All about Lexapro

Hi all, one of my best friends up North has just gotten her Lexapro.
This is her first AD. So I am helping her with thur this….like
a “buddy system”. I know it is hard to go on a AD, but Celexa wasn’t
my first so I guess I wasn’t that scared. Plus I had the liquid
version…which no longer exists???
Anyways, she asked if any of you had trouble cutting the pill in 1/2.
She just tried, and had to hang up the phone and try somemore.
I remember Gina mentioning this. She does have a pill cutter from
taking Ativan, but I don’t know if it will work for this hard pill.
Gina mentioned using a razor blade…
Also can anyone tell the lowest dose you can cut down to? I want her
to start as low as possible like I did with Celexa.
She is very scared to feel anxious…etc.
~dagmar

I know it is amazing for nerve pain .I take 300 mg 3 times a day and
my body knows when its due .I think i would be nuts without it .I
still need the tylenol 3 but not as much.I feel like a walking drug
store …add in the tryptophan and restoril…….thank goodness I
have a drug plan .

First….I have grinded my teeth for years also.My dentist said
sometimes teeth with big fillings can let air and germs in and cause
infection, which what an abcess is .
I think there is a definite co-relation to this .He didn’t say the
teeth grinding caused it, but doesn’t that make sense ?? He did say
it is something that happens over a period of years not overnight .
I’ve been grinding for years .BUT… have only been on celexa since
jume and all this happened starting 3 years ago.
Have had 5 teeth all abcess.Got the first 2 pulled because a root
canal is over 600 bucks …..but then when the other 3 I had dental
coverage and got root canals .It was also suggested that i get a
guard for sleeping …….. i think the football one would be alot
cheaper..gonna look into it .
Thank you guys so much for the comments regarding that accident.It
probably was just the adrenaline.I was to busy thinking what had to
be done at the time, but it hit me like a ton of bricks afterwards .
Thank-you
Hugs
Lesli

Hi all I’m on day 4? 5mg. Having a wonderful day so far! Woo Hoo!

You mentioned one of the meds you are on is neurontin .Was that
prescribed as a mood stablizer ? I am on gabapentin which is just
another name for neurontin .I take it for nerve pain, but apparently
it is an anticonvulsant.I was just wondering what they prescribed it
for .
Lesli

What exactly is bruxism?

I had a panic attack last week .Was so odd because I have only had 2
in my life and they were about 10 years ago .
I believe it was triggered when I stopped at a car accident.I was the
car right behind the car involved .I hope you don’t mind me venting
this .I had somehow got on the wrong road coming home. I was going
around a bend and the car had just hit a deer.
There was a man and a little girl in the back seat.The girl appeared
ok but I didnt want her moving too much .The man however was not in
good shape and he was worried about his daughter.Because he had a
head injury and neck pain and tingling in his legs ,His head had to
be absolutely still .(they call that holding C spine ) I did that
until another car stopped thank God , showed him how to hold his head
and i ran and got some stuff I had in my car .He had a huge gash on
his left leg that was bleeding very badly .I had rubber gloves, a
roll of paper towels, a towel,a roll of duct tape and a blanket all
in my car.Used the towel to help the other man hold C
Spine …..another car stopped but they did not have a cell phone but
I got them and another car to go up the road both ways and stop
traffic.I didn’t want us all killed by someone rounding the bend too
fast .
I got the roll of paper towels, pressed it against his leg in duct
taped it on then held it to try and control the bleeding .(was scared
he was gonna go into shock)
The little girl was really upset ….wanting to know if her daddy was
ok….I asked her if her daddy had ever told her to sit still ? she
said yup ,, so i told her as long as daddy is still he will be ok .
well after that she was like a little mother saying to her
daddy ..”this lady says you have to be still and im gonna make sure
you do what your are told LOL .It put the man at ease hearing his
daughter was ok .
Anyway finally someone stopped that had a cell phone and called for
an ambulance and the police .
The paramedic looked at me after i quickly brought him up to date on
what I had done and he said were you sure prepared for it LOL .Anyway
I just wanted to get the hell outta there .
I had to stop twice after i left that from shaking .i simply hate the
sight of blood .I’m pretty sure that is what triggered the panic
attack .Sure hope I don’t have anymore .
Hugs
Lesli

I think people take AD’s for different reasons not all pertaining
to “stress”,and it does sound like a generalized stereotyping of
people that take AD’s.
I have had 5 abcessed teeth in 3 years which I thought was kind of
unusual,but my dentist said abcesses are something that usually
happen to a tooth with a large filling and it is something that
developes over a period of years…he said it was a coincidence they
all seem to be happening at the same time.
As far as teeth cracking , I don’t know .Could it have anything to do
with Calcium intake ?
I also grind my teeth,but again …. I do it when I am asleep.
The only thing I can think of is in regard to what people have said
about dreams .
It seems possible that if someone grinds their teeth anyway, that
possibly we may grind them more if we are having more vivid and
upsetting dreams .But that is just a guess.
hugs
Lesli

Okay I have cracked two teeth since being on Celexa. I just went to
the dentist today for the second tooth…I tell you I wonder if it is
the meds. I told my doctor that another person on Celexa had
mentioned this. He says I have bruxism. Where you grind your teeth. I
know I have always grinded, but since the Celexa it seems worse.
I wonder if Lexapro, being stronger would be even worse!
My dental bill is going up!!
By the way the dentist didn’t agree it was my meds. or the pharmacist
that I went over to after the Dental appt. The dentist said people on
these AD’s already have stress.
I asked to look at his teeth…which were great, no grinding. He said
he doesn’t have stress….yeah right….we all have stress!!
I felt kind of bad about this stereotype of people on AD’s being
stressed.
What do you all think?
dagmar

Robert,I am currently still on celexa.40mg and not switching to
Lexapro until Friday .
My Doctor never mentioned a need to continue the celexa once I start
Lexapro.
From what I have found out , and from what people are saying here ,
Lexapro is like the “refined” part of celexa, and that is why a much
lower dose is required , yet yeilds the same results,with fewer side
effects .