Has anyone taken Lexapro for anxiety and depression? How does it work and what side effects are there?

Question

They are recommending a 20Mg. dose thinking that it will cure insomnia too

Answer 1

Hi!

I took Lexapro for about a year. I absolutely LOVED it. I probably would have never gotten off of it, however it slowed my metabolism over time and I started gaining weight.

On my highest dose I was on 20mg and at my lowest, 5mg. I found 20mg to be too much for me, but when I was quite depressed and anxious 15mg worked well ( cutting a 20 mg up into 4 pieces and taking 3 of the 4). As things got better I slowly decreased my dose which worked well.

When I began taking Lexapro I had a few side effects...initally, weight loss, a spacey feeling and it was difficult to sleep.They went away completely in about a month. However, these were MY side effects each person varies so much.

Also, if lexapro is not the drug for you, do not hesitate to try others. I tried Zoloft and Wellbutrin which were horrible for me, then found Lexapro which I feel saved my life. I would not hesitate to go back on it if my symptoms ever become unmanagable again.

Best!

Answer 2

If your Doctor is having you to try it then you should listen to your doctor. If the medicine doesn't work for you then they will try you on something else. You don't know until you try it for yourself really! I do take it and when you first start taking it the side effects aren't that bad for most, for me it was upset stomach which is common to most people that first start taking it ! That does go away after a couple of weeks ! I feel that it did help me alot! As far as sleeping problems I still sometimes have nights that i feel i don't sleep well enough, maybe light sleeping, but thats not every night! Mostly when i have PMS I will have a rough night sleeping then after that it goes away and i sleep better! Maybe it doesn't work for Horomone problems like that? But over all it seems to help me ! So maybe you should just try it and be sure to take it the same time everyday , because you really have to take it for several weeks before you start feeling better! It has to get in your system and do what it's suppose to do before it can work correctly ! and that takes awhile ! Also you can go to the web site and learn more about it at lexapro.com ! Good luck to ya and don't give up !!

Answer 3

I took Lexapro, but it didn't work well for me.

Biggest side-effect was sexual with inability to orgasm. But as soon as I got off of the medication, I was fine. I now take abilify with decent results.

Try Lexapro-- it works for some. It may be the medication for you. If not then try others! :)

Best of luck!

Answer 4

lexapro made me gain weight...i take prozac now and love it. i have tried just about all of them and they all have side effects. you have to just try one and see if it works for you. if the side effects are really bothering you, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor, they will adjust the dose or try a different kind. antidepressants have made a huge difference in my life for the better. i hope it works for you too.

Answer 5

I don't have an answer, but I just wanted to say I was reading up on Lexapro earlier today. It definitely sounds like a good med to try out.

Answer 6

See "the road back: Lexapro", and the other antidepressant websites, then read section 2, particularly 2V, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris My standard post follows: See anxiety treatments, at ezy-build, on page 6. Set yourself a fixed limit for worrying about any particular subject, (say; 15 minutes) after which, resolve firmly to refuse to even consider that subject again on that day: realise and accept that to do otherwise would be counterproductive to your mental health, and enjoyment of life. Use the technique for reprogramming negative thoughts and internal monologue (self talk), on pages 2, and 2L, to help you in this, and consider carrying a wide rubber band in your pocket; stretch, and release, as a means of reinforcing it, and speeding the process, re-pocketing it afterwards. Practise one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 2i, 11, or 2C, daily. Also, give the EFT version for use in public places, (you can claim to have a headache, as you massage your temples, if you like) on pages 2, 2.q, and 2.o a good tryout, to see if it helps you. See depression treatments, in section 2, and consult a doctor, to eliminate thyroid problems, etc. as possible contributing factors. It is your decision, and yours alone, as to whether to take any antidepressants offered, but, before you do, read section 1, and check medications out at www.drugs.com so you will be on the lookout for side effects, like sexual dysfunction. My strong recommendation, however, is to follow the advice of my doctor, his partner, and also Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, and Dr. Mercola, as well, at http://www.mercola.com and avoid antidepressants (page 2V refers, & antidepressant websites: page 2). All of their advice, (except prayer, because many people are not religious) I have incorporated into the "core treatments", including others as options, such as herbal remedies (none of which have been conclusively demonstrated to work with severe depression). If you are diagnosed with clinical (major) depression, antidepressants may be necessary for a while, which will give the treatments time to become effective. The antidepressants themselves need at least several days, or even many weeks to reach full effectiveness. It's a good idea to taper off them slowly, with medical advice, after several months, say, to a couple of years, at most, because they are only effective in the long term for about 30% of people. Because of this, you would be well advised to begin the treatments immediately, and maintain them. I'd just thank your mental health care provider, and pocket the prescription, trying the treatments for a few months, to see if they are sufficient for you, before considering filling it. Insomnia is addressed in section 3.

Answer 7

It definitely helps you sleep better, at least it did for me. But that's about the only thing that it helped me with. It made me a complete shell of the person I was, emotionless, completely killed my sex drive for years afterwards, and I never felt like myself, and it didn't make me feel any BETTER. Everyone around me agreed that it made me a completely different person, and not for better. I have a friend who took it, and she was suicidal to begin with, it made her a million times worse. It says in medical books that this medication is not reccommended for people with suicidal thoughts or tendancies, as it makes them much worse.

Look into Effexor XR, has worked miracles for me, I've never been happier.

Good luck, and be careful.