Depression Blog.com

I had taken Lexapro for about 7 months. I definatly experienced sexual side effects and weight gain. I was presbribed Lex for Anxiety and havent been having any probalems for a long while. I just stopped taking it about 3 weeks ago and didnt know you were supposed to ween yourself off. How long does it take to get out of your system.

I have taken Lexapro for a little over a week and the first day I took it, I was overwhelmed with energy and a racing heartbeat. The high energy levels eventually wore off and my body crashed. On the third day I began to feel less anxious but was plagued with other problems - I had neck pain that turned to headaches, I was short of breathe with a pounding heart, nauseated, dry mouth, loss of appetite, joint pain, tremors, and the worst part was I felt so dizzy and out of it, almost like a drunken high and I couldn't remember what I had done hours before. I finally decided that feeling less anxious wasn't worth all the side effects caused by the drug.

I have been taking Lexapro for about 5 months. It has helped with my depression but I have had many side affects. I have gain 15 pounds which is making me more depressed. I am definelty sleeping too much and have constant constipation. At times I do feel fatigue and worst of all I have lost all sex drive. My partner is starting to be affected by it. I am going to seek other medications through my doctor.

I took Lexapro for about 2 weeks. It was one of the most horrible experiences I have ever had. My husband said the spark was not there, I was a zombie. I have only had 2 major panic attacks in the last 10 years, until I started taking Lexapro, I had two. Then we decided to come off of it cold turkey. The withdrawal was as equally horrible. During this time I had some terrible thoughts of hurting myself. Now I am on Celexa (the parent drug of Lexapro), which is wonderful for me. The side effects are tolerable and I am feeling "normal". I also have never experienced bad withdrawals from this drug. It's funny two drugs that are with in the same family and they react different with me. Just keep trying until you find the right one for you.

I had stopped taking the lexapro, and started to take it again, and on the bottle it said Take 1/2 tablets, and took that as one or two tablets,which is what i took 2 Tablets , not a half of a tablet which it really should of really been done .(I'm a moron by the way) but following this there have been periods throughout the day and week where I feel terrible anxiety, a heat rush comes over my body, and i feel like my skin is crawling out of my body, just disturbing thoughts and all this. Parts of the day will go just fine and then BOOM it hits.I Don't Know What To Do

this is a horrible, Frankenstein's monster of a drug. i'm going on St John's Wort as soon as i can get my hands on some.

I have been on a small dose of Lexapro for about four months now and have not experienced any trouble with it. The ups and downs of my moods have evened out and my family and friends say they have noticed a big change in me (for the better).

Been taking it for a week. All the highs and lows are missing—food doesn't taste as good. Jokes aren't as funny. The world is boring. No decrease in sex drive, but I find ejaculation a problem due to lack of sensation.
Why bother? This is for depression?!! I'm off of it and back on scotch!

My doctor switched me from Prozac to Lexapro (depression treatment) a few months ago. The first few days were very uncomfortable - felt like I had snakes crawling on me. The last couple months I have become an embarrassment to myself. I cannot control my temper, which seems to flare up at some rather inconsequential things. I feel like I could easily harm someone during these rages and at the time I would really like to. I have insulted everyone at work and feel incapable of keeping my temper in check. I used to be a person, despite the depression, that could function socially. Now I am afraid to be in public because these feelings of anger and rage come on so unexpectedly and even though I know it is unacceptable, I cannot keep my emotions from going beserk. I don't know if the Lexapro is causing this, but I was interested to see that others are experiencing similar effects. Sometimes the things (i.e. a whining child or a ringing telephone) that cause me to fly off the handle will not effect me adversely at all. I would like to ask my doctor, but I feel ashamed of my inability to control my anger.

I have been taking Lexapro now for about three months. I started at 5 mg every other day and then increased dosage to 5 mg ever day. I have slowly titrated up to 10 mg per day. At 5 mg, I felt that the medication appropriately helped me to level out my moods, especially during PMS which is problematic for me (and for my family). However, I still felt abnormally anxiety ridden, so we decided that I should increase my dose to a max of 10 mg per day. On this dose, my moods are still even, however I have noticed a total lack of sex drive and I have had more of an appetite (hence unwanted weight gain). The good news is that my moodiness, especially during PMS, is much more controllable and I am actually able to smile during times which otherwise I'd be moody and angry.

The one thing that bothers me most about Lexapro or any of the other SSRIs that I have tried (namely Paxil and Prozac) is the lack of interest I have in many activities. It almost seems as if I become indifferent to many things. I find that the joy I used to find in certain activities or time spent with certain friends is not even remotely interesting. People have always been drawn to me because of my sense of humor, charisma, passion for life and zest! Unfortunately, I am feeling rather "dull" if that makes any sense whatsoever! It's as if the medication dulls my responses thereby making me indifferent to things that I would typically find amusing. What's frustrating is that I can even pinpoint this exact response as it occurs. For example, if someone says something that typically would make me laugh my ass off, I can sit there and realize that the "real me" would find this to be highly entertaining. The "medicated me" doesn't find too much of anything funny! It's as if my standards are unattainably high and that something has to be extraordinarily impressive in order to get a response out of me now. That is rather amusing itself in a way and I find a way to joke with myself about it!

One thing that I must say is that people who have bipolar (which I do not have a full blown bipolar disorder) really tend to "MISS" their upswings when medicated. They feel as if they are "flat" or not at all feeling anything at all because their moods are stabilized. I have many physician friends who tell me that we are all manic, bipolar and OCD to some extent even if just a bit (because of typical hormonal changes in our brains). So, for people who have "really great personalities" and tend to have a lot of fun (like I used to have...) these personality traits are commonly missed. The question then is, are we better with or without the meds? Should the people in our lives love us as the person we are or should we take medication in order to get a handle on our emotions? Is it necessary to do this to ourselves?

I would love some feedback on this post as I am certain that I am starting to become annoyed with the pressure that society puts on in general. Is it the demands placed on us by work, family, etc. that drives us to try to make ourselves PERFECT? If so, is that REALLY a good reason to be medicated? Granted, I don't like the anxiety or nervousness that I have when not on the medication. Maybe behavioral modification or therapy is more in line to what most of us need? Does anyone have any suggestions on other options aside from medicinal therapeutics?

I am only 33 years of age and do not feel like living the rest of my life without completely feeling every emotion that I encounter (whether good or bad!). What are your thoughts?

FYI...Paxil was, by far, the worst experience of my life. The side effects were awful both while I was on the meds along with the withdrawals when I decided to quit taking them. I basically felt inhuman for a full year of my life while taking a only a small dose of Paxil. I can't even imagine taking the full recommended daily dose! Perhaps everyone responds differently to medications, but Paxil was my worst nightmare. Prozac was ok, but again, I was left feeling indifferent about much of my life. The sexual side effects are what made me quit taking them. Sex after all, is a very important thing in MOST of our lives and it's the one thing on this Earth that is completely enjoyable. How completely inhumane is it for these drug manufacturers to screw that little slice of heaven up? hehehe Lexapro has been the best drug thus far where efficacy and tolerability are concerned. However, I am quite sure that I am a strong and capable woman who does not need these medications to survive. What started out as a quest to help me with PMS mood swings has become a battle that I'm not sure I want to continue. How about you?

wow, great post.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. When we take drugs to change our minds...the drugs change our minds.

depression is a natural part of life and often there are better solutions than medication. the problem is that its more profitalbe to prescribe someone's ills away than it is to address them and most doctors do not feel the side effect of the prescriptions they write.

these drugs are extremely good for many people, but many others would do well to do a bit of research on their own vice assuming their doctor always knows what is best for them.

not saying you should ignore your doctor, just that you should look to see if there are natural ways to solve your problems before turning to medication which may or may not make you better.

This stuff needs to be taken off the market, until truthful side effects are listed for meds like this one, it caused extended mood swings, sex fell off the face of the earth, has created MAJOR problems between me and my wife , left her with feelings of inadequacy, (not beeing able to arouse me, this stuff stinks!!!!!!!!

I have been on lexapro for about 6 months now after switching from prozac. I really don't notice any side effects that bother me except the strange dreams. I seem to have them most nights and wake up thinking "what was that all about". Are bad dreams a side effect?

i have been trying to ween myself off lexapro for about 2 weeks due to possible pregnancy. i first went every other day with regular dose, then every 2 days at regular dose. now im doing every 2 days with half the dose. i was doing fine with this until i went 3 days by accident. i felt like i was coming down with something. achy and dizzy. i took the half dose that night, and woke up feeling fine. my worry is if i am pregnant, how would this affect my baby? im i doing the right thing?

I was prescribed Lexapro about 3 months ago for severe depression and anxiety. When I started takeing it I was fine then about 3 days after the first dose I became a Zombie. I couldnt take it in the morning I had to switch to Nighttime, bad idea. I was able to fall asleep no problem but after a few hours I would wake up agitated. Then 6 weeks after the first day I awoke from a deep sleep feeling like I was having a heartattack, Had rapid heartbeat, and a hot feeling all over me, and was fighting to keep concious. I went the the ER and was told I was having an Anxiety attack. Thank God for Ativan. Even now that I have not taken it for 3 weeks I still have the attacks, I believe Lexapro has something to do with it.

I've been taking Lexapro (10mg/day) for six months now after a year or so of moderate depression. The drug's effects seemed to change over time...

Within three days, I was suddenly sleeping better, but it took about three weeks before I felt a change in mood. The mood change was great, though. I was happy, even giddy at times. I did notice that my ability to control impulses was greatly reduced. I ate the same things, but found myself not knowing when to stop, but that only lasted a short while. Occassionally a suicidal thought would pop up, and, unlike before, there was actually a temptation to follow through. The flip side of this situation was that when an urge to do something fun or productive popped up, I found myself more likely to follow through, too. My sexual drive almost completely disappeared, though I had no trouble getting an erection or achieving an orgasm... I just never thought about sex and didn't miss it. I was not sexually active at the time, so this side effect was something I could live with.

About four months later, the effects seem to "level off." My sexual drive is back in full force, but I'm having trouble sleeping again. Though most days are "okay," I do find that I tend to have wild dreams that leave me with feelings of anxiety and anger that seem to stick with me throughout the day. I'm not a shrink, but it seems to me that my brain is just processing things subconsciously now, since the Lexapro's changed my habit of doing so consciously.

And, I'm not in a good mood anymore. I don't feel depressed, but I feel like I'm gradually heading back into the blahs... I'm a bit worried about raising my dosage.

I have been on Lexapro for 2 months.I have found it does help. One thing, has anyone had problems with a feeling of numbness in their knees?Please let me know,Thank you,Nancy.

Lexapro gives me the shits.

I think this is one that when it works for you, it's good, but when it doesn't it's horrible. I only lasted 3 days on it (10 mg). I was yawning uncontrollably, exhausted constantly, and sleeping 15 hours at a time, also uncontrollably, and with a very druggy feeling all the time. It was supposed to boost the Wellbutrin (300mg/day) and destroyed everything good the WB does for me. As always, your milage may vary, and see a doc to get off it.

At first I though Lexapro was the greatest thing out there, now I know otherwise. I had been taking it for about 9 months, after being on it for 3 months my doctor increased it from 10mg a day to 20mg. I gained about 30 pounds, can not concentraite, and almost lost my job (because I found it physically impossible to get up in the morning). I talked to my doctor he weaned me off of it any that is THE WORST. I can't sleep and I am light headed all day. Don't do it!!!

I am a 27 year old female.
I started taking Lexapro 6 weeks ago for Anxiety.
at first I only noticed the sexual side effect, I cannot orgasm at all.
This drug that I thought was working ok for me since
my anxiety seemed to decrease since i started turned on my horribly!
4 days ago I felt a bit distant in the morning, by that night I became filled with negative thoughts and wanted to harm myself, a loved one tried to help and I became violent at him.
Now I feel awful, im not like that I have never hit anyone in my life, up till that day.
and now im living with the guilt of hurting someone I loved and not even remembering all of it.
I am seeing my dr this week to get off this drug,
its making me think things i have never thought of and to me id rather take my chances with the anxiety than loose my mind.

I too have been on Lexapro for about 2 months.I have gained 14 lbs.I was on Atkins for my daughters wedding.I lost 30 but, now I am right back to where I started from.Does anyone have any numbness in their legs feet or knees?Thank you for your time.

I took Lexapro for about 6 months. Quit cold turkey, no advice from dr. Ended up in E-Room due to numbness and tingling in my right side of body. They thought I was having a stroke. Then they thought I had MS. Had an MRI. Ruled out MS. One neurologist could not figure out what was going on with me, so I decided to see another one. He finally figured out that these were all side effects of the Lexapro. Now I am back on it to get my seratonin levels back to where they were before I quit the Lexapro. After a few weeks, I can taper off it gradually. I cannot wait to get off this drug. It impairs my decision making, my arms and wrists tingle and have shocking pains. I am very tired. No lobido whatsoever. I was not made aware of any of these side effects and certainly never made aware of the side effects of going OFF the drug. I had only a little bit of information about this drug. I only had mild depression and should never had been prescribed this drug.

I started Lexapro 10 mg a week ago today for panic attacks and anxiety that was running my blood pressure up. The first night I thought I was going to die. I got hot flashes on my hands and arms, but was ice cold on my chest. I got sick at my stomach and thought I was going to pass out. I didn't fall asleep until 3 a.m. in the morning. I pulse raced, and my chest ached. I went back to the doctor and he reduced me to 5 mg in the mornings and added Toporol XL 25 mg for my blood pressure. I went around for 5 days with still having high blood pressure and now I felt dizzy and week and kept having mini panic attacks. Yesterday the doctor told me not to take the Lexapro for 2 days and upped my blood pressure medicine to 37 1/2 mg. Well my pressure is normal now yesterday I felt good, but today I felt anxious. I was wondering if a person could safely take the 5 mg of Lexapro every other day and stave off some of the side effects. My doctor feels that in the long run I really need to take it, but I feel panicky about even starting back taking it in 2 days.

I started Lexapro 10 mg a week ago today for panic attacks and anxiety that was running my blood pressure up. The first night I thought I was going to die. I got hot flashes on my hands and arms, but was ice cold on my chest. I got sick at my stomach and thought I was going to pass out. I didn't fall asleep until 3 a.m. in the morning. I pulse raced, and my chest ached. I went back to the doctor and he reduced me to 5 mg in the mornings and added Toporol XL 25 mg for my blood pressure. I went around for 5 days with still having high blood pressure and now I felt dizzy and week and kept having mini panic attacks. Yesterday the doctor told me not to take the Lexapro for 2 days and upped my blood pressure medicine to 37 1/2 mg. Well my pressure is normal now yesterday I felt good, but today I felt anxious. I was wondering if a person could safely take the 5 mg of Lexapro every other day and stave off some of the side effects. My doctor feels that in the long run I really need to take it, but I feel panicky about even starting back taking it in 2 days.

I have been on 20 mg of Lexapro for a little over a year now. I was on Prozac for 2 years and doing well but got Mononucleosis that wasn't diagnosed and I was switched to Effexor which put 35 lbs on me in less than 2 months. Lexapro has made me a zombie. I feel like I am watching life rather than participating in it. Just to site an example... yesterday I skydived for the first time. I jumped from almost 14,000 feet above the earth at 120 mph with no emotion. I landed and said "Wow - that was surreal." No excitement and no fear. No residual happiness or worry or sadness or anything. I am just existing. I can't stand it and came here tonight for affirmation that I need to get off this medication once and for all and reclaim my life!

I've been on Lexapro for 2-3 months after being switched from Celexa because of migraine headaches. At first I thought it was absolutely amazing. I would get giddy sometimes and have a lot of energy that I didn't have before. Now I am not so sure. I've become extremely impulsive, not able to study (I'm a sophomore in college). I've become so angry at times that I've succumb to the urge to hurt myself. I've destroyed my apartment door, cut my hand up with a rock, scratched my arm with my finger nails and completely tore up my bedroom(all on different occasions and in the past 3 weeks). I feel like I'm going crazy and I don't know if it is from the Lexapro, or if something else is wrong with me. I've never acted this way before, even when I had a slight urge. I'm afraid of doing something I will really really regret. Does anyone else feel this way???

I have completely gone off 10mg daily doses of Lexapro after 2 years. I have had bad side effects of dizziness, light headiness, loss of concentration. How long will these side effects last. It has been a week and they don't seem to be getting any better.
Thank you
Jenny

I've been on Lexapro, 10mg. for about 2 years. While it has helped my depression I have gained weight which is causing me to get depressed again and my sex drive is almost zero. I love my wife and love sex but the drive is gone. Everybody tells me not to worry about the weight because I carry it well, but it still bothers me. Trying to loose seems impossible. Is there something to take for the sex drive. My Dr. says I'll have to dewcide which is more important.

I was on lexapro for about a year. I found it to be very helpfull in panic attacks and general depression. I always paniced about driving long distances but with the lexapro I was able to drive from pa. to florida with no problem. I never experienced any side effects with starting or stopping. I was on paxil for a while and that made me violent. Everyone responds to meds. different

I have been taking Lexapro for about two years now. I have had to up my dosage to 20mg. i now find i have constant headaches and if I miss a pill I get moody, irratable and extremly angry. This is driving my partner insane as I am still an emotional mess.

I STARTED TAKING 10MG OF LEXAPRO LAST WEDNESDAY, TODAY IS MONDAY. I AM SOOOO SLEEPY. ALL I WANT TO DO IS NAP ALL DAY. I AM EATING LESS SO THAT IS A GOOD THING. I WONDER THOUGH IF I WILL EVER WAKE-UP ON THIS DRUG????

I STARTED TAKING 10MG OF LEXAPRO LAST WEDNESDAY, TODAY IS MONDAY. I AM SOOOO SLEEPY. ALL I WANT TO DO IS NAP ALL DAY. I AM EATING LESS SO THAT IS A GOOD THING. I WONDER THOUGH IF I WILL EVER WAKE-UP ON THIS DRUG????

I STARTED TAKING 10MG OF LEXAPRO LAST WEDNESDAY, TODAY IS MONDAY. I AM SOOOO SLEEPY. ALL I WANT TO DO IS NAP ALL DAY. I AM EATING LESS SO THAT IS A GOOD THING. I WONDER THOUGH IF I WILL EVER WAKE-UP ON THIS DRUG????

I STARTED TAKING 10MG OF LEXAPRO LAST WEDNESDAY, TODAY IS MONDAY. I AM SOOOO SLEEPY. ALL I WANT TO DO IS NAP ALL DAY. I AM EATING LESS SO THAT IS A GOOD THING. I WONDER THOUGH IF I WILL EVER WAKE-UP ON THIS DRUG????

I STARTED TAKING 10MG OF LEXAPRO LAST WEDNESDAY, TODAY IS MONDAY. I AM SOOOO SLEEPY. ALL I WANT TO DO IS NAP ALL DAY. I AM EATING LESS SO THAT IS A GOOD THING. I WONDER THOUGH IF I WILL EVER WAKE-UP ON THIS DRUG????

Holly smokes! Worked good for about six months then bad mood swings and I cant sleep! So I quit cold turkey after six months of 20mil a day. Its been two weeks now and I dont sleep every third day at all. My heart races my skin crawls, cant count how many times aday that I start to black out! This crap is crazy! The last month of taking it was pure hell and the last two week have been even worse! I burn up and then freeze! I am calling the doc again to day this crap is badddddddddddd news beware of quitting cold turkey! Jason

Hello!
I had been taking lexapro for 6 months at 10 mg per a day, and have been off it for 7 months now and still have terrible side effects. My doctor had prescribed this drug to me because I told him I get nervous with a rapid heart beat around alot of people or if im expected to speak. Well I still have this so called called Anxiety as he called it. Since I stopped taking the lexapro most of the side effects stayed with me these were: Dizziness, lack of focus, Unable to hold a normal conversation due to the lack of focus. I wish I had never taken this drug. Is there any hope that the side effects will go away?

I began Lexapro a week ago for anger and depression issues. So far, I've suffered mostly gastrointestinal problems. Awakening in the middle of the night with severe diarrhea and vomiting, as well as the chronic fatigue and dull headaches, hasn't convinced me this was the best route of treatment. As compared with the side effects of some of the other meds, I'm willing to continue with the treatment for a while.

I have taken lexapro on and off for the last couple of years. The latest round started about a year ago. I am now realizing that a lot of the things I have been experiencing may be side effects of the drug. I am interested in sex but my body won't cooperate. I can't become aroused and forget about orgams. My husband is frustrated because he then feels he is lacking. I become extremely angry almost instantanously about small things. I am unable to control my anger or control myself when I am angry. Thankfully I have not physically injured anyone but I have become verbally abusive to my husband. I started taking the drug for anxiety but my behavior on the drug has caused so many problems in my life that I have more anxiety now. My husband and I have separated because of the problems. I think it may be the drug. I have reduced my dose by half and in a week I am going to go every other day until I am weaned off. I'd rather deal with a little anxiety than all of the other stuff.

Hello my name is Danielle and I am 19. I have a very minimal amount of Anxiety, and my doctor prescribed me to Lexapro 10mg (smallest dose. That only last two days. I was a complete zombie, couldn't move slept over 38 of the 48 hrs I was on it and the other 10 hours I was laying down. I had to take myself off. If you suffer from anxiety, tell your doctor that lexapro is NOT for you. Yea, it helps you not to be anxious, but thats just because you cant talk and your sleep haha :).

I've been on Lexapro for about a month now. I've had depression with anxiety for the last five years (badly) and probably to some extent my entire life. So far, I think this has helped level out my depression, but has had little if any positive effect for my anxiety. If anything, I think it has actually increased it.

I've found I feel edgy and jumpy all day now, whereas before I would only have periods of that, usually after commuting in high speed, high volume traffic, social situations or something to that extent. I'm not sleeping well, but then again, I wasn't previously either. I wake up feeling very tired, unable to concentrate for hours, and sometimes I get a "buzzing" sensation in my head, with very short periods of clarity in between. When this happens it seems like my thoughts are all racing, scattered and disconnected, then all of a sudden something changes and I have a moment of clear thought, then it goes back to the buzz... Funny thing is, that moment of clear thought is sometimes more troubling than all the buzzing, and I think thats because of how sudden it is. I've noticed that my eyes are moving irratically, almost spasmaticly, when this is happening which makes it hard to focus (visually) on top of not being able to focus mentally. This isn't a good feeling at all and it can last minutes, hours and in some cases and to a lessor extent even thoughout the day. Those days I can't think clearly all day and my work suffers from it.

I seem to have a stiff neck in relation to taking this med, I have had it for about a week now with really no explanation for it, but I can't turn my head fully to the left... This has never happened for more than a day or two in my entire life. (could just be getting old...) And, I'm having intestinal troubles which I think are definitely related to the Lexapro.

I'm sticking with it, 10 mg a day, for a week or so more, then I'm weaning myself off if the anxiety doesn't improve and the other symptoms subside. But after reading this blog, I'm definitely tapering of it slowly, ouch to those who didn't. Anxiety was the main reason i was taking Lexapro...

yea i wish a dr would post on here how the correct way to ween yourself off this drug would be, im quitting it myself slowly but would like more info

I was prescribed Lexapro for anxiety which I've been dealing with on and off for 10 years. I took it for two days and on the second night I woke up at 1:30am with a racing and skipping heartbeat. I could not get back to sleep because my heartrate was very high. Even though I stopped taking the Lexapro, I broke out into a sweat with uncontrollable trembling the following two nights. I am afraid to take anymore anxiety meds. I'm going to try yoga and meditation. I hope it works!

I cannot believe (in reading all of this) how much I have in common with mostly all of you. I was placed on Lexapro 20mg three months ago and virtually became a zombie. I was mad at the world, mad at my husband, blamed everyone for everything! I sensed something was wrong when I lost interest in reading (my favorite pass-time) and the book I started writing. I became bored with watching t.v., exercising, everything. Driving down the road I would literally zone out. It is as though this drug took me from reality and put me into unreality. I knew it was time to stop when I began to be angry all the time and yell and scream at my husband and children. This was not not okay for me. Foolishly I quit cold turkey. Now I understand why I have the explosive poops, the constant feeling of heat and pickiness on my face, incredible fatigue, and the most horrible brain zaps you can imagine. The brain zaps are the most difficult to deal with, because it is a constant reminder of what this drug did to me and my family. Recently (and I laugh at this) my husband went to his doctor for his anxiety with me, and the doctor put him on (Guess?) Lexapro!! My husband won't touch the stuff, and now I am having to use his to wean myself off and hopefully get rid of these brain zaps. I do not know how much longer I can take them, they occur once every two minutes. I feel as though I am dying. My whole body aches and my head feels like it is going to explode. I feel as though I have the worst case of the flu in the world. If you are thinking about taking Lexapro (and your doctor prescribes it) Please DON'T!! Horrible isn't quite the word to describe it. Reading all of your experiences makes me pray for you that you will all feel better soon. Another brain zap--gotta go!

I have been on Lexapro for about a year now. Before that I was taking Paxil, which my Dr. had prescribed for severe PMS. When I began to gain weight my therapist suggested Lex. This has caused not only continued wt. gain but also many other problems. I was recently married and my husband is wonderful but the anger that I have been having (from these pills - I am now convinced) has put a lot of strain on our marriage. I wish I had done my homework on this medication before just blindly trusting in it. Now that I have (thanks to my parents bringing it to my attention) I would never have taken this had I known all that I now do. I would not recommend anyone take these or any other meds. without first looking into it as much as they can. My husband hates the internet but we would never have found all of this out without it, so for that I am grateful and I think he is too. I appreciate all of you for supplying this info to others and I hope that we can save other people from suffering unneccessarily as we have.

I am planning to print out some of your blogs and giving them to my Dr. and therapist. You all may want to do the same so that they can see that it is not just you that this med affects negatively. We are victims - some of you have mentioned becoming so angry you have said terrible things - I have done that and worse I have actually become physically violent with my husband and I have never in my entire life hit a soul. My parents have heard of situations where people have become so violent while on this kind of med. they have committed murder or suicide. I have too had thoughts of suicide, that I do not believe were my own - they were from this drug.
It is up to us - we need to spread the word to everyone we know that this medication is BAD. I had no idea that these changes that were coming over me could possibly be from the medication, I just thought there was something wrong with me and so did my husband - we were both at our wits end. Had it not been for my parents and all of you, I would never have known that it isn't me. I am weening myself off as we speak - without my DR.s help.

PLEASE - SPREAD THE WORD - MAKE COPIES OF THESE STATMENTS AND MAKE YOUR DOCTORS AWARE TOO! TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND LOVE!

Thank you and God bless you all!

I was just given Lexpro today for dysthymia. I went online to do research on the med and found this site. Your responses really scare me, but I wonder if you all are the 5% who take the drug or the 95%. That is, what % of people really have bad side effects? Do 95% take it, it works great and no side effects?

I do not think I'll take it, for now. Maybe the best way to change my life for the better, is to simply change my life for the better. None of these meds seem like a "miracle" drug anyway, so why risk the terrible downside potential?

WEll, I have been on 10Mg of Lexapro for about a month and a half. I was taking St. John's Wort for a couple weeks before that. The lexapro has been working wonders for me so far...I think. I am a lot more calm and focused than I was before, but I am having a little trouble with sex drive. My girlfriend on the other hand, has been on it for a couple of weeks now. She has lost all interest in sex, and we both used to be very active. She says she doens't have any feeling anymore. It's making us both very tired. I am not sure what to do. We both think that maybe she should ween herself away from it if these effects are going to continue. Does the sexual side effect last the whole time you take this ? I am not diggin on what I am hearing on this website.

Thank you,
-Jason-

I have been on lexapro for 4 weeks. I still feel some anxiety. My face and neck feels like it is on fire. Pins and needles. My bllod pressure is good. They other day had had this sharp pain in my left side of my chest that last 2 seconds and went away. Are these commmon with anxiety and depression? How long befroe Lexapro works?

i have a lot of stuff going on right now and i started having these 5 minute hot flashes and sweating about 1 x a week. The Doctor thinks it is stress related and put me on this lexapro to help out. The first day I went to the bathroom 4 times ( took a dump) and very liquid. I had dry mouth clenching of the jaw. joints were tired and it really wore me out. i had the feeling of just not giving a damn about anything. Dayu 2 was better bsathroom wise I started to do better. I went once and it was more of a shot gun blast. The other effects lessened. I started to find it hard to motivate myself to do anything. My appetite was less. Day 3 is today. since my appetyite was less I decided to have food. I thought it would be a good idea to have lunch. I sat down and made some lunch a regular normal portion then prodeeded onto nachos, soup, a few bowls of life cereal, some cookies, and more. what was that all about - - ate for like an hour straight and could not get enough or could not stop. Then I went to sleep for 3 hours woke up Stillhave not gone to the bathoom except to pee. So maybe i am a bit constipated now. however at the amount I ate today somthing has to give. But i woke up slight fever my hands are very hot. It is now about 8pm and I did have a small bit of ice cream becsuse I needed something cold. Then started looking in the refridgerator and decided to go upstars before i started on a big eating binge again. So I am on the computer forever. Must get out of the house and do something.

By the way - -if you have ever taken ecstacy this is kind of how you feel after all the nice3 effects have worn off. At least as far as the musle and joint feeling goes.

I have been on Lexapro 10mg for 3 years I have weaned myself down to taking 2.5 every other day and hope to give it up totally soon how long does it take to be totally out of my system so I will know if I can manage without the medication or not

Many thanks

Suzanne

I quit cold turkey after several yeras on SSRIs and seemed to do allright until the 6th month when things really started to spiral. The concensous is that it's a relapse of Depression but somehow I feel it's tied to the use of the medicine. I've never spiraled like this including severe agorophobia. I may start back on Lexapro for a time and see if it makes any difference to slowly come off. I've read that for long term use this could involve up to a year or of taper after and if I can line back out on the dose. I will start back at 5mg to see how it does. 10mg of Lexapro is equal to 40mg of Celexa and it is a spinoff from Celexa.........Philip

anybody taking 5 mg every other day?

right now on 5mg per day.

JJ

I've been on Lexapro for about three months now. At first, it was horrible. And then after about a week or two of taking it, I noticed a change in how I felt. I didn't worry so much and I could at least attempt to enjoy myself. However, after about a few weeks of feeling fine, my anxiety and depression came back, and I'd even testify that it was worse than before. I noticed I felt sick alot, my bowel problems (the reason why my dr. prescribed it) got slightly worse, my muscles ached, and I was tired all the time. I went back to my dr. and told him that it wasn't working out, and what did he do? He upped my prescription from 10 mg to 20 mg. What happened? Nothing. I feel the same. If anything, the symptoms are worse. I can't sleep despite how tired I am, I'm sore, I'm tired, I feel horrible, and it affects me even if I miss one dose.

I'M SO SICK OF THIS. the other day I had a freaken panic attack, and that NEVER hardly happens to me. This stuff is suppose to treat that.

I'm making my decision now. I'm not going back to my doctor, I'm taking myself off this medicine. I really hope someone here can help in how you get off of it slowly, cause I'm sure everyone would like to know. This medicine is ruining my life. I'm irritable, I'm stressed, I'm tired, and that's not me.

I can solve my life's problems without lexapro. I can feel good about myself and energetic without stuffing my body with chemicals. I believe we all can.

I've been taking Lexapro for 2 months. It has been a huge help to me actually. I am much happier, high energy, and generally have a amazing performance at work. However, I've been wondering about long-term impacts and also especially any negative effects on the heart. I do sometimes feel just a little too over the top - a little too wired. I kind of perform 100% all the time which can lead to exhaustion. I have gained a little weight which is awful. Otherwise, I do feel a black cloud has been lifted.

lexapro is a drug i have not heard andthing negative on birth defects

Why isn't it in the list of side-effects that anger and rage can occur in ADULTS too? THey only warn for kids under 18.... I'm 28 and feel like a ticking time-bomb. I'm feeling almost uncontrollable rage and agression.
I'm on it only for 2 weeks and I really feel like things can go very, very bad. That I could hurt someone, besides myself.
I think I should quit and see what happens.

I don't know what's worse though. Being depressed and suicidal or this.
I'm sick of AD by now, I might try cipramil one last time to see if that does any good (had it before, no rage). But this.... I'm scared of myself and I truely feel it's best if I'm locked up before I hurt anyone.
But of course no one will listen and they'll say to just throw in a valium... :s

I was on lexapro for about 3 months and during this time was being treated for a ruptured disc, I had surgery and was off lexapro for aproximately 5 days and then started back up, I feel ditzy as hell some hours of the day, raging anger other times of the day, I pick fights and know I have no reason to be angry, I have no idea if I should stop or continue but I can't deal with this. Not to mention that it effects my ability to enjoy sex, that was constant before I stopped cold turkey. It does affect my ability to be so indecisive and my ability to form complete thoughts, and verbalize properly, I seem like a flake and I don't like that, that isn't me.

I have been on lexapro 10mg for over a year. I recently have gone down to half a pill for a few weeks and I am now on my fourth day of no lexapro. My heart is pounding in my chest all the time. It does not hurt but I am worried. Is this normal for withrawls from lexapro?

I began getting headaches after only three days of taking Lexapro. I also began experiencing muscle twitching throughout my body. I stopped after only two weeks, only to have the headaches persist, neck pain, and one episode of seeing "zig zag lights" (like migraine "aura"). Lexapro was the first anti-anxiety medication that I have ever taken, and it will definitely be the last!

Hi to all you good kind people from Sydney Australia. I've had a diagnosis of bi-polar for many years and have been on a lot of anti-depressants. As far as I'm concerned Lexapro is disgusting and if you react badly to it, can be very dangerous. I started off on 5mg just over a week ago in hospital. I ended up running away from there and was locked up for 3 days in the public mental health system (a terrible experience).

I've had so many of the same symptoms as you are all reporting, and am really worried that I won't be able to resume my university studies at the end of Feb. next year. The major symptoms that have troubled me are a shortness of breath when doing anything exerting, I just start crying for no reason at all, that terrible feeling of rage that a lot of you are reporting, insomnia, no motivation and feeling tired all the time.

I'm also getting hot and cold flushes in my hands and arms, extremely impulsive behaviour (running away from hospital a prime example), sore muscles down my left neck and arm, tingling fingertips, and basically not giving a damn. The inability to form complete sentences and remember words is so frustrating and really quite frightening.

I'm very angry at my Dr. for locking me up and have told him to shove the Lexapro, but I'm still getting the side effects. For everyone who's asked the question "how do we come off this medication?" I really think we need to do that slowly. Some of you have been on it for quite a while now, and, although I'm not a doctor, I think that with side effects like these a "go slowly" approach is really needed. It appears to be too dangerous otherwise. I hope this has helped. I'm suffering a lot of the same symptoms as you all are. Lexapro is awful if you have a negative reaction to it.

All the best to you all and I hope you don't have to suffer this for too much longer, because how can we deal with our depression and anxiety when we have all the rest of this crap to deal with.

I had a stroke 7 months ago. My doctor put me on lexapro 10mg I only lasted 2 days on it. I got clammy hands and dizziness. I was so scared. Is this normal to experience this? how long does it take to get over it.

I have been taking lexapro for 2 yrs now. i want to fight depression by my self so i am weening my self off with out the dr . what are the side effects have none yet . but gained weight.

I have been on Lexapro for 4 months now. When I began the Dr. put me on 10 mg. I had EXTREME nausea and headaches the first 2 weeks (at least). Now he has increased my dosage to 20 mg. Since beginning a higher dosage I have had shortness of breath, terribly vivid and strange dreams, and I'm more edgy than ever. It's as if I'm depressed in a different way now because now I'm always worried about who I'm going to blow up at next.
My husband and I had fought some before Lexapro, but since I have begun the medicine it has been a whole new can of worms. I get mad at him for absolutely nothing. Seriously, nothing. I have no control over my anger. I have no desire to work. I have no desire to get out of bed, or even out of the shower.
My appetite is non-existant. I can go days without eating. Also, I have extreme cramping in my stomach. Has anyone else experienced this??

I am really, really angry.

I have had mild to moderate depression since I was a young teenager. My depression became severe following some very unpleasent life events about 3 years ago. I resisted taking antidepressents for as long as I could, as my mother had warned me against them. About two and a half years ago when I was so depressed I was no longer able to get out of bed, a friend took me to an emergency clinic. The doctor there prescribed me Lexapro. At the time I argued against it, as I knew that my mother had suffered badly from brain zaps and tinitus while taking Celexa (which Lexapro is related to). The doctor there assured me that it was very safe, that he had prescribed it to many young people, and that no one had complained about side effects.

I started taking 10mg, but after two weeks the doctor thought I had not made enough improvement and increased the dose to 20mg. I took a few doses of this strength, but it gave me terrible insomnia, racing heart, skipped heart beats, and trouble regulating my breathing. After two or three doses I decrease the dose back to 10mg (but didn’t tell the doctor). I have been taking 10mg of Lexapro for 2 and a half years now and have not been aware of any side effects until now.

My depression has stedily improved, and I believe I have not been depressed now for around 6 months. My physical depression improved much faster than my mood. Initially my mood just became flattened, as other people have mentioned, but after about 18 months I began to experience normal highs and lows again.

I talked to my doctor about stopping the medicine, as I believe I have now been well for some time. She agreed, however warned me to think carefully about it, as she knew there was a stressful event in my life at the time. She also told me to come off it very slowly. I decided to wait a few months, as I was moving overseas, and didn’t want to cope with the transition as well as coming off medication.

I have not yet started to decrease my medicine. I was planing to do so very soon, as I have been living in Switzerland for several months now and am coping fine. However, about 3 weeks ago, I started having trouble sleeping. I wake up a lot in the night, and have nightmares. Stranger still, as I am falling asleep, I suddenly feel like an electric shock is going through my body, starting in my brain. After these shocks I feel very frightened and disoriented for some time and can’t sleep. It suddenly occurred to me today that I am suffering from what my mother described as ‘brain zaps’. So I googled lexapro and brain zap, and found out exactly how common it is.

What I don’t understand, is that I haven’t started to come off my medication yet, so I can’t be suffering from withdrawal. Has anyone else had brain zaps while taking their regular dose of medication?

What really surprised me (and made me furious) is the number of people complaining of weight gain while taking this medicine. Since I started taking Lexapro, I have put on 45 pounds. I was plump (but not obese) beforehand, so this is really quite serious. When I went to see the doctor about coming off Lexapro, I also asked her about my weight gain. I thought it might be related to the medication. She looked up Lexapro, and told me that weight gain was not a side effect. She said that I ate too much and didn’t exercise enough. I told her that I ate very well, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and that I rode my bicycle everywhere I went (at least 8km a day). I don’t think she believed me. I no longer fit into any of my clothes, I don’t have money to buy new ones (I am a student) and the result is I feel like I’m not fit to be seen outside the house.

I am now desperate to stop taking Lexapro, but am also very scared, after having read about all the withdrawal effects. Does anyone have any advice about how to stop taking Lexapro, and what I can do to reverse the weight gain?

I was prescribed to lexapro 7 months ago. When I first started taking it I felt wonderful. Had lots of energy and just felt so good. Well recently felt like it wasnt working for me and I got a bad cold well flu so about 2 weeks ago I quit cold turkey and now I am so miserable. I have had bad headaches and I cant sleep at all. When I get to sleep I have weird dreams well more like nightmares well as u can see I am up now. I dont know what to do I am just miserable but scared to start taking them again. guess I need to see another doctor. :(

I'm taking lexapro. I have bad depression i have been though alot. I need to stop it though. I'm haveing really bad side effects that scare me. On the 29th i have an appointment for my doctor. And I'm going to tell him about them but I can't tell my mom I don't want her to worry. Should I stop and just not tell her or should I keep taking it please tell me. This is really important.

I HAVE SEVERE SCOLIOSIS OF THE SPINE. PAIN, NUMBNESS AND PICKINESS GOES DOWN MY RIGHT SIDE TO MY LEGS. NOW THE PICKINESS IS GOING TO MY NECK AND SIDE OF FACE. IS THIS NORMAL

WELL ON DAY 4 IM NUMB,CANT FEEL MY TEETH,NOT HAPPY ,AND MY BODY IS SWOLLEN, I JUST SLEEPED THE WHOLE DAY AWAY THANKS LEXAPRO.I WENT CRAZY YESTERDAY VIOLENT.AND TODAY IS BLA..BLA.BLA. ON DAY TWO OF IT I WAS HAPPY BUT NOW IM CRASHING AND BURNING..THIS SUCKS I DONT FEEL THIS IS RIGHT FOR ME.

I have been taking Lexapro on and off for about 5 years now, and reading some of your stories I feel so much better knowing it is not just me. I have these rages of anger that are unexplainable and then sometimes try to harm the people that love me the most. My boyfriend deals with my no sex drive, and sometimes I can't even have an orgasm. However, after researching and hearing your stories, I am thinking I am better off not taking this anymore, but worried about side affects, can anyone share?

Been on Lexapro for about 4 weeks and during this time I have heart racing all day long also I have weird dreams at night. I'm currently on 10 mg and have tappered down to 5 mg. I was prescibed the medication because I have a severe cause of panic/anxitey disorder I shoot by bloodpressure up becasue I constally worry about it and the is medicine and seem to make be almost complusive.It seem that the longer I take the more anxious I get and the more lazy I get. I was never depressed but the medicine has seemed to make be depressed. I dont' even want to go to work anymore or get out of bed. I left a message for the doctor but no call back snice Friday. Therefore I'm staring to wean my on self off the medication slowly.

I'm 26 years old, and I've been taking 20 mg Lexapro for over a year now- I was put on it for a diagnosis of panic disorder, which I don't believe I have. However, I have dealt with depression pretty much since adolesence, and hadn't taken anything for it in over a year (I was taking Cymbalta- that's terrible stuff). To begin with, I noticed no side effects- after a few weeks, the depression went away. However, almost since I've been taking it, I've had serious gastrointestinal problems- stomach is constantly upset. I thought it was unrelated, probably IBS or something, but after reading all these blogs, I'm seriously wondering if the Lexapro's not behind it. I've also been constantly gaining weight, and I can't seem to stop. I was already heavy before I started taking this medication, and now I've gained almost 50 pounds. I constantly crave sugar, which isn't good for me, as I also have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (widely considered a pre-diabetic condition.) On top of all this, lately I have found it nearly impossible to get up in the mornings- I could literally sleep for 16 hours a day (and have). I am missing a lot of time at work because I'm honestly so tired some days, it's just impossible for me to get out of bed. And whenever my friends want to hang out, I have to force myself to go, because I'd rather be at home in my bed. Even stuff I used to enjoy (a game of bowling, a movie, dinner out) seems like too much trouble. I also have trouble concentrating and forget things more. I've always had a really sharp mind, but lately it just seems dull. Everyone says they "feel like a zombie," but I really just feel totally surreal, like my life is happening to someone else, and I have no control over it. It's sort of like I'm alive, but I'm not really living at all.
I have not tried to amp off, as, until recently, I thought it was helping... but if I skip more than one dose, I have terrible stuttering (I've NEVER had a stuttering problem before), get headaches, and my heart races (I already have tachychardia, so this is not good). Sometimes, I also have crying jags and can't sleep. I would really like to get off of this medication and just be myself, depressed or otherwise, but after reading some of the withdrawal symptoms, I'm really hesitant to do that. I'd like to know the safest way to withdraw, as I really don't need to be in a situation where I need to miss time at work or miss anymore time out of my life.

I took lexapro for anxiety and depression for a few months. For the first month it made me more relaxed. The side affects for me were worse acne problems and it clouded my jugdement. I made a terrible mistake that makes me regret going on the drug altogether.

I just stop taking 1/2 10mg. of Lexapro, had racing heart in the morning, now I am depressed and very very unrestful sleep, which leaves you very tired for work during the day, any solutions?
Sue

Took Lexapro for a year and a half, got up to 20mg. Was given for depression and anxiety. Decided to wean off due to blood pressure would never go down, didn't want to take anymore pills, so weaned down very slowly.
It's been 2 months now, BP is normal, and I have lost 12 pounds. The withdrawl drove me out of my mind, never had any brain zaps, but my eyes were a mess, if i looked from left to right, I heard a noise in my ears, I was dizzy, angry, this is the drug from Hell.
My family has been very patient. I still don't feel like myself, I get tired easy, palpatations, hoping someone can tell me when this will finally be over. Never Never Ever will I take another drug for my nerves or depression. Not worth it. Get help , talk to someone, but don't do this to your body.

I have been on the drug for 2 years. In that time I believe i have been calmer etc, however it feels as if I'm doped out all the time. I took the drug for postnatal depressin. I'm trying to come it and it has been 5 days of feeling light headed, sleepy and light sensitive. Also i have been feeling a little bit irritable. I just want to know if there is anything that you can take for the dizziness and light headed feeling, thanks, if anyone knows please email me urgently

I have been on Lexapro for about 3 weeks now and it has helped my anxiety but also caused worries at the same time. My heart races when I wake up and I feel like my heart is beating harder. It was hard to swallow at first, sometimes my teeth feel like they are chattering and I feel jittery. My last panic attack is what made me take Lexapro, I could not calm down with out it even after the attack, it felt like I was having an attack all day!

I JUST took my first pill today and I know now that i'm not taking any more. This blog has helped me make this decision. I'm suffering from mild anxiety after having a heart attack. My cardiologist had me on an extremely low doseage of Xanax. I didn't even take it every day and didn't notice any extreme behavior when I didn't take it. My physician wanted to wean me off of the xanax and I started alternating pills with Lexapro. Within hours of taking my first Lexapro I became dizzy, unable to focus or concentrate at work and my usual daily routine is just overwhelming. I'm literally hiding my daily paperwork from myself (which i've done for 15 years by the way) because I can't even handle looking at it. I wasn't crazy yesterday, today i'm a total loon. I've taken one pill and will never take a second.

I went on 10 mg of Lexapro when my brother passed away. I couldn't sleep at all!! I had to reduce to 5 mg. I was fine on them. I felt normal. The only drawback was they put more weight on me and I'm overweight as it is. I recently stopped the Lexapro two weeks ago after weaning myself off. I had been on them 11 months. My side effects are irritability, depression again at times, lack of concentration, anxiety and the worst is the horrible nightmares every night. I take 1 mg. of Xanax at night only and now I'm increasing them. I'm not getting a good sleep and I'm so fatigued during the day. I hope this crap gets out of my system soon. I'm 62 years old, controlled high blood pressure and under a lot of stress. It sounds like a great idea to go back on them but I'll end up at 300 lbs if I do. What makes me really angry is my doctor told me that this is the one pill that has very little side effects on them and none going off. So did the pharmacy. Not true!!! If you read up on the drug (which the doctor should), there are a number of side effects. Read up on the logs on the net. People are miserable getting off them. I'd rather be depressed thank you.
I NEED SLEEP AND NO NIGHTMARES!!!!! Please don't tell me to take another drug to counteract the Lexapro.

I have been on Lex for a littel over a year now after a break up and I couldnt snap out of the sadness....Seemed to work well for me for depression and anger issues. I have put on close to 15 lbs and CANNOT get it off! I have been taking 20 mg and only took 10 today...I will wean myself slowly. I tried once before but had horrible nausea and what I can only describe as "brain zaps". I will keep you posted on my progress. While Lex did work for me as far as depression, the weight gain and sexual side effects are not worth it to me anymore!!!

I have been on an anti-depressant for about 2 years now. I would like to get off of it. How do I slowly ween myself off of it?

First!
everyone who has posted and opted to make a changde in there life is a hero in my book. Depression is a tough battle but through a series of battles I have learned in my opinion a few things. i will be as to the point as I can.

I have alcoholism to the extreme and I am in recovery. In my opinion NEVER COMBINE anti depressants and alcohol.

When I got in recovery it was suggested that I take lexapro for my highs and lows. I took it and for the most part it helped alot in my early recovery. Helped me develop a path for sober living and stay on the day to day routines by going to meetings eating right and exercising.

The problem-

As I continued taking in the morning a 20mg tab of Lexapro I gained weight. I am 6'2. I am now 260lbs and should at the very least be at 220. this is a problem. I also have ZERO sex drive and my beloved girlfriend who is very attractive is feeling not worthy. This is a problem

The Change-

I started to break the tabs in 1/2 and ween myself off as it has been mentioned in other posts. This has been wonderful. I feel like I can feel again. I hadnt cried in Sooo long and I did at the end of a movie and it felt SO GOOD TO BE NATURALLY HUMAN AGAIN.

I am lossing weight slowly by eating good and my continued AA meetings and exercise. I thing that lexapro needs to be explained in depth what it can snd might do in regards to side effects.

IMPORTANT- When I dialed down I went through a 24 our period of uncomfort.

I dont have the neck pain and weight gain as of now. I actually think my intimate senses may be returning.

Seek out the truth...this site and the people who have posted have been an immense help.

GOOD LUCK!

PS-Doctors are compensated by the Pharma companies and in theory drug dealers...

Can someone please help me? Lexapro has ruined my life. I almost had a job offer, and then I sent some unwarranted emails which made them change their mind. Lexapro blocks your feelings, and I ended up forfgetting my desperate circumstances, and how I needed to act correctly to wait for the job offer.

I am a librarian and this was a wonderful position in a Middle School. I am very well qualified. Do you know how I can get a job like this again? I was the right fit for the organization. I just had to wait a week while someone else tried out. The Principal phoned me because I sent an email to the Supt. of Schools and I was in hot water.

anti-depressants help but usually cause other sever health problem. one does not take this into consideration untill its too late. i am 50 lbs. overweight form zoloft. now i must take an addional drug to get off of it and the zoloft stopps working after a while. be cautious. docotrs will deny the weight issue..r

I am going to tell each and everyone of you that if you are taking lexapro, GET OFF NOW! I took it for over two years and 20 mg. per day. I am on my 7th. day of quitting cold turkey. Its HELL. That drug as well as the majority of others that we are perscribed should be a crime. As soon as I am hopefully back to normal, I would love to meet the CEO of the pharmacuiticle co. that makes the damn product.

This is the first day of taking 10 mg of lexapro and I feel awful. I fee shaky, queasy and gross. I am not going to take this medication. I have never felt like this before while starting medications. I am going to stay with my regamine of taking my magnesium, vitamin b, and 50mg of valerian root every morning. This seems to calm me down. No one should have to suffer through this alone, it is hard to hear from a doctor that you should be feeling better and somehow don't. Also, do not let the doctors tell you that you are not better when you try and get off your meds and feel worse. You are going through withdrawal from the drug itself, you are not crazy or nuts. I have had many indifferent doctors who didn't tell me how to ween off (suuuuuuuuper slowly). So , like I said I'm getting off this stuff tomorrow I hope their isn't a withdrawal already!!
there is hope out their just stay balanced and appreciative of your lie.

I feel great on lexapro but I have noticed if I have an episodde of depression I get really tired or zombied out. Does this happen to ne1 else?

I had taken Lexapro for about 1.5 years. I had never needed anxiety/depression meds in the past, I'm just not that kind of person. However, when I took Depo-provera, a b-control shot it made me out of control and when I got off it I had withdrawls. I needed something to counteract it and make me normal again, so I took Lexapro.

I've been feeling fine, and since it was quite expensive (not really, but more than I wanted to spend each month!) I've decided to just stop taking it. I think the withdrawls aren't that bad because I had been accidently weening myself off it on my own (taking it, not taking it for 4 days, going back on it to half my dose etc) I'm only on 15 mg.

I believe it's day 9 that I haven't had it at all, and I've been feeling tired, staying up very late (although I've always been like that) And having what I've found out were called "brain zaps" but only maybe a few an hr.

Other than that, I've been feeling totally normal. A little out of it and dizzy at times, but other than that normal.

How long are the withdrawls supposed to last?

Hi everyone. I just read through every one of the posts on this website because I have been on Lexapro for quite some time and am about to ween off of it. I cannot remember what I was like before the Lexapro. I have not been able to sleep well but I've been extremely tired, nauseous, and I've had a lot of weight gain. I can't say that any of this has to do with the medication. I saw that someone asked about the correct way to take yourself of Lexapro. Quitting cold turkey, as I did one time, makes you absolutely crazy. The best thing to do is talk to your doctor, as I did today. I am on a 20mg dosage. She said to split the pill in half (to 10 mg) and take it for a week. The second week, she said to take one every other day. The next week she said every third day, and the fourth week I should be able to stop. I hope this helps anyone who had that question. Please let me know if you have had any of the symptoms I mentioned in the beginning of the post. I'd appreciate it! Kimmie

I read the blogs! I never had to take any medications in my life then my dad died. About a month after i was in the emergency room with chest pains but the DOCS thought i was crazy! For 4 years they put me on Zoloft, which i only took once cause i didnt leave my house for 3 days! then their was Celexa and paxil which didnt work either! I ended up in the ER 5 times in 4 years with chest pains and my left arm going numb, i passed out while playing softball and they said i was dehydrated! Well finally i had 2 stress test and my heart is fine! I have always been active, by the way i am 41 now but this all started when i was 35! Finally 1 of the heart specialist sent me to a specialist who put me under and checked my stomach and colon! He found out i had colitis which caused the chest pain! WHOOOHOOO 1 problem down, antibiotics took care of that! See when i would have chest pain i would panic and think i'm having a heart attack like my dad did. So now we had to get the panic attacks under control! So this DOC sent me to another specialist who knew right away what was wrong! He prescribed lexapro, see all the other doctors werent specialist in that area! I ave taken taken lexapro for almost 2 years! It doesnt make me tired or mess with my appetite! My sex drive is still the same which has always been high and i havent gained any weight! My major problem is, i quit taking it cold turkey cause even with insurance it cost too damn much! Well i was doing good the 1st week off of lexapro but the 2nd week i'm getting like electrical impulses shooting through my body when i turn my head left or right and this is scaring the crap out of me! No i havent called my doc cause i know he will say to take the meds but i will admit today i went and got my prescription to see if it stops! I will admit it has helped alot! I still have xanax just in case and the only time i had to take 1 of those was when my cousin died last summer and i had to drive to Texas but since i quit taking the lexapro the last 2 weeks, i had to take 2 xanax and i dont want to take any pills what so ever! I am sorry that all of you have had bad side effects while on the meds but i am having them while im trying to get off of the med! Can someone help me??????????? I only take 10 mg! I did find out that emotional trauma which can be anything from depression to anxiety to panic attacks can cause GERD or acid reflux and alot of other stomach or intestinal problems!!!! REMEMBER WHAT I SAID I DIDNT GET ANY OF THE SIDE EFFECTS WHILE I WAS ON LEXAPRO, ONLY AFTER I STOPPED TAKING LEXAPRO DID I FEEL ELECTRICAL SHOCKS ALL OVER MY BODY, ESPECIALLY WHEN I TURN MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!

I have been on Lexapro for just about 3 years. I started taking because of anxiety. I have always been a little odd , not myself on the drug . So, its been a week of half of the pill. I have been feeling sooo werid and high since. I can't wait to know myself off of this med. I am prying that I will lose some weight!!! For the people who did lose weight after coming off the drug--- how long did u notice results????

I tried Lexapro after going to my doctor and explaining my long history with panic attacks in the last 8 years. I tried all the natural stuff which have helped in the past but it takes a while to get your body reset to the "normal you" basically I dont know if was the natural remedies or all the effort I tried such as changing food, exercising till I felt exhausted, trying meditation (which when you have anxiety its not an easy thing) yoga and you name it.. i guess a combination of things helped. I read a book called NATURAL PROZAC, that really helped understand my problem. I recommend it to everybody.. Last year due to several attacks on a week I went for the first time to a psychiatrist that was only interested in getting me out of his office with a prescription. I took zoloft for 4 weeks. On the 3 week i felt just like I had lost my interest for little things I like.. like listening to music, the smell of my coffee in the morning, simple pleasures.. I felt kind of numb and I didnt like it.. I am very energetic happy, and get really excited about things in general. I know all that causes my anxiety. I guess therapy would be the best thing but then when you feel your life its a risk and you dont have time then a quick fix its accepted in order to find help therapy when you can devote yourself to it. I was off zoloft after just 4 weeks and went back to dealing w my regular anxiety and avoiding the things that triggered it. Now this week, just couple days ago after almost getting out of my car in a traffic jam feeling anxious dizzy and having one of the worst panics ever I went back to the doctor again. He prescribed lexapro. Home that first nite I took the first one around 1am and fell asleep around 2. By 6 am I woke up feeling like i was vomit, shaking and anxious. I felt confused and couldnt stop moving in my bed. I rolled in bed non stop for 4 hours. Not being able to sleep at all. During the day I felt like a total zombie.. i couldnt make sense or know what i was doing plus being sleep deprived just made it worst. In my whole life ( i am 31) I never took anything that made me feel that sick. Just one pill! I dont think I will continue taking it. After reading all these posts I think I better off try something different. Today I woke up with a lot of anxiety (which i dont have if I am in my confort zone at home) Still feeling foggy. Everybody its different. M sure that this drug may be great for other individuals, for me I'll try something else.

i have been on lexapro since 02 or 03,and i don't like the side effects of this med.i am on edge,my memory is not good,it keeps me sleepy during the day but awake at night,my brain goes into a fog and i have sharp stabbing pains in my head,and i am not sure but i have been diagnosed with glaucoma and my vision is not good in my left eye,i hope that the lexapro hasn't caused this problem with my eye.if your doctor prescribes it ,don't take it,and i have weird pains in my body.

i had been taking lexapro for bout 2 weeks for my depression and i start having horrifying dreams bout me being dead and seeing everyone at my funeral and they were having a party for me being dead they were happy i was gone i even seen myself in the casket.

how can releife

I have been on lexam for 3 weeks mentally it has been a god send, though I find physically my body is in constant ache I take paracetamol everyday my spine is stiff and hurting all the time like I have a back problem my body feels like I have the flu all the time and I am constantly sleeping I am on 10mg, I am also more bad tempered. Like constant PMS, also urination seems to be a problem feeling the need to constantly go though not much comes out. still got to see a dr to if I need to change. Went on this I was on Placil for 7 years had constant migraines I detoxed from Placil my migraines went. the depression came back, so had to go back on anti-depressants. I just want the physical pain to go away now.

i experience vivid dreams. my wife trys nto tell me it'[s a dream ,but i don't understand her at the time the dream is taking place. I actuially act out the dream... then i go right back to sleepand when i'm told about the n ext morning i don';t remember
I did have a stroke 2006 and suffer short term memory loss.

Ive been suffering from panic attacks for a while now. i was on paxil for 10 years, went off for a year and switched to lexapr. i took 5 mg for the 1st time last night and after 3 hrs of being in my system felt horrible. had hot flashes, was light headed, heart was racing, short of breath! was so scared. had to take a xanax to get rid of the edginess. needless to say lexapro is not for me. not sure what is safe to try?

Been off Lexapro for 3 days now. Had to stop taking it cold turkey cause my insurance cut out and I have no money.. I had been on it for a year and I think it did some real damage! My brain feels like its buzzing around in my head, my whole body hurts, my stomach is shot and I keep switching from being way too hot to way too cold. Ny eyes

I took Lexapro for 5 years and it helped a lot. I had severe depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety run in my family. I just switched to Prozac because I gained a lot of weight when taking Lexapro. I also felt sleepy on Lexapro. I am very grateful to the medication for lifting me out of sadness and curbing ruminating thoughts. Without the Lexapro, I would have had problems parenting (losing temper, labile emotionally), in my marriage, and may have killed myself. I did have some side effects, although I did not have sexual side effects at all. I did feel I could not cry-but I did not mind that. I think I did lose some energy. I am hopeful the Prozac will be good for me. After a week, my appetetite is reduced. I have awful acid reflux / heartburn after taking it. My mood felt a little down so the psychiatrist increased the dose. We shall see...I had hoped to go off SSRI's completely, but because I have an inherited mood disorder that got severe, I may have to live with the side effects. My suggestion to someone with depression is that there are several different medications, and it is worth it to try different ones, even though it can be hard....I took Effexor as the first SSRI I tried and that was not a good fit for me. There was an improved mood, but not great and I had side effects like bad dreams. Getting off Effexor was horrible. But, looking back I know that it was a positive thing for me to find an SSRI that helped.

During the use of the drug, lexapro have done virtually nothing for my anxiety, appart numbing myself and stealing my drive for my hobbies.
After stopping progressively, I was sent into a manic state for 1 month, then Im left in a state of complete aphaty and numbness since 2,5 years. I lost my hobbie due to aphaty and inhability to concentrate and being creative, my job is something Ive hard time to keep, and my girlfriend due to moment of rage I experienced while on the manic state.
Only my sexual feeling have partially returned, and Im thankfull to God for that, I know many don't have this chance.
I never experienced all that sh** before SSRI.
Thx lexapro, thx psy health care.

I was diagnosed with depression and PTSD at age 14. I'm 15 now, and I'm still getting used to the idea of taking Lexpro everyday. When I forget, it's like having a bucket filled with nails over my head. I feel so on edge, and when I hear something that hurts me the bucket tips over. Every word they say is like a nail going through my heart. When I take it I feel like a normal teenage girl.

Hi I just start taking lexopro 10 mg 3 dayes ago I fell bit of relief but. Probleam is excess hungry and stomac upset . Fell bit of acidic sensesion on my lip and it force me to wake up early morning but getting sleep better . And less panic ,my doc suggest me to take 10 mg at evening and 2.5mg Valium at night but I am thinking to cut half of the pill and see how I go with 5 mg .

After taking lexapro for quite some time I noticed my lips and tongue becoming extremely sensitive to any type of heat or spice. Even drinking orange juice or eating anything with an astringent quality became verboten.
I have been off it for about 9 months or better, and even though the sensitivity has lessened some, the sensitivity remains and I fear it is here for the long haul.

I've been prescribed with Lexapro to treat my anxiety attacks and depression. Sure, I thought I'm getting better, til' I found out that my loss of sexual drive, and the inability to gain a proper erection (ED) were caused by this stupid drug. How can a drug, that's supposed to cure depression, add more shit to your life, thus making you more depressed? I'm gonna try to talk to my psychiatrist whether I could stop taking Lexapro altogether. I don't want to lose my erection just because I am a little depressed. I'm sure I can live without it.

Hi there
Today is my 5th day on lexapro after having reducing the dosage from 10mgs to 5 mgs ,10 made me feel awful so I got on line and checked that for anxiety and panic attacks ,the best dosage is 5mgs.
Side effects: insomnia,more anxiety and made me feel really down ,and I dont feel my (little thing at all Damn it)I am counting the days to see if this poison makes some good effect as well
Cos it seems like I am in fact getting much worse than I was

I've been on Buspar for roughly 2 years. About 2 months back, it wasn't working so well so my doctor advised me to switch to an SSRI. I was completely against it, but he agreed to up my Buspar dosage and added 0.5mg of ativan PRN. The increase in dosage seemed to do the trick for a few weeks and then waned.

Last thursday I had a full blown paninc attack before work. Got myself to the doctor and agreed to try something new. He suggested Lexapro 10mg, to be taken at night as it makes most people sleepy. He also began titrating me off my Buspar.

Took my first dose of lexapro before bed and slept about 6 hours off an on that night. When I woke up the last time it was like someone shocked me out of bed. I was wired up, but extremely tired. Nauesous, had to force myself to eat. Made it to work that evening, but it was a struggle...I asked to leave early but was not able to. Felt a little better by 7pm that night. Got off work at midnight, dose number 2.

Fell asleep around 1:30 in the am that night, woke up at 4:00am like I was shocked out of bed. Found myself pacing the house like a wind up toy. Could not settle down, had to take an ativan just to fall asleep. This lasted until about 7am. Woke up again feeling even worse than the first day. I called off my 4-12 shift by 10am. This was Saturday.

As the day went on, I felt worse and worse. I decided to be done with Lexapro. Waiting through two weeks of hell side effects to go away was not worth it in my mind. Saturday night was another horrible night of sleep (or not...can't really tell how long I was out. One hour? Two? Three?). Called off Sunday.

Monday and Tuesday were my regular days off...appetite slowly returning but not normal by any means. Today is Wednesday. I have not been able to sleep more than four hours at a time since Thursday. I saw my doctor yesterday and he prescribed me Ambien 10mg to help with the sleep. It knocked me out last night, but still only got about 4 hours. Felt really groggy this morning, but could not fall back asleep. I called off work again today hoping I could nap a little here and there, but to no avail.

I have to go back to work tomorrow...I can't keep calling off. I want to sleep for 8 hours so incredibly bad. Nothing seems to work. Melatonin, valerian root, ativan, ambien....nothing. I have some flexeril laying around from awhile back, I'm going to try that tonight and hope for the best. I will never touch an SSRI ever again.

How long will this insomnia last? Anyone have a similar experience?

I have been taking 30mg of Lexapro for over 10 years. Today is my second day off, after weaning for over a month. I am constantly dizzy, uncontrollably emotional at times when I can do nothing but cry, it has put severe stress on my relationship, which makes me question myself and on turn feeds this horrible cycle. I would suggest that until we know what this does to us, please don't take it. And don't let anyone you care about take it either.

Can u start have dirreah three on this this drug

I took it with no problems for years. Came off it with no problems too. Might gain some weight but are you happier? Weigh the pros and cons. 10/15 pounds is worth not being a useless depressed lump.

Hi, I have been taking Lexapro for over a year. I like it just fine. The only side effects I have are hot, then cold, then hot, then cold, all day. I just wear layers and keep taking off my coat/sweater and putting them back on. I consider this "no biggie" or a side effect, considering how level I am -- feeling good. It does make me a little to "up," and I plan to increase Lamictal if my pdoc is going to all this. I have way too many activities; when I finally get some time to myself in the evening, I don't want to go to bed, and sty up too late.

I have had a horrible experience with this medication after only 5 days on 10mg taken in the morning. I wanted to stop taking it on the third day, tried to hold on until I return to the doctor to check in on progress, and have decided that I don't care what protocol is when I am putting something in my body that has such an immediate and intolerable effect on me. I have been feeling something like anxiety, but I don't think that adjective is adequate. My stomach was cramped up as if I were in terror, my tongue felt unnatural in my mouth, I couldn't focus well, I felt like I was being stared at for no reason, and the worst part was, I couldn't stop myself from telling everyone who spoke to me that I was not feeling well, and why. I had to shut myself into my room last night to prevent any further social acting out, as it was causing further panic, and it scared me to be out of control of my behavior. I absolutely refuse to stick with this and hope that the side effects lessen. Also, I have never had any sexual problems, and the second day, I was curious to see if I was affected, and I have been unable to come close to anything even resembling normal. I don't think I had a common reaction to this drug, but, no thank you, I will be happy to deal with generalized anxiety.

My daughter has been on Lexapro for 2 weeks now, waking up coughing, burping and trouble breathing every morning ever since she began. Today woke up not breathing, asthma attack for hours, never had asthma a day in her life, this is horrible will not take ever again.

I have been taking Lexapro for 6 years for anxiety and depression. For me Lex has been my savior. I am able to travel again and function normally daily without crying, fear or panic. Understand with any drug you take their are side effects. It takes time for your body to adjust and not every drug has the same effects on an individual. This is a personal journey. What may be good for me may not be for you. I tried 7 different drugs over my many years of suffering with panic attacks. I finally found something that worked the way I needed it to and life is good now. Stay the course. Don't give up and listen to your body NOT what you read online. Best of luck to all.

Hi there, I've been on Lexamil for 5 days now, the first 4 days I was taking half prescribed by my doctor, then today I took a whole one. I cannot stop yawning, I'm absolute dead tired. I only take in the mornings after bfast. My chest is tight, battling to breath & this heat of 33 degrees is not helping either! I feel light headed to & sweaty, is this all normal?

Since starting this medicine I feel like I am going crazy. I don't bathe, I don't sleep, I don't eat. I don't care about anything or anyone. I've looked for ways to kill myself but I don't have a gun or a rope or anything to tie myself up. I've asked for help but because I was laid off and now on government insurance no one gives a shit they just treat me like I'm a drug seeker. The doctor actually said that to me!I had to pee in front of an assistant to rule out me being a drug seeker. I got on it because of the not caring. But that's gotten so much worse and I just want to die. I've tried pills, 72 of them. All it did was just make me have a seizure and I was hospitalized for 3 days. I don't want to do this to my kids but they would be so much better without me. I hate this drug and I hate mental illness. If there was a god there wouldn't be all this suffering

Hello all - I am the father of a 17 year old transgender boy (born a girl) that I get to see about twice a month due to divorce. I was down here visiting him for 4 days and while I was at his house - he had horrible anxiety, temper flared and he threatened to beat up his sister, kill himself, and uncontrollable crying. He said he forgot to take his meds (Lexapro) for 2 days and during this bout he took it and about an hour later he had calmed down. I am VERY concerned about this medication and am very worried about him. He told me that Lexapro makes him not like food - he has lost 20 pounds and has horrible anxiety all the time! I just feel so hopeless and helpless in trying to help him.. any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I have been taking Lexapro for since May 2016. I didn't like the feeling that I was getting when I first started taking it but my doctor wanted me to keep taking it because it takes a while to regulate in your system. Most days I feel ok, but I am still having several issues. Today, I am not feeling well at all. I feel like I am starting an anxiety attack, my head feels extremely heavy and hurts (but not sinus type of pressure), I have been crying uncontrollably, I feel swollen, I get cranky easily and other issues. Is anybody else having these issues while taking Lexapro? I'm hoping I am not the only one. Thanks.

39 y/o, 3 young children with mental block/brain fog. Primary and Psychologist said although I didn't feel stressed, my body was stressing internally which caused the lack of focus and memory issues. In simple terms my brain was in overload. Primary suggested 10mg Lexapro. I took the first dose in the am and 2 hrs later I blacked out while driving and had a minor fender bender. Unfortunately, I didn't see the last paragraph on the back warning of driving while taking Lexapro. Needless to say, I didn't take it again. My dr said I was one of the 1% of patients who had a bad reaction to the drug. Since then, I have daily anxiety, tingling that comes and goes, tightness in the jaw, dizziness, neck pain and feelings like I'm going to pass out at any given time with no warnings. My body is definitely different after taking one dose of this medicine. Scheduled a f/u with neuro to try to get answers. Luckily I had a CT scan before taking this so there is something to compare it to in case this drug has screwed me up. It's been 4 weeks since the one and only dose and my symptoms have not gotten any better. People out there, especially stressed mommies, please consider yoga, exercise, meditation and more "me" time before taking medications. I wish I would have never let the Dr's convince me to take this medication.

I was on Lexapro in 2007, I took it for almost a year, before I felt so bad, depressed that I thought deathat was a better option,
So I opened their bottle of Lexapro, took quite a few that were left, I figured it was more than enough for what I needed. I left notes for my family, saying goodbye and why, went to bed. Said goodbye world in my head, and waited for sleep to take me away from my black pit of endless pain.
Well woke up next morning? Shocked to their core, not even a headache.
Lexapro kills you slowly, spiritually, but not quickly as a overdose, never want to take it again. That and Cymbalta they are the worse antidepressants I've ever taken, Rita