Lexapro

Lexapro
Lexapro may contribute to weight gain. Of all antidepressants, Wellbutrin (bupropion) has the most potency to promote weight loss. You may discuss with your doctor if you will benefit from Lexapro.

I have had anxiety since childhood (I am now 30). A couple of years ago my anxiety started to reoccur to the point where I could not go to work, public places, etc... It was also accompanied by Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. Life sucked! I was put on generic Paxil which worked at helping the anxiety but also made me not care about anything including family and friends. I was a zombie! Plus I racked up a ton of credit card debt and was consistently late on paying bills. It nearly ruined my credit...which was so unlike me! Not to mention the 30+ lbs. that I gained in less than a year. I was switched to generic Celexa and this was better. I maintained the weight I had gained...but didn't gain more. I also was able to get everything back on track. I decided to start getting off of the medication and take a more natural approach but after about 4 mos. of slowly weening, my anxiety and panic symptoms came back. I am now on Lexapro (no generic) for 3 mos. and it has been great. Other than the typical week long transition side effects I have had virtually no other side effects. I have lost 15 lbs on it so far...without much work and feel more like myself. I have no sexual side effects...which is great. This isn't the answer... but it is greatly helping. I am at a good working dose...meaning it works...but I still get bouts of anxiety here and there and am able to use coping mechanisms that I am learning in Therapy to help and it has been very successful. (I started Therapy the same time I started Lexapro which was approx. two years after my original symptoms started occurring). Between this, therapy and other natural approaches (eating organically, using more organic products, exercising, massage therapy etc..) I am hoping to be able to get of meds once and for all in the future.
This is not going to be for everyone. Keep working with your doctor to help find the right medication for you, and the right dose. Do not up your dose, lower your dose, or go off your medication without help from a doctor or naturopath. Good luck at finding out what works best for you!

Worked well for years and then it stopped working a year ago.

I took Celexa for 5-6 months. The first month I took it I felt nauseous all the time, i tend to take deep yawn and had a lot of vivid dreams. I didn't have a heache and I never ever had a headache bad enough to take a tylenol or two in my life. I stopped taking Celexa cold turkey in the last week of September and in the 1st week of Oct I started feeling anxious (can't take complete/deep breaths and yawn, feeling of air hunger, and 2 weeks ago, i started having throat flutters). I saw a doctor in the last week of October and told him about what I've been feeling. He thinks it's anxiety and that I shouldn't have stopped taking Celexa. I asked for something better and he gave me Lexapro. I took Lexapro with my new thyroid meds, Armour and boy what a big mistake that was: I had killer headaches that won't go away with taking tylenol and which also kept me from sleeping. I had to take Ambien to sleep. I also had terrible stomach pains. I stopped taking it after only 3 days because I don't know which is causing what. Well I took a week off from taking it and when i retook it, I found that Lexapro is the culprit of the severe headaches and I felt as if my head is stuffed with something - it felt so heavy. I wasn't myself and I was not functional. It is a poison to me. Although, I have a nurse friend who loves Lexapro so much she couldn't stop saying good words about it. So, my opinion is this: every drug will react differently to different people. Some people are compatible with Lexapro while others, like us, aren't. Same with armour thyroid. A lot of people love it, but I'm not so sure yet. It have me headaches and stomach pain too, but it's milder compared to the aches and pains Lexapro gave me. I agree with blaartoon about doctor not testing for chemical imbalance. It's a crap shoot really. Psychiatrist give meds on a trial and error basis, which is not good. I'm back to taking Celexa 20mg to restart and I had mild headaches for a couple of weeks even though i never had one when I took it started taking it back in Mar 08. Again I blame Lexapro for that side effect.

 Lexapro should not be called medicine -- it is dangerous chemical rubbish. What I find most infuriating is the fact that everyone is quiet about three very important issues:

Firstly, doctors prescribe this toxic substanve without any physical proof that:
a) the patient has a chemical imbalance;
b) if the patient has an imbalance, this will cure it;
c) this is the healthiest, least intrusive cure.

Secondly, this substance does long-term, often even permanent, damage to neurotransmitters, sex drive, ability to produce leptin and lose weight, etc. (there are more).

Thirdly, getting off it is a long, extremely traumatic process. It takes months, and even victims who slowly taper off suffer symptoms that are in many cases (I'm one of them)much, much worse than the depression the pills were supposed to cure.

I agree with Austria: I would rate it negative 5

Lexapro is POISON. If I could I would rate it a negative 5. Lexapro caused chest tightness/pain, increased anxiety, panic, nausea, frequent and severe headaches. I was on it for 4 months and the doctor kept denying that it had side effects. I have finally tapered off of it and am starting to feel like myself again. The taper off was horrible too (dizziness, panic attacks, increased nausea). All of which I've never had before taking Lexapro. Lexapro is my only experience with AD. I will never try any AD again based on my experience on Lexapro. It truly is POISON. Don't take it and don't believe anyone that tells you there are no side effects or that you can just stop taking it without any problems. All lies.

depends the kind of person taking it get constant review of your Gp

Where to begin.. Started taking lexapro and stopped eating. Got more depressed, got less sleep, got worse dreams... Yeeeah.....

I would not rate any anti-depressant any higher than a three. With all anti-depressants I realized that after awhile I would realize "Hey, this is a FAKE happy!" and then it was time to flip out etc etc etc. Never liked any of them and I think I'm better off without them. Lexapro was the one I took for the longest time and seemed to work better than the rest I had been on. Worst side effect was decreased libido and difficulty becoming aroused.

I tried Celexa before and I was disappointed. Now I'm on 10mg/day and it cured my social anxiety and depression quite fast! It helped change my life for the best.
I has some initial side effects. Like being drowsy all the time or reduction of appetite and libodo. But they go away after a while.