Lexapro

[jointman]

Hey guys,

Does anyone no the ill effects of Lexapro. Here is my situation. The lexapro controls my anxiety peaks....i still have the same thoughts that triggered my anxious responses but less of them and no physiological symptoms associated with these thoughts....basically i am numb...which is good to an extent.

The con side.....i feel very lethargic and drowsy all the time. I cant get my anxiety to a level that I have lots of motivation to study for the boards...i am just like...whatever and am usually drowsy while i read. I want to just stop the meds all together so i can study for the usmle step I exam...which i am planning to take August 15th. Does anyone have any advise for me. Anyone else on lexapro who have had similiar problems. I also have a lot of weight gain. It seems like lexapro or something is just dulling me.

would appreciate any advise.

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[primadonna22274]

Jointman,

Any of the SSRIs can do this..."dull you down", so to speak. I've had patients tell me they would rather be a little high & low than be numb, but it depends what you're dealing with.

THe weight gain seems to be because the SSRIs tend to stimulate carbohydrate cravings, so you eat more junk, so you gain weight. See it all the time. One psychiatrist I know asks every patient, "so, what time of day do you eat your first bag of chips?" (Not IF they eat chips...they ALL eat chips! so he says).

Probably worth talking to your prescriber to see whether another one might affect you differently; ie. fluoxetine (Prozac) tends to be more activating; a different class altogether like an SNRI (i.e. Effexor or Cymbalta) might do better for you overall. Weight gain is pretty much the same across the board, though, no matter what the drug reps tell you. Don't believe the drug reps anyway. Read the PI for yourself.

Good luck,

Lisa PA-C (family medicine, I do this every day)

Hey guys,

Does anyone no the ill effects of Lexapro. Here is my situation. The lexapro controls my anxiety peaks....i still have the same thoughts that triggered my anxious responses but less of them and no physiological symptoms associated with these thoughts....basically i am numb...which is good to an extent.

The con side.....i feel very lethargic and drowsy all the time. I cant get my anxiety to a level that I have lots of motivation to study for the boards...i am just like...whatever and am usually drowsy while i read. I want to just stop the meds all together so i can study for the usmle step I exam...which i am planning to take August 15th. Does anyone have any advise for me. Anyone else on lexapro who have had similiar problems. I also have a lot of weight gain. It seems like lexapro or something is just dulling me.

would appreciate any advise.

 

[JudoKing01]

Sertraline worked great for me. I only stopped because I lost my prescription and I would've had to pay out of pocket for like 20 pills until they could pay for it again. I said **** that, I'm not paying 100+ bucks for that. I've been fine. I still get the thoughts every now and then, but I realize the early onset Sx and thoughts and I can stop it before it really starts.

 

[Anasazi23]

Lexapro generally doesn't cause the weight gain you're describing, though I've seen otherwise. It's sometimes unfair to blame the medication when some people's baseline eating habits are more frequent when the depression/anxiety lifts. A common misperception.

What dose are you on and when do you take it? What other medications? What other medical conditions do you have?

 

[jointman]

15 mg lexapro, take it in the afternoon, around 3 or 4 p.m. and am also taking buproprion but only take half the dose ...i think 100 something mg because i dont think it does anything to me.