Thread: Lexapro? Help Us!!!!

I have been on Lexapro for about two years. It helped for a while, but I don't want to up the dosage because the side effects of weaning off of any anti-depressant is HORRIBLE. It's what I'm doing right now because I feel I have used it more as a crutch than anything else. Lately, I've been getting really terrible headaches, nausea, insomnia, random crying spells ... and I'm only at 10mg! I can't imagine how bad it is for people who have larger doses and are trying to stop. My anxiety has increased also since weaning. I have a friend who is taking Paxil and I think he's at about 50 mg and he said he's going to try weaning also because it's stopped working.

My anxiety was really terrible before the anti-depressants... But as time goes on I find that it's more detrimental to my mental health. I get these brain zaps... I forget what they're called but they're painful and due to damaged nerve endings because of how I've been lowering my dose. But lately I've been squeezing in a lot of exercise in any way I can and it's been alleviating a lot of my stresses. I know anti-depressants sound so good in the beginning, but it is a very difficult road when you decide to stop. I also read that in people who are able to metabolize things faster, it is harder for them to wean off anti-depressants because the medication lingers in certain parts of the body.

The body makes its own serotonin. When you take an SSRI like Lexapro, the body thinks that it will keep getting its serotonin from an outside source and no longer develops as much as it needs. That's why it's such a shock to the body when one decides to wean off anti-depressants.

I hope this helps.

My husband is taking it and it has made a world of difference. He's definitely a lot nicer to be around - he was always irritable and snapping at my daughter and me and was always stressed out and took it out on us. Now he's a lot calmer and less stressed out and has started bringing us presents (like flowers, special treats, trinkets for our daughter, etc.). The downside is that it's killed his libido, but we've heard that adding Wellbutrin may help out with that. I'm taking both Lexapro and Wellbutrin and it works really well for me

Good luck. I hope that helps.

I have been taking Lexapro for over two years now. I do know that one day I will be wean off it, as taking anti-depressants isn't suppose to be an life sentence! But, I have to say, it has done wonders for me! :-)
Before Lexapro (and therapy!), I was highly depressed and suicidal... I tried to take my own life over twenty times, was admitted to the ER and then a mental hospital, plenty of times. :-/

But with one tiny pill, I was able to manage my emotions and with therapy I learned better coping skills. It took one month for the medication to start working for me and it has been working for me since. I am on a low dosage though, of 10mg, and have no plans or need to up the dosage any time soon. It has helped me battle my depression and it has completely killed my suicidal thoughts and actions. And with that help, it made it easier for me to take in the tools and lessons with therapy too! I can hear better and focus, when my mind is not muddled with dark thoughts and ideas, if that makes sense. :-)

Before Lexapro, I had been on many other medications... which didn't work or made things worse! Like the electrical shocks to the brain, that Holetoledo mentioned, I had experienced that with Paxil. And other horrible side effects with other medications too. But with Lexapro, I experienced drowsiness and compulsive yawning for only the first month, then it was gone. And this a common side-effect with Lexapro and most people experience it for a short time on the drug. But, with every person, they react different with any one medication. But for me personally, Lexapro is a very good choice!

I hope this helps. :-)

i've known a few people who've had amazing results with lexapro.

just a word to the wise - not every antidepressant suits everyone
for me paroxetine/seroxat is the best
for my boyfriend mirtazepine is amazing
you may have to run through a few before you find the right one

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