Lexapro

ICUsleep · Feb 22, 2005

Paxil has literally saved my life. :)
I've been on it for 4 years now, and have only had to increase the dosage once. I get pretty weird if I run out of it and don't get to the pharmacy within a day or two........I've learned that the side effects of sudden withdrawal are far more unpleasant than those of the drug itself.

I can relate to this! I felt loopy after not taking Paxil for just ONE day when I was on about 2 years ago, and I do feel that it saved my life (I was in a MAJOR DEPRESSION at the time).

The only side effects it had effected my boyfriend at the time more than they effected me...I never wanted sex, I was a bit goofy for an hour or so after taking the meds, he would have to constantly repeat things he had just said 5 minutes earlier...:chuckle

I went off of Paxil after about one year, because I basically thought it had done what it was going to do and that I didn't need to be on a med for the rest of my life...and I couldn't afford it or my psychiatrist anymore.

I did half my dosage trying to wean myself off, but that withdrawal was PURE HELL!! Has made me very hesitant about starting any brain-effecting drug again, but I will seek help if I ever again feel that I just can't go on living, but only then. I have found that most of my depression clears up withing a certain time frame regardless and that diet and exercise and taking mental health breaks (and avoiding alcohol while depressed) helps me....what I am saying is not meant to discourage others from getting help.

I think if someone is so far down they can't get up they should certainly get help, meds, whatever. Just do yourself a favor and do some research on drug CESSATION before taking any long-term drug (which is what all antidepressants are), because most docs do not do much research on the drug cessation. Please don't see a general practitioner for mental health needs; PLEASE see someone who specializes in psychiatric disease and medicine.

jmaf · Feb 22, 2005

now This May Seem To Be A Strange Question To Ask You Guys And Gals. When In Your Career Did You Realize That You Needed Medication, Such As Anti-depressants? Or What Ever It Was To Get You Through Your Day Or Night? Was It While You Were In School? Clinicals? Or In The Feild Due To Not Finding Your Ideal Job That You Have? I'm Reading All Of The Things That's Written All The Time And I'm Taking It All In. It May Happen To Me And It May Not. What Would Be Some Of The Tail-tail Signs That You Need To See A Dr.? I Don't Want To Wait Until I'm Ready To Crack Like A Egg. This Is Really Helpful Information You Guys And Gals. I Really Takes Guts To Say That You Needed Help. . When It's My Turn And Feel Lost I Know That I Can Come Here And I You Guys And Gals That's Honest. I Like That. Whatever Works For You Stick With It. No Matter What Others Say.

I knew I was depressed but tried to fight it off myself, no such luck. I quit my job to go to school after being out of school for 25 years. One of my best friends died, and a few other life changing events that went on. I was to the point of crying at the drop of a hat. I felt like I was watching the world pass me by. I did not feel like I was a part of it. The best way to describe that feeling for me is: I could picture my self sitting in a barren room all by myself, no doors, only windows. I could see the world go by. I would wish a tractor trailer truck would hit me so I wouldn't have to keep fighting to keep myself going. Also I had other symptoms. Luckily I had some great friends in school who could see the change in me. They encouraged me to go see my Dr. I was put on Zoloft at first and had some s/e, those went away then came back. I was put on Lexapro with no s/e. I am glad I am on it, I don' want to go back to that dark place again.

gwenhyfar · Feb 22, 2005

It has been a miracle drug for my daughter. I was wide awake and productive for almost 72 hours after 1 dose. The point is, if you need it, and it works for you, do it. I wish it was as easy for my son---

countryhick · Feb 23, 2005

My 15 year old takes 10 mg Lexapro QD for depression. The only side effect has been increased sweating. The doctor says that an expected side effect, also some loss of appietite is normal in the beginning. We haven't noticed that. He looks and feels great. He also takes Strattera on school days. He's a totally different child than he was several years ago and has gone from failing to A & B's in honors science, history and english and is in ROTC.
We had been the therapy route since he was in the 4th grade and at times it got better and then again it would get worse. The depression started taking over his personality in a big way once he hit middle school. Now he's in high school.
I have suffered from depression but not ADD since I was about 12. I've been on Zoloft for 8 years. I wish there had been help around for me when I was younger. I resisted putting him on medication because of his age but it sure has made a tremendous difference for both him and us.
I would not discourage anyone from trying an anti-depressant just because someone had a bad reaction. For every drug in the PDR there have been bad reactions so there's no case there. The only advice I can offer is only take an anti-depressant prescribed by a psychiatrist. I do believe they should be the only one's legally allowed to prescribe anti-depressants because they are the only one's who should be diagnosing mental illness. I know that won't change but as much as I trust my Internist I wouldn't let him prescribe the anti-depressant.

yes, i take it right before bedtime and in about 30-45 minutes, wake up drenched with sweat. It seems like what a hot flash would be like. initially, I would experience ''waves" of nausea, but that has passed. otherwise, i cant tell that I have experienced any side effects.

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

Tracy - yea for less smoking!! That's great! :hug
Movingalong - actually, my unusual reaction to Ambien was really funny...My bf called me "ambi-girlfriend" when I was on it because it made me so strange. While it was really entertaining, it didn't help me sleep because when I was "high" on it, the last thing I cared about what getting sleep...too busy drawing murals on the bathroom walls, etc. :chuckle I guess I'm lucky I didn't do anything dangerous like try and drive a car...

Lawnurse: You are so funny! Drawing murals on the bathroom walls.

mv

elizabells, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

I think the most important thing here is that meds are different for everybody. I'm cyclothymic; at first they put me on Wellbutrin, and it made me absolutely bat*beep* loony. Lost 30lbs in two weeks, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, doing drugs, sleeping around, all the classic manic symptoms, but worse than with no meds. I switched to Lexapro and it has been great. The best part is that I still have NORMAL feelings, unlike the zombie-ness I found with drugs like Zyprexa and Seroquel. The sleeping thing is tough; I switch between Xanax if I'm really fretting about something and Tylenol PM if it's just one of those nights. The only rough thing I've found with the Lexapro is that if I miss a day, the bounceback can be kind of rugged. But hey, it's made me more responsible about meds, and that means I take my OCPs every day too, so yay! :rotfl:

neuronursein06 · Feb 23, 2005

I've been on Lexapro for 16 mo....it's been a miracle drug for me. I'd done the psychologist route before that for 2-3 yrs, then had a nervous breakdown after a Micro test last Oct- couldn't concentrate, would cry at the drop of a hat...dropped the class and went on Lexapro. There is no way I would have been able to get through the past yr of nursing school without it. My boyfriend doesn't know me "pre-Lexapro", and keeps asking why I need it- well, he got the hint end of last week, when I had a panic attack at the med school library, and was "in the dumps" until Sunday. There is no way, had I been off Lexapro, that I'd be "fine" now.

What is right for one person definately isn't right for another- and remmeber, just because I do well on it doesn't mean it will affect someone horribly tomorrow. (I do have wild dreams and some insomnia; 3 mg melatonin helps the Insomnia though- and I'd rather be an insomniac in nursing school than drunk!)

:chuckle

Tinkerbell2 · Feb 23, 2005

My physician gave me some samples of Lexapro about a year ago. Prozac was no longer working for me and Paxil had given me violent headaches when I tried it years ago.

Anyway, I was only on Lexapro about a week. I started having really bizarre nightmares and feeling a little paranoid. I was disappointed, b/c otherwise it seemed to be working. Needless to say, I reported it to my physician and have not taken it since. I am currently on no anti- depressants. I"m not saying that I don't have depression. I just fight it off the best I can, along with prayer. I just wish that I could find something that works.

rnparrot · Feb 24, 2005

i started out taking paxil years ago, switched around to all the different ones: zoloft, effexor..they all worked with minimal s/e except what seems to be the common one. but i started lexapro about a year ago. i take it for anxiety and mild depression. with the insomnia i take ambien 10mg q hs. without it i would never sleep. it shuts my mind down. my mind races when i need to sleep, so that helps. i have neuropathy in my legs which makes my legs very sore at night so i also take neurontin which makes me sleepy. so we all seem to have some common things together here...but here is a question for you that nobody has asked. has taking the lexapro, or other ad's affected your sex life at all? this was a great post for me, to see that so many other nurses are having the same problems as me, and that they all experience the same things...that is why i ask my question, because my sex drive has decreased to almost zero, and i am thinking it is from the meds i take, but specifically the ad's. thanks for your answers!

elizabells, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2005

has taking the lexapro, or other ad's affected your sex life at all?

For me, not in the slightest, but I've always been a little above average in that area anyway, and since cyclothymia has hypomanic aspects, my experience may not be typical, your results may vary, etc. When I'm not on meds my sex drive is out of control, so on them I think it's more "normal", whatever that is.

Tinkerbell2 · Feb 24, 2005

I took Prozac for years. It decreased my sex drive quite alot. That is one of the reasons that I weaned myself off of it. It was not effective on my depression anymore either.

Tinkerbell2 · Feb 24, 2005

In addition, I believe that the Prozac contributed to the weight gain in the most undesirable place. If it had given me a nice tush, I would not complain, but of course, I put on weight in the abdominal region and I cannot seem to get it off.