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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 Celine Penti on July 1, 2003, at 15:41:17
I have been on Zoloft for a year and have been fine except for 20 pound weight gain, I exercise and diet and cannot lose it due to it being from the Zoloft. My Dr. said I can switch to Lexapro and it might help me to lose, I have been on Celexa(related to Lexapro) before Zoloft and it did not really help so I am unsure if I should switch. Any advice?
Posted by Penny on July 1, 2003, at 15:55:42
In reply to Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not?, posted by Celine Penti on July 1, 2003, at 15:41:17
> I have been on Zoloft for a year and have been fine except for 20 pound weight gain, I exercise and diet and cannot lose it due to it being from the Zoloft. My Dr. said I can switch to Lexapro and it might help me to lose, I have been on Celexa(related to Lexapro) before Zoloft and it did not really help so I am unsure if I should switch. Any advice?
Is your mood stable? If so, I really would not recommend switching, if the weight gain is something you think you can live with. If not, a trial switch wouldn't hurt. You should be able to switch directly without doing too much to the dose. Lexapro was a bit more effective for me than Celexa, but Zoloft has been much better overall than either of them.
I guess I just find it so hard to find a good med for me that I'm hesitant to change anything once whatever I'm on is working.
Posted by McPac on July 1, 2003, at 23:13:40
In reply to Re: Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not? » Celine Penti, posted by Penny on July 1, 2003, at 15:55:42
"but Zoloft has been much better overall than either of them".
>>>>>>>>>In what way? (A penny for your thoughts Penny, lol)
Posted by Penny on July 2, 2003, at 8:22:59
In reply to Penny, Re: Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not?, posted by McPac on July 1, 2003, at 23:13:40
Just in that it was more effective for me in improving my mood.
My internist put me on my first AD - Celexa - about 4 years ago. I didn't get to a very high dose when she switched me to Effexor and recommended I see a psychiatrist. When I finally found my current pdoc (2 psychiatrists later), his feeling was that perhaps I had never gotten to a therapeutic dose of Celexa, so he moved me back to Celexa and started augmenting. It seemed to work for a while, but then stopped, so he switched me to Lexapro, which has a slightly different mechanism of action. It too worked for a while and then stopped. So, he switched me to Zoloft. I have been able to tell the greatest mood improvement on Zoloft. Of course, now I'm concerned that it, too, is not working as well as it once was. :-( Seems to be the case with me and all of my meds.
Posted by McPac on July 3, 2003, at 14:38:25
In reply to Re: Penny, Re: Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not? » McPac, posted by Penny on July 2, 2003, at 8:22:59
Posted by jay beck on July 4, 2003, at 16:22:26
In reply to Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not?, posted by Celine Penti on July 1, 2003, at 15:41:17
im on lexapro doin great, but if celexa didnt work at all for you then i highly dought lexapro will be much diffrent. i think you should try other meds first since you did already give celexa a shot.
Posted by dde on July 7, 2003, at 13:50:47
In reply to Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not?, posted by Celine Penti on July 1, 2003, at 15:41:17
Just an FYI on Effexor and Effexor XR. I recently returned from a trip to scandanavia. While there, the government in Sweden announced that Effexor and Effexor XR had been taken off the general market and unavailable to physicians unless patients were in a hospital setting. There have been many noted attempted suicides, and much suicidal ideation attached to the medication. Doubtful that the USA will publish this information, but it is easily traced in the swedish media.
As for Lexapro, it is a "cousin" of Celexa, actually having the same ingredients as Celexa. I am given to understand that Lexapro is just a new name for the medication, so the pharmecutical company can get a new patent and keep the bucks rolling in, as the patent is due to expire on Celexa and generic equivelent will be available soon. Ask your doctor for the precise difference in the medications before switching or starting to see if you can save some $$ on the script!
Best regards,
de
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 8, 2003, at 8:27:22
In reply to EFFEXOR and LEXAPRO information, posted by dde on July 7, 2003, at 13:50:47
I read somewhere that they isolated the *ingredient* in Celexa that works on depression and threw away the rest, packaged it as Lexapro, and advertised the benefit of getting all the benefits of Celexa at a lower dosage.
But I'm on Effexor, not XR, and my memory is faulty now at best. I have no suicidal ideation on Effexor but that doesn't mean that others don't.
Kim
> Just an FYI on Effexor and Effexor XR. I recently returned from a trip to scandanavia. While there, the government in Sweden announced that Effexor and Effexor XR had been taken off the general market and unavailable to physicians unless patients were in a hospital setting. There have been many noted attempted suicides, and much suicidal ideation attached to the medication. Doubtful that the USA will publish this information, but it is easily traced in the swedish media.
>
> As for Lexapro, it is a "cousin" of Celexa, actually having the same ingredients as Celexa. I am given to understand that Lexapro is just a new name for the medication, so the pharmecutical company can get a new patent and keep the bucks rolling in, as the patent is due to expire on Celexa and generic equivelent will be available soon. Ask your doctor for the precise difference in the medications before switching or starting to see if you can save some $$ on the script!
>
> Best regards,
> de
Posted by theo on July 8, 2003, at 9:17:10
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR and LEXAPRO information » dde, posted by KimberlyDi on July 8, 2003, at 8:27:22
I just quit Lexapro 10mg after 11 weeks and after quitting I never realized how asleep and tired my mind was. You will notice on the many threads that tiredness and nausea are a huge side effect that for me never totally went away even after 11 weeks. I've never dropped an SSRI due to side effects until Lexapro. I just started a low dose 37.5 of Effexor XR and intend to stay on this amount and not raise the dosage. Lexapro was a huge marketing campaign due to fact they could select an "isomer" of Celexa which all sounds great but in reality I think if you were to take 40mg of Celexa it would be exactly the same effect as taking 10mg of Lexapro. This is just my opinion in looking back and reflecting on my experience with it. I think all of us are like "kids in a candy store," waiting for that next magical SSRI to be released on the market, I definitely being one of them. I feel sometimes I need to apply a 12 step program to SSRI's if you really think about it. Maybe someday I'll just stop trying all of these and be happy with who I am. I'm not suggesting everyone should stop taking there meds against their doctors advice but I'm sure there are many of us out there who go to our doctors seeking SSRI's and SNRI's in hopes we will find that magic one that will make everything OK. Food for thought.
Posted by Celine Penti on July 8, 2003, at 12:44:01
In reply to Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not?, posted by Celine Penti on July 1, 2003, at 15:41:17
I just want to thank everyone for their input. I realize that I "have it good" on zoloft right now and I would rather feel good and have 15 pounds to deal with then feeling awful and being thinner. Also to Theo, yes, I think that in many instances SSRI's we see as a "all in one fix it". Some people do need the medication due to chemical imbalances, however for those who don't I think it is good for short bursts to help you get out of a hole at times. I for one have been on Zoloft for a year and a half and plan on trying this year to ween myself off, but then I know I can go back on it for a short time if I am sinking back, if that makes sense. Anyway, after reading all the responses I am not going to go on Lexapro and take it a little at a time. Thanks again and good luck to everyone!
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 8, 2003, at 13:37:12
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR and LEXAPRO info, Is there an end??, posted by theo on July 8, 2003, at 9:17:10
Valid point Theo. While talking to my therapist about the different meds I've tried, I realized that I'm expecting the meds to take away ALL my anxiety when in reality, it probably only lowers the anxiety to manageable levels. I still have to deal with problems in life.
Kim
> I just quit Lexapro 10mg after 11 weeks and after quitting I never realized how asleep and tired my mind was. You will notice on the many threads that tiredness and nausea are a huge side effect that for me never totally went away even after 11 weeks. I've never dropped an SSRI due to side effects until Lexapro. I just started a low dose 37.5 of Effexor XR and intend to stay on this amount and not raise the dosage. Lexapro was a huge marketing campaign due to fact they could select an "isomer" of Celexa which all sounds great but in reality I think if you were to take 40mg of Celexa it would be exactly the same effect as taking 10mg of Lexapro. This is just my opinion in looking back and reflecting on my experience with it. I think all of us are like "kids in a candy store," waiting for that next magical SSRI to be released on the market, I definitely being one of them. I feel sometimes I need to apply a 12 step program to SSRI's if you really think about it. Maybe someday I'll just stop trying all of these and be happy with who I am. I'm not suggesting everyone should stop taking there meds against their doctors advice but I'm sure there are many of us out there who go to our doctors seeking SSRI's and SNRI's in hopes we will find that magic one that will make everything OK. Food for thought.
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 8, 2003, at 13:38:30
In reply to Re: Zloft to Lexapro, do it or not?, posted by Celine Penti on July 8, 2003, at 12:44:01
Posted by MiLady7 on July 21, 2003, at 22:43:32
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR and LEXAPRO info, Is there an end??, posted by theo on July 8, 2003, at 9:17:10
"..I think if you were to take 40mg of Celexa it would be exactly the same effect as taking 10mg of Lexapro."
~Lexapro is a purer form of Celexa and is supposed to be effective at lower doses than Celexa. According to calculations, 10 mg. of Lexapro is equal to 20 mg. of Celexa, and so forth. That is supposed to be the reason the side effects are less. But side effects ARE side effects...nothing changes that!
~I am one of those who, if there is a side effect to be had, I will have it...and, usually, the most uncommon ones. I have been on trials of every anti-depressant on the market. Not just for depression/anxiety, but to help with symptoms of nerve damage due to trauma. Needless to say...ther was always a problem..either it did not work or it worked but the side effects became intolerable.~Well, to make a long story short, I just took a new position, a very well-paying one, and then nearly lost it when the side effects of 20 mg. of Lexapro set in. I had been on 10 mg. but had no positive reaction so my physician increased it to 20 mg., thinking it would be ok. I had had a few "sweating spells" on 10 mg., not too often and rarely lasting too long. I chalked it up to hypoglycemia...maybe, even, hot flashes.
~Those episodes of diapheresis were NOTHING compared to what started happening once the new dosage kicked in!!! I was in a constant pool of perspiration. Lightheadedness and tremors became quite common. I actually blacked out twice. It finally occurred to me that my problem was, indeed, the Lexapro..the timing was all there. I double checked the PDR and the side effects were listed clear as day! "..sweating, hyperthermia, fainting and tremors." Ya think?
~Well, I put an end to that in a hurry!! Luckily,I had not been on the drug for very long...a few weeks, and I have had a few days off...giving the medication time to clear out. The withdrawal effects are not bad a bit of moodiness, a little weepiness, a slight headache. All tolerable and controllable.
The side effects of the drug were very frightening and nearly cost me my new job.~So, a word to all from a nurse who should have known better....ANY symptom you experience that is out of the ordinary for you is cause for concern. Don't ignore them and don't make excuses for them.
~I'm done with "happy pills" of any kind...some of us just can't go that route.
Good Luck to all,
jude
This is the end of the thread.
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