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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Annette2 on December 3, 2003, at 1:41:28
I was on Lex 6 days. I hated the constant sleepiness. When I wasn't sleeping, I was lying on the couch thinking of all the tasks I should be doing, but never got motivated enough to do them. It was as though I could watch the whole world go by. This attitude caused a sort of passive anxiety. My libido crashed. I ate all the time. The only apparent benefit was that my husband said I wasn't as cranky as before. Taken altogether, I thought "eff this, I can't live with the SE's." So last Friday I skipped a dose of 5mg, then skipped Sat, Sun, and Mon. During those days I noticed that I became very agitated and angry over household matters, such as trying to get kids to do their chores, or having to deal with their belligerance. By Tuesday, I was having a panic attack due to the demands of the holiday season which loom before me--demands that will be piled on top of existing responsibilities. By afternoon, I was in a rage. Then I finally cried. As an adult, I cry much less than in my teens. I have to get to a point of finding things so intolerable that the tears come. I decided to give Lex one more chance. I took a 10mg pill. It seems to have calmed me down a bit, though it's very difficult to explain just how it did. If this attempt at taking Lex does not work, I will have to talk to the doc. But frankly, I've read so many negative things about all the meds that I wouldn't know which one to ask for, or which specific ones to avoid.
Posted by Karalyn on December 3, 2003, at 1:45:50
In reply to Back On Lexapro, posted by Annette2 on December 3, 2003, at 1:41:28
> I was on Lex 6 days. I hated the constant sleepiness. When I wasn't sleeping, I was lying on the couch thinking of all the tasks I should be doing, but never got motivated enough to do them. It was as though I could watch the whole world go by. This attitude caused a sort of passive anxiety. My libido crashed. I ate all the time. The only apparent benefit was that my husband said I wasn't as cranky as before. Taken altogether, I thought "eff this, I can't live with the SE's." So last Friday I skipped a dose of 5mg, then skipped Sat, Sun, and Mon. During those days I noticed that I became very agitated and angry over household matters, such as trying to get kids to do their chores, or having to deal with their belligerance. By Tuesday, I was having a panic attack due to the demands of the holiday season which loom before me--demands that will be piled on top of existing responsibilities. By afternoon, I was in a rage. Then I finally cried. As an adult, I cry much less than in my teens. I have to get to a point of finding things so intolerable that the tears come. I decided to give Lex one more chance. I took a 10mg pill. It seems to have calmed me down a bit, though it's very difficult to explain just how it did. If this attempt at taking Lex does not work, I will have to talk to the doc. But frankly, I've read so many negative things about all the meds that I wouldn't know which one to ask for, or which specific ones to avoid.
I'm with ya on this. I dont know what med to ask for cause ive heard bad things about each. i guess i will stick with lex for now. I hope it goes better.
Posted by Annette2 on December 3, 2003, at 1:51:59
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by Karalyn on December 3, 2003, at 1:45:50
> > I was on Lex 6 days. I hated the constant sleepiness. When I wasn't sleeping, I was lying on the couch thinking of all the tasks I should be doing, but never got motivated enough to do them. It was as though I could watch the whole world go by. This attitude caused a sort of passive anxiety. My libido crashed. I ate all the time. The only apparent benefit was that my husband said I wasn't as cranky as before. Taken altogether, I thought "eff this, I can't live with the SE's." So last Friday I skipped a dose of 5mg, then skipped Sat, Sun, and Mon. During those days I noticed that I became very agitated and angry over household matters, such as trying to get kids to do their chores, or having to deal with their belligerance. By Tuesday, I was having a panic attack due to the demands of the holiday season which loom before me--demands that will be piled on top of existing responsibilities. By afternoon, I was in a rage. Then I finally cried. As an adult, I cry much less than in my teens. I have to get to a point of finding things so intolerable that the tears come. I decided to give Lex one more chance. I took a 10mg pill. It seems to have calmed me down a bit, though it's very difficult to explain just how it did. If this attempt at taking Lex does not work, I will have to talk to the doc. But frankly, I've read so many negative things about all the meds that I wouldn't know which one to ask for, or which specific ones to avoid.
>
>
> I'm with ya on this. I dont know what med to ask for cause ive heard bad things about each. i guess i will stick with lex for now. I hope it goes better.
>
I have a friend who recommends Celexa. I've heard that some people like Zoloft. It just seems that all of them pile on lots of weight. It is vexing that the drug companies can't conjure up some potion which does NOT cause the SE's.
Posted by Wildflower on December 3, 2003, at 10:39:51
In reply to Back On Lexapro, posted by Annette2 on December 3, 2003, at 1:41:28
If you scan through the posts, you'll see that a few of us tried to quit with the same results as you did. Tapering (slowly) is the only way unless your pdoc switched you to another AD.
Good luck! :-)
Posted by shadows721 on December 3, 2003, at 11:22:57
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro » Annette2, posted by Wildflower on December 3, 2003, at 10:39:51
I did the same thing as you Annette. I quit taking the drug, because of the s/e. The ole symptoms of severe agitation came back with a vengence. I gave in. I thought it's better for me to be able to get along with people than to have a sex drive. It is a major sacrifice for me. I enjoyed sex. I don't have that symptom of depression where I didn't. Funny, I could be suicidal, but not turn down sex. Hmmm Well, I guess I still do have a sense of humor even with this curse of depression. I remember the doc asking me how was my sex life. I said, "Great! How is yours? Doc gave me that look over his glasses. I said, "Yours must not be that good doc. Maybe, you are depressed." I remember the mean glares from the doc, so I better stop on that topic.
As for enjoying food, I always have enjoyed eating and not gained a bunch of weight. So, I will be ticked off with the Lexapro company if I start gaining 15 pounds like I did with Prozac. It's all about sacrifice to me. One good thing for a more important thing. So, off to the pill cabinet I go.
Posted by Karalyn on December 3, 2003, at 16:49:21
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by shadows721 on December 3, 2003, at 11:22:57
> I did the same thing as you Annette. I quit taking the drug, because of the s/e. The ole symptoms of severe agitation came back with a vengence. I gave in. I thought it's better for me to be able to get along with people than to have a sex drive. It is a major sacrifice for me. I enjoyed sex. I don't have that symptom of depression where I didn't. Funny, I could be suicidal, but not turn down sex. Hmmm Well, I guess I still do have a sense of humor even with this curse of depression. I remember the doc asking me how was my sex life. I said, "Great! How is yours? Doc gave me that look over his glasses. I said, "Yours must not be that good doc. Maybe, you are depressed." I remember the mean glares from the doc, so I better stop on that topic.
>
> As for enjoying food, I always have enjoyed eating and not gained a bunch of weight. So, I will be ticked off with the Lexapro company if I start gaining 15 pounds like I did with Prozac. It's all about sacrifice to me. One good thing for a more important thing. So, off to the pill cabinet I go.I just want you to know that you made my day. your post cracked me up. i pictured myself asking my own doc bout his sex life. it has me in stitches. just thought id let ya know.
Posted by Interject79 on December 3, 2003, at 19:48:50
In reply to Back On Lexapro, posted by Annette2 on December 3, 2003, at 1:41:28
Your symptoms sound like SSRI withdrawal syndrome. As someone else mentioned, tapering is essential with SSRIs. I know it's hard to tell the doc you want to quit the med, but if he/she's knowledgeable, he/she should be able to help you.
Oh, and you don't have to believe that when you stop you're experiencing the syptoms the SSRI was treating and that this is what you'll be stuck with. Not so.
Posted by Annette2 on December 5, 2003, at 1:37:40
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by shadows721 on December 3, 2003, at 11:22:57
Wildflower, Yes, I understand about the sex. I could be in the depths, feeling deadened, but somehow my engine could keep going libido-wise. In fact, during my 4 day hiatus from Lex, I had a successful roll in the hay. Unfortunately, the bad scenes in the household (lots of yelling, ultimatums) made me realize just how 'effed up everything is with my moods. I might be bipolar, though right now the assumption is that I am a garden variety depressive. It is as though those days off Lex made me realize that the yelling scenes at home had become a way of life for years, then there wasn't much yelling during the 6 days on Lex (at least, I wasn't yelling;but it seems EVERYONE else in the family WAS yelling), then during the 4 days off, I was so...explosive. During the last 3 days I've been back on, there has only been one "scene"--between my rebellious 14-yr-old son and me...so I guess that was brought on by circumstance rather than my brain chemistry. Strange, but the Lex taken at the 10mg instead of 5mg has NOT made me sleepy like before. What it DID do is cause me to oversleep the day after the 1st pill...I slept 13 hours and woke up disoriented. I feel alright now...and there is a huge deadline for me tomorrow night. I should be freaking out about it, but I am rather calm.
Posted by Annette2 on December 5, 2003, at 1:44:28
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by shadows721 on December 3, 2003, at 11:22:57
> I did the same thing as you Annette. I quit taking the drug, because of the s/e. The ole symptoms of severe agitation came back with a vengence. I gave in. I thought it's better for me to be able to get along with people than to have a sex drive. It is a major sacrifice for me. I enjoyed sex. I don't have that symptom of depression where I didn't. Funny, I could be suicidal, but not turn down sex. Hmmm Well, I guess I still do have a sense of humor even with this curse of depression. I remember the doc asking me how was my sex life. I said, "Great! How is yours? Doc gave me that look over his glasses. I said, "Yours must not be that good doc. Maybe, you are depressed." I remember the mean glares from the doc, so I better stop on that topic.
>
> As for enjoying food, I always have enjoyed eating and not gained a bunch of weight. So, I will be ticked off with the Lexapro company if I start gaining 15 pounds like I did with Prozac. It's all about sacrifice to me. One good thing for a more important thing. So, off to the pill cabinet I go.Shadows, Oops, sorry, I answered your post, but addressed it to Wildflower...sorry, it's late and my eyes are playing tricks on me.
Posted by Annette2 on December 5, 2003, at 1:47:09
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by Interject79 on December 3, 2003, at 19:48:50
> Your symptoms sound like SSRI withdrawal syndrome. As someone else mentioned, tapering is essential with SSRIs. I know it's hard to tell the doc you want to quit the med, but if he/she's knowledgeable, he/she should be able to help you.
>
> Oh, and you don't have to believe that when you stop you're experiencing the syptoms the SSRI was treating and that this is what you'll be stuck with. Not so.
> Wow, so what you're telling me is that my agitation, rage, and crying spells were caused from withdrawal after 6 days of 5mgs of Lex? That's powerful. I thought it would be alright to stop it because after all, I was only taking one half a tablet daily. Would you mind telling me a little more about the SSRI withdrawal Syndrome?
Posted by Interject79 on December 5, 2003, at 14:06:21
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by Annette2 on December 5, 2003, at 1:47:09
It is odd if you'd taken it only a few days. Sometimes it happens if you've taken any antidepressant for a while, then switched and quit shortly after starting the second one. But it's still a very real possibility.
More classic symptoms are dizziness, brain shocks, nausea, crying, anger, headache, and mood swings. It's worse with drugs which clear out of your body relatively fast, like paxil, celexa and lexapro, and even zoloft. Effexor is also notorious for it. If you find that very soon after taking the SSRI again, your symptoms quickly subside, it could be a withdrawal.
There are a number of treatments, but prevention seems to be the best. In my opinion though avoiding withdrawal is not a good reason by itself to keep taking a drug. But it's also not advisable to start trying to come off an SSRI if you're involved in something very stressful (e.g., big project, exams, weddings, funerals...)
Hope this helps some, at least for info on withdrawal. There's a lot of decent stuff on the Net about it too.
Posted by shadows721 on December 5, 2003, at 22:36:23
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by Karalyn on December 3, 2003, at 16:49:21
My doc doesn't seem to share my sense of humor. The last time I saw the doc he appeared to sleep the whole entire time I had my session with him. So, I asked loudly, "Doc are you awake?" He opened his eyes and fixed his glasses back on his face and stated, "Why yes of course. Why do you ask?". I said, "Well, when people snore, I tend to think they are sleeping or I am boring them to death." He said, "Oh, it's no. It's just my cold." I repeated my story about the anquish about Lexapro's sexual s/e. He said, "So, you finally found someone Ms. Johnson." I said, "Doc, I have been married for 13 years and my name isn't Ms. Johnson. Do you have the right chart?" I said, "The Hell with Lexapro. Give me a prescription of what you are taking doc!" He said, "Oh, yes, you are the nurse." I said, "No, I am the patient." He said, "All you nurses make our jobs difficult." I said, "My 15 mins is up right?" "That's right, Ms. P." I said, "Okay so how's that viagra working with the Lexapro?" He said, "It appears to work." "So, it works for you doc?" Closing the door, doc, states, "See me in 6 months." hmmmmmmm
The producers of lexapro are having the biggest laugh at my sexual problems. I can see them now, "Let's make a drug that works wonders for depression and anxiety, but many will not be able to do a thing in the bedroom." Thanks Lexapro!
Posted by Patient on December 6, 2003, at 19:13:40
In reply to Re: Back On Lexapro, posted by Annette2 on December 3, 2003, at 1:51:59
Currently, of the SSRI's, Lexapro (escitalopram) is the one most commonly prescribed by doctors, as it is the newest (for example, nine times out of ten doctors will prescribe the latest of a certain type of drug, even though there are other, older medicines, that will work equally as well. Try asking for a sample of Celexa(citalopram), and I'll bet your doctor won't have it, but he or she'll have plenty of samples of Celexa's sister drug, Lexapro.)
Any of the SSRI's, as well as Effexor(venlafaxine) and Remeron(mirtazapine), can cause weight gain. It's not a matter of which one causes it the most, but rather that each one's brain chemistry and body is unique and so each of us will react differently to these drugs. A drug that causes one to gain weight can cause another one to lose weight. The only antidepressant that I know of that causes weight loss more so than weight gain is Wellbutrin.
I've tried Zoloft(sertraline), Celexa, Prozac(fluoxetine), Wellbutrin(bupropion), and Lexapro the most recent drug. My problem isn't weight gain from any of these drugs, but finding one that gets rid of anxiety and depression. They seem to poop out after a few months. I was taking 10mg of Lexapro, and compared to the other medicines, it worked weak or so-so. I tried 20mg, but that dose only caused anxiety. I eventually tried adding Wellbutrin SR to Lexapro and this combination worked great, but was out of our budget. I am now taking 20mg Prozac of which I had lots of leftover from the last time I was on it. It is working considerably better than Lexapro, more stronger in effects, and more affordable for us. I am taking the name brand capsule.
My point being is that no one can say whether one drug will work better for you over another one-the best you can hope for is to find one with the least side effects that works for you-and sometimes that means going through several drug trials to see which one works.
This is the end of the thread.
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