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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 5275 to 5299 of 8406. Go back in thread:
Posted by sapphira on November 19, 2003, at 19:18:50
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by nemo kitty on November 19, 2003, at 19:02:58
just curious: is it possible for those of you who have gained weight that it might be fluid retention??
sapphira
Posted by Mariposa on November 19, 2003, at 20:10:49
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by curly1 on November 19, 2003, at 17:35:14
I actually lost 10lbs., have been on Lex since Feb.~~~8|8
Posted by nemo kitty on November 19, 2003, at 20:18:43
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by sapphira on November 19, 2003, at 19:18:50
> just curious: is it possible for those of you who have gained weight that it might be fluid retention??
>
> sapphiraYES! I feel bloated more than fat (if you know what I mean) Maybe I am retaining fluid because I have not been that hungry on this stuff! GOOD THINKING!!
Posted by anonymous13 on November 19, 2003, at 20:34:33
In reply to Everyone - Interested in when these darn SE's stop, posted by Dr. Jill on November 18, 2003, at 16:16:55
Forget Lexapro... Couldn't deal with the side effects. I did some research and started taking 5 htp and b complex. I had WAY to much insomnia with lexapro not to mention some way out nightmares. I haven't had any anxiety attacks but when I wake up I am dizzy for awhile. I notice as long as I eat food and hydrated, I'm good to go. I can't walk for a long time because I get really really tired and dizzy. but NO FRICKEN anxiety attacks, not any bad ones at least. 5 htp is suppose to help your body make more serontonin (which lexapro is suppose to) and for me to actually get some sleep I took melatonin. I slept the longest in 4 days- 8 hours.
I also thought I share this information with this forum. Check it out. It's really something to think about:
================================================
Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, and Similar Drugs
Vital InformationThe information presented here is factual, not theoretical. Where a theory is proposed, it is based on documented fact. All of this data comes from respected physicians and researchers who have chosen to inform the public of the truth about these drugs.
Recently, a man in Boston, Massachusetts got up from his desk, calmly walked into the Human Resources Department of his internet software company and shot seven people to death. Reports that he was on an antidepressant drug should not come as a surprise. Virtually every violent mass murder scene in recent years has been the result of individuals on Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, and drugs of the same particular
class. The school shooting in Littleton, Colorado involved Luvox. His wife murdered the comedian Phil Hartman after she was on Zoloft for just a few days. The Atlanta day trader who killed his family and others before killing himself was found with Prozac. There are a number of cases of parents, while on these drugs, killing their children and themselves in the most violent ways. Prozac alone has been involved in 2,500 deaths most by suicide or violence.1 That these things have happened is a fact. The behavior described may seem unreal. After you read what follows, you will understand exactly what these drugs do that causes such behavior.Important: a person wanting to get off of any of these drugs should taper off gradually with good nutrition and specific amino acids. Tapering off gradually can lessen the severity of the withdrawal symptoms that can last for weeks or months and may include overwhelming depression, insomnia, fatigue, violent outbursts and others.
Background
The brain is by far the most complex organ of the body and its mechanisms and actions and their relation to behavior and thought are simply not known with certainty. According to Fred A. Baughman, Jr., MD, a highly respected neurologist and expert in the field, theories of chemical imbalances causing problems are and have always been just theories. Further, no actual chemical imbalance in a "mentally ill" person's brain has ever been proven to exist, nor has a normal chemical balance ever been identified.2 Talk of brain abnormalities causing mental illness is simply more theory that has never been scientifically proven. In fact, Dr. Baughman has carefully studied research that is reported as indicating that brain abnormalities cause mental illnesses like ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According to Dr, Baughman, these studies actually prove that psychiatric drugs cause brain abnormalities since the only individuals with the brain abnormalities are those who have been on the drugs. As amazing as this may sound, the concept that chemical imbalances and brain abnormalities cause mental illness has been talked about over the years to the point that it is just accepted as true. This concept has been promoted because it creates a huge market for companies and industries that claim to have a drug that supposedly fixes the imbalance or abnormality.3 The market for such drugs is in the billions of dollars.
Altering Brain Function
So, what is the danger? The danger is that these drugs have been proven to alter normal activities in the brain and can cause bizarre behavior and even permanent damage in what was, prior to the drugs, a normally functioning system. An easily observable example is tardive dyskinesia, an abnormality causing a person to have uncontrollable movements and spasms of muscles in the body or face. This is an abnormality particularly attributed to a class of psychiatric drugs called neuroleptics that include Haldol, Thorazine, and Mellaril. These uncontrollable twitches, spasms and writhing movements are usually permanent and irreversible.4 This condition has been proven to occur at the amazing rate of five percent per year for patients exposed to this particular class of drugs for 3 months or more. After 5 years of exposure, at least 25 percent of patients will be afflicted. Most long-term patients will eventually develop this malady.5
Those mental institution patients that you've seen in movies or documentaries with weird repetitive movements of body parts have this affliction. They did not have it before being put on the drugs at the institution. The very thing that makes them appears the most crazy was caused by the drugs! Considering the level of occurrence of tardive dyskinesia and the ease of observing it, surely measures would be taken to warn of the dangers of these drugs, right? These drugs started being given to patients in the 1950's and the FDA required no such warnings until 1985. Millions of people are now permanently afflicted with TD. It took the FDA 30 years to require a uniform warning for such an obvious, easily observable occurrence.6 What did the drug companies and doctors prescribing these drugs say about the weird, uncontrollable movements? They said it was just part of the patients' mental illnesses.7 In other words, crazy people act weirdly. Now, when a person on Prozac murders his friends and himself, they say that depressed people do these things. They are not telling the truth. There have been more adverse reaction reported on Prozac than any drug in history. There have been 2,500 deaths, most due to suicide or violence.8 Companies like Eli Lilly, which makes over 100 million dollars per month on Prozac, do not want you to know what follows.
How Prozac Affects the Brain
In a person's brain are substances that enable the transmission of nerve impulses from one nerve cell (neuron) to another. These substances are called neurotransmitters. One of the main neurotransmitters is called serotonin. These neurotransmitters are released from the end of one neuron and travel across the small space between neurons to special receptors of the other neuron. In this way, impulses are carried from one nerve to another in the brain as a part of normal function. This process is highly complex and not
fully understood involving billions of nerve cells. Prozac alters the normal functioning of this system. Prozac is in the class of drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI). "Reuptake" is the process by which excess serotonin that has been released by one neuron is taken back into the neuron that released it.Prozac blocks that process of taking back the excess serotonin (reuptake inhibitor). This causes a higher level of serotonin to remain in the space between neurons. This causes an effect initially that is not unlike that of amphetamines and cocaine.9 The difference with cocaine and amphetamines is that they not only block the reuptake of serotonin, they also block the reuptake of a couple of other neurotransmitters.10 Also, street drugs leave the body fairly quickly but Prozac accumulates in the brain to as much as 100 times the levels found in the blood and can take weeks or longer to leave the system even after the drug is discontinued.11 All of the SSRI drugs can be expected to operate the same as Prozac. One further note is that hallucinatory drugs like LSD cause many of the same observable effects on serotonin as Prozac. This would account for what many users of Prozac describe as hallucinatory experiences.12
Permanent Alteration of Brain Function
Changes in natural systems often cause unexpected reactions. It was originally thought that wearing a back brace all the time would lessen the occurrence of back injuries in normal people in certain types of work. In fact, this practice caused a weakening of the muscles that normally support the back and resulted in injuries.
Likewise, increasing the level of serotonin as described has been shown in animal studies to be compensated for by a reduction of serotonin receptor sites (where the serotonin is received). These studies show that these receptor sites are lost permanently.13 This would indicate permanent brain damage.
According to Peter Breggin, MD, neither the FDA nor any of the drug companies are interested in studying this issue.14
Formerly Unexplainable BehaviorIn her book, Prozac: Panacea Pandora, author Ann Blake Tracy, PhD. has documented a vast number of cases of individuals on Prozac who have experienced violent thoughts and anger toward those around them unlike anything they had ever experienced before taking the drug. Some experts claim that this anger is related to the restless energy and anxiety created by the drug. Perhaps it is related to altered perceptions as many users have related LSD type experiences. Regardless, many users experience violent thoughts and anger toward those in their vicinity. This alone would account for some violence. But what about those violent acts that seem unexplainable and really beyond belief? The answer lies ahead.
It has long been known that sleep is important for health. Proper functioning of serotonin in the brain is important for good sleep. The deepest level of sleep is called REM sleep, which stands for Rapid Eye Motion (the eyes move rapidly in this state). While dreams can occur in other levels of sleep, nightmares usually only occur during REM sleep.15 According to research reported by Ann Blake Tracy, Ph.D., Prozac and related drugs cause a drastic reduction in REM sleep and many individuals on Prozac start experiencing vivid nightmares. Depriving a person of enough REM sleep over time can cause the reaction of the person going into an REM sleep state while awake.16 But there is one other factor that is critical in understanding the whole picture. Normally, when asleep, the muscles are weak and more or less paralyzed. You may dream that you are running or moving, but your muscles are still. This is due to a built-in mechanism that causes a person's muscles to remain weak and still during sleep. A study in 1989 showed this paralysis of the muscles during sleep to be related to a particular neurotransmitter.17 This mechanism can apparently be bypassed by a person on drugs like Prozac and he can appear to be alert and awake but actually be in a deep sleep state.
Dr. Tracy documents a case of a person on Prozac who appeared awake and alert but whose brain waves indicated he was actually in deep sleep!18 Dr. Tracy has documented cases where people in this "sleep walk" state actually had more strength and agility than when awake.
Dr. Tracy has documented many cases of former users of Prozac who claim that while on the drug, everything seemed like a dream and unreal. Many users have done things that were completely out of character and have no recollection of them. Many former users liken finally getting off of the drug to waking up from a dream. What seemed to be unexplainable violent acts by individuals on Prozac are now easy to understand: 1) drug effects including altered perception cause the person to have violent thoughts and anger toward those around him, 2) he further has disrupted sleep and vivid nightmares, 3) at some point, the REM sleep deprivation forces him into an REM sleep state while awake, and 4) because of a bypass of the normal mechanism that causes the muscles to remain still during sleep, he unknowingly acts out the violence of his nightmare in a "sleep walk" state. If he does not kill himself (many of these mass murders include suicide) he will likely not even remember the incident.
The Drug Approval Process ls Flawed
The company seeking approval of a drug is responsible for carrying out the drug studies used for FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval. This same company, with hundreds of millions and possibly billions at stake, chooses the facilities and doctors employed to carry out these studies and even design and oversee the studies. Is there any question that the deck is loaded? According to Peter Breggin, MD, it doesn't matter how many studies fail as long as there are 2 that can be used to show that the drug is effective.19
According to Peter Breggin, MD, the studies used to get approval for Prozac were woefully inadequate and run poorly by individuals who had financial conflicts of interest. Not only were there numerous irregularities and a larger number of studies that failed rather than succeeded, but the final results had to be reworked several times in order to make them acceptable. In the final analysis, the studies used for FDA approval included a mere 286 individuals who were exposed to Prozac for a maximum of 6 weeks (even though the drug is often prescribed indefinitely).20
The FDA is supposed to protect the public. The individuals involved in the drug approval process are supposed to be objective and unbiased. However, according to a USA Today report on September 25, 2000, conflicts of interest are the norm rather than the exception regarding approval of drugs. In a two-and-a-half year period, more than half of the individuals involved in drug approval decisions had financial ties to the companies or the drugs being judged! In this time period, conflict of interest restrictions were waived more than 800 times. An "expert" can be a highly paid consultant to a drug company making hundreds of thousands of dollars from that relationship and be involved in regulatory decisions regarding that drug! The amount of money involved in current, ongoing conflicts of interest in the drug approval process cannot even be known by the public. In 1992, a decision was made to keep such records secret. Prozac was under discussion at that time.21
History Should Be Remembered
Time and time again, a new drug is promoted as being safe and effective. Users claim great things. Before long, terrible side effects and addiction or worse result. Finally, after a long list of casualties, it becomes a controlled substance and an illegal street drug.
Eli Lilly, the maker of Prozac, also produced Heroin, Methadone, and LSD.22 Heroin was supposed to be the safe alternative to Morphine. Later, Methadone was prescribed to get people off of Heroin, but it was just as addictive. LSD, initially produced for use by the CIA in mind control experiments, was promoted as being safe for psychiatric use.23 Eli Lilly also introduced Darvon in 1957 and promoted it as non-addictive.
Twenty years and many deaths later, warnings were finally required. In the late 1950's, Parke, Davis & Company introduced PCP (angel dust) as a painkiller. "Medical studies" had shown that PCP had a large margin of safety.24 Valium was supposed to be safe, then found to be very addictive. Xanax was introduced as a safer drug to replace Valium, but it turned out to be even more addictive.25 The same story goes for cocaine and amphetamines - once promoted as safe and effective, now controlled substances.
Summary
Prozac causes an alteration in normal brain functioning. This alteration could be irreversible. Prozac has had a larger number of adverse reaction reports than any drug in history. Such adverse reactions include attempted suicide, violence, aggression, and paranoia. There have been 2,500 deaths associated with Prozac, most through suicide or violence. Individuals on Prozac or related psychiatric drugs have carried out most of the horrendous mass murders witnessed in recent times.
The formerly unexplainable violent acts committed by persons on Prozac and related drugs are understandable when one considers the following progression: 1) drug effects and altered perception cause the person to begin having violent thoughts and anger toward those around him. 2) he further has disrupted sleep and vivid nightmares. 3) at some point, the REM sleep deprivation forces him into an REM sleep state while awake. 4) and, because of a bypass of the normal mechanism that causes the muscles to remain relatively still during sleep, he unknowingly acts out the violence of his nightmare.
The regulatory bodies involved in the approval of drugs like Prozac have shown themselves to be unable to adequately protect the public from dangerous drugs. Furthermore, many of the individuals involved in the drug approval process have personal financial conflicts of interest and are therefore not objective. Harmful drugs have historically been introduced by drug companies and only withdrawn when faced with enough public outcry.
Natural Alternatives
Amino acids and brain function go hand in hand. Amino acids create needed neurotransmitters, the chemical language of the brain, drugs do not enhance neurotransmitters, amino acids do.26 Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Luvox are all known SSRI’s that use available serotonin. The natural and safe way to elevate serotonin is to use the amino acid 5HTP. 5HTP can be found in the Mood Sync, HTP10, and Teen Link formulas. These formulas used when needed, plus a balanced neurotransmitter complex taken on a daily basis will supply the brain with all of the nutrients it needs.
You have friends, family, or associates who are being harmed by these drugs. These drugs are being prescribed by doctors who are not informed. Please copy this document and send it to anyone who needs this information. By doing so, you will save lives! Thank you.
For more information read Prozac Backlash by Joseph Glenmullen, M.D. or Overdose by Jay Cohen, M.D.
This education information is a service of the Pain & Stress Center. Reach us at 1-800-669-2256 OR in San Antonio (210) 614-7247.
Posted by nemo kitty on November 19, 2003, at 20:51:46
In reply to Re: Everyone - Interested in when these darn SE's stop » Dr. Jill, posted by anonymous13 on November 19, 2003, at 20:34:33
wow!!!! That really hits home and seems to make a lot of sense. Where did you get the 5htp??? Thanks soooo much for sharing!
Posted by Mariposa on November 19, 2003, at 20:54:27
In reply to Re: Everyone - Interested in when these darn SE's stop » Dr. Jill, posted by anonymous13 on November 19, 2003, at 20:34:33
Well if I was on prozac I think I could respond more accurately to your post.
I am on Lexapro and following is a list of the benefits I have experienced:
1. My insomnia, which I have suffered most of adult life has been CURED! I sleep soundly through the nite and fall asleep easily and quickly.
2. I have lost 10lbs. and feel GREAT at this weight, about what I weighed in high school.
3. No more PMS - I felt a little grumpy this last period, but NOTHING like it used to be.
4. No more STUPID fights about insignificant things w/husband, I used to go off on him almost daily.
5. No more road rage, used to be a constant problem, suprised I am not dead or seriously hurt as I was a BAD ANGRY driver!
6. Depression in check, can get up in the morning and go to work without thinking about calling in.
So far I have not experienced anything detrimental that would make me consider going back to the way I was. Had a physical last month, and everything was good, no problems.
As for side effects, I had most of them and spent week 2 in bed, but they ALL went away.
Your post was informative, but I really did not find anything in there that would make me quit Lex at this time.
Best of luck!~~~8|8
Posted by nemo kitty on November 19, 2003, at 20:58:21
In reply to Re: prozac comments » anonymous13, posted by Mariposa on November 19, 2003, at 20:54:27
>
> Your post was informative, but I really did not find anything in there that would make me quit Lex at this time.
>
> Best of luck!~~~8|8Pleas tell me what mg you are on* I really want this to work for me too, but I am havinga rough time. I am very sleepy in the morning (taking my lex in the am) and I am being very absentminded. thanks
Posted by vandy on November 19, 2003, at 22:25:06
In reply to Re: prozac comments » anonymous13, posted by Mariposa on November 19, 2003, at 20:54:27
Mega Dittos! I feel about lexapro as does the NRA about guns: You can take it from me but you will have to pry it from my cold, dead hand. The side effects were a PITA, it's true. To be be myself again for the first time in years, it was a very tiny and temporary bill to pay. Take away my lex? I don't think I'd go postal if you tried it but you'd get a battle.
> Well if I was on prozac I think I could respond more accurately to your post.
>
> I am on Lexapro and following is a list of the benefits I have experienced:
>
> 1. My insomnia, which I have suffered most of adult life has been CURED! I sleep soundly through the nite and fall asleep easily and quickly.
>
> 2. I have lost 10lbs. and feel GREAT at this weight, about what I weighed in high school.
>
> 3. No more PMS - I felt a little grumpy this last period, but NOTHING like it used to be.
>
> 4. No more STUPID fights about insignificant things w/husband, I used to go off on him almost daily.
>
> 5. No more road rage, used to be a constant problem, suprised I am not dead or seriously hurt as I was a BAD ANGRY driver!
>
> 6. Depression in check, can get up in the morning and go to work without thinking about calling in.
>
> So far I have not experienced anything detrimental that would make me consider going back to the way I was. Had a physical last month, and everything was good, no problems.
>
> As for side effects, I had most of them and spent week 2 in bed, but they ALL went away.
>
> Your post was informative, but I really did not find anything in there that would make me quit Lex at this time.
>
> Best of luck!~~~8|8
Posted by OLDHAND on November 19, 2003, at 22:31:02
In reply to Re: Lexapro and urination??, posted by ginger C on November 19, 2003, at 10:24:11
> I have been on Lexapro for a year now and I have noticed an increase in urination rather than a decrease. I thought it was just my bladder capacity diminishing and never thought about it possibly being one of my drugs.
Lexapro has always made me thirsty, thus maybe more urination? I work to stay hydrated on these drugs. Am starting my second year on Lex, also.
Posted by Karalyn on November 19, 2003, at 23:01:35
In reply to Re: about insomnia side effect/bottom » samenewme, posted by pharmrep on October 4, 2002, at 0:19:46
hey, I am on my second day of Lex and I'm worried about all this talk of insomnia. See, I had insomnia last year and depression as a college freshman (they all thought it was just colleges stress--dorks). anyway i was on effexor and i took ambien to be able to sleep. i went off effexor (cause it was only a freshman college dip in my life right? WRONG!) So when i started getting depressed and not sleeping again I decided to go to a psychiatrist and not my primary doc anymore. he said i went off too soon, and i wasnt actually diagnosed with anything. Now im on Lex. but im worried that my insomnia wont go away and ill have to take ambien forever as well or some other sleep aid med. and isnt that dangerous? do sleep meds affect you long term? does one get addicted?
oh yeah I am also having the usual nausea, and diarhea. definately irritable bowel. one more thing, since I have only seen my pdoc(is that the short for psychiatrist?) once what should i expect? some of you are saying that you dont really get therapy or whatever just meds. well I want to get the most from it. I'm so glad I found this sight when researching Lexapro.
Posted by Dr. Jill on November 20, 2003, at 8:43:13
In reply to Re: about insomnia side effect/bottom, posted by Karalyn on November 19, 2003, at 23:01:35
I had all of the symptoms you mentioned the first few days. The tummy issues went away. However, I still have insomnia - big time and I have been on Lexapro for 18 days. Actually, I am going to see the doctor today at 1:30 and I will let you know what he says about it. He prescribed Ambien and that does not work. I have no problem falling asleep - I just cannot stay asleep. It is a horrible cycle. I am so tired that I go to bed at 8pm and typically awake around midnight and I'm lucky if I can fall back to sleep. I do not want to discourage you. Many others say the insomnia goes away. For me, it cannot go away soon enough! Jill
> hey, I am on my second day of Lex and I'm worried about all this talk of insomnia. See, I had insomnia last year and depression as a college freshman (they all thought it was just colleges stress--dorks). anyway i was on effexor and i took ambien to be able to sleep. i went off effexor (cause it was only a freshman college dip in my life right? WRONG!) So when i started getting depressed and not sleeping again I decided to go to a psychiatrist and not my primary doc anymore. he said i went off too soon, and i wasnt actually diagnosed with anything. Now im on Lex. but im worried that my insomnia wont go away and ill have to take ambien forever as well or some other sleep aid med. and isnt that dangerous? do sleep meds affect you long term? does one get addicted?
>
> oh yeah I am also having the usual nausea, and diarhea. definately irritable bowel. one more thing, since I have only seen my pdoc(is that the short for psychiatrist?) once what should i expect? some of you are saying that you dont really get therapy or whatever just meds. well I want to get the most from it. I'm so glad I found this sight when researching Lexapro.
>
Posted by jeffconn on November 20, 2003, at 8:43:18
In reply to Twitching, posted by Erin1679 on November 19, 2003, at 17:51:14
> Does anyone ever experience any twitching in their legs and fingers. I feel like my body is jumping a lot sometimes when I am sitting still.
> I also hope I get my appetite back before Thanksgiving! LOLErin, I cant say I get the twitching fingers, but the "jumpy" feeling, the clenched teeth, the feeling of "cant sit still" is definately still there after 9 weeks. As for the appetite, I like some of the others here have to force myself to eat too. Other times, I am actually hungry. I hope we ALL can enjoy the Holiday season and may we all feel better sooooooooooon!!!! *SSSSSSSS*
Posted by Dr. Jill on November 20, 2003, at 8:49:50
In reply to Re: Twitching, posted by jeffconn on November 20, 2003, at 8:43:18
After 9 weeks!!! Oh gosh, I really hope the side effects go away soon. I have not even reached the 3 week point and I am really having a hard time. However, I am (was) hopeful that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Now, I do not know. UGH! Jill
> > Does anyone ever experience any twitching in their legs and fingers. I feel like my body is jumping a lot sometimes when I am sitting still.
> > I also hope I get my appetite back before Thanksgiving! LOL
>
> Erin, I cant say I get the twitching fingers, but the "jumpy" feeling, the clenched teeth, the feeling of "cant sit still" is definately still there after 9 weeks. As for the appetite, I like some of the others here have to force myself to eat too. Other times, I am actually hungry. I hope we ALL can enjoy the Holiday season and may we all feel better sooooooooooon!!!! *SSSSSSSS*
Posted by jane47 on November 20, 2003, at 11:31:57
In reply to Re: about insomnia side effect/bottom, posted by Dr. Jill on November 20, 2003, at 8:43:13
Those of you that are having insomnia, are you taking lex in the AM. I have been on 10mgs for one month now and the insomnia is pretty much gone. I had insomnia quite bad before meds (probably due to anxiety) and take 50mgs of trazadone before bed. I wake up once or twice, fall right back to sleep and get up refreshed. Hang in there. Taking lex in the morning (around 7:00AM) made a big difference. Hang in there. Everyone talks about being sleepy. I am never sleepy until around 10:00pm. All the other side effects are gone. Good luck to you all.
...Jane
Posted by Mariposa on November 20, 2003, at 13:19:10
In reply to Re: prozac comments, posted by nemo kitty on November 19, 2003, at 20:58:21
> >
> > Your post was informative, but I really did not find anything in there that would make me quit Lex at this time.
> >
> > Best of luck!~~~8|8
>
> Pleas tell me what mg you are on* I really want this to work for me too, but I am havinga rough time. I am very sleepy in the morning (taking my lex in the am) and I am being very absentminded. thanksI started @5mg in Feb., went to 10mg week 5, 20mg 5th month. Take it in the AM.
For the first few months I had trouble w/sleepiness and absent mind. Took naps all the time and had to write notes to myself. Drank lots of coffee, didn't help that much, but I do LOVE coffee! Doing better now.
I feel *normal* again. I say it that way because normal for me used to be: depressed insomniac road rage stupid fight w/hubby about insignificant things PMS 3 weeks out of 4 basketcase.
It was a long tough road to get here, but I would do it all over again! I can only hope in the long run, you too will get good results. Best of luck!~~~8|8
Posted by artgirl on November 20, 2003, at 14:06:04
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by curly1 on November 19, 2003, at 17:35:14
Well, based on a lot of follow-ups it looks like my experience is unusual -- most people seem to be losing weight. Just my luck!! I was in the process of trying to lose the last 10 - 15 lbs from having a baby and doing pretty well--slow but steady. Then I went on lexapro, started levbid/levsin and high fiber diet with daily glasses of Metamucil all at the same. I put on another ten pounds right away with no noticible change in my diet and have not been able to shake it. To say I'm frustrated and depressed is an undertatement! I hope you have better luck than I have, it sounds like most do!!
Posted by Dr. Jill on November 20, 2003, at 14:09:14
In reply to Re: about insomnia side effect/bottom, posted by jane47 on November 20, 2003, at 11:31:57
I just got back from the doctor and told him about all of my lovely side effects with Lexpro. I am taking it in the am (5mg). I can fall asleep with the help of Ambien, but can only sleep a few hours. At any rate, he wants to switch me to Effexor (sp?). Any experience with this medication! Jill
Posted by artgirl on November 20, 2003, at 14:13:30
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by nemo kitty on November 19, 2003, at 19:02:58
> > I have been on lexapro for about 10 months. I started taking it for anxiety induced IBS. I have been able to find relief from my IBS, but I think the lexapro has caused some weight gain --about 10lbs by the third to fourth week of taking it. I know this probably doesn't sound like that much for most people, but I'm only 5'1", so it's significant for me. I can't seem to be able to drop the weight & my therapist suggested it might be the lexapro. The additional weight is causing a whole new set of anxiety and stress. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar problem?
>
> I'm 5'1" and already 30 lbs overweight so I'm scared to death this is going to make me gain. Do you seem to be eating more or just putting it on?
>
> I've been on lex for 22 days. The only se I have is in the sex dept. I have also noticed myself to start itching when I try to go to sleep. Is that an SE? It usually lasts 15-40 minutes.
>
> YES!! I also itch, mostly on my neck!!! It drives me crazy. I have been on it almost 3 weeks. I have also missed my period (10 days late) which is very unusual for me.
The weight thing~have gained 5 pounds in the 2-3 weeks I've been on it! YUCK!!
I hate to say this, but I'm happy to know I am not alone in this. I'm sorry to hear you have gained lbs, though. My therapist says weight gain is one of the leading causes of depression in women, I am starting to understand what she means.
Posted by artgirl on November 20, 2003, at 14:15:47
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by sapphira on November 19, 2003, at 19:18:50
just curious: is it possible for those of you who have gained weight that it might be fluid retention??
sapphira
I don't know. What do you mean? To me it looks like my stomach is abnormally bloated, so you could have something there. How would I be able to tell and what could I do about it? Any ideas?
Posted by sapphira on November 20, 2003, at 14:20:03
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by artgirl on November 20, 2003, at 14:15:47
re: fluid retention
are your fingers puffy? do your ankles swell? do you seem to be urinating normally and in normal amounts? has your blood pressure gone up?
all of these things are signs of edema or fluid retention.
sapphira
Posted by artgirl on November 20, 2003, at 14:25:30
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by sapphira on November 20, 2003, at 14:20:03
re: fluid retention
are your fingers puffy? do your ankles swell? do you seem to be urinating normally and in normal amounts? has your blood pressure gone up?
all of these things are signs of edema or fluid retention.
sapphira
I can't say for sure that any of these things are happening. I have a history of edema due to a past kidney disease.
Posted by sfmom on November 20, 2003, at 14:40:35
In reply to Twitching, posted by Erin1679 on November 19, 2003, at 17:51:14
Yes! I had major leg jerking and twitching, also, a lot of pressure and pain in my joints, but it went away within a couple of weeks. It came back when I upped my dose but other than a little shakiness in my hands, it's gone.
Posted by sfmom on November 20, 2003, at 14:55:08
In reply to Re: weight gain and lexapro?, posted by artgirl on November 20, 2003, at 14:25:30
It's been three weeks today that I've been on Lex. After the first week or so I started to feel a little better but then really depressed again right before I was supposed to up my dose to 20mg. Then on 20 I was doing okay until the last three days and I just can't drag myself out of bed or force myself to eat anything. Since I'm still having insonmia, I called my pdoc and she prescribed some trazadone (sp?) which I haven't taken yet. But when I told her I was still depressed she said that maybe we should switch to Paxil. I've heard pretty terrible things about Paxil so I don't really want to go on it. Also, I've suffered through all of these freaking se's on Lex and don't want to go through that again.
Any advice? Has anyone been taking more than 20mg for depression and anxiety? (I also take 3 Klonopin per day.) How about any experience with Paxil. As some have said the weight loss on Lex has been one of the best se's and I don't want to gain it all back!
Posted by LynneDa on November 20, 2003, at 15:08:00
In reply to 3rd week and Lex not working for depression, posted by sfmom on November 20, 2003, at 14:55:08
Sorry to hear you're having problems with the Lex. I've been on Lex 10mg for one month. The first 2 weeks were great, now it seems to have slowed down in effectiveness and some of the anxiety and depression/obsession is coming back. My p-doc said I need to wait another month to really evaluate cuz it might pick up a bit. I am trying to be patient but am tempted to up my dose myself!
It doesn't seem like 3 weeks is long enough to give it a fair trial, but I guess that depends on how bad your depression is. Can you not get out of bed cuz your sleepy or depressed? Are you not eating due to nausea or too depressed? I've heard that going from 10 to 20 causes you to go through side effects again. Many folks have gone 10 to 15 then 20 so the s/e's aren't so severe.
I use Melatonin for insomnia and it works great!
Hang in there & let us know what you decide!
~ Lynne
Posted by Esmarelda on November 20, 2003, at 15:44:33
In reply to 3rd week and Lex not working for depression, posted by sfmom on November 20, 2003, at 14:55:08
I felt better at first, but at about week 2-4, I felt worse that I felt before Lex. Then at about weeks 5-7, I all the sudden felt lots better. I started on 10 mg and then at about week 10 or so upped it to 15mg. It was worth it to me. I feel much better now with no side effects.
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