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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by jeffconn on November 14, 2003, at 9:51:33
In reply to jane47- When did the hyperactivity go away?, posted by tiredman on November 13, 2003, at 16:09:11
> I too suffer from the anxiety/hyperactivity side-effect of Lexapro. It's
> horrible! I worked my dose up to 10mg over a three week period. Once I hit 10 it
> got really bad (today is only day two on 10 mgs). How long did it take before
> that "hyper" feeling went away?
>
Hey tiredman, hang in there as most folks here will tell you. I have been on Lex for almost 9 weeks now. The anxious hyper feeling is hugely less now after about my 7th week. There is still shaking in the hands some of the time when trying to do things up close and critical, such as putting small screws into slots. I am normally a hyper person anyways so I believe the Lex just made me a little more hyper than I already was! My sleep aid when desired is valium at 10mg. Yes there are still the weird anxiety days of concern and discomfort, but they never advance to an "attack" The depression cause is still in my life so this may have something to do with the anxiety also. I hope as you take Lex you will find the SEs relax some and the benefit will outweigh the negatives. Good luck and you can always sound off here! Yup,........ we ARE listening!! :-) Jeff Oh and Jane, I also take 10 mg per day and it took ME the whole 7 weeks for the "hyper" feeling to pretty much dissolve. It really was a terrible feeling as you stated. I have 3 children, boys, ages 3, 6 and 9 and it was real hard to stay in control and NOT let them see any changes in me. Dont know if I truely succeeded with the hiding of the hyper feelings but I think now I am better than before. Somedays I just sit back and think....."its a hell of a life eh"????? May ALL of us here on this board find what we need in life to become "ourselves" Best wishes to all and thanks to all for MY education here too!
Posted by Deb116 on November 14, 2003, at 13:06:59
In reply to Re: jane47- When did the hyperactivity go away? » tiredman, posted by jeffconn on November 14, 2003, at 9:51:33
To all: I have been on lex for about 6 weeks now. Am feeling much better, but have concerns about numbness and tingling (parethesia) in all limbs. Does anyone else have this SE? Am really concerned it may be MS. Thanks for your help.
Posted by MissB on November 14, 2003, at 14:00:34
In reply to Tingling and numbness, posted by Deb116 on November 14, 2003, at 13:06:59
From what I understand the tingling can be an SE, but go to the Dr. I was having loss of facial muscle control on one side of my face and was scared to death because it was similar to stroke symptoms. As it turns out I have Bell's Palsy. Talk to your Dr. asap because, trust me, its worse to sit and let your mind reel about what it could be. Better to get checked out and know the answers. I waited a couple of days before contacting my Dr. hoping it would go away and spent all that time stressing myselt out more than I ever needed to.
> To all: I have been on lex for about 6 weeks now. Am feeling much better, but have concerns about numbness and tingling (parethesia) in all limbs. Does anyone else have this SE? Am really concerned it may be MS. Thanks for your help.
Posted by anonymous13 on November 15, 2003, at 4:05:48
In reply to Re: Lexapro for Anxiety? » sfmom, posted by Esmarelda on October 24, 2003, at 12:56:08
> I started on 10 mg and moved up to 15 mg after about 2-3 months and have been on 15 for about 2 months and feel really good. I would stay as low of dosage as works and move up either 2.5 or 5 mg if you need to. Ask your doctor about that.
Have you experienced any minor side effects. I was just prescribed this medication this evening and wont start until tomorrow morning. I am really sensitive to meds to.
Posted by Dr. Jill on November 15, 2003, at 12:56:47
In reply to Re: P.S. 10 days on Lex. bye-bye orgasms » sfmom, posted by almondjoy on October 31, 2003, at 17:53:42
Posted by streek on November 15, 2003, at 16:33:46
In reply to How long does it take for the SE's to go away? (nm), posted by Dr. Jill on November 15, 2003, at 12:56:47
Hi. I'm a 19 year old female and my doctor just prescribed me 10 mg of Lexapro and I'm really concerned. She prescribed my the meds because I become really depressed right before I start my period every month. But I'm really worried about the side effects. I'm a small framed person and only way 110 pounds (healthy for my height and frame). Also, I go to college (finals are coming up) and have two part time jobs so I can't really afford to have bad side effects. Should I maybe talk to my doctor about starting at a smaller dose or are the side effects not that bad? Also, do the majority of people who start Lexapro have the side effects? I have been reading over the posts on this thread and they are really informative but I haven't found any people posting who are as young and small as me. Do people my age normally get prescribed Lexapro? One more question, does anyone think that I would suffer from the sexual side effects as well?
Posted by sapphira on November 15, 2003, at 16:51:33
In reply to Concerned New User, posted by streek on November 15, 2003, at 16:33:46
hi, if i were you, i'd start out with 1/4 or a half of a pill and see how it's going to affect you. don't take it when you're going to school or work until you know how it's going to work on you. i'm VERY sensitive to meds and started out at a half and it made me very nauseous, jittery and unable to sleep, not to mention diarrhea too. so i cut it back to 1/4 and even though i felt slight nausea and stomach discomfort, the jitteriness went away and within a few days i started noticing some positive effects of the medicine. my anger was gone as was alot of my anxiety not to mention feeling brighter. i am now taking 1/2 pill (5 mg) and it seems to be agreeing with me, though the day i jumped to 5 was rough. i was again sick to my stomach and very light-headed with tons of brain fog. i'm sticking with the 5 mgs for now until i see my Dr. and see what she says. i AM feeling better and that is what counts. good luck.
sapphira
p.s. my symptoms were always worse right before my period too but i have been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and depression.
Posted by sapphira on November 15, 2003, at 16:56:43
In reply to Concerned New User, posted by streek on November 15, 2003, at 16:33:46
streek, one more thing you asked about sexual s/es. i was able to achieve orgasm at the 2.5 mg dosage but i have not tried since starting the 5 mg. i think the sexual s/es are different for everyone and those that are affected adversely often get better with time.
Posted by Mrs C. on November 15, 2003, at 20:21:16
In reply to Re: Concerned New User, posted by sapphira on November 15, 2003, at 16:56:43
Hi, I have been taking 10mg of lex for about 10 days now. I felt very jittery and lightheaded for the first week but now feel okay. Not great yet but from what I read on this board, I should be feeling alot better soon. Good luck to you.
Posted by Mrs C. on November 15, 2003, at 20:28:15
In reply to Re: lexapro side effects » Mark T, posted by COOP on November 12, 2003, at 11:41:01
HI, the side effects have already started to subside for me. I have been on lex for 2 weeks now. I still do not feel much different emotionally but am eagerly awaiting that happening. Keep reading this board, it really helps to know that you are not alone in this.
Posted by BLKVETTES on November 16, 2003, at 2:06:11
In reply to Re: Tingling and numbness, posted by MissB on November 14, 2003, at 14:00:34
>>>>>>As it turns out I have Bell's Palsy.
I had that a couple of years ago. For me it was pure hell!!!!!!
WAYNE
Posted by theo on November 16, 2003, at 11:43:38
In reply to Concerned New User, posted by streek on November 15, 2003, at 16:33:46
When I first tried Lex I started at 10mg and after 8 weeks stopped because side effects never went away. Several months later another doc suggested Lex and I told him of my passed experience. He said start slow, 2.5mg for 1 week, then 5mg for 3-4 weeks. He said if I feel good on 5mg not to even go to 10mg, but if I felt like I needed more to go to 10mg. I stayed with 5mg and never even went to 10mg. Whats interesting is when I first tried Lex starting at 10mg, I had horrible nausea which slowly went away and I gained weight. When I tried Lex the second time with 2.5mg and slowly moved up, I had no nausea and lost weight! Whats even more interesting is I did some research on Lex and found a bar graph showing better results at 5mg and 20mg and worse at 10mg after 12 weeks! Forest did a good job at marketing Lex as a "one size fits all" but caused a lot of people much grief and wasted time on side effects by distributing sample packs that don't even suggest starting slow and titrating up, but hey I'm sure the stockholders are happy. By the way, I discontinued Lex the second time only do to sexual side effects. Tried adding 150mg of Wellbutrin XL but after 6 weeks on both quit the Lex and stayed with the Wellbutrin XL, which has been great for me for anxiety brought on by depression and sex is better than ever!
Posted by MissB on November 16, 2003, at 17:51:18
In reply to Concerned New User, posted by streek on November 15, 2003, at 16:33:46
First, you need to know that the same meds aren't going to affect everyone the same. I know people who hated the SEs from Celexa (same family as Lex) and I had none. However, I got switched to Lex and had horrible SEs during the first 10 days or so. It has gotten better. The second thing you need to know is that no matter what you take you will just have to give the meds time. You might or might not have side effects - no one will know until you take the meds. My last bit is to hang it there. As you can read from past postings it has taken time for things to get better and when they do I'm sure it will be as worth it for you as it has been for me.
Posted by MissB on November 16, 2003, at 17:58:19
In reply to Re: Tingling and numbness, posted by BLKVETTES on November 16, 2003, at 2:06:11
It definately sucks that's for sure. Fortunately for me it seems to be a mild case, but what a pain! It came out of no where. One day I was drinking my morning coffee and found myself dribbling all over. Then to make matters worse, I couldn't even really taste the coffee! More meds and now facial exercises! Yepeee..
> >>>>>>As it turns out I have Bell's Palsy.
>
> I had that a couple of years ago. For me it was pure hell!!!!!!
> WAYNE
Posted by Esmarelda on November 17, 2003, at 10:53:15
In reply to Re: Lexapro for Anxiety? » Esmarelda, posted by anonymous13 on November 15, 2003, at 4:05:48
I don't have any side effects any more. For the first week or so, I had some nausea. For several months, I also had extreme sleepiness (mostly in the mornings). I just could hardly get out of bed. Those are the only side effects I experienced. At the very beginning, my depression and anxiety got a whole lot worse before it got better, but I feel great now! It was worth the wait.
Posted by hadit4now on November 17, 2003, at 11:02:21
In reply to Concerned New User, posted by streek on November 15, 2003, at 16:33:46
Hi im a 21yr old male and have been on Lex for about 6 weeks now, my Doc started me of on 10mg as well, which at the time i thought was high, but as everyone says, every person reacts differently. One thing i see we all agree on is that there will be more intensed S\E within the first couple of weeks on lex. You may be tired, feel lightheadedness and may even be forgetfull or nauseas. If over the next couple of weeks is a crucial time in the year for you, because of finals or for some other reason, you may want to consider starting on something else or just a lower dosage of Lex. Just hang in there, sometime you have to take a step back before going forward.
Posted by jane47 on November 17, 2003, at 12:21:38
In reply to Re: Lexapro for Anxiety? » anonymous13, posted by Esmarelda on November 17, 2003, at 10:53:15
Esmeralda, you didn't mention how long you had been on lex or what dosage. thanks
...jane
Posted by June on November 17, 2003, at 12:52:04
In reply to Re: Concerned New User, posted by hadit4now on November 17, 2003, at 11:02:21
Has anyone had sexual side effects with Lex? I have only been on 5mg for 2weeks and new 10mg for3 days. I can't seem to have any orgasm!
Posted by sfmom on November 17, 2003, at 15:34:02
In reply to Re: Sexual Side effects, posted by June on November 17, 2003, at 12:52:04
I started on 10mg for two weeks and have now been on 20mg for almost a week. I could still have kind of orgasms the first week I started but now can't even come close. It's really been a pain, but I still enjoy sex and this has actually helped my husband and me try some new things. He's getting a lot of extra attention in bed too since I'm more focused on him than on myself. I'm hoping that as my body adjusts to the meds more that I'll be able to orgasm again, although I know that they might not come back until I go off the meds. In the meantime, I'm trying to find things that make me feel sexy--lingerie, high heels, a bikini wax, that sort of thing. If the orgasms don't come back, that will just be one more incentive to get myself healthy and get off the meds, although at this point that seems a long way off. It is a big issue for me, but right now, the alternative is even worse. Good luck and try to keep things in perspective. I'll let you know if they come back as my body gets adjusted to the meds.
Posted by marlar on November 17, 2003, at 17:01:31
In reply to Concerned New User, posted by streek on November 15, 2003, at 16:33:46
> Hi. I'm a 19 year old female and my doctor just prescribed me 10 mg of Lexapro and I'm really concerned. She prescribed my the meds because I become really depressed right before I start my period every month. But I'm really worried about the side effects. I'm a small framed person and only way 110 pounds (healthy for my height and frame). Also, I go to college (finals are coming up) and have two part time jobs so I can't really afford to have bad side effects. Should I maybe talk to my doctor about starting at a smaller dose or are the side effects not that bad? Also, do the majority of people who start Lexapro have the side effects? I have been reading over the posts on this thread and they are really informative but I haven't found any people posting who are as young and small as me. Do people my age normally get prescribed Lexapro? One more question, does anyone think that I would suffer from the sexual side effects as well?
I just started on Lexapro last week. Doc started me on 5 mg/day but I had SEs, nausea, diarrhea, hard time focusing. She lowered me to 2.5 mg/day and SEs much better, just a headache. I am only 5'1", 100#, 25 yo female. Might want to think about lower dose if you experience bad SEs. Good luck!
Posted by Esmarelda on November 17, 2003, at 17:10:51
In reply to Re: Lexapro for Anxiety?, posted by jane47 on November 17, 2003, at 12:21:38
Jane, I started on 10 mg about the middle of June '03. Around August 1, I jumped up to 15 mg where I have been ever since.
Posted by nemo kitty on November 17, 2003, at 17:24:44
In reply to Re: Concerned New User, posted by marlar on November 17, 2003, at 17:01:31
> > Hi. I'm a 19 year old female and my doctor just prescribed me 10 mg of Lexapro and I'm really concerned. She prescribed my the meds because I become really depressed right before I start my period every month. But I'm really worried about the side effects. I'm a small framed person and only way 110 pounds (healthy for my height and frame). Also, I go to college (finals are coming up) and have two part time jobs so I can't really afford to have bad side effects. Should I maybe talk to my doctor about starting at a smaller dose or are the side effects not that bad? Also, do the majority of people who start Lexapro have the side effects? I have been reading over the posts on this thread and they are really informative but I haven't found any people posting who are as young and small as me. Do people my age normally get prescribed Lexapro? One more question, does anyone think that I would suffer from the sexual side effects as well?
>
>
> I just started on Lexapro last week. Doc started me on 5 mg/day but I had SEs, nausea, diarrhea, hard time focusing. She lowered me to 2.5 mg/day and SEs much better, just a headache. I am only 5'1", 100#, 25 yo female. Might want to think about lower dose if you experience bad SEs. Good luck!
>MAKE SURE YOU ONLY START WITH LIKE 1/2 OF THE 10MG!! I am 5'2. 115 pounds. I was presribed 10mg and have been taking 1/2 (5 mg) It is perfect for me with some side effects ....naseau, sleepiness, headache,.....but they went away after 2-3 weeks.
You should really only start with 1/2 for the first 2 weeks. Maybe 5mg will be enough for you!!!
Posted by June on November 18, 2003, at 12:52:35
In reply to Re: Sexual Side effects, posted by June on November 17, 2003, at 12:52:04
Does your sex life stop after Lexapro? Is there a time when an orgasm will return? I really need to know!
Posted by LynneDa on November 18, 2003, at 13:09:05
In reply to Re: Lexapro Sexual Side effects, posted by June on November 18, 2003, at 12:52:35
I've been on 10mg for one month and I can now say I get part of the way there. If they were a 9 before, they're about at a 3 now - at the beginning of taking it they were at a 0! It just takes longer and lots of visualization and talking (or whatever works for you) - it's not as effortless and automatic as it used to be. I don't really care as much anymore - I enjoy the whole process now and not just the end goal!
I'm sure someone's mentioned Wellbutrin. I've heard adding that helps in the sexual area. Good luck to you!
~Lynne
Posted by stacieg on November 18, 2003, at 13:24:10
In reply to Re: Lexapro Sexual Side effects, posted by LynneDa on November 18, 2003, at 13:09:05
I am new to the site. My husband has been on lex for 8 days. He is very tired in the morning but once up it gets better. Will this SE ever go away? He also has a problem with sexual SE's. It takes him a long time to ejaculate so that adds to his frustration. Has anyone else experienced this, and did it go away?
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