Please use this thread to discuss Lexapro - Escitalopram oxalate

Thanks

My Grandson took Lexapro for several years and he had no bad side effects. I could tell a big difference in him when he took it. I take Effexor and I can't tell that it has any side effects but it helps me cope with raising 2 grandsons that have many problems from abuse.
Nannyann

I just started Lexapro within the last month. My doctor put me on it for postpartum depression/anxiety after my third child, as well as adjusting to being a stay-at-home mom (a LOT harder than I thought it would be!) Anyway, I was on Zoloft, but it decreased my sex drive big time, and that really wasn't working for my husband ...sorry if that's too much information.

Anyway, so far it seems fine. I don't have any noticable side effects, and it seems to be working. My doctor talked like it was one of the better drugs out there for depression and anxiety. We'll see long term. In the past, I always took Prozac, but when I was nursing, the doctors said that it got passed along to the baby, so they switched me to the Zoloft. Then when I weaned the baby recently, they changed it to the Lexapro.

I agree it is really good. And the best part (one of the best parts) is having a sex drive!! Woo-hoo! That's always nice, huh? It's nice to find one that helps the anxiety AND depression w/ out making you feel numb too. I definitely don't feel numb compared to the others I've tried. There seems to be just about no side fx for me so far. It's nice...
Thanks for the input guys!

Hope you all are feeling ok today!< !--color-->

Hi, I'm a female whose been on Lexapro for about a year now and have previously tried a couple different combos of meds with my doctor. I've enjoyed Lexapro in conjunction with Wellbutrin SR and together have found a sense of peace and consistency that I have found. I tried Celexa for a few months but it made me a total B***** and I hated it. Lexapro has been great and I recommend it, the no sex-drive and irritable stomach were driving me mad!! Good luck!

I have tried several different anti-depressants over the years. I am super sensitive to them, and they have always seemed to do the reverse, make me more depressed. I started taking Lexapro several months ago and am amazed how well it works. It works so well, that I don't need to take as much pain medication. It seems to make my pain medication stronger, or actually the reduction of anxiety makes my pain less, making me think my pain medication is stronger. But for whatever reason, it is great. It generally seems to be a great anti-depressant for chronic pain sufferers. Great stuff....

im abou to try it so im glad to hear it worked 4 u.

I am also super sensitive to anti-depressants, a few months ago my doctor wanted me to try Lexapro. I tried it for about a month and it seemed to make me worse. I am in the middle of a horrific divorce and starting to feel the panic, (afraid of my abusive husband, having to deal with him since he is representing himself (you know what they say, a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client). Anyway, maybe I didn't give it enough time to work. I am fighting these panic attacks and keeping it under control but it gets harder every day. Been trying to get a divorce for 2 years and can't take much more. They tried me on Zoloft, and another one I can't remember, and the Lexapro. The Zoloft made me extremely ill, I did stay on it for 6 weeks, I couldn't take it anymore. But I am thinking maybe I should try the Lexapro again, did you have any side effects at all? I appreciate any advice. Elizabeth

Hello, sorry to hear you are having a very stressful time in your life. I am glad you are trying to get help with the anxiety and depression. Lexapro took about one week to work for me, and I am prescribed 20mg once a day. I started out on 10mg, thought it worked at first, it wasn't the correct dose. It usually takes two weeks to get the full effect of Lexapro I think. Usually when beginning a new anti depressant, the body responds very well making you feel great, and then it levels out. And this level may be lower than you need for your anxiety or depression, and 10mg was too low in my particular case. Usually the physician will monitor your experiences with a new anti-depressant and adjust accordingly, because sometimes they don't get it right the first time. Side effects positive: seemed to reduce my stress, reduced pain too, increase effects of pain medication. Negative: sweating, which goes away.



Lexapro may just not be the right anti-depressant for you. Personally Zoloft did not work well with me either. Anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications don't work the same for everyone, one may be right for someone, and not work at all for others. So I don't know, just talk to your physician. Maybe you weren't prescribed the amount you need of Lexapro. It does take some time and patience to "fine tune" what you may need. And with all the stress you are going through, maybe you need something very different for the anxiety. Just write down a list of questions and concerns to take with you to the physician, so you won't forget what you want to ask.



Wow, I really hope you are doing OK. I am glad that you are not too afraid to get the correct medication to help you through it. It amazes me that some people who are going through a terrible time, and may need some help, think it is a sign of weakness to get medication for it. Best of luck, pm me any time, OK?

Hi Elizabeth, I read your post again and really feel for ya, how horrible to go through such terrible experiences. I do hope you find an antidepressant you need, and you probably need something specifically for anxiety attacks. Please take care of yourself, you are a strong person.

By the way, I just wanted to add something to your question about Lexapro. I also supplement Lexapro with a medication especially for anxiety. I have a lot of fear when I am in pain, because of what the pain means! So I feel panic and am prescribed an anti-anxiety medication called clonazepam, which is generic for klonopin, 0.5mg 3 times a day. Like any antidepressant, you need to take this medication at a scheduled time every day and not skip doses. I think that this combination is extremely helpful for depression and anxiety. My pain management physician prescribes anti-depressants/anti-anxiety medications in conjuction with pain medication to treat chronic pain. This medication combined with Paxil seems to work well for alphabeta. I tried Paxil once and it worked OK, but has the general tendency to make people gain weight, and that in itself can cause depression, LOL!! Self defeating medication!! Best of luck Elizabeth.

Here is some useful information I found about Lexapro. I personally started with a low dose, but finally found that I need 20mg a day.



James L. Schaller, MD, MAR, PA, DABPN, DABFM

Clinical and Research Psychiatry and Medicine

Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Services

Subspecialty Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Hormonal & Nutraceutical Consultation

Anti-Aging & Obesity Consultation



This article talks about the benefits of Lexapro. However, Lexapro, like every other antidepressant, is usually started at too-high a dose. We suggest 1/4 of a 10 mg. tablet at least 3 days before moving to 1/2 of a tablet (5 mg.).



Lexapro vs. Regular SSRI's

A Continuing Education Lecture for Doctors

Lexapro Superiority is Worth a Very Serious Look For Major Depression



1) Drug Interaction's kill during suicides and routine medication use. Lexapro has the lowest interactions of all SSRI"s including Zoloft. Interaction materials are merely fair. None are fully reliable. Yet jury's think interactions are always the physician's fault, and if they occur are due to carelessness and "not caring."



2) All SSRI's cause akathisia, EPS, TD, Dystonia and EPS. Celexa and Lexapro have no reports of these problems. Disparity of cases is not due to difference in articles, e.g., Celexa/Lexapro have more publications than Sertraline (Zoloft).



3) Anxiety is a massive independent risk factor for suicide. Depression already has a suicide rate of 15/100. Lexapro and Celexa have the lowest onset anxiety rate, the lowest akathisia rate and the fastest anxiety reductions.



4) Paroxetine and Fluoxetine have Non-Linear Kinetics, so you also have "surprise" Non-Linear Interactions.



5) All hormones, drugs and toxins require internal liver detox substances to remove them. EPA 1986 Adipose tissue study showed all of us have at least 5 major toxins in our fat. Obviously average people are failing at removing dangerous substances. One liver detox agent, glutathione, is used up by mere Tylenol. Chemotherapy empties the liver of detox agents. Lexapro is pure select isomer and only usable medication -- less of a liver load. Allowing the liver to remove more serious substances.



6) Weight gain with Lexapro vs. Other SSRI's:

Paxil has meaningful weight gain.

Other medications which increase norepinephine appear to increase glucose levels and increase insulin resistance.

Anxiety onset symptoms or under-treated anxiety increases eating as a coping mechanism.



7) Increased anxiety is a key feature of PMS/PDD and Perimenopause. All are characterized, in part, by decreased natural progesterone. Decreased progesterone increases anxiety (GABA) and increases pain (via 2 pain networks). Therefore, if one is committed to an SSRI for these problems it should be Lexapro�lowest onset anxiety, fast decrease in anxiety and no known akathisia.



8) Lexapro does not interact with over a 100 important receptors.



Copyright � 2003 James L. Schaller, MD, MAR

thanks princessfire for the info-so paxil has a significant weight gain risk?..guess i'd better watch out because i'm already paunchy and at my age thats not good!
regards,

Al