This is one of the medications my IC recommended for me. I've read some info on it but thought maybe someone here might have taken it...real life info is sometimes better than the scientific data you read.

I realize everyone is different but if you've taken it could you tell me your experience...side effects/intensity of them...etc.

Thanks.

I am on lexapro now. IC told me for a month before I finally said ok to go on AD's.

I take 5 mg daily - 1/2 of a 10 pill (the lowest dose) I take at night before bed.

first few days I was dizzy, shakey, headachy. That passed in about 3 days.

the affects of the anti d took place about day 7 or 8 (reccomened for the fast affects) - a cloud was lifted. at the end of 3 weeks I felt like my old self. The horrible anxiety was gone. I was also perscribed ambian so i could sleep at night (=wasn't doing that well either)but by week 3 I did not need to take sleeping pills, I was under control enough to sleep naturally.

The doc had suggested starting at 5 and going up to 10 mg day but I have stayed at 5 because I feel ok. I have a friend that went up to 20 and had a bad reaction. Since things are going well in my life I hope to stay where I am and eventually go off them all together, but I am a nicer person to be around medicated at this point.

Minimal sexual side affects. I still can enjoy it fine. No weight gain.

Compaired to lots of other stuff friends have ben on this one has been great.

good luck

Hey there. That is the medication my doctor prescribed for me. She did so for 2 reasons: 1) I needed relief fast, and it only takes 2 weeks for the antidepressant part of the med to take effect and 2) I needed anti-anxiety help, and this anti-d has both. In fact, the anti-anxiety part of the medication began working on about day 2.

Since H and I are in a wonderful recovery, I have since stopped taking the medication. I was on it for about 5 months. I did not notice any side effects at all. I did stop losing weight after about a month's use. I told the doctor jokingly that this was a side-affect. She said, "Or, the medication is working." Because the stress-diet is not healthy. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

However, since H came back about 7 weeks ago, I have noticed another side-affect that probably served me well during our separation - lack of sex drive. And even if I had the drive, sometimes it was harder to, well, I don't know how explicit you want this so I will use technical terms, climax. That, the fact my H is home and we are doing well, and my happiness with food, is why I quit the medication.

I don't know what your dosage is. Mine was just 10 mg. I have had no side-effects from stopping the medication, except in the SF department - everything is back to normal there. I just quit after my last prescription ran out, and I am fine.

Good luck! In a nutshell, I was pleased with the medication in the situation that I was in.

SS

Thanks anotherone - I'm on the fence about taking anything but since I'm home with 3 small children all day I feel like I owe it to them to be at my best...

If it's okay to ask, how long have you been on it and how long to you expect to take it? I have no idea what is 'normal'.

Thanks

oops double post

<small>[ May 25, 2004, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: LosingFocus ]</small>

Originally I was on Leaxapro. Later switched to Welbutrin. Main reason no sexual side effects ie difficult to finish.

Having said that I had a weird reaction to the Lexapro. Don't know if the Wellbutrin would have had a similar effet.

The reaction: When I stretch it feels as though I lose muscle contol for a split section. A quick quiver. Seems like something small but who knows what is going on neurologically. It also intensified the big O which seems like a good side effect but again who knows what's causing in the brain or motor system.

cwmac

Thanks spider slayer... </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> lack of sex drive. And even if I had the drive, sometimes it was harder to, well, I don't know how explicit you want this so I will use technical terms, climax. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">This is a concern for me. I have pretty much no sex drive as it is and SF is right up there in my H's top needs...glad to hear that everything goes back to normal when you stop the meds.

PS - Wanted to let you know that this is the third post I've read of yours today (read a response you wrote to someone else, a quote someone included that you had made, and this post)...I don't know your story but your 'attitude' in these three posts have encouraged me today. Thanks for the positive messages...I'm sure they helped a lot of people. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

This is the medication that my doctor prescribed to me as well.

There has been the decreased libido and difficulty achieving climax problem. Going off the medication hasn't really helped that either <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> Idon't blame the medication for it since this was an issue before. I'm too young for this..

Anyway. The other side effect that I did have was VERY vivid dreams. Sometimes they were bad dreams but I don't think any more than usual. I just remembered them better.

I went off of the medication but I will be going back on it since I wasn't ready yet.

JGNC

I've taken several A/D's over the years and am currently on Lexapro. I like it better than any of the others and have NO side effects, except that I do take a 20mg dose and if I forget to take it for a day, I get weird electrical "zap" feelings in my arms and legs when I move. If/when I go off, I will have to wean down slowly.

Paxil and Serzone both gave me BAD side effects--the quivering someone discussed, total inability to function in SF, BAD dreams, insomnia, etc. Then I switched to Celexa which reduced all these considerably. I could function for SF though "things" perhaps took a little longer, but I didn't have a lot of desire. I recently switched to Lexapro and even the desire has come back (BAD in my current situation). I also think it does a slightly better job with my anxiety than Celexa did. Anxiety is the primary reason I take A/D's.
Hopefully the effects won't decrease over time!

LL

LosingFocus, two weeks after d-day truth telling began I knew I needed an AD. I'm in the mental health field and asked my doctor to put me on Lexapro because I heard it was the cleanest AD, meaning least amount of side effects. It was the best decision I could have made at the time. My depression and anxiety were severe. Many ADs can take 4 to 6 weeks to kick in. I literally began feeling better after a couple of days.

OK, in saying all of that, I called my doctor last week and asked her to switch me to Wellbutrin. On Lexapro my sexual desire never lessened, but the longer I was on the drug my ability for SF was diminishing. I have never had difficulty in that area. The thing with Wellbutrin is it isn't the greatest drug for anxiety. Although my H is on it, and he has much more anxiety than I do, he had been on other ADs which caused sexual dysfunction. Too bad he wasn't on another AD when the horny OW pursued him. I would talk to your doctor about either of those 2 ADs. CV

For those on Welbutrin, does anyone have sexual dysfuction on it? I am too afraid of a/d's since paxil, which caused total sexual dysfucntion. Sometimes I could eventually O, but thought it was going to kill me.

anyname

anyname, Paxil is one of the worst SSRIs, a group of ADs, that can cause sexual dysfunction. My H was on it and he felt great emotionally, but it killed our R sexually. When he finally changed to Wellbutrin his functioning came back.

I am still in the process of changing from Lexapro to Wellbutrin. I'm alternating drugs until I'm done with the Lexapro, which will be in a few days. It's probably too soon to tell, but I think I'm noticing an improvement. I think I just read recently that Wellbutrin can actually enhance SF for a woman. I wish I could remember where I read that. I know it is not supposed to have any adverse sexual side effects. CV

My wife took Wellabutrin for some time and it had no sexual side effects for her.

That's all I can offer.

J.

My doc prescribed Prozac. Anybody taken that?

hope, I took a psychopathalogy course 2 summers ago. I pulled out my textbook and looked up Prozac for you. This is what it says about side effects.

"Similar to the other SSRIs(a class of ADs), prosac produces a relatively high rate of sexual dysfunction, affecting 40 to 60 percent of those taking the drug. The most frequent types are delayed orgasm in women and retarded ejaculation in men. Some experience decreased desire or lack of interest in sexual activity. Some people who have been on Prozac for a long period of time report weight gain. The cause of this side effect is unclear." It also states as "special considerations", "Because Prozac is the most activating of the SSRIs, individuals with depression and associated anxiety symptoms often tolerate it less well than those with melancholic depression."

Hope that helps. CV

DIDN'T ANYONE READ MY POST A FEW WEEKS AGO? GEEZ!

MY DR. AND THE ENTIRE EMERGENCY ROOM STAFF THINKS TAKING THE LEXIPRO CAUSED MY SEIZURES, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE STRESS I HAVE BEEN UNDER.

Supposedly it lowers the seizure threshold. If anyone here has ever had a seizure, or is prone to them, please, please, please get off this medication now!!!!!!!!!

It may have nearly killed me!

<small>[ May 28, 2004, 07:08 AM: Message edited by: LosingFocus ]</small>

I just started on Lexapro a few days ago and can already tell a difference with the anxiety. One thing my doctor told me is that if the Lexapro reduces sex drive too much that he can add the Wellbutrin to offset.

I am taking Lexapro and I will tell you it has made a great difference in my life. I feel so much better than I did months ago (actually better than I have my whole life). I have always struggle with anxiety and this has changed my life.

My only problem is the SF thing. I can tell a difference in having the problem crossing the finish line if you know what I mean (never in my life had this problem before). I see some doctors have made recommendations for this so I am going to check with mine.

I hate to go off the drug because it has done wonders for my life so I hope they have a fix for the SF thing <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

havinghope, that is exactly what happened to me. That is why I called my doctor and asked her to switch me to Wellbutrin. having sexual dysfunction was not worth it for me. CV