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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by austex on March 13, 2004, at 20:11:41
In reply to Lexapro Withdrawal Dizziness/Tingling/Numbness?!, posted by CR on January 8, 2004, at 16:16:47
About 4 mos ago I attempted to quit lexapro after 2 years on 5 mg. I wanted to quit because of really bad gas, abdominal pain and foggy headiness.The first week I felt great, really great, and all the side effect quit. 2nd week I started being easily agitated, 3rd we same plus some feelings of hopelessness about finanaces, life. I recognized it and had it under control. 4th week a I started getting physical effects of anxiety, tightness it the stomach (butterflies) etc. I decided to get back on 5 mg and a little clonasapam to help. It took about 3-4 weeks to feel "normal" again. I had only occassional panic attacks (once every 2-3 weeks) before I started Lexapro, no other symptoms. I was prescribed lexapro for the attacks and after being off of it for 4 weeks and feeling the effects I hope I am not permanently screwed up from the lexapro. I want to get off again because the gastic sideeffects are back, the foggy head and more are back also. And ideas??
Posted by mrs c on March 13, 2004, at 21:06:21
In reply to Re: Lexapro Withdrawal Dizziness/Tingling/Numbness?!, posted by austex on March 13, 2004, at 20:11:41
I guess if you really feel that you need to quit you will have to ride out the syptoms of withdrawal. It seems to me that when you quit earlier your symptoms of your illness returned. Isn't that why you went back to Lex? Maybe Lex isn't the med for you and you should try something else. Have you spoken to a doc? Try tapering off the lex by taking it every other day and gradually stopping. There has got to be a med out there that won't give you the gastro symptoms and will still help with your illness. Good luck to you. Mrs. C
Posted by kateincali on March 14, 2004, at 13:31:03
In reply to Anyone switched to Lexapro? « ggrrl, posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2002, at 7:52:48
So I know several of you are in school and was curious of how the medication is affecting your concentration, memory, creativity...etc.
I have been on Lexapro for one week now, and have had difficulty getting much accomplished this week. I also have midterms coming up and am wondering how Lexapro is going to affect my performance.
I also am a writer/painter...and believe it or not my creativity seems a bit stifled.
Anyone have any stories of relevance to share?
Thanks for listening...Kate
Posted by declaring grace on March 14, 2004, at 16:03:39
In reply to Re: Day 4 on LEX, jumping out of my skin..help, posted by mrs c on March 12, 2004, at 21:21:00
I cant take the anxiety attacks which i never had in my life, they are making me crazy. I cant wait weeks for them to go away I feel like I am going mad.... please help
Posted by susielalala on March 14, 2004, at 16:20:01
In reply to Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by declaring grace on March 14, 2004, at 16:03:39
I know exactly how you are feeling. I am on day 12 and I thought the same as you. You are not going MAD!!! Ask your doctor to give you some xanex to help with the anxiety. I prominse you it does get better. I still have some anxiety but it is way less now. I am only 6 days ahead of you. It does get better. From what everyone on this site has told me, the side effects do go away with time. I believe them. I didn't when I was on my first week because they were sooooooo bad. They are not as bad now. Have faith. I will pray for you. You are going to get better!!!
Posted by declaring grace on March 14, 2004, at 16:52:48
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!! » declaring grace, posted by susielalala on March 14, 2004, at 16:20:01
how much lex are you taking ? I am on 10mg a day....
Posted by jlynne on March 14, 2004, at 17:08:22
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!! » declaring grace, posted by susielalala on March 14, 2004, at 16:20:01
Hang in there, d-g. I am in week 5 of Lex. I agree with susielala - talk to your doctor. There is help for the anxiety. Are you sleeping? I take Lorazepam at night and that makes all the difference for me.
Sometimes when my anxiety gets bad, I run through the house, or get on my stair-stepper, or just talk outloud to myself.
You can also go to the Psycho Social Board and get lots of hugs.
We are here for you! . . . jlynne
Posted by susielalala on March 14, 2004, at 17:48:11
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by declaring grace on March 14, 2004, at 16:52:48
I am also on 10 m a day. I too had the bad anxiety. I just deal with it and pray alot. I do have xanex but have not taken it yet. I have faith that it is gonna get better. You have to hang in there. It will get better.
Posted by Magdalena on March 14, 2004, at 18:33:15
In reply to Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by declaring grace on March 14, 2004, at 16:03:39
hang in there declaring grace, i too had BAD anxiety at the beginning of taking my meds, even today at work i had a degree of it but it didnt turn in to an attack(thank god), i know it is slowly getting better and so please dont get discouraged it will subside a little more everyday.
i am on day 9 of taking 5mg of paxil and the side effects were horrible for me too but i know that if i troop on as they say, it will get better and the outcome will be SOO much better than the sadness/anxity i tried to self medicate for the last 5 years.
one last thing, TRUST ME you are NOT going mad!!
:)what you feel is what we have all experienced u are not alone.we are here for you
Magdalena
jlynne, Mystic, Mrs C and anyothers who post here, how has your day been? mine was so-so, anxiety kinda kickin around but it didnt interfear too bad.
and oh yeah jlynne, the beer mixed well with the paxil the other night but i will try not to drink on them as much as i can, its just good to know that once in a while i can kick back and relax.;)
have a great night all:)
Posted by susielalala on March 14, 2004, at 18:47:36
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!! » declaring grace, posted by Magdalena on March 14, 2004, at 18:33:15
This is day 12 for me. I started off really good this morning. Then as the day progressed I got a little bit wierded out. I feel kind of spacey with anxiety. Its Sunday so I am suspecting it is the day before work anxiety. I jst cant wait to feel good for more than 1 day then feel icky the next. I hope all of you had a much better day than I did. My mood goes from good to freaky then back to good and so on and so on. I guess its them medicine that is what I am told. Anyway enough about me. I am prayng for all of you. I know that there is a light at the end of this tunnel and we will all find it. :) Take care all and God bless
Posted by kateincali on March 14, 2004, at 18:54:48
In reply to Re: New on Lexapro - kateincali, posted by ednababish on March 12, 2004, at 10:31:35
> Dear Kate,
> I really feel for you--I just got my Ph.D. last December. The stress and strain of graduate work was so overwhelming I dragged my feet for five years on writing my dissertation. I didn't think I would ever finish it, that I would always regret never having finished and always be a failure. It took a year on celexa to finish, decide to have a baby (which I was too much of a mess to ever consider prior to that), do my first conference, reach a constructive decision concerning my marriage-- a whole slew of things I couldn't face without the help of an antidepressant. Although I have had a history of depression since I was 15, graduate school brought on full blown panic disorder--two related conditions. You are not alone--I've been there, Lexy is there, as are countless others who post here. Hang in there, get your work done to the best of your ability (it does not have to be perfect), and soon you will find that although grad school is possibly the most inhumane thing anyone ever puts themselves through, you will make it.
> Edna BabishEdna-
Your words really hit home for me. I have just started working on my doctorate as well...and have just discovered these panic attacks and overwhelming anxiety these last few months. I just really have to keep telling myself day by day, and not allow myself to freak about, about my practicum or forming my dissertation committee. Your words give me a little hope, that I too will make it through this difficult time and program. I'm really counting on these meds to help me perfrom a little better. I am dreading a 1 hr. lecture I have to give next month in front of an absurd amount of people. I'm glad that things worked out so well for you.
-kate
Posted by Mrs. C on March 14, 2004, at 22:08:42
In reply to Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by declaring grace on March 14, 2004, at 16:03:39
Hi,
I am so sorry that you are having such a difficult time. Alot of others here take zanax for anxiety. I personally don't but I hear that it works wonders. Anxiety is an unfortunate side effect for most of us taking lex. It goes away after about 2 weeks. At least it did for me. What are you feeling? Is it a full blown panic attack or do you just feel really nervous? It also may help to come to this board as much as you can for support. The people here are full of great advice that comes from lots of experience. Hope you feel better soon. Mrs. C
Posted by blou on March 15, 2004, at 2:49:54
In reply to Re: My experiences with Lexapro and Celexa » Luziluna, posted by lil' jimi on April 16, 2003, at 14:18:34
I went up to 40mg Celexa and experienced significant hair loss. I tapered off of it, and had even more. can anyone give me any idea as to whether it will grow back?
Posted by declaring grace on March 15, 2004, at 3:20:42
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by Mrs. C on March 14, 2004, at 22:08:42
I can't sleep for more than two hours. I wake up feeling like I need to jump off the roof. My heart races, my mind races, I can't relax. For those of you who are getting good results with lex, what can I expect to feel ? I am depressed because my girlfriend left me for someone I work with. I am taking it really hard and don't know if lex is right in this situation? Any suggestions ? ? ? ?
Posted by want info on March 15, 2004, at 9:04:32
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by susielalala on March 14, 2004, at 18:47:36
hey guys. those of you who say you feel spacey i TOTALLY sympathize. i feel like im floating out of my body sometimes. im finishing my 5th week and went up to 15mg from 10 last week. im still feeling the symptoms and am losing hope. i just feel very out of it. i do take xanax .25 mg but im still so out of it! help? EM
Posted by LynneDa on March 15, 2004, at 9:38:28
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by declaring grace on March 15, 2004, at 3:20:42
D-G ~
I know just how you feel, it is terrible not to get any sleep & be filled with nervous energy and terrible anxiety. The lack of sleep makes all your symptoms worse. Please don't quit the Lex, especially cold turkey, you will feel awful. Call your doctor right away and tell him/her what's happening. I am sure that an additional med will help ease you through these first few weeks. Lex is good for depression, but maybe your anxiety needs to be addressed first and foremost.I'm so sorry to hear about your girlfriend, that is not helping your situation at all, I am sure. Please call your doctor to get help for your anxiety and insomnia. You will get better, you will get through this and you will be able to get on with your life!!!!!
~ Lynne
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I can't sleep for more than two hours. I wake up feeling like I need to jump off the roof. My heart races, my mind races, I can't relax. For those of you who are getting good results with lex, what can I expect to feel ? I am depressed because my girlfriend left me for someone I work with. I am taking it really hard and don't know if lex is right in this situation? Any suggestions ? ? ? ?
Posted by kateincali on March 15, 2004, at 11:23:29
In reply to Alopecia w/ Celexa, posted by blou on March 15, 2004, at 2:49:54
Mrs C. I can totally relate to your frustration with insomnia. I have had severe insomnia since I have taken Lex, about a week. Everything does seem worse when you're exhausted. I have started drinking a lot of camamille tea to calm my nerves and help me sleep. It really does seem to help, although it could be partially psycho-somatic.
-Kate
Posted by Sabina on March 15, 2004, at 13:18:52
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by declaring grace on March 15, 2004, at 3:20:42
i don't usually read the lex posts, but yours stood out and was all too familiar to me. i was in your exact position last year with lexapro. i hate to see you suffering. i had several SSRI's pushed upon me over the years, all with equally disastrous results. they aren't for everyone, that's just a fact. i really hate to see you suffering this way. my *former* doctor told me that lexapro "doesn't have side effects" and to just keep taking it. obviously *that* isn't true.
i managed to make it through about four weeks before i found another doctor who rediagnosed me as a particularly sneaky bipolar II and got me on an entirely different track, medicinally speaking. i just wanted to write and say, please know that if you decide not to stick with the lex, then there are other options and that no matter how bad it gets, i promise it will get better again. during the nights of panic, i thought i would never find the right meds for me, and i did. it took some time to get the lex out of my system, but it turned out okay. hang in there. i'm really sorry about your girlfriend.
Posted by Mrs. C on March 15, 2004, at 20:46:31
In reply to Re: Day 6 on Lex and QUITTING !!!!, posted by declaring grace on March 15, 2004, at 3:20:42
I say ask your doc for something to help you through the anxiety until the lex kicks in. hope you feel better soon. you will, promise. mrs. c
Posted by robot on March 15, 2004, at 23:18:28
In reply to Day 4 on LEX, jumping out of my skin..help, posted by declaring grace on March 12, 2004, at 10:39:49
Doseage:10mg/day
This is my fifth day on LEX, so IM only a couple days behind you, mrs c.
I have had intense anxiety before, but not like this--its bearable, but it is difficult when I know Im going to feel anxious EVERY DAY about 30minutes after taking the pill. Ive been taking it in the morning (Ive thought about switching to evening). I have to keep telling myself that its not reality, but everything takes on a tinge of what I call "psychological nausea"—nothing seems like a good idea, and it makes me ideate on unpleasant things.
Last week I was at a crisis unit and I took my first dose of LExapro. At first I just felt different somehow. NOt good or bad really. Then it changed to waves of anxiety and bad feelings. I felt hopeless again, even suicidal. And here I was going to convince the doctor I could go home soon?
The next morning I awoke with a headache, so they gave me some pain pills with the dose. I felt better later when the doctor saw me. He could see that I was better and he sent me home. The next morning I took ibruprofen for the headache. Again, I felt better and thought the the pills were working.
But the last few days Ive realized it was just the pain pills making me better! Without them I am constantly anxious. Could this anxiety be due to the surplus seretonin in a system that is not adjusted to it? Ive felt a little of the same feeling when taking 5htp-tryptophan. I assume that if I took a large enough dose of it I would get the same effect.
Posted by jlynne on March 16, 2004, at 2:01:20
In reply to Re: LEXapro, anxiety, and ibuprofen, posted by robot on March 15, 2004, at 23:18:28
>> I have had intense anxiety before, but not like this--its bearable, but it is difficult when I know Im going to feel anxious EVERY DAY about 30minutes after taking the pill.
Robot, I agree with mrs. c's advise to "d-c" and I think I would offer the same to you. Please talk to your doctor about getting something for the anxiety - my heart aches for you, and I know that there has to be something that will help. Keep us posted. We are pulling for you. ...jlynne
Posted by sip on March 16, 2004, at 14:37:39
In reply to Re: Lexapro positive responses?, posted by vjw on March 13, 2004, at 18:18:18
I haven't been here for some time. I posted here in December seeking other people's experiences with Lexapro and got some of my questions answered. I thought I'd swing by and see how folks are doing, but I am overwhelmed at how active this board is!
I did want to put out a few words about my 3 1/2 months on Lexapro.
I haven't fallen into depression the entire time I've been on Lex. I have had days, sometimes a few at a time, where I've felt down. I've come to see them as part of normal -- that is, it's possible to experience a range of feelings and moods without getting stuck in one. I used to get stuck in negativity and depression a lot. I've become more flexible and less scared when I feel blue. It's simply become one moment/feeling that will pass or transform. This is very new for me. It's also new for me not to get freaked out when I start feeling down; I used to immediately think the Lexapro had stopped working!
I haven't noticed any weight gain... knock on wood.
I have noticed that my libido is lower, my sexual response is slower, and my orgasms can be slightly mellower (OK, all that rhyming was unintentional!) I was going to try Gingko Biloba but I had a bout of gastritis that was very painful and didn't want to introduce something new to my stomach. I may try the Gingko Biloba in the near future. I haven't felt *devastatingly bad* sexual side effects. This was one of my biggest fears that nearly stopped me from going on Lex. (BTW, I'm female).
I cannot get away with less sleep anymore. I used to be able to get by on fewer hours of sleep. While Lex doesn't make me drowsy (it did in the beginning and I still take it at night) if I am not well-rested I am utterly exhausted and can't push through it.
I had some fogginess in the first few weeks as well as emotional flatness. Those are gone.
My emotional symptoms of PMS have lessenedl; the edge is off although I am prone to be more sensitive and depressive those days. I still have major cravings!
I am in psychotherapy (have been for some time) and think that being on Lex and in therapy works really well together.
I'm so grateful I finally went on meds and that I've had such a positive experience on the first one I tried. I was on 5 mg for the first month and switched to 10 mg -- my current dosage.
So, there are positive experiences with Lexapro! I wanted to add mine and wish new Lex users luck. I'll try to come back and post updates because I found these sorts of posts helpful when I was a newbie.
Posted by Esmarelda on March 16, 2004, at 14:52:21
In reply to Re: Lexapro positive responses?, posted by sip on March 16, 2004, at 14:37:39
I have been on Lexapro since June (going on 10 months now). I, too, used to past a lot, but have not lately and probably will not in the near future. However, this board helped me tremendously for many, many months. I would just like to share my experience in case it is helpful to someone else. I started in June 2003 on 10mg of Lexapro. I definitely felt alot worse before I got better. I was also nauseated, to the point of throwing up a few times. I had a loss of appetite all around (which was not that bad of a thing). After about the 5th or 6th week, I started noticing positive effects of Lex and feeling better. Not normal, but better. For months, I was extremely tired in mornings and just wanted to sleep all the time. No one could ever tell me whether it was the Lexapro or just lingering depression. After about 2 months or so, I felt like I was getting a little worse again so I upped my dose to 15 mg. That worked pretty well for a while until the holiday hit around November. By December, I decided to up my dost again to 20 mg. Things still did not feel right or normal, so in January, I added Wellbutrin to the Lexapro and I have felt fabulous ever since. I am not tired anymore, I don't feel the lingering depression and can honestly say I feel normal for the first time in a very long time. I never wanted to have to take antidepressants, but if this is what will keep me from going back into that black hole, then so be it. Also, I quit alcohol, totally, about 6 months ago and that helped tremendously too. Drinking keeps the antidepressants from working like they shouled. Exercise also helps. I hope my story is beneficial to someone. If anyone has any questions, I will be happy to share and will check back in the next few days. Good luck to all and Thank you!
Posted by Simus on March 16, 2004, at 15:53:30
In reply to Re: Lexapro positive responses?, posted by sip on March 16, 2004, at 14:37:39
What did you switch from?
Posted by mystic on March 16, 2004, at 18:40:05
In reply to Re: Lexapro positive responses? » sip, posted by Simus on March 16, 2004, at 15:53:30
Simus we have been looking for you...we miss you and are worried about you...Hope you are doing ok and feeling better...Mystic
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