Lexapro????

[bebecole]

im currently going to therapy to help with my anxity disorder, and my therapist told me id have to go on medication to treat my anxity and depression.

Ive heard about lexapro by several people and heard it was good.

 

any stories?

maybe give me some advice if you are taking or have taken it or know anyone who has..

thanks

[shes2smart]

I was on Lexapro from Dec 2003 til August 2004. I had a work-induced mental meltdown and I was put on the Lexapro the day after that incident. I already had a therapist I had worked with on and off, so I just went back to her for counseling and my regular doc prescribed the Lexapro.

 

I took 10mg/day, with the understanding that I was not going to stay on it indefinitely. I had to agree to take it as prescribed for a minimum of 6 months before the doc would put me on it.

 

It takes a couple weeks to build up in your system enough so you'll notice a difference. (This is true for just about all anti-depressants/anti-anxiety meds) Chances are people around you will notice the differences before you do.

 

My experience with Lexapro was that it sort of lopped off the highs and lows in emotions. It kept my brain functioning in a sort of comfortable, bland middle ground. If I started to get upset about something, it fizzled out very quickly....as if it was going to just be too much effort to get worked up about. I likened it to being in a tub full of warm water that was about the same temperature as your body -- it was comfortable, but after a while the boundary between "you" and the water was really blurry.

 

I also gained some weight while on it and lost my sex drive. As I'm learning through some therapy I'm doing now, there may have been other mitigating factors to cause those two things and the Lexapro may not be 100% to blame for them. (although, I do think it was definitely a contributing factor)

 

In my case, the Lexapro did what I needed it to do -- stabilize my emotions so I could focus on getting another job and getting out of dysfunction junction (aka "my former employer"). I landed another job about 3.5 months after I started on the Lexapro, and stayed on it (& continued counseling) until I was settled in my new job & the city I had moved to for the job (about 150 miles away from dysfunction junction).

 

I tapered off the Lexapro over the course of 2-3 weeks. Physically felt crappy for most of that time. Once it had a chance to get completely out of my system, I felt much better.

 

My stance on meds like this is the vast majority of people don't need to be on them indefinitely. Yes, there are some folks whose brain chemistry is such that they do need these kinds of meds on an ongoing basis in order to be functional. But for most people, it's a very situational thing. Meds should not be seen as the solution. They are a tool you can use so that you can better focus on doing the work to deal with your issues. (In my case, finding another job) If you're expecting meds to fix your problems, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. You're still going to have to do the mental/emotional heavy lifting yourself.

 

If you can take them with the understanding that they're a tool to assist you, but they won't do the work for you, you may find them quite useful.

 

Someone else who worked at dysfunction junction was also prescribed Lexapro a few weeks after I was. (The place was a horrible place to work for) He suffered the side effect of getting very dizzy and had to discontinue the Lexapro. He was also taking 10/mg a day. His doc switched him over to something else after about a week and half because the dizziness was so bad. I don't recall what med he was switched over to, though.

[brando]

Check out this link

 

link removed

[miserableme]

I was on lexapro for a year up until a few weeks ago. I have to say, when I first started taking it I felt awful. I kept having a gag reflex for a week straight. I felt even more depressed. I felt nauseus and sick. I had gigantic pupils and couldn't stop grinding my teeth. This gradually got better by about 3 weeks.

 

While I was on it, it stopped me from breaking down and I cried a lot less. I lost interest in sex, I gained weight and I was unable to feel really happy or excited about anything.

 

I soon discovered that my depression was not caused by outside events but rather, vitamin b12 deficiency. I tried coming off it for months. I'd take half a day for a few days, then a quarter etc. Until I'd get all sick and dizzy again. I felt like what I imagine coming off heroin must feel like. Eventually, I just decided to stop taking it because I couldn't handle it anymore. It was a painful few days but now I'm free!!!

 

I would say this drug was not for me. It may work for you though. I have been on an antidepressant called Lovan before, which had much less side effects for me. Good luck!

[shes2smart]

Check out this link

 

link removed

 

Small world...I did some freelance voiceover work on one of their videos a few years back....

[brando]

I have a copy if the program...16 cds. they talk about nutrition, exercise and so much more. And not only is Lucinda Bassett the founder, she was also a client....

 

 

Great resources for dealing with anxiety and depression.

[annie24]

I'm also a former lexapro user. It had its pros and cons. Pro - it really lessened a lot of my anxiety - my vertigo from stress went away! but, I lost my ability to orgasm for a while (anorgasmia), dry mouth, CONSTANTLY sleeping. oh my god. I never woke up for like 3 months straight! I took naps at work.

 

It also started making me very irritable, losing my temper easily, freaking out, my coworkers talked to me in private about it

 

Anyways, after 6 months, and my reasons for getting on it in the first place went away (there was some stress at school over an exam, and I passed, so yeah!)

 

everyone will react to it differently. It does make you feel generally evened out like s2s said, but towards the end, I was surprised what my temper was doing!

 

good luck!

[FoxLocke]

I just started Lexapro, and I only take it before I goto sleep at night. For me, so far, the benefits have outweighed the negatives. It has dulled down my anxiety and I am better able to concentrate...

 

The one negative is that it has heightened my appetite. So I have to do double time in the gym. One of my friends was on it, and he went from 150 to 270 pounds, and I am not having that. I do get the craving the eat alot more...But I know it is just the drug talking and I don't do it.

 

So it has it's pros and cons.