Discussions that mention lexapro

I have been on Lexapro (20 mg.) for a while now, and it has been helping me a good bit. I guess I think I should feel perfect, but I don't. There are still days where I am anxious to a certain extent and also days that I am down. I have talked to my doctor, and he says this is ok, but I am worried that it's not ok. I feel like I should be totally cured, I guess. I'd really like to hear from others on meds as to what they are taking, how they feel...better, worse, wonderful, etc. I think this would really ease my mind. Thanks to all who can help!

Hi moniqu1,

I am on Lexapro also. I am now on 15 mg. I will probably stay at this dose unless it quits working as good. I like it. It makes me not feel anxious or nervious. Now if something really, really bothers me, I just sit and wait for the mad to go away, and then I will talk to the person/or not. But I eventually get over it.

The only time I am anxious is when I go to help my parents (who have diabetes and early dementia and the other one has alzheimer and parkinson). Then I have just a few valium, to take 1 while I am at their house or with them! If I do not, then I would yell at them, if they were to be mean, rude, or just uncooperative!

How long have you been on the 20 mg. Lexapro? Maybe it has not been long enuf?!
I have been on the 15 mg. for about 6 - 8 weeks. They say it takes a good 2 months for it to work fully.

I hope you get some answers from the others - probably not til Monday. And I hope you become not as anxious/nervous. Maybe you just need to call and talk to your dr. tomorrow?!

Take care. Wannabe

I've been on the lexapro long enough for it to be working now. It's just that I still have bad days....not as many as before, but wondering if it's common and how others feel on the meds. For instance, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being completely cured, I would say I am about a 6 or 7. Anyone else out there who can shed some light??? Thanks again to those who responded!!

to moniqu
ask if the dose can be increased

some getting help from lexapro or another antidepressant still need some valium or similar on their more anxious days due to breakthru anxiety

I just started Lexapro and I am being weaned off Paxil at the same time. I have been on Paxil for 10 yrs. and it has truely been a wonderful antidepressant! I stopped taking it due to the lack of sex drive, etc. My doc recommended Lexapro and I woke up with a feeling of confusion and felt like I was going to lose my memory :confused: . Is this normal? Has anyone else ever felt this way. I was freaking out and it is still making me feel bad. Help! I am trying to come off Paxil due to the TERRIBLE withdrawal (zapping) sensations it creates also. Should I just stay on the Paxil or feel like I am going to forget who I am and feel like crap, hoping it will pass?

i just took my first dose of 5mg of lexapro this morning and am hoping for the best. i plan on taking a klonopin at bedtime if i can't sleep. my understanding from everything i have read and everyone i know is the combination of an AD in the morning and a low dose benzo at night combined with therapy is the answer to most of our prayers. i have suffered from anziety for 30 years due to multiple traumas. i have to agree i am fine at times with no meds, depending on what is happening in my life. since i have suffered multiple traumas there are so many triggers out there for me that i don't really care at this point if i am on meds and in therapy for years. as long as i am calm,happy and can function without constant fear.

I"m sorry to hear about all the sadness in throughout your life. I hope the lexapro works for you. Keep me updated in this, or another thread regarding the Lexapro as I still have my starter kit looking at me.

thanks nathan. i looked at my starter kit for 3 weeks. just started this morning with a 5mg lexapro. i am hoping for the best.

I was on 30 mg. after taking 20 mg. of Paxil for years. (Not generic Paxil either). I had LOW sex drive the ENTIRE time and it was HORRIBLE. I tried to come off umpteenth times and started having head zaps at below 10mg. EVERYTIME! I went back up of course and this pattern followed many years. Then recently I said to myself that I have got to try this newer Lexapro with supposedly less sexual dysfunction. After seeing my doctor today about the problems I was having going up to 10 mg on Lexapro and down to 5 mg.on Paxil he said to go back to 5 mg. on Lexapro and take my Xanax. I am still on 5 of Paxil now also. I hope this all works out so I can have a normal sex life and feel sane. :D
I feel like I'm rambling on. I just want to add that I am 30 yrs. old and was diagnosed as major depressed with anxiety/panic attack from the time I was 11 yrs. old. I suffered my whole life though, and there is no apparent reason???? I do like hearing that I am not alone, but I am sad that there is sooo many of us. We have to stick together! :bouncing:
The thing that scares me is feeling like Im going to forget who I am while going through all this med. change. Is that normal? I told my roommate to not let me forget who I am. That really scares me!
I have had episodes in the past where I felt like I was dissociating or whatever it is called, but this is supposedly due to high anxiety. I feel like Im in a freakin bad dream or somethin'!

i have ptsd so i am used to disassociation. i t does feel like a dream or nightmare sometimes. had an episode 3 months ago that really scared me. don't know what happened. just new i had to get home. couldn't remember how to get there so i pulled over. am now on 5mg lexapro,.5klonopin and in therapy with a ptsd specialist. she has helped me a lot in the past 8 weeks. good luck.

angel54 & kristycake, please let me know how you like the lexapro. It took me 20 mg. and about 2 months to notice a difference. Like I said, I am better, but not completely cured. Let me know what you guys think after taking it for a while. I'd really appreciate your input. THANKS to all...if anyone else can comment on my original post, I'd really appreciae it.

hey girls!!! everyone has to post 100,000,000 times here for the support and feedback. there are so few people that understand. kristycake, everyone has different symptoms of ptsd. i always thought of flashbacks and nightmares. well i never had either so it knocked my socks off when i was diagnosed.my 21 year old daughter died in a car accident in 1997. that is the cause of my ptsd. 3 years later my best friend died suddenly and 6 months later my only sister committed suicide.my daughter's death obviously being the worse thing i have ever gone through. met my first husband when i was 15 and was madly in love with him for 25 years. he was an abusive alcoholic. i have had so many traumas in my life that there are triggers to the ptsd everywhere i turn. it's a tough disease to deal with. i am on lexapro for menopausal symptoms and klonopin for anxiety. the biggest help has been the 8 weeks of therapy with a ptsd therapist. one of the first things she told me was to be safe.physically,mentally and emotionally. i need to be around people that i know will understand if i leave my body for a few minutes. it has helped. took the second dose of lexapro this morning and i have to say not a hotflash or night sweat since yesterday. slept last night so i hope i don't start to have side effects. i have enough problems without some drug making me feel worse. i know this was long but i hope i helped in some way.

One of my very wise friends put it this way for me. Lexapro can take the edge off of everything. It will take the edge off of Panic, Anxiety, and Depression.

I dont think some symptoms are a sign that its not working.

agreed. i have heard nothing but good about lexapro. i only take 5 mg in the morning but for the past 3 days have felt much better. a little anxiety at first but i tend to look for negative side effects because i have had them with every other SSRI i have taken. today is better since i know i am not allergic to it and am not going to die taking it. isn't that silly?whnever i start a new drug i spend days constantly paying attention to how i feel looking for problems.

i hear you kristycake. have had a slight headache off and on and some nausea. a little more anxious than i have been lately but i have alot going on so i can't blame the lexapro. diarrhea the first day but not since. felt like i was out of it a couple of times but it didn't last. hopefully by the end of week one all side effects will pass or at least be tolerable.

Hi All, just thought I would give you my Lexapro experience. I started on it in March for depression and menopausal symptoms, and GAD. The only start up side affect I had was nausea for the first week, and then that went away. The very next day after I started on it, I felt 100% better, like my old self - or better than my old self, because the anxiety I always had near the surface was pretty much gone. I was calm, could deal with most anything that came along without freaking out - which was a big change for me. The night sweats and hot flashes went away also.

BUT.... I gained weight, stayed hungry all the time, and my sex life went down the tubes. I couldn't handle either of those side affects anymore, so I started on Wellbutrin XL last week. I went down to 5mg for a week, and then forgot to take it the next day, and just started on the Wellbutrin the day after that. So far have felt great, except two days ago I was extremely agitated and irritable. But, today I feel fine again. I do have the brain zaps but they only were bad for maybe two days.

All in all - the Lexapro I would give a 9 as far as handling the anxiety and depression though. It worked great for me, but I am not willing to give up my sex life any more, I wanted it back!

I learned a lot reading the messages on this thread. Are these conclusions right? Lexapro takes a month or two to work. It's bad for sex. It can be taken with xanax.
It's hard to withdraw from. It's better for depression than anxiety, and it may not get the job done for persistent, galloping anxiety. Has anyone used it or xanax for a while and then found yourself able to get by with nothing at all?

Oh my, an update on me! For the past two days I have felt like I had the flu, could barely move, felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster- etc. I read on these boards that was due to Lexapro withdrawal, so I had to resort to taking half of one yesterday afternoon. Within a short time, I felt much better. This sucks! Guess I am going to have to go back on it with the Wellbutrin and SLOWLY wean off.

Quote from pal7778:

I learned a lot reading the messages on this thread. Are these conclusions right? Lexapro takes a month or two to work. It's bad for sex. It can be taken with xanax.
It's hard to withdraw from. It's better for depression than anxiety, and it may not get the job done for persistent, galloping anxiety. Has anyone used it or xanax for a while and then found yourself able to get by with nothing at all?

Lexapro worked for me right away, most people it only takes a short while to notice a big difference. And, I believe it is equally good for anxiety and depression.

Well....LOL>I havent been on Lexapro long enough to jump off or make up my mind to stay on. I am riding the wave on this one. I have probably been on less than 2 weeks. My memory is even sketchy sometimes. I am also on 5 mg. of Paxil. I am trying the Lexapro since Paxil is TERRIBLE for sexual libido!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was EXCELLENT for my depression and anxiety thouugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So where does this leave me? I dunno either. Hmmm.... I look at it like this. I will give it enough time to see if I dont have anxiety or depression too bad, and it seems to enhance the sexual libido. I am just scared my Paxil will not work if I come all the way off. GRRRRR!

Kristycake - my sentiments exactly - it's almost of choice of feeling good mentally and emotionally and no sex life - or have a sex life and not feel so good mentally. It should not have to be this way! I do think the Lexapro did make my memory worse though, and also my concentration. Lex did not affect my Libedo - I just could not orgasm - which that in itself is just horrible for me!

I tried Wellbutrin but it made me VERY aggressive and crazy acting! I am gonna try to hang onto the Lexapro but call my doc tomorrow.

I'm in the same boat as you, I don't know what to do either! Lexapro works great for my depression and anxiety, but then there's the hunger and sexual side affects. They need to develop a pill that works for both, and doesn't have these side affects!

Okay I went up to 10 mg. of Lexapro now and I am completely off the Paxil. I am doing better in most areas than before, but I am still having the serious emotional and rage stage. The doctor reassured me that this should go away when the med is at it's peak time period. I hope so! I am ready to fight and I am not a fighter..:( I am not having the derealization problem so much now so that is a MAJOR PLUS :) I hope more people post about Lexapro and their experiences. I have started eating like I am going to starve...this is not too good since I have a thyroid issue also. EEk!

Im back! I am up to 20 mg of Lexapro now and I am in a weird place. I woke up feeling very suicidal (which is NOT normal for me). I have also been feeling my derealization more than normal and anxiety. I talked to my doctor and he said when the med gets to a stable dose this should go away???? This does NOT sound normal?

I have been taking Lexapro 10 for 3 weeks and feel only slightly better. I was on Wellbutrin XL for a month until I started seeing a counselor. She felt that it wasn't right for me and suggested to my doctor an SSRI like Lexapro..so here I am. I am still waiting to feel better! I do at home.. the anxiety and aggravation hits when I get to work every day! I hate it. I don't want to wimp and run from my job I just want to be able to handle my anxieties and allow them to flow over my shoulder without a glance. I also want to feel free. I feel as a bird in a cage that can't fly out into the world and live a little. I also used to be on BuSpar for anxiety and it worked great until it started making me so Dizzy :eek: and so sleepy :yawn: I was finding it hard to take during the day. I moved it to the night but then it wasn't helping me through my days. So any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Also..when is a good time to take Lexapro.. I have been taking it around dinner time ..and by the next morning at work .. I'm a zombie..
I was also given .5 of Xanax for when I really need it. I have saved them for weekend use only. I have to work!! hehe.. Thanks!

HI TJ... I hear you. It's hard! I would talk to my doctor again and it sounds like what I am experiencing on Lexapro. I take it at night and I feel very tired and then during the day I cant take the Xanax so I have anxiety. The meds make it easier sometimes but the side effects make it hard other times. I wish there was a simple answer.