![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1847 to 1871 of 8406. Go back in thread:
Posted by proud mary on January 25, 2003, at 9:49:19
In reply to Re: meds alcohol, posted by pickychicky2001 on January 23, 2003, at 19:30:32
I was put on buspar many years ago for anxiety (at the time it was supposed to be the newest, niftiest non-addictive anxiety drug on the market) and it did NOT set well with me at all. It actually seemed to INCREASE my anxiety. I gave it the recommended period of time, but made it clear to my pdoc that I did not like it. We ended up putting me on zoloft and klonopin (.5 mg) and that ended up working really well for me for several years.
I think I ended up pooping out on zoloft, although I've stuck with the klonopin off and on for many years.
I started 20 mg. of Lexapro about two weeks ago and it was very disruptive (HORRIBLE irritability) but now, after about day 14 ,it seems to be kicking in and mellowing my moods very well. I think many of my mood problems are related to hormones/PMS. I have three fairly young children so I consider a consistant mood vital to my own well being AND theirs. I say give the lexapro at least two weeks to kick in and if that doesn't seem to be helping, I noticed in one of my women's magazine that zoloft has just been approved by the fda to treat pms (the really severe form, they call it someting else like "psycho woman hormone syndrome")(just kidding, but a sense of humor is important, in my opinion). Anyway, my point is, if you do not notice some relief in 14 days, talk to your pdoc about zoloft. I got good results from zoloft for a long, long time.
I know it is painful, worrisome and unpleasant to have those uncontrollable feelings of anger and irritabilty, so you are doing the right thing seeking this help. Also, don't get discouraged. If one thing doesn't work for you, there are always other meds they can try and one will work, more than likely....good luck, welcome to the board and know that all of us are here to help you understand and relate our own experiences to help you feel so "not alone."
Mary
Posted by pickychicky2001 on January 25, 2003, at 15:31:53
In reply to temper/anxiety, posted by proud mary on January 25, 2003, at 9:49:19
Hey Mary--My doc started me out on wellbutrin, and i was worse than b4, so he switched me to zoloft. Zoloft was a GODSEND for the year and a half or so it worked. i was on the Buspar just a few weeks ago, for the 2 weeks, and that was when i felt like i was losing it. I am hoping that this lexapro helps with the temper/anxiety. In the meantime, i can take a Xanax if i start losing it again. By the way what is Klonopin?
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 25, 2003, at 17:49:03
In reply to Re: temper/anxiety » proud mary, posted by pickychicky2001 on January 25, 2003, at 15:31:53
Just a thought you may want to consider- a drug called Corgard (nadolol). It's a ß-blocker (intended for high blood pressure) that is very commonly used as a treatment for both somatic symtpoms of anxiety as well as anger/irritability. The common dose for these symptoms is usually between 20 and 80mg per day.
There's also Catapres (clonidine), which is a centrally acting adrenergic antihypertensive. It has a well established history of combatting anger, anxiety, and certain symptoms of ADHD.
--Michael
Posted by Leo Bostar on January 25, 2003, at 17:55:08
In reply to Anyone switched to Lexapro? « ggrrl, posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2002, at 7:52:48
Hi Everyone,
I was put on 10mg Lexapro for treatment of depression. I also suffer from frequent migraines, for which I take Imitrex (20mg nasal) as needed.
I've been on Lexapro for about two weeks. Since then I haven't had any migraines, but I now experience a feeling of pressure on the side of my head where the migraines typically start. It feels like a hand being pushed against my right temple; it's noticable enough to keep me awake at times. Has anyone else experienced this? BTW non of the therapeutic or side effects of Lexapro have happened yet....
Thanks to all,
Leo Bostar
Posted by Sadsack on January 25, 2003, at 18:29:14
In reply to Re: lexapro and pregnancy » newuser2, posted by leslieg on January 21, 2003, at 12:01:14
Hey, about the expressing milk during the pregnancy- check with your doc, but I have read research that indicates that it could bring on premature birth. (Something about the oxytocin levels triggering contractions) I'd hate to see you have problems when you're trying to do the right thing!
I am a late in life mom too and my husband was 45 when we had out last-it's keeping us young!
Good Luck!
Sadsack
> Such a difficult decision. We're talking seriously about trying starting around August. (We've got a 20 month old). Our belief is that there simply isn't enough research, especially long-term, to take the risk of my taking anything so systemically potent during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Unless I were suicidal or doing self-injury or packing my bags to run away. I'm very nervous about getting off Lexapro before at least 1 year has gone past, as I believe there is research that shows that a minimum of one year is needed before your body is capable of carrying on the new levels of neurotransmitters on its own.
>
> If we do decide to get pregnant, I will spend at least 3-4 weeks tapering off of Lexapro. I had very bad withdrawal from Effexor and will never go through a fast reduction in ADs again.
>
> I know pregnancy will be very hard. On all of us. I'm already trying to find ways to keep myself sane when I have no drugs. Thinking about comedy TV series I haven't seen that we could borrow or buy on DVD to watch regularly. That sort of thing. Thinking about expressing milk while I'm pregnant and drug-free and storing it so if I have to go back on drugs after giving birth my baby has some breast milk. Planning on cutting back on as many commitments, etc. as I can so if I spend a day "freaked out" in bed, I won't have to apologize to people I don't know well. And if we deicde I need to go back on Lex (or another AD) while pregnant, I'm going to postpone it as long as possible.
>
> Oh yes, I'm also going to be taking fish oil, as that can be very good for baby brains anyway. It may help take the edge off...
>
> Good luck,
> Leslie G.
>
> > My husband and I are talking about starting a family soon. I have been on lexapro for severe panic attacks for about 12 weeks. Does anyone have infomation regarding the effects of lexapro during pregnancy? Are there alternative medications safe to use during pregnancy? It is possible to quit Lexapro "cold-turkey" during the pregnancy? Any information would be helpful!
> > Thank you!
>
>
Posted by Sadsack on January 25, 2003, at 18:32:46
In reply to Re: New to Lexapro » sweetcilantro, posted by EGR on January 21, 2003, at 23:27:11
EGR,
I couldn't have summed it up better myself-you're just good!
Take Care
> Works great for me! Side effects include (for some) "sexual problems"... trouble with orgasms... tiredness or insomnia, some have one, some the other, some none. Tightening of the jaw muscles, tight neck and upper back/shoulder muscles... it seems that these lessen after time. Some get headaches (I wonder if that's becuase of the jaw clenching?), but some don't. Some of us were in a fog at the beginning, some weren't. The plusses are that we're "happier", get more accomplished, can blow off things that used to send us in a frenzy... we're bolder and more confident. I think that's about it in 25 (?) words or less.
>
> Good luck and welcome aboard!
>
> EGR
>
> > Hey everyone... I was just prescribed Lexapro and am wondering how it is working for people and what the side effects are. Feel free to let me know. Thanks!
> >
> > Jess
>
>
Posted by Sadsack on January 25, 2003, at 18:44:06
In reply to Re: lexapro -IBS, posted by proud mary on January 23, 2003, at 12:09:56
Day 13 is WAY too soon to even consider giving it up. The crankyness may pass or you may need to up the dose (I'm at 20mg and doing better-All side effects are diminished considerably-though I haven't gotten back to a kick a** orgasm yet DARN! Perhaps in time) I'm at 2 and a half months. All in all I am MUCH better.
Good Luck!> OK, guys...this is me on day 13 of Lexapro (off the zoloft completely now):
> 1. Am ok waking up, all daytime sleepiness has gone away
> 2. as the day goes on, I start to feel less "ok" and more cranky, unsettled.
> 3. by the evening, when I'm dealing with the kids after school/dinner/bed, I'm so cranky I'm almost out of control.
> 4. by evening, VERY unsettled, one .5 mg of Klonopin isn't helping much anymore, now I'm up to 1 mg, just to stay sane
> 5. usually end up going to bed to put myself out of my misery.
> 6. next day starts all over again
> 7. having occasional mild "zings" which are annoying, but not too unbearable.
> 8. On an "up" note, I seem to have escaped all of the bad sexual side effects...can still have some kick a** orgasms (by myself) and can still respond to hubby, a little more delayed, though...luckily he's a determined man...
>
> anyone got any advice for me? Should I call my pdoc? have I given it the good try or should I give it more time?
>
> any advice greatly appreciated....Mary
Posted by JaneB on January 25, 2003, at 18:52:09
In reply to Pressure on side of head, posted by Leo Bostar on January 25, 2003, at 17:55:08
> Hi Everyone,
> I was put on 10mg Lexapro for treatment of depression. I also suffer from frequent migraines, for which I take Imitrex (20mg nasal) as needed.
> I've been on Lexapro for about two weeks. Since then I haven't had any migraines, but I now experience a feeling of pressure on the side of my head where the migraines typically start. It feels like a hand being pushed against my right temple; it's noticable enough to keep me awake at times. Has anyone else experienced this? BTW non of the therapeutic or side effects of Lexapro have happened yet....
> Thanks to all,
> Leo BostarYes, I experienced that feeling but I thought it was caused by a stiff neck or sinus. It went away after 5 days. It was in the back of my head on one side behind my ear.
JaneB
Posted by MaiaMoon on January 26, 2003, at 2:39:21
In reply to Re: Pressure on side of head, posted by JaneB on January 25, 2003, at 18:52:09
I have been taking Lexapro for a month now. After about a week of taking it I noticed my sex drive increased, but I am having trouble achieving orgasm. I have never had trouble before. By the way, I am female. Have any other women noticed this as a side effect?
Posted by chelsea on January 26, 2003, at 18:01:17
In reply to Anyone switched to Lexapro? « ggrrl, posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2002, at 7:52:48
I just switched to lexapro. Does anyone have any info on weight changes (gained or lost)? Thanks
Posted by ayuda on January 26, 2003, at 21:04:58
In reply to sex drive, posted by MaiaMoon on January 26, 2003, at 2:39:21
> I have been taking Lexapro for a month now. After about a week of taking it I noticed my sex drive increased, but I am having trouble achieving orgasm. I have never had trouble before. By the way, I am female. Have any other women noticed this as a side effect?
There was a thread about that about a month ago, male and female. I think that the consensus was that everyone was having some trouble reaching orgasm, but that perhaps that s/e goes away? No one has mentioned it in a while.
Posted by pickychicky2001 on January 26, 2003, at 21:06:45
In reply to Re: temper/anxiety » pickychicky2001, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 25, 2003, at 17:49:03
> Just a thought you may want to consider- a drug called Corgard (nadolol). It's a ß-blocker (intended for high blood pressure) that is very commonly used as a treatment for both somatic symtpoms of anxiety as well as anger/irritability. The common dose for these symptoms is usually between 20 and 80mg per day.
>
> There's also Catapres (clonidine), which is a centrally acting adrenergic antihypertensive. It has a well established history of combatting anger, anxiety, and certain symptoms of ADHD.
>
> --MichaelThanks alot, I am gonna see how lexapro works, and if it doesn't, then i will definitely ask my doc about them. I wish i had known about this board a long time ago!
Posted by donia on January 26, 2003, at 21:55:48
In reply to Anyone switched to Lexapro? « ggrrl, posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2002, at 7:52:48
I just started lexapro last week. started 5mg and the last two days am taking 10mg. Last night I woke up at 5:00 am with one ear ringing. I finally went back to sleep. What is this? Also I am concerned because I am on birth control therapy for endometriosis and I smoke and now I am taking lexapro. Any health concerns with this combo? I am a 30 year old female. I also dont know if it is helping yet and will post more.
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 26, 2003, at 23:24:38
In reply to Re: temper/anxiety, posted by pickychicky2001 on January 26, 2003, at 21:06:45
>>I wish i had known about this board a long time ago!
lol I know... I probably could have cut a few years off the time it took for me to find the right med combination if I'd found this board a little sooner.
Good luck!,
Michael
Posted by jens on January 26, 2003, at 23:25:19
In reply to Re:weight changes, posted by chelsea on January 26, 2003, at 18:01:17
Switched 2 months ago after a year of Celexa, and have gained about 8 pounds, but, am sleeping MUCH more; sleeplessness was primary complaint with Celexa. The "vivid dreams," as described in my pharmacy's package insert are not bothersome (as they were with Celexa -- Effexor dreams were WAY more vivid, but, gained 60 lbs over a year with that one): What causes this dreaming business?
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 27, 2003, at 1:34:40
In reply to Re: temper/anxiety » pickychicky2001, posted by Ame Sans Vie on January 26, 2003, at 23:24:38
I forgot to mention another three drugs that have been very successful in anger management--
Depakene/Depakote (valproic acid/valproate-- carboxylate derivative): simple and complex absence seizures; mixed-state/manic manifestations of BPAD; tonic-clonic seizures; myoclonic seizures; *aggression*; *anxiety*
THERAPEUTIC DOSAGE RANGE: 15mg/kg-60mg/kgNeurontin (gabapentin-- structurally similar to GABA): adjunct treatment in partial seizures; *very mild mood stabilizer*; *anxiolytic*; neuropathic pain; many others
THERAPEUTIC DOSAGE RANGE: 400-6400mgAtivan (lorazepam-- benzodiazepine): *anxiety*; *alcohol withdrawal*; pre-operative sedation; *irritability in psychiatric or organic disorders*
THERAPEUTIC DOSAGE RANGE: 1-10mgAnd here are the others, in case you're interested;
Catapres (clonidine-- central a-adrenergic agonist): *hypertension [lowering blood pressure can help relieve symptoms of anger, through obvious means]*; *narcotic withdrawal*; prevention of vascular headaches; *treatment of menopausal symptoms*; dysmennorhea; *ADHD [the symptoms of ADHD it primarily helps with are irritability, impulsivity, and in some cases, hyperactivity]*
THERAPEUTIC DOSAGE RANGE: 0.1-1.2mgInderal (propranolol-- beta blocker): angina pectoris; *hypertension*; supraventricular dysrhythmias; migraine prophylaxis; myocardial infarction (MI); pheochromocytoma; essential tremor; tetralogy of Fallot; *anxiety*; cyanotic spells
THERAPEUTIC DOSAGE RANGE: 10-240mgTenormin (atenolol-- beta blocker): hypertension; prophylaxis of angina pectoris; suspected or known MI; dysrhythmia; mitral valve prolapse; pheochromocytoma; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; vascular headaches; thyrotoxicosis; tremors; alcohol withdrawal; *anxiety*; *poss. aggression and irritability*
THERAPEUTIC DOSAGE RANGE: 50-200mgCorgard (nadolol-- beta blocker): angina pectoris; hypertension; tachydysrhythmias; *aggression*; *anxiety*; tremors; esophageal varices; migraine prophylaxis
THERAPEUTIC DOSAGE RANGE: 40-240mgI'd personally go with either Corgard (or Inderal/Tenormin, which are in the same class of drugs), Catapres, or Ativan to begin with. This is simply because within a week's time you'll be able to discern whether or not the drug is working for you. Neurontin and Depakene can take several months to take effect; the doses required are often very large and must be titrated up slowly, so as to minimize side effects.
Oh, one last thing about the beta blockers, should you end up taking them: Be very careful in titrating your dose upward. I did this a little too fast (went straight from 10mg Inderal 2xday to 20mg 2xday), which, after 5, 6 days, led to the most disgusting, unnerving feeling I've ever had. I was lethargic, slept 20 hours per day, had constant stomach pains, was feeling a 'numbness' (more like a coldness actually... similar to frostbite) on my fingers and my toes, and so this led me to be deeply depressed. Just be sure to be very careful; the higher doses of beta-blockers are pretty much reserved for those with serious cardiovascular problems.
--Michael
Posted by proud mary on January 27, 2003, at 13:46:02
In reply to Re: temper/anxiety » proud mary, posted by pickychicky2001 on January 25, 2003, at 15:31:53
Klonopin is the same as clonazapam. It is a close cousin to Xanax, only not as addictive (not supposed to be addictive at all) and if you take it ongoing, it is supposed to be NOT psychologically addicting, too.
I have been on the Lexapro for about 17 days now and it is FINALLY starting to work. And work well, I might add. I even handled a weekend crisis of sorts without breaking down into a total bleak blob person.
Keep us posted on how you are doing...I can at least say, now, that after a rocky start, the lexapro does seem to be doing it's job!
Mary :>)
Posted by proud mary on January 27, 2003, at 14:08:03
In reply to Re: lexapro -IBS, posted by Sadsack on January 25, 2003, at 18:44:06
Sadsack,
Thank you for the encouragement. I am very glad I found this web site.
I do feel better now. Alot of the irritability has passed, I managed a mini-crisis pretty well over the weekend and I feel much happier and not unsettled at all.
I started at 20 mg, which makes me wonder because I noticed that most of the people on this site seem to have started at 10 mg. I guess pdoc feels like I am an old pro at SSRIs and needed a big kick startoff?
The other thing is, I am in a hormonally good time of the month, so maybe I will take a nosedive after the cycle changes. Hope not, but if so, I'll be posting to ask about THAT, too.All in all, the sleepiness, irritability have abated, the sex is good (yea!) and I've noticed that I'm finally feeling like doing stuff that I didn't have any interest in for a long while there. I think that is probably the biggest indicator that it is working. Interest in old hobbies...
thank you again and I'll be here if any one needs an ear!
Mary
Posted by proud mary on January 27, 2003, at 14:36:03
In reply to Re: sex drive » MaiaMoon, posted by ayuda on January 26, 2003, at 21:04:58
Maia,
I think delayed orgasm is very common with SSRIs. I have found that the problem passes. I was on zoloft for several years, and the problem went away, and now I've been on lexapro for about three weeks and the problem has already seemed to have gone away, probably faster because I was already on an SSRI for so long. Have patience with yourself and hopefully your significant other will have patience, too. Its a good sign, I take it, that your sex drive has returned? Now's the time to NOT worry about the rest.
Any other gals out there have any advice?Good luck...Mary
Posted by Dysfunk on January 27, 2003, at 16:35:58
In reply to Re:weight changes, posted by chelsea on January 26, 2003, at 18:01:17
I have been on Lexipro for 1 week and already notice the same 5 lb weight gain I had with Effexor.All the weight is in my belly. Again, I think it is constipation from the medicine. I guess it is a side effect I can live with.
Posted by indirect00 on January 27, 2003, at 19:17:19
In reply to sex drive, posted by MaiaMoon on January 26, 2003, at 2:39:21
> I have been taking Lexapro for a month now. After about a week of taking it I noticed my sex drive increased, but I am having trouble achieving orgasm. I have never had trouble before. By the way, I am female. Have any other women noticed this as a side effect?
Hmm...interesting. I am male and have been on lexapro for 6 months now. I have a decreased sex drive. I also have the same problem with orgasm; it is extremely common.
Posted by indirect00 on January 27, 2003, at 21:40:48
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects, posted by dr. dave on June 19, 2002, at 4:41:27
I took celexa for four months and have been on lexapro for six months since I switched. I find lexapro to work better. Celexa caused severe insomnia for me; however, lexapro does not. The side-effects from lexapro are a little different though: I find that I have a very decreased sex drive with lexapro. I also find that I am a little lazier on lexapro (I think the proper way to define this is 'amotivational syndrome').
The important thing to remember is that everyone has different brain chemsitry: a single person's reaction to a drug does not define that drug's effects/side-effects.
Posted by indirect00 on January 27, 2003, at 22:59:12
In reply to Re:weight changes, posted by Dysfunk on January 27, 2003, at 16:35:58
I have been on celexa/lexapro for like seven months now. I immediately gained thirty pounds (not quite as bad as it sounds, I was underweight to begin with). The weight change is normal. If it works well enough for you, it is a fair trade off. Celexa/lexapro has been a life-saver for me. I don't know what I would do without it.
Posted by bozeman on January 27, 2003, at 23:09:39
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects, posted by indirect00 on January 27, 2003, at 21:40:48
My two cents (more or less) worth:
SEX DRIVE: It returns :-) I suspect it left me in the first place because my brain was getting stimuli from other sources again, besides just sex (no more anhedonia -- is that how you spell that?) and my brain was trying to pay attention to all different kinds of recently re-discovered stimuli. "Sexual" stimuli are now only one kind of stimuli of many different sources, so no longer getting all my brain's attention. Eventually, biology overrruled, and my sex drive returned. Orgasmic difficulties, I suspect, resulted from difference in the way I process norephinephrine while on the SSRI, oxytocin, DMT, etc. I'm not a biochemist, just someone looking for answers, so who knows if I'm on the right track, or full of it? :-)
WEIGHT GAIN?: I've lost weight, I suspect for many reasons. I'm sleeping better, so I'm not so tired -- so I don't have to eat for energy so I can keep moving when exhausted. Don't have to eat to provide some, any, stimuli to my (no longer) anhedonic brain, since I'm getting other stimuli now. My metabolism has increased, since my brain -- the "orchestrator" of everything else -- is once again communicating with the rest of my body in a way the rest of me can understand and obey. My healing time is reduced 80% or more, my thinking is faster, sleep is sounder, nerves are not fried and raw, migraines are gone, humor has returned, desire to pursue hobbies, exercise, etc. have returned.
DREAMS: Mine got more vivid, definitely. I think it's the same reason as above -- my brain was flat missing something that it needed to communicate with the rest of me. Dream deprivation is, to your mind, like sleep deprivation is to the body. When you're deprived of it, and you get a chance to make up for it, your body will take a LOT of it to try to compensate for what it's missed.
All three of these seem to point to a similar factor -- that my neurotransmitters were drastically underfunctional in at least one area, and various parts of me were starving for what they were missing (many more physical areas I haven't listed here -- those who have read any of my other posts will have seen some of them.) My response to these three areas seems to me to follow a similar pattern that is specific to how my particular chemistry disorder manifested. It will affect other people differently, though!! I think that, if we had enough information and could see clearly enough, we would see that while it affects each of us a little differently (or a lot), it affects any one person *similarly* in many areas. Those who get sleepless on Lexapro, also tend to get more agitated, and the diarhhea/bowel disturbances, and the headaches, right? Or am I wrong? For some like these, it seems to be an OVER-stimulating effect -- for others a LEVEL-ing effect (can handle stress better, don't go to pieces, not afraid of confrontation, blood pressure normalizes, etc.) -- but I needed an UP-effect, but not in the "stimulant" sense, just in the sense of giving my body a kick in the pants in all the areas it was laying down on me. That could explain why so many of us respond to it so differently.
I just hope it lasts because I haven't felt this good in many years. Having never taken SSRI's before Lexapro, I don't know what to expect -- many have experienced "poop-out" and I pray every night that I will become well enough to make it on my own, without the SSRI, before this can happen to me. Giving up myself, after having re-captured myself, would be worse than having never found myself again, I think.
Anyway, I hope that makes sense. Think I put in two bits worth instead of two cents worth, sorry. =-D
Posted by tanguerey on January 27, 2003, at 23:34:46
In reply to Re: Effexor XR: Any advice would be appreciated... » jtc, posted by ayuda on December 9, 2002, at 14:04:13
> > Hi, I am new to this message board. Any advice about Effexor XR and it's use in children would be greatly appreciated. My 8 1/2 year old daughter has severe anxiety, so much so that it is interfering with her school work. She has been tested for ADD but psychologist said she does not have it. He said she has more anxiety than most kids her age. So he referred us to a psychiatrist and she started my child on Effexor XR about 3 weeks ago. She is taking 37.5 mg daily. I don't really notice a difference but her afternoon teacher at school says she notices a difference. I take Effexor XR, 75 mg daily. I have read a lot of things about Effexor and don't know if I want my child to take it or if I should be taking it. It has helped me but I still have some side effects from it. I am just really worried about my daughter. She is so young to be taking mood altering drugs. Is there any other medications anyone knows of that she can try that have been approved by the FDA. I read that Effexor XR has not really been approved by the RDA for use in children. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
> > Thanks, jtc
>
>
> I am not a doctor or pharmacist, but I don't think of anti-depressants as "mood altering" drugs. A person who suffers from depression or anxiety -- and I have suffered from both since about age 7 -- has a chemical imbalance. ADs are an attempt to correct that imbalance. It is most commonly and probably best compared to insulin for diabetics -- they also suffer from a chemical imbalance. So I would not fret about your daughter needing this medication in the first place -- My father and my maternal grandmother both passed on this chemical imbalance to me, my sister and my sister's son, so it appears that you have passed it onto your daughter -- again, it is a physical problem that has "mental" health aspects to it, don't not have her treated for it.
>
> As for Effexor XR -- I was on it (I'm age 37) for 7 months and could not handle the side effects, mostly the nausea and weight gain, but I don't know how a child would respond to it. If you want to know if your doctor should have prescribed it for her, you may want to call your pharmacist and ask them about it -- they have the most up-to-date reference guides on drugs. However, I don't think that any doctor who wants to keep his/her license to practice and butt out of jail would prescribe it for her if it was dangerous.
>
> You and your daughter are the best judges of whether or not she can handle the side effects. Don't let anything anyone says here take the place of that judgment. As for the effectiveness, especially if this is her first AD, it takes some time for this kind of med to start showing its effectiveness, and in the meantime you may want to be patient where side effects are concerned.
>
> Back in the early 70s when my parents first had to deal with my problems, no one knew anything about depression or anxiety, and certainly not for children. I was put on "kiddie" tranquilizers, which I had to keep going off of to live my life. I also just learned how to cope with it as best I could, though I would be paralyzed emotionally by anything that heightened my anxiety.
>
> As a teen, I turned to moderate alcohol use as "self-medication" for my anxiety (my father is an alcoholic, also bi-polar). Being on an AD is preferable to alcohol abuse, and actually addresses the problem. What I guess I am saying is that, if your daughter really suffers from these problems and they are left untreated with the proper medication, she will still need to bring her anxiety down someway -- and that alternative may not be what you want for her.
>
> I feel for her -- I know what it is like to be a child and to suffer from anxiety. I would keep my family up all night long some nights in my terrified state, which means that they all suffered along with me. Effexor really helps with anxiety -- it doesn't make you into a robot, like a tranquilizer would, it just keeps you from experiencing that heightened anxiety reaction.
>
> Now that I have been treated for the anxiety for a couple of years, I would never go back to trying to cope with it on my own. I love the relative internal peace I have found. You really need to make sure that your daughter knows that she is not crazy, especially with the fact that she is a child and is under psychiatric care, she may think that she is. She has a physical problem that may require treatment all her life to improve her quality of life. I sure wish I could have some of my childhood back -- with an antidepressant to take -- to live over again without the anxiety or the tranquilizers.
>
> I wish you and your daughter the best of luck. Just remember, depression and anxiety are physical problems, and an AD is not the same as a benzodiazapine or mood stabilizer. Keep us informed on how you and she are doing on the meds.
>I remember my first anxiety attack at 8 years old. And yes, they had no idea what it was. I too kept my family up at night.
I am a 46 year old female. I am on 150 mg effexor and am titrating down. I'm down to 75 mg effexor and I am starting 5 mg of Lexapro tonight. I am switching because of high blood pressure.
My psychiatrist told me that even though I was not on the proper drugs ( at least not for my chemistry) over the years (prozac and effexor), that it staved off the progression of GAD over the years. He says the brain kindles each time you have an attack and it learns that this is appropriate response.
Therefore, in dealing with youngsters, I must vote in favor of the meds, as you have said, because it is a disease. We are not crazy. It is an illness that needs control from the start.
Wish me luck on Lexapro. I'll keep you posted on progress.
Tanguerey
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