Has anyone taken Lexapro? - Marriage Builders® Forums

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

[ May 25, 2004, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: LosingFocus ]

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... <blockquote>quote:<hr /> 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. <hr /></blockquote>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!

[ May 28, 2004, 07:08 AM: Message edited by: LosingFocus ]

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

CV - Not worth it to me either but do you feel as well on the welburtin?? The Lexapro has made such a difference in my life that I hate to lose that as well. How long were you on the Lexapro?? Anyone know if the side effect might fade after time??

Did you have to go back in and see the doc or did they do it over the phone?

my doctor said that you can take the Wellbutrin along with the Lexapro to correct the SF dysfunction.

Started today 10 mg a day on the mornings. New counselor recomended this one instead of Remeron, the one I took a while ago.

Will let you know.

Lisa03 - So you are taking Lexapro and Wellbutrin??

I am very curious about all this. I would swear by my Lexapro <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

hh...I just started on lexapro this week and I can already tell a difference. The doctor said that he could add the wellbutrin if needed offset the SF side effects if necessary.

Havinghope, so far I don't think I'm seeing a difference between the Wellbutrin and the lexapro. However, I am still taking both. I'll write what me textbook says about the "special considerations" to be looked at with Wellbutrin. "It is not as effective as most other ADs in treating depression complicated by an anxiety disorder or eating disorder." For me I think I am a pretty laid back person, but I had real anxiety when I found out about the A. The Lexapro was great for that. But I found the longer i was on the Lexapro, started mid-January, my SF really started going downhill. Very similar to what other ladies here have reported. I actually called my doctor after seeing her and told her i wanted to switch to Wellbutrin. Sometimes when meds are being fine tuned, and other ADs are added to the mix, it's a good thing to see a psychiatrist. They are much better with the fine tuning than a regular doctor. CV

CV55 - Thanks for the reply. I have struggled with Anxiety my whole life and have never been what I would call the overly happy type. I just thought it was who I was. I started Lexapro and I have never felt better in my entire life (and my husband just had an A). Seriously it is amazing how good I feel. I think I should have been on something all my life.

I will check in with my doc and see what he says. Problem for me is I have never been good at expressing my feelings and issues with SF, even to the doc <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> . I am seeing a counsleor but not a psychiatrist so I don't think that will help.

CV...I did find it interesting that they do prescribe the two A/d's to be taken together when SF is an issue. I had never heard of that before. I tried Wellbutrin a few years by itself and it did nothing for me.

Havinghope, the counselor and psychiatrist are totally unrelated. These days most psychiatrists deal with the medications and don't do any therapy. I'm just saying if you aren't seeing good results dealing just with your doctor, this is what a psychiatrist's specialty is.

Lisa, if I don't like just the Wellbutrin it's good to know they can add on the Lexapro. I really did like that med, but the dysfunction was getting bad. CV

WhiteKnight -

Thanx for posting the warning info. I hadn't heard about that possible side-effect yet.

I have been taking Lexapro for several months.
The only side effects I noticed were mild and only during first week. As far as SF goes I wouldn't know because I am in Plan B...

My oldest daughter started taking Lexapro this week for severe depression and anxiety. The doctor had tried to get her to start taking it about a year ago but she refused then. Now she realizes her depression/anxiety is not going to go away on it's own and she is willing to go to appt.s with DR & FC.

Neither of us has any history with seizures, but I will certainly watch daughter for any side effects.

The Lexapro has pretty much returned me to my normal (annoyingly) cheerful self LOL. It hasn't altered my personality or ability to function (the reason I was afraid to start it).
I just feel like MYSELF again. No zombiness. I can still feel sad or angry - just not obsessing over it with staying in bed or crying spells. And most of the time I feel energetic and happy.

Now when I'm too tired to do anything there's no doubt it's because I really AM too PHYSICALLY exhausted to do any more (after having mowed lawn, exercised, taken a walk, cleaned house, taxi'ing kids to their activities, etc.)

Also, I sleep much better. I do have vivid dreams but not disturbing. I do wake up during the night a few times but wake up feeling happy and have no trouble going back to sleep.

I have an underlying sense of well-being and of success (instead of anxiety/worry over not doing a good enough job at things). But it's not PollyAnnish - I really AM getting more done and have reason to feel less anxious and more successful.

Also, I have never before in my life had so many creative thoughts! I crochet and am coming up with more new things to make than I can keep up with! Plus practical problems I have been trying to solve suddenly have some nifty solutions. Weirdness... It's amazing what a happy, relaxed human mind can accomplish.

Still, as much as a benefit the Lexapro has been for me, I don't want to take it forever. (One of the reasons I refused to start taking it at first.) I will continue to take it at least through September (when divorce will be final).
I also have been given DR's permission to exercise as much as I want to again (I usually want to exercise a LOT - even LIKE to do push-ups and sit-ups). So I will be able to go back to my normal lifestyle of using exercise as an AD.

[ May 29, 2004, 09:09 AM: Message edited by: meremortal ]

Thanks for sharing info about Lexapro. I am taking 20mg daily and I did notice SF. I thought it was just me having difficulty getting over sexual images from WH A. I have noticed that it allows me to get through my day and think clearer. I started at 10mg for the 1rst week and was told to increase it to 20mg. Does this seem like a lot??

How many mg. is everyone taking? I am down to 10, but feel like I need to go back up to 20? I like the Lexapro much better than prozac or zoloft.
KK

Hi -

I have been taking lexapro for two months for anxiety (angry outbursts is another term for it I think). I am on 5 mgs (1/2 a pill) but I am thinking of switching to 10 because I feel good but thought I may feel better. It has helped me to stay level headed. Even after my breakup last night I feel very much in control. I guess safe and a good sense of well being is a good way to describe. I did have a couple of glasses of wine and almost passed out so I thinking drinking while on it is not a good idea. I was also having a lot of trouble reaching the "big O", that is one of the side effects for some people, but I no longer have to care about that. I plan
on staying on it long enough to know that my life is back on track and that I won't do anything stupid out of anxiety to screw it up again.

Weaver

PS I keep saying I'm done posting on here but then I read something else and can't help it.

I have just stopped taking Paxil. I have started taking the herbal AD "St John's Wort" which I've looked up on the net and the "experts" have a lot of very good things to say about it.

BTW I have suffered depression and anxiety since I was a teenager. Any crisis of any sort and up it rears its ugly head again. I have found the new meds to be light years ahead of what I used to take but I'm willing to try "natural" for a while just to see how I am on them.

I was taking half a Paxil every morning (would be 5mg I guess - or would that be 10mg - not sure) and have been four days off them and four days on the St John's Wort". So far I feel great - they have no side effects which is the best part. The "O" came back after about 6 months on the Paxil but I still got "funny" twitchy side effects which were uncomfortable.

H took 2 years to get right again after taking Paxil. Even when he'd stopped taking them he still had real trouble with the "O". (Never, never had that problem before and this was well before the A). He took them after he was made redundant from his work. He won't touch prescription AD's now (it was THAT bad) and takes St John's Wort.

Weaver, you're very welcome here - keep posting.

Jenny

[ May 31, 2004, 04:09 PM: Message edited by: KiwiJ ]

Jenny -

Will you post updates on the St. Johns Wort. I think everyone would rather take a natural herb than a chemical if it would work for anxiety/depression

...and thank you for saying I am welcome here

Weaver

Thanks Weaver, I will keep you posted with updates on the SJW.

I actually ran out of Paxil and was going to make an appointment with the Dr to get more but I didn't, so I'm self-medicating at the moment which probably isn't a good idea. I will go straight back to the Dr if anything "weird" happens because I know I should have weaned myself off the Paxil properly.

Jenny

I will say that I am experiencing the "vivid, crazy dreams" since going on Lexapro but I had that with Paxil too! OM still haunts dreams which I can't stand. Do they make a pill to make that go away?? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

IF ONLY!!!!!!!! Or maybe one that wipes out all memory (except nice ones of the family).

Jenny

Ladies, before switching to Wellbutrin I was taking one 15 mg. Lexapro pill. It was great except for the sexual dysfunction. I am totally on Wellbutrin now, and it is OK, but I liked my mood better on the Lexapro. Of course I did the switch to have good sex with H. However, if you read my post over in Recovery I don't really want to have sex with him now. SH**, I should have stayed on the Lexapro.

As far as St. John's, I've talked to several psychiatrists about the natural remedies. Both of these docs are really good, and they claim they really don't do much. Granted Psychiatrists are in the business of writing prescriptions, but that is what they told me just the same. CV

I'm still willing to give the SJW a try. It will be pretty obvious to me in about a week if it's working properly or not.

I'll be the MB guinea pig (lab rat) if you like. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Jenny

[ May 31, 2004, 10:04 PM: Message edited by: KiwiJ ]

I have taken Lexapro for about year, and prior to that I took Zoloft for almost 2 years.
I ran out of Lexapro though, and didnt get it refilled but 5HTTP was suggested by a friend/nutritionist and I got that at a health food store, and so far so good. You might want to do research on that though before you take it. The Dr had put me on Lexapro because I no longer needed as large of a dosage, so maybe I was already at such a low dosage that this works for me. As far as any side affects, none that I have noticed, however I havent been uh.. exposed.. to know about any bedroom issues. BUT when my husband and I get RESTORED, I will post and let you know if that is an issue.