Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1038887

Shown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Lexapro dose too high

Posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 10:33:26

Doc upped me to 15mg, I had normal start up anxiety for about 2 weeks, then started to feel better and then at four weeks I got soo tired and jittery/irritable and anxious again. Doc thinks my dose is too high? Does this sound about right?

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85

Posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 12:37:22

In reply to Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 10:33:26

Hi Baseball85

You might just be experiencing a normal fluctuation in the course of your disorder. If you can tolerate another week or two of the increased agitation, you might want to hang in at the 15mg dose of a while.

How long we're you at the 10mg level, & why the dose increase? How long after the start-up effects subsided did this new bout of agitation/fatigue begin?

If 10mg is not enough & 15mg is too much, you could try alternating 10mg & 15mg every other day.

I'd hate to see you throw away a med that is working, at least partially. Ask your doc if you think any of my suggestions fit your situation; or ask me some further questions if you'd like clarification of anything I've said. (I am typing this on my phone & cannot see the entire post at one time).

Take care- Cam

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high

Posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 12:44:41

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85, posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 12:37:22

Hi Cam,
I was splitting my 10mg dose and taking 5mg in morning and 5mg at night for a about 3 months. I was splitting due to side effects. I did experience relief from week 6-10 and the anxiety returned but mildly. Doc wanted to me to move to full 10mg is the morning because he said by splitting I wasn't getting the effect of a full 10mg. Does this sound right?I did this for a week and then he moved me to 15. I have been there for 4 weeks. The agitation started about 3 days ago. So my issue is, I was basically only on the full 10mg for a week. Maybe that's the right dosage??

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85

Posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 13:52:53

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 12:44:41

BB85 - Your doctor is correct that splitting the Lexapro (escitalopram) will give you slightly lower blood levels, as the med's half-life is approximately 30 hours, so should cover you for the full day. Any anxiety with the full dose should wane within a couple of hours of taking it (except during start-up or dose increases).

Since the agitation started only 3 days ago, I'd guess that the agitation is a result of the disorder's cyclical nature. It may decrease over the next week or so.

I find that a regular, adult, maintenance dose of Lexapro is usually 20mg/day, but stick with the 15mg for a couple weeks, yet; unless you doctor says otherwise. Usually SSRI increases should be done slowly. Some people do do well at 10mg, but most will require 20mg/day.

Hang in there & give it a bit. - Cam

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high

Posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 14:06:11

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85, posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 13:52:53

Thanks Cam. I have spoken to my doctor, he wants me to go back down to 10mg in the morning for a few weeks and seeing I improve. How long should it take for me to feel a difference from the lowered dose?

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high

Posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 14:34:25

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 14:06:11

> Thanks Cam. I have spoken to my doctor, he wants me to go back down to 10mg in the morning for a few weeks and seeing I improve. How long should it take for me to feel a difference from the lowered dose?

When I moved from splitting the dose to a full 10mg at once, would that be considered a dose increase?

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85

Posted by SLS on February 26, 2013, at 14:45:39

In reply to Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 10:33:26

> Doc upped me to 15mg, I had normal start up anxiety for about 2 weeks, then started to feel better and then at four weeks I got soo tired and jittery/irritable and anxious again. Doc thinks my dose is too high? Does this sound about right?

I would think it more likely that your dose is too low. Instead of languishing for an extended period of time trying to finesse the dosage between 10 - 15 mg/day, perhaps you should do a quick experiment and go to 20 mg/day. I think your tiredness and irritability are the result of the breakthrough of the underlying illness. I could be wrong, but without knowing more about you, I would think it a possibility. Would your doctor allow you to go to 20 mg/day?


- Scott

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85

Posted by SLS on February 26, 2013, at 14:48:55

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 14:06:11

> Thanks Cam. I have spoken to my doctor, he wants me to go back down to 10mg in the morning for a few weeks and seeing I improve. How long should it take for me to feel a difference from the lowered dose?

I guess I was too late...

:-)

With mental illness and psychotropics, it is difficult to predict anything with certainty.

I hope you feel better soon.


- Scott

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85

Posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 14:52:06

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 14:34:25

You will probably notice a change in 5 to 7 days, or usually about 7 half-lives until blood levels are lowered to new dosage levels.

Going from splitting a tab to full tab really isn't considered a dose increase, really. By spitting the tabs you are excreting part of the dose a little sooner, but how much clinical difference this really makes is debatable.

Good luck, but be aware, you may have to increase the dose in the future, as Scott implied.

Cheers - Cam

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high

Posted by Phillipa on February 26, 2013, at 15:47:12

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85, posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 14:52:06

Take mine at night? Strange it creates tiredness in me? I've read l0mg is enough a dose for many. Phillipa

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Phillipa

Posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 16:38:36

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high, posted by Phillipa on February 26, 2013, at 15:47:12

> I've read l0mg is enough a dose for many.

Hi Phillipa

My experience has been that 10mg is usually enough for milder depressions, but for chronic, &/or resistant depressions, (e.g. MMD or major depressive disorder; the kinds seen by psychiatrists), I see 20mg to 30 mg used much more frequently.

I guess that it is just a matter of severity of the disorder. Thinking about it right now, in community pharmacy practise, I do dispense more of the 10mg dosages than the 20mg.

Several people have told me that they take SSRIs at night due to it causing drowsiness, so it is not so strange for it to happen to you.

- Cam

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Phillipa

Posted by Phil on February 26, 2013, at 20:38:37

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high, posted by Phillipa on February 26, 2013, at 15:47:12

Where did the echoes go on babble, p? Keep the faith.

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » CamW

Posted by Phillipa on February 27, 2013, at 0:19:07

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high » Phillipa, posted by CamW on February 26, 2013, at 16:38:36

Cam thanks and to think they used to be too stimulating for me to even take. How does ones reaction change so drastically over the years? Thanks Phillipa

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Phillipa

Posted by CamW on February 27, 2013, at 8:13:38

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high » CamW, posted by Phillipa on February 27, 2013, at 0:19:07

> Cam thanks and to think they used to be too stimulating for me to even take. How does ones reaction change so drastically over the years? Thanks Phillipa

Phillipa

Peoples' changes in their reactions to medications over the years is highly individualized. This is probably due to genetic make up & the nature of their disorder.

For example, some people can take SSRIs for years & they will work fine, while others experience poop-out & have to change to other SSRIs or even other classes of antidepressants.

It is almost impossible to predict an individuals' reaction to medication over the longterm; although sometimes family history can help give clues.

The disorder one may have is also not usually static, & can change over the years with bouts of remission & relapse sprinkled in sporadically.

Sorry that I cannot give a clearer answer than that. - Cam

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high

Posted by Baseball85 on February 27, 2013, at 12:10:57

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high » Phillipa, posted by CamW on February 27, 2013, at 8:13:38

Thanks Can for your advice. My doc had me drop down to 10. He said I might experience even more anxiety for a day or two before it settles back down. Hopefully I will be back to how I was on 10 and maybe sometime in the future need an increase and try it again. Does this sound about right?

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85

Posted by CamW on February 27, 2013, at 16:05:35

In reply to Re: Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 27, 2013, at 12:10:57

Trying the 10mg is worth a shot. If it is not enough, you can ask the doc to increase the dose, again.

- Cam

 

Re: Lexapro dose too high » Baseball85

Posted by phidippus on March 2, 2013, at 2:43:27

In reply to Lexapro dose too high, posted by Baseball85 on February 26, 2013, at 10:33:26

I would up your dose.

Eric


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