, avoid the sugar I crave, and pray.

Any other ideas? If you are reading this, I feel for you! Good luck with your lexapro route, it's not an easy one.

I was on this crap for about two and a half years with my max dosage topping out at 40 mg a day. To make a long story short, don't take it. To anyone on it right now, start weening off IMMEDIATELY. I started weening off last September from 30mg/day to finally 0mg/day at the beginning of this month and I feel as if the shocking-pulse sensations and dizziness aren't going away at all. The side effects have been so horrible and debilitating I feel like taking my doctor and Lexapro to court. Not to mention the shit my family's gone through because of this horrible drug, they've suffered far worse than I have because of the horribly angry and depressed state I've been in trying to get off.

I had been taking Lexapro and was feeling great! The anxious feeling I had been having prior to the medicine. Approx. 2 and a half months later I started feeling SO sick...headaches, tired, sick to my stomach. I stopped the medication and shortly after my anxiety came back. I tried to give Lexapro a second chance and I am experiencing the same side effects again. Has anyone else felt this awful on this drug? I thought it was supposed to be a very mild antidepressant but I have not had that experience.

I was diagnosed with clinical depression and my psychiatrist perscribed Lexapro for me. I didn't like the idea of taking drugs, but I was really depressed and figured I needed to do something, may as well listen to the doctor. I hated it. I was just as sad and just as sleepy as before, and worse, i still had zero focus (the worst thing for a student). I was on 10 mg. the only difference was for some reason when i was awake i was jittery. like, my leg would shake all the time. I would notice and stop it, but the second i stopped thinking about it it went back to shaking. i decided i really didnt want to be on the stuff and didnt refill my perscription. my psychiatrist tried to convince me to get back on it, and maybe up the dosage. i chose to just drop it and drop my doctor, too. right now i'm still depressed but better than i was (likely because of martial arts).

son had horrific nausea from using prozac, so we switched him to lexapro...he's been getting bad bad headaches...curious if anyone else has had side effects similiar...he's very sensitive it seems to anti-d's...
thanks for any info..
he's on .5 mgs..and supposed to go to 10mgs today...not sure if I want to increase at this point

OK, SO I'm facing a very difficult stressful week and went to the doctor to get something like Xanax or ativan to get me through a few days...nothing long term. Instead the doc gave me a prescription for Lexapro 10mg. He understood that this was fo very short term, but I feel that lexpro is more for a long term depression---I just need something to take the edge off so to speak. After reading some of these posts, I'm scared to death to take this stuff.. Will this work for my needs? also, will it work after the first dose, or does it need to build up in your system?

I have been on lexapro 10mg for a week now. The only thing I have noticed is that I don't lash out at my parents like I was. The worse part is that I can't get any sleep. Something the opposite of what I needed but it did help the hurtful lashing. I had some occurences of headaches. At first, I tried taking it at night and it kept me awake and restless. Then couple days later, I started taking it in the morning, I still can't sleep. I try to exercise and doing things around the house but I can't get any sleep like I should. I will wait for like another month and if it doesn't get any better than I will tell my doc. I do take tylenol once in a while to just get a few hours of sleep in but I don't like to abuse it in that way. Can I have any references or any feel on this issue?

Hello. I have been on Lexapro for about 4 weeks now. My doctor switched me from Paxil CR 25mg because it was not working anymore.

I was on Paxil for 9 years. All seemed well for about 5 years, then I went through a period where it wasnt working anymore. I was taken off paxil by my primary doc with no weaning and put on Prozac. I about went off the deep end and immediately (against my doctors advice) stopped the Prozac and continued the Paxil. After about a month or so of battling the anxiety, I started to feel better. Almost as if it were just a phase I was going through. I did however quit my job to pursue something else less stressful. Maybe that helped...

Anyways, About 6 months ago, I started having the worst panic attacks anyone could immagine. full blown numbness, fear, out of body experiences, all day fatigue and fealings of absolute hopelessness. I cant say Ive actually been suicidal, but I can relate to anyone who has thought of ending it because of this condition! I feel as though I could never bring myself to that level though. I do have good times although seldome. But those good times keep me hopeful that some day I will be normal. =o)

Back to Lexapro... Since Ive been on Lexapro, I have experienced bad side-effects. My hands tingle all the time. Like pins and needles. My head feels pressure like in an airplane. My anxiety is pretty much gone, but I still have symptoms of anxiety without the fear and heart punding effects. I have brief periods of feeling great. Then it goes away. It like a tease. Forever I thought that my symptoms had to be a brain tumor or something because my symptoms seem more physical than mental. However, docs say its common for the condition.

Anyways, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Effexor, pretty much sucks. lol... If anyone wants a "normal" life with depression or anxiety, go to therapy! talk about it, learn that you're not alone and that others feel your pain. Its so easy to just curl up in a ball, but, I refuse to do that. I make lifes hard descisions and go full force into my fears because even though I feel like shit, my condition cant hurt me alone. If it does indirectly, it was meant to be. So far this attitude has done me ok. Even as I type this, I feel my head pressurized and foggy. My hands tingle and I should be working, but Im not. Im focused more on just feeling better at the moment. =o)

God bless all of you and be well.

Lexapro makes me sick. I have been on it for three days and have been sick every day. I don't know if I will be able to go to work tomorrow. I am nauseated, dizzy, weak, uncoordinated, and seem to do nothing but sleep or lay around. If you aren't depressed enough, Lexapro can fix that.

I have sporadic burning on my scalp ever since I started taking Lexapro. The pain comes in waves and lasts about 25-35 minutes. After reading some information I can see that this is not too uncommon. Has anyone else had this experience?