All about Lexapro

Saw my p-doc today. Explained how i cut back to 5 mg Lex. He said the
reason i feel emotionally “flat”, etc. is because i’m only on 5
mg…So it’s back to 10 tonight.
I started Celexa @ 10 for a while and did not benefit from it till
getting up to 20 (1 pill) a few months after so, i will have to take
the plunge.
I told the doc i felt better on Celexa than Lex…When i started
Celexa i said i felt better on just Xanax. I am sensiitve to these
SSRI drugs, so i will see!
Faiv

Hey how are you?

Hi Everyone
I just discovered this group.
I’m on Effexor and Zoloft now. Started with Wellbutrin, then Celexa.
That worked well for the longest time. But I played around with the
dosage because of the sexual side effects. Then decided to for go
all antidepressants. That sure didn’t work. Came back and tried
Effexor. This was the best without sex-side effects. But had BP
problems. Then did the Prozac. Didn’t like that one. Tried Zoloft.
The Zoloft & Effexor seem to work for awhile. It seems like nothings
working now. I go tomorrow to see the Doc. She had talked about a
new drug made by same people as Celexa.
JW

Wow,interesting reading the previous posts..Shauna and Faiv about how
you are feeling…
I too have been on it a month.I must say I feel pretty good
emotionally…..but I have physical complaints….Do not know if its
related to the Lexapro.
But it seemed to occur as soon as I started it. Lots of stomach
problems……I have not had my period since Sept…….(not
pregnant!) Now i’m experiencing shortness of breath..like u Shauna.
I may make a trip to my dr and get things checked out…. I feel the
same mentally on Lexapro which is good……MoRe up days then
down….But this feeling lousy is not fun…….
Let us know u guys……how it goes,U shauna if you go back to
Celexa……
mary

Or is this just not the right drug for ocd?

i’ve been on Lex 1 month now. The first two nights @ 10 mg (way too strong,
felt like crap) - Cut myself down to 5 mg since. I see the doc tomorrow and i
really don’t know what to think exactly.
I’m just as tired as on celexa, though i seem to be able to go on all day
without
a manditory nap like on C. I’m more anxious and need a very small amount of
xanax - i was able to quit xanax all together on C… Still get those headaches,
etc. but i think the worst of it is that i am certainly more emotionally “flat”
than
on Celexa. I couldn’t “belly-laugh” very easily these days for sure… Reaching
climax is also sometime difficult, though it’s improving a bit.
On the upside, i am SLIGHTLY less absent-minded than on C, the headaches
are less often. I feel depressed on this stuff which was never a big problem, i
take it for anxiety.
So, i guess i must stay the course, as C didn’t really work for me until a good
6
months and i would hate to quit having not giving Lex more of a chance. but
this is a bit of a disappointment re: sides & improvments. We’ll see what the
doc says…which usually isn’t much!
Faiv

i just wanted to say thanks for the support from everyone here at
this group. i really appreciate that this forum is here for everyone
to share their experience strength and hope.
my experience has not been so positive in fact i had the worst 30
hours of my life on lexapro. the side effects didnt seem to
end…first hours the fog, then the speedyness, couldnt sleep at
night or relax during the day, then later the next day came the
nauseous feeling and a horrible migraine. i just didn’t feel like
myself. i have been off and on meds for a long time and most have
side effects. i also found that if they had side effects going on
them there are major side effects going off them and don’t think i
can physically handle going thru another two months of electric
shocks and nausea. i have been off meds for a year and a half and i
never thought it was posible to live with out meds. but i have been
managing to do it and think i will continue to do so. this experience
with lexapro has shown me what the payoff is and for me it is too
high at this time. i am happy when i see it working for everyone it
works for and i wish you all the best.

I have been the round of ssri’s and other meds, and lex is about my
last shot… I am really hoping that it will work for me, which is
why I am trying really hard to ignore the side effects or write them
off as something else, but after reading all of these posts, I am
relizing that probably alot of what I have thought was nothing is
really a side effect of lex. The itching thing is most obvious to me
now… I have been itching only at dinner time, and breaking out in
hives on my stomach and arms and backs of knees! Thought it was kid-
related (lol) but now I wonder… Actually, yesterday a.m. I forgot
to take my pill and did NOT have the itching last night at all!! So
I’m sure it’s from the lex.
I also had the lack of sleep thingie, but that went away when I went
from 5 mg to 10, now I am more tired all the time, just the opposite.
It’s troublesome for dh, cause I fall asleep at like 9:00 every
night, and he CAN NOT get me to wake up…Poor guy.. (wink, wink!)
I’ve found that staying active helps w/that. (exercise, yoga.. for
me…)
The only reason I’m not freaking out about all this yet is that I
know from experience that a lot of the side effects of these meds go
away or do lessen in time. You just have to tough it out for a few
weeks, and then things should get better. But of course if you can’t
or it doesn’t, then this might not be a good med for you.
My biggest problem w/lex is the lack of desire… to do anything if
you know what I mean. I was hoping it wouldn’t have that effect, but
I’m scared to death that it may. Why can’t they invent an ssri that
doesn’t do that other than wellbutrin, which made me practically
murderous!!!!
So I want to say to all of you, try to hang in there for a while, til
you’ve really given it a few weeks, and I hope that all of your side
effects go away.

Sorry if this post is repetitive, but I thought I would give more information,
and ask for any replies from anyone.
I have had terrible fibromyalgia for many years
as well as depression (dysthymia) and high blood pressure.
I have not gotten any help from antidepressants for depression,
but I think that Celexa has helped with my daily headaches.
I have had daily headaches, and I think the
Celexa may help subdue them.
This has cost me my libido and sex drive, as well as weight gain of 40 pounds,
I believe.
——–
I have been on Celexa for over 2 years at 10 mg.
I have been taking medication for high blood pressure, but it has been about
120/80 to 140/90 with the medication and 10 mg. Celexa.
The medications I am taking for high blood pressure are these 3 at one time:
Cardura 1 mg.
Norvasc 5 mg.
Amiloride 5 mg.
Recently, about 2 weeks ago, I switched from Celexa 10 mg. to Lexapro 5 mg.
I noticed that my blood pressure had surged up to 180/120 and I did not know
why.
I sure felt uncomfortable, breathing hard and my face was flushed feeling like
I was burning up!
I suspect it is the Lexapro causing the
high blood pressure,
and I have since switched back to Celexa 10 mg.
I would like to try getting off the Celexa 10 mg. also, because my sex drive
and libido have been non-existant,
and I want to see if I can be without it.
But, I have tried reducing, and going off slowly but the withdrawal is horrible.
I feel am truely addicted and habituated
to Celexa and do not know how I can
get off.
QUESTIONS:
1. Has anyone experienced HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE from antidepressants,
specifically Celexa or Lexapro?
2. Has anyone had trouble withdrawing from Celexa and can you recommend how I
can get off it?
3. Has Celexa caused weight gain for anyone else?
I would appreciate a reply directly to my email address gayboylaca@g…
Please reply.
Thanks.

It was interesting reading the high blood pressure post.I will
definitely keep an eye on that.I usually have low blood
pressure…..so we’ll see.
Anyone experiencing weird stomach or heart palpitations?
I have been off and on…….Do not know if its related to the
lexapro….but I felt good for awhile now my stomach is bothering me
again and I’m getting heart palpitations…….mostly after i
eat….weird….
mary