Lexapro

[Baby]

Anyone want to share their experiences on Lexapro, especially if you're currently taking it?

I've been on 20 mg for a few months along with 5 mg of abilify...It seems to work well at controlling my anxiety and the emotional outbursts I used to have. I find that it gives me a feeling of apathy though, where I just sit around and pass the time, not really feeling either happy or sad. I am frustrated about this but I feel that the drugs are so strong that they inhibit my ability to get really physically upset (crying, screaming) like I used to before taking it. So I feel like a zombie who is, to the outside world, functioning...and I feel like that's all that matters to everyone else.

Any similar experiences?

[jt07]

I take citalopram (Celexa) which is the "dirtier" form of Lexapro, and I have a lot of citalopram-induced apathy. I know exactly what you mean. My pdoc prescribed Ritalin to help offset SSRI-induced apathy, but it doesn't really help me much in that regard. The one thing that helped me was Abilify and only when I got above 10 mg of Abilify. It is not perfect, but it is the only thing that has touched the apathy. However, on second thought, Remeron (mirtazapine) has helped my apathy somewhat but to a lesser degree than the Abilify.

I think you should talk to your pdoc about this problem. Perhaps he could increase the Abilify or add something like Remeron. Wellbutrin and Ritalin are often used, but they have not helped me. That does not mean that they won't help you.

[Rae-Rae]

I've been on it for a little over a month. It hasn't completely stopped my anxiety or outbursts but it's definitely helped. I know alot of people dislike the blunting of emotions this type of drug brings but I personally love it.

I also have ADD and haven't started anything for it yet. My behavior now is pretty much the same as before, no more or less apathetic. Just less anxiety.

[FlamelessCandle]

I've been on 20 mgs of Lexapro for several years now; it hasn't "pooped out" on me.... it does blunt emotions to some extent, but I am OK with that since I'm so anxious and highly emotional that it's probably a GOOD thing. I would not call what I'm feeling apathy. I am generally dealing with some degree of depression so I feel apathetic just from the underlying illness, I think. I will say (and sorry if TMI) it doesn't help in bed that's for sure..... (Don't mean sleep.)

The idea originally was to use Lexapro for depression AND anxiety but I felt no relief from anxiety from taking it; it seemed to only affect the depression. I could tell just by the times I didn't take (or took less of) the clonazepam that IT and not the Lexapro was managing the panic,anxiety ... etc.

Problem is, I was only supposed to be on the clonaz until the Lexapro kicked in (like 2-4 weeksv@ the most.).

Now its YEARS later and I've built quite a tolerance to the benzo.

My p-doc still thinks the Lexapro "should" be helping with anxiety; that's why he felt (and still feels) it's the best AD for me, I am stable on it (mostly) and so he doesn't want to change anything. I would like to get down to a lower dose of the benzo but I can't manage it; I've tried and tried. That's a topic for another thread. Don't want to higjjack yours.

[Kodos]

I went off of it because of the "don't care about anything and don't want to do anything" side effect.

Your could try another SSRI.

[traviessa]

Hi Everyone. I am a 36 year old female who suffers from severe depression and anxiety. It started on Friday November 13th 2009. The day I had a heart attack. Unexpected, completely out of the blue. yeah, one of the lucky ones. Anyway, I started out taking Citalopram, then Prozac, and now Lexapro. I have only been on Lexapro for 4 days now. Starting with the 2mg dose and the 8th day will be a 5mg dose. As you may notice, It is 3:15 am for me and I obviously cannot sleep! This is not normal for me. I take my dose early in the morning around 6 or 7. Am I doing it wrong? Why can't I sleep?

Any suggestions?

[Kodos]

SSRIs tend to be activating. Good that you're taking it in the morning. Beyond that, talk to your pdoc about some ambien to get to sleep.

[Silvara]

I've been taking Lexapro for a little while now... Maybe a year? IDK for how long, actually. How sad is that? Fibromyalgia is just killing my memory!

It has made me feel rather detached, but at least I'm not so low anymore. My Pdoc just upped my dose this week from 10 to 20 mg for some bothersome PTSD symptoms and I've noticed terrible aches and pains in my hips, legs and feet. Both the muscles and joints hurt like I've got the flu. This was not a symptom I noticed when I first started taking this med! I'm calling the Dr. tomorrow to let him know I can't continue. Fibro hurts enough without this.

Have any of you had this side effect from Lexapro, either when you first started taking it or when you had the dose increased? I'd be very interested to hear from you.

[cfranco92]

I tried both celexa and lexapro and felt like a total zombie. I couldn't do anything and it was like my brain was in a fog.

[Closure]

Escitalopram (Lexapro) made me ultradian cycle despite being on hefty doses of both lithium and carbamazepine (Tegretol) at the time. (However, I did the same with fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft) with mood stabilizers as well.) Other than that, I did not notice any other significant side effects from it.

[albertolobat]

I had been in Lexapro for 6 or 7 months, some years ago, 10 mg a day IIRC. My experience with that drug was good, my general mood was ok, anxiety was low. Can't remember about side effects, though, especially sexual ones because I did not date anyone in that period so I am not sure in that aspect. I think I would gladly take it again but I am now taking Paxil, at low dosis. No side effects, fortunately, but also somewhat low therapeutic effect.

[lauraishere]

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[CookieN]

After 6 years of taking cymbalta, my antidepressant was switched to lexapro. I would like to know your experiences on this medication

[Revan]

I take 5mg of lexapro.

I understand what you mean by it making you feel apathetic. However, for me this might actually be an ok thing for me right now. I am taking 5mg so I'm not a zombie.

It just makes my mood a little better. It makes me not so emotionally reactive/overactive.I'm less impulsive on it too.It kind of boosts the antidepressant effects of the other meds too. At 5mg I'm not convinced it's doing anything drastic but it does make a good adjunct med for depression.