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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by mills on January 28, 2003, at 10:34:38
In reply to Re: help changing son from Paxil to Lexapro » mills, posted by lcg4 on January 28, 2003, at 10:03:48
I feel for you; you have a challenging dilemma, but the relative priority, to me, is the anxiety and panic, and secondly the grades. That's just the way I feel. If you can wait, wait, but if he needs relief sooner, then I would focus on meeting those psychological needs. Of course, I expect you are talking to the doctor about your concerns of switching medications, but if not, I would. I am sorry for your difficulty. Good luck.
> We did have my son on Paxil CR 25mg and he was so out of it he was overmedicated. We lowered it to 12.5mg and it was a little better but not much. We changed to the regular Paxil 10mg then we went to 5mg but his anxiety started to come back so we went back to the 10mg. He went from an honors student last year to barely getting C's and low B's. It's been frustrating for all of us. He is doing better on the 10mg concentration wise but he is not as sharp as he was without the drugs. We have no choice though for now because he really gets anxious and panics. The doctor thought that the Lexapro, because it has fewer side effects might help with the concentration and memory side effects of paxil. I just am afraid to rock the boat at this point because he has a lot of school activities coming up that he won't be able to do if he is panicky. Just not sure if we should change and how it will effect him. We may wait till the summer but if his grades don't get better we may need to change now. Your thoughts on this would help. Thanks, Linda
Posted by proud mary on January 28, 2003, at 11:51:20
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams, posted by bozeman on January 27, 2003, at 23:09:39
Boze,
Thanks for the very comprehensive run-down of the lexapro effect. I agree. I feel much more motivated. I am worried about weight gain, though. I haven't put nearly as much thought into it as you have...or I just plain don't have that kind of knowledge! I feel interest in hobbies again. I do not feel so irritable with my kids. I never stopped sleeping well, though (my husband said that if they had an olympic event for sleeping, I'd get the gold!) and my sex drive took a bit of a dip, but it didn't take long to come back.
Don't worry about the poop-out effect. I was on zoloft for several years before it took a dive on me and now the lexapro seems to have taken over well. SSRIs are miracle-workers for those of us who repsond well to them...but, I sort of figure I might be on some sort of meds for the rest of my life, so don't be disappointed if you don't get off them anytime soon. Some of us just seem to have a chemical imbalence and thank GOD there are meds that help. I'm so glad you feel so good. I feel really good, too, and it makes a BIG difference (especially with that "falling to pieces part"... I am OH so familiar with THAT)...
and as far as two cents..well, I usually wrote a short novel, so you go...and keep going. To anyone else out there who is starting Lexapro, I needed about three weeks for it to really kick in and it was a bit rough in the anxiety department until it did. Right now, I don't have any nasty side effects, no sleeping problems, no nausea, no anxiety...but I have taken ssris before so maybe my body accepted it faster. Or maybe my brain just craves the help so my body puts up with it better (the general ordering the army to submit?)
Anyway, good luck to all and keep on writing..you guys are part of the reason I feel so great...Oh, and my energy has increased, but so has my appetite. But unlike some of y'all, I really cannot stand to gain too much weight. I'm pretty heavy right now as it is..any suggestions about that?
Also, I've ALWAYS had vivid dreams and have noticed that they follow a pattern of my hormone shifts. could that be a consideration for anyone?I'll be reading!
Thanks!
Posted by tanguerey on January 28, 2003, at 12:43:13
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects, posted by indirect00 on January 27, 2003, at 21:40:48
> I took celexa for four months and have been on lexapro for six months since I switched. I find lexapro to work better. Celexa caused severe insomnia for me; however, lexapro does not. The side-effects from lexapro are a little different though: I find that I have a very decreased sex drive with lexapro. I also find that I am a little lazier on lexapro (I think the proper way to define this is 'amotivational syndrome').
>
> The important thing to remember is that everyone has different brain chemsitry: a single person's reaction to a drug does not define that drug's effects/side-effects.
I'm switching from Effexor to Lexapro. I developed high blood pressure and had to switch. Also, I've had chest pains. Someone posted that they developed an ulcer. I would be interest to know what it felt like. I've been to a cardiologist and the heart seems OK. Pains are centered. Could this be an esophogeal ulcer?Any input would be appreciated. Chest pains are scary.
Tanguerey
Posted by markmn on January 28, 2003, at 15:06:37
In reply to Re: help changing son from Paxil to Lexapro » mills, posted by lcg4 on January 28, 2003, at 10:03:48
Hi lcg4,
I, like your son, got his first panic attacks at a young age 17. These attacks manifested themselves into a disorder which I deal with today, ten years later.
It is very important for your son to know that he is not going crazy, he's not going to loose it, he is like millions of other ordinary people that deal with panick attacks and anxiety on a daily basis. My panick attacks have subsided with medication, paxil 20mg. However, before paxil, I was on imiprimine. It's one of the first anti deppresants ever and it worked quite well. It stopped the attacks and held my anxiety at bay. you may want to look into that drug. The cons of the drug are heart related, ie fast heart rate. I too attempted to switch from Paxil to Lexapro. I hated it and it didn't work for me. Lexapro is a very concentrated drug. If your son was over medicated with 25mg of paxil cr I don't think he should try Lex which starts at 10mg, the equivalent of 40mg Celexa. I'm not a doctor though, these are just my personal feelings and expiriences. Also, Vitamin B complexes work wonders to calm and Benedryl can help relax your son.
Again, he needs to know that the panick attacks will subside with medication and that he is not crazy by any means. He will feel better in a few weeks.Good luck,
mark
Posted by indirect00 on January 28, 2003, at 16:29:49
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects, posted by tanguerey on January 28, 2003, at 12:43:13
So you had chest pains while on effexor? I would consult a few doctors about that. I have never heard of any such thing, but you must remember that everyone has different biochemistry. We all react a little differently to drugs.
Posted by leslieg on January 28, 2003, at 19:25:27
In reply to Re: help changing son from Paxil to Lexapro » mills, posted by lcg4 on January 28, 2003, at 10:03:48
I'm assuming you are in the U.S. Does your son have an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or 504 plan? It sounds like it is time for one. If he has a medical / psychological disorder that put his grades at risk and he is being activly treated by a doctor, then the school should work *with* you and not against you. ADHD, for example, definitly qualifies a student for an IEP ... do some research on the web, talk to your school administrators, there are ways that you can help your son outside of helping him get his medicine straightned out (in other words, you can do something active while waiting to see whether the meds work better...)
Good luck.
> .. He went from an honors student last year to barely getting C's and low B's. It's been frustrating for all of us. He is doing better on the 10mg concentration wise but he is not as sharp as he was without the drugs. We have no choice though for now because he really gets anxious and panics. ... I just am afraid to rock the boat at this point because he has a lot of school activities coming up that he won't be able to do if he is panicky. Just not sure if we should change and how it will effect him. We may wait till the summer but if his grades don't get better we may need to change now. Your thoughts on this would help. Thanks, Linda
Posted by Dysfunk on January 28, 2003, at 20:12:32
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams » bozeman, posted by proud mary on January 28, 2003, at 11:51:20
Proud Mary:
Thanks for the info on how long it took for Lex to kick in. So far I don't feel anything but anxiety. I will stick it out and hope it works soon. Thanks.
Posted by indirect00 on January 28, 2003, at 21:10:30
In reply to Re: help changing son from Paxil to Lexapro, posted by mills on January 28, 2003, at 9:41:40
Any ssri med (paxil, lexapro, luvox) can cause amotivational syndrome (laziness). I take lexapro and have severe laziness as a result. A little discipline will likely fix that problem.
Posted by bozeman on January 28, 2003, at 23:44:02
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams » bozeman, posted by proud mary on January 28, 2003, at 11:51:20
Thanks. Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads my blather. ;-)
Posted by proud mary on January 29, 2003, at 9:50:04
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams, posted by Dysfunk on January 28, 2003, at 20:12:32
Dysfunk,
I was ready to give up and call my pdoc when someone here told me i hadn't given it nearly enough time...that helped me. I really was feeling very anxious and unsettled as every day went on during the first-second week I was on it. Now it seems to have really kicked in and I feel wonderful. I'm just hoping it's not my hormones and the "good" time of the month masking the real effect!
It's difficult to deal with the anxiety and days seem like months and then to think it will take several more of those days to feel better, well, I know...hopefully you have something to help you through the transition? If I hadn't had the klonopin, I don't know if I could have stuck it out. Call your pdoc and see if there is something you might be able to take temporarily to help you through this rough time...anxiety SUCKS!
Good luck, and let us know how you are doing!
Mary
Posted by lcg4 on January 29, 2003, at 11:12:16
In reply to Re: help changing son from Paxil to Lexapro, posted by indirect00 on January 28, 2003, at 21:10:30
Thanks so much for the info posted so far for my son. I know about the info on the 504 at schools but my son is in his last year at a private middle school and they really don't have that there. I am aware of it though for next year when he attends public high school. Thanks so much for that info. Also thank you all for the info on the change to lexepro. It sounds strong to me and that is why I may just wait until summer to do any changes and get tutoring help for now in the subjects he's struggling in. Thanks again. Linda
Posted by LA on January 29, 2003, at 20:33:14
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams, posted by bozeman on January 27, 2003, at 23:09:39
> My two cents (more or less) worth:
>
> SEX DRIVE: It returns :-) I suspect it left me in the first place because my brain was getting stimuli from other sources again, besides just sex (no more anhedonia -- is that how you spell that?) and my brain was trying to pay attention to all different kinds of recently re-discovered stimuli. "Sexual" stimuli are now only one kind of stimuli of many different sources, so no longer getting all my brain's attention. Eventually, biology overrruled, and my sex drive returned. Orgasmic difficulties, I suspect, resulted from difference in the way I process norephinephrine while on the SSRI, oxytocin, DMT, etc. I'm not a biochemist, just someone looking for answers, so who knows if I'm on the right track, or full of it? :-)
>
> WEIGHT GAIN?: I've lost weight, I suspect for many reasons. I'm sleeping better, so I'm not so tired -- so I don't have to eat for energy so I can keep moving when exhausted. Don't have to eat to provide some, any, stimuli to my (no longer) anhedonic brain, since I'm getting other stimuli now. My metabolism has increased, since my brain -- the "orchestrator" of everything else -- is once again communicating with the rest of my body in a way the rest of me can understand and obey. My healing time is reduced 80% or more, my thinking is faster, sleep is sounder, nerves are not fried and raw, migraines are gone, humor has returned, desire to pursue hobbies, exercise, etc. have returned.
>
> DREAMS: Mine got more vivid, definitely. I think it's the same reason as above -- my brain was flat missing something that it needed to communicate with the rest of me. Dream deprivation is, to your mind, like sleep deprivation is to the body. When you're deprived of it, and you get a chance to make up for it, your body will take a LOT of it to try to compensate for what it's missed.
>
> All three of these seem to point to a similar factor -- that my neurotransmitters were drastically underfunctional in at least one area, and various parts of me were starving for what they were missing (many more physical areas I haven't listed here -- those who have read any of my other posts will have seen some of them.) My response to these three areas seems to me to follow a similar pattern that is specific to how my particular chemistry disorder manifested. It will affect other people differently, though!! I think that, if we had enough information and could see clearly enough, we would see that while it affects each of us a little differently (or a lot), it affects any one person *similarly* in many areas. Those who get sleepless on Lexapro, also tend to get more agitated, and the diarhhea/bowel disturbances, and the headaches, right? Or am I wrong? For some like these, it seems to be an OVER-stimulating effect -- for others a LEVEL-ing effect (can handle stress better, don't go to pieces, not afraid of confrontation, blood pressure normalizes, etc.) -- but I needed an UP-effect, but not in the "stimulant" sense, just in the sense of giving my body a kick in the pants in all the areas it was laying down on me. That could explain why so many of us respond to it so differently.
>
> I just hope it lasts because I haven't felt this good in many years. Having never taken SSRI's before Lexapro, I don't know what to expect -- many have experienced "poop-out" and I pray every night that I will become well enough to make it on my own, without the SSRI, before this can happen to me. Giving up myself, after having re-captured myself, would be worse than having never found myself again, I think.
>
> Anyway, I hope that makes sense. Think I put in two bits worth instead of two cents worth, sorry. =-DSo glad that you are feeling good.
Please tell me how long you have been on Lexapro and at what dose? I know it's different for everyone but .........
LA
Posted by Cathi on January 30, 2003, at 17:00:21
In reply to Re: help changing son from Paxil to Lexapro, posted by lcg4 on January 29, 2003, at 11:12:16
My daughter, who has a 504 at her high school has been on Paxil for 6 years. In all that time her condition has never gotten better and has, in fact gotten MUCH worse. She just came out of the hospital 2 days ago for raging and feelings of wanting to kill herself. All this has come about from a small problem way back in 4th grade of having anxiety about going to school. I'm convinced that the never ending parade of drugs has crippled her. The following website gives some chilling stories: http://members.aol.com/atracyphd/
Read for yourself, and then make an informed decision. Me? I'm going to save my daughter.
Posted by donia on January 30, 2003, at 17:14:01
In reply to Anyone switched to Lexapro? « ggrrl, posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2002, at 7:52:48
Has anyone else experienced the lump in throat feeling? I am in week two on 10 mg. Started the first week on 5mg. I am also sweating more. The lump is driving me crazy though.
Donia
Posted by bozeman on January 30, 2003, at 20:34:06
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams, posted by LA on January 29, 2003, at 20:33:14
> > . . . That could explain why so many of us respond to it so differently.
> >
. . . . Giving up myself, after having re-captured myself, would be worse than having never found myself again, I think.
> >
> > Anyway, I hope that makes sense. Think I put in two bits worth instead of two cents worth, sorry. =-D
>
> So glad that you are feeling good.
> Please tell me how long you have been on Lexapro and at what dose? I know it's different for everyone but .........
> LA
>
>
5 mg at bedtime for 8 days, then 10 mg at bedtime since. I've been on Lexapro about 4 months. The first thing I noticed was, after a couple of weeks or so, I could think straight again and my head didn't hurt (which had hurt more or less constantly for many years.) It was *several* weeks later that I realized I actually felt like doing something after work other than going straight home and collapsing.It actually works better if I take it a couple of hours before bed. Then I don't wake up during the night. Sounds backward, I know, but it works better that way.
Good luck to you --
bozeman
Posted by pickychicky2001 on January 30, 2003, at 21:37:20
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams » LA, posted by bozeman on January 30, 2003, at 20:34:06
Well, I have been on 10 mg of Lexapro for 7 days, and so far, so good. I have gone a whole week without any temper tantrums, and that is what I am hoping to avoid. I sure hope I don't gain much weight, since I have always been overweight anyway. I have to say I am soooooooooo glad I found this board, and so is my mother. She suffers from the exact same things I do--mostly the temper/anxiety. She just started the Effexor, and is worried about insomnia and weight gain.
Posted by bozeman on January 30, 2003, at 22:04:52
In reply to Re: Changing time of Lex » EGR, posted by bozeman on January 17, 2003, at 20:48:24
How are you feeling since you switched your Lexapro to PM? What did your pdoc say about the change?
Hope it's going well for you.
Posted by Marialee on January 31, 2003, at 2:16:12
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects » dr. dave, posted by Ritch on June 19, 2002, at 9:11:56
Hi, i havent really read anything bad about Lexapro, maybe i havent looked or researched enough yet. But i do have a question, and i hope someone can give me a little help. I have been taking 10mg. , of celexa fo about a year and a half now, went to my doctor because of the weight gain and fatigue and Noooooo sex drive problems, He gave me Lexapro and said to take it in place of my celexa that night whch i TOOK at 900pm. , 10 mg of it. I felt a bit odd so i went to bed. I woke up the next day feeling pretty good, was sitting at the table reading the morning paper, and got so dizzy i had to lay down it continued to get worse till i couldnt stand it i had to crawl to get to another rom cuz of the whole room spinning it was the most horrible feeling. My med doctor told me it might be bad case of vertigo he gave me something called antivert i took one pill and slept the whole day when i woke up i was alot better and the next day it was gone i took my celexa instead tht night what i dont understand is that everyone i know says they have no side effects like this or bad reactions like this the docotr who gave me the Lexapro said to just take half of it but i didnt i was afraid then but my md. said when i told him the other doctor put me on it without weening form celaxa that that was the reson why i got like that he said his drug reps told him and his nurses not to give Lexapro to anyone taking celexa. i dont know who to believe im scared to death to try it again and i thought this was goingt to be the pill for me i thought it was gong to save my 15 yr marriage i have no sex drive and went from a size 3 to a size 9 in a yr. im very depressed about theses things and was hoping Lexapro would help . Please anyone out there if you have had this experience with Lexapro PLEASE REPLY My med doctor the one who didnt give me the Lexapro said its to coincedental for it to have been an acute case of severe vertigo since it went away within 24 hrs and changing back to the celxa but others say it could not have been the Lexapro cuz there are no side effects. i dont know who to believe. can someone help. ?? sorry this is so long. Lisa N.Y. My email is JoeLee1436@aol.com or Marialee123@yahoo.com
Posted by proud mary on January 31, 2003, at 8:33:39
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams » LA, posted by bozeman on January 30, 2003, at 20:34:06
Lisa,
I would be leery of a doctor who gets his information about prescribing meds from their drug rep. I think anyone prescribing potent meds (as we all know these are) should be doing a little research before they start prescribing them to their patientst. Alas, in a perfect world...I don't blame you for being frightened, but, there is an answer and you can clear all this up and start taking it the right way and start feeling better. You need to see your pdoc and discuss this with him.
I've always been weaned from one SSRI before starting another, at least for a couple of days...my experience is NOT that extensive, though. I can offer you this; I was weaned from zoloft, began taking 20 mg of lexapro and in about two weeks began feeling human again and even started having my sex drive make an appearence, orgasms and all! I would assume that because Celexa is such a close cousin (sister, really) of Lexapro, if you are weaned off properly and still to the lex for a period of time it will help you and you will shake off any initial side-effects.
I am NOT an expert on this, though. Is there any way you can look it up on yourown? or get advice from another pdoc?
It IS scary the way some of these doctors seem to play around with us, I mean let THAT doctor endure a day of being so dizzy that they can't stand up! Bet then he'd do his research!
Anyone else got any advice to offer? I just want to try to support you and let you know that I think you are on the right road but had some bad advice from the guys you are supposed to be able to trust!
Hang in there and find some answers on your own, if need be. Would the guide to prescription medicines be helpful? Lexapro is so newly out that it might not be on the books, yet, but I"m sure there is something at the library or on line where you can find these things out....Good luck and let us know!
Mary
Posted by lcg4 on January 31, 2003, at 9:55:57
In reply to Re: help changing son from Paxil to Lexapro, posted by Cathi on January 30, 2003, at 17:00:21
Cathi,
I'm so sorry to here about the troubles with your daughter. My son has been on paxil since August of 2002. It has been a touch time getting the dosage right but we found that the low dosage seems to work for him and keep his anxiety at bay. It's a scary time and I know the withdrawals of getting off the medication can be worse than the medication itself. Unfortunately, sometimes you don't have a choice but to keep them on the meds so they can function in everyday life. I'd much rather have him off of all meds but we can't do that right now or the panic attacks come back. We are hoping with therapy and time he will be able to get off of it someday and be okay. Keep in touch if you want to. I understand what you're going through. lcg4@aol.com Linda
Posted by mikal on January 31, 2003, at 14:14:37
In reply to Anyone switched to Lexapro? « ggrrl, posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2002, at 7:52:48
I went on Lexapro 3 weeks ago 10mg... it has been an absolute savior. I haven't had a panic attack in about 18 days, this stuff started working fast. At first it seemed to disconect the full blown anxiety which would start with the racing heart from the horrible thinking that ended up, for lack of better words, making me feel crazy, sweaty and diconected from my self. I could still feel the impulse to go into panic but the restults were far less severe. Over the past couple of weeks, especially in the last 3-5 days I have noticed that my thinking has changed. I'm not focused on "what if's." Not thinking about the "what-ifs" has given me the ability to feel happiness. When you're so controlled by "what if this is the big one" it is impossible to embrace anything but horror. My panic has not only subsided; I have realized that life can be happy and good.
I was always a person who felt "blue," and I couldn't pick out why I would get into so many "funks." I've been mildly depressed for so long that I came to understand it as my reality, because it was. I was sceptical of drugs as therapy for this "kind of thing," but will never be again. My doctor has really been patient with me as my panic and anxiety increased over the past months, I made many trips for heart check-ups, aches and pains. I don't focus on a dry patch of skin anymore manking it into a new disease, it is a dry patch of skin and lotion seems to work well, and if it's not a dry patch of skin I have the freedom to not obsess about it, I can deal with it without falling to pieces.Panic, Anxiety, Depression are debilitating, no ifs ands or buts. There is no reason to stop searching if something isn't working or to stop if something is... I hope the best for everybody who stops by these boards, this has helped change my life in so many ways.
Posted by Dysfunk on January 31, 2003, at 15:25:00
In reply to Lump in throat, sweating, posted by donia on January 30, 2003, at 17:14:01
YES! I have the lump in my throat. I also got the hiccups the first few days, which I believe is related. I can't find a comfortable position for my neck to be in as to not get the lump feeling.
As far as sweating- Effexor had me sweating from every pore-especially brow. Lex has just my pits with 2 big pools. It sucks! I actually went clothes shopping yesterday and chose the colors of tops based on which would be less-likely to show wetness. Isn't that terrible? I hope it is worth it.
Posted by Dysfunk on January 31, 2003, at 15:30:49
In reply to Re: Lexapro sex drive, weight gain, dreams, posted by proud mary on January 29, 2003, at 9:50:04
Proud Mary:
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I am about to go into my 3rd week and so far nothing! I am sweating a lot and have had lots of nervousness- not sure if it is considered panic-attacks. I will give it more time.
Thanks to everyone for their input!
Dysfunk.
Posted by donia on January 31, 2003, at 18:23:32
In reply to NO MORE PANIC ATTACKS =), posted by mikal on January 31, 2003, at 14:14:37
Your message about panic and depression describes me exactly! I got a bruise a few weeks ago on my leg and couldnt immediatly determine where it came from and was having panic attacks over it. Of course later I remembered getting out of my husbands truck and hitting it on the door. I am on week two and feel better but hope to feel a little better as I am taking it longer. Thanks for the info.
Donia
Posted by donia on January 31, 2003, at 18:25:40
In reply to Re: Lump in throat, sweating- YES!, posted by Dysfunk on January 31, 2003, at 15:25:00
I dont know what to do about the lump in throat feeling but it is subsiding a bit. I notice when I drink pepsi alot it feels worse and if I drink water it is somewhat better. For the armpit sweating I use Certain Dry antipersperant. I can only find it at a drug store called Andersons in my home town. It works if you are not too sensitive. It burns for a little while after I put it on but goes away.
Rachel
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