Anybody prescribed Lexapro?

[nytemare]

It seems my neurologist thinks that my memory difficulties could be a manifestation of mild depression.

He prescribed me 10 mg of Lexapro, and I will need to get B12 shots, because that is low.

Does anybody take Lexapro that can share their experiences?

[politicat]

1. I've been on it for almost two months now

for situational anxiety and panic attacks. We had a house-fire in early December, and the aftermath has been very difficult for me to deal with.

I am not having nearly the level of anxiety I was having before I started taking it, and the panic attacks are to a minimum. I'm sleeping better (though the Ambien is really helping there when I take it) even when I'm not taking Ambien before bed. I'm far more motivated and a lot more up than I was 7 weeks ago.

I am doing a lot better in social situations, I'm actually losing weight (I was having a terrible time even maintaining my weight before) without starving myself, I'm getting work-work done (even though I'm on medical leave right now - I'm a psychologist and I am no use to anyone else when I was as bad as I was in late December), getting fun-work done (I spent a year suffering with writer's block and a creative block that kept me from painting or doing anything creative), and according to my husband, I'm "back." Apparently, the stress of the last couple years has been doing more damage to me than I thought, and he noticed that I've come back to who I was before I went back to working as a shrink. (It may be because I'm not working, too; I may not be cut out for this job. I'm seriously considering going into academic research even though it pays horribly (like $17K a year) because it doesn't stress me so badly.)

I can read LBN and GD without wanting to get back into bed, pull the covers over my head, and never come out. I can read GD:P without too many idle visions of first class funerals. I'm concentrating better; I can finish long articles in the journals and I can stick with longer novels.

It kicked in fast - one of the reasons my physician and my therapist and I decided to go with it. Three or four days, iirc.

Now the downsides: my sex drive is diminished (somewhat; it's not flat, but I have a pretty healthy one to begin with. Someone who is more marginal may have a worse time with it), I need to take fiber supplements to keep my digestion from being unfortunate and unpleasant, and I am having headaches. We've had my head in an imaging machine, and it's mostly sinus-related, so it may not be related to the lexapro at all, but it's hard to say. I'm occasionally a bit dizzy and my stomach has been somewhat more delicate.

[nytemare]

5. TY for the reply.

I am sorry to hear about your difficult times, but very happy that it seems to be helping you. I am sure it is a great relief to you.

:hi:

[BreweryYardRat]

2. It's an excellent anti-depressant...

Works very well for me-I'm on a 15 ml dosage. I was borderline suicidal before I started taking it, and now I'm much improved. Although I can second the above post's warning about diminished sex drive (less so in my case) and constipation.

[nytemare]

7. Glad you are doing better!

I imagine it was pretty scary for you. :hug:

The doc gave me a sample of the 10 dosage, I believe.

My memory and concentration has really been concerning me. I honestly feel a bit weird thinking about taking anti-depressants. Not sure why, really. Maybe scared. I just hope it helps.

Constipation, ick.

:hurts:

[Alleycat]

3. Mon's on it for about a year now

She also get B-12 shots once a month. She was put on it after months in hospital due to illness. She doesn't seem to have any problems and she doesn't obsess quite so much on her problems. Don't know too much more.

[nytemare]

9. TY for the reply.

:hi:

[blondeatlast]

4. I took it for about a year--it's a godsend when you need it.

I managed to wean off fairly easily as well.

One thing I noticed was that it did lower my sex drive a little bit, but I'm not sure it lowered it any more than the depression would have anyway.

[nytemare]

10. Good to hear it is not addicting.

Thanks for the reply.

:)

[blondeatlast]

11. Actually, it can be--that's why one has to wean carefully.

It's not very common to become addicted, though.

My sister is a pharmacist and warned me to follow my docs orders very carefully with it.

[Ellen Forradalom]

6. Works well for me

I take it in a small dose (5 mg) for bipolar depression in conjunction with a mood stabilizer, Depakote. It is nowhere near as harsh a medication as, say, Paxil. I did have nausea the first five days, and at the 10 mg dose I had some difficulty concentrating and thinking, so my shrink cut me back.

I seem to be doing just fine on it so far.

[nytemare]

8. Did the nausea last throughout the day, or right after you took it?

Thank you for your response.

It is good to hear that you were helped by the treatment.

:hi:

[Oeditpus Rex]

12. I've been taking it situationally

for about two years. I start with 10 mg. before bed, then cut it to 5 mg. a couple weeks later.

Only side effect I've noticed is a decreased appetite.

[nytemare]

13. I would probably do better with a decreased appetite...lol.

Thanks so much for the response.

[scarlet_owl]

14. It works okay for me.

I've been taking it for about two years. It helped me when I was going through withdrawal symptoms from Effexor.

[HeeBGBz]

15. I DID NOT like it

Weaned myself off of it last year. Made me sleep all the time and I gained about 10 pounds while on it. It seemed to be okay at first, but I didn't feel good on it later.

[Ladyhawk]

16. I'm on it now. Of course, I've been on most of them.

I really can't say much about it one way or the other, which begs the question: Why did I even bother to post? :P