Posted by Brandymac26 on November 14, 2002, at 9:14:05
In reply to Does anyone hold a career while on meds??, posted by kelranji on November 13, 2002, at 22:27:52
> I have been on Zoloft (yuck) and Effexor XR (scared me) and now the Dr. gave me Lexapro... which has been in my purse for a week. I don't want to take it!! I can't function on the two drugs I have tried... and from the posts I've read here they all seem to be the same.
>
> On drugs: I am scared to drive because my reaction time is nill; I can't feel physical sensations enough to want to have sex; I don't exercise at all because my limbs feel like lead; I can't remember details enough to do my job effectively; I am terrified of gaining weight.
>
> Am I alone in this? All of the side effects for all of these SSRI drugs seem the same to me. What makes each one different from the next? Why do I have to go down the list and try them all when they all do the same thing? I don't understand.
>
> When the Dr. gave me the script, I sat there with him and cried. I told him I didn't want any more drugs. I just want to be content with my life and drug free. So then he gave me another script for Xanax and stressed I should only take it when I have anxiety attacks -- like right at that moment!
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> Is there any medication out there that fixes the depression and panic attacks without making me feel like I'm stoned all the time???
>
> I just can't function like that!I was on celexa and effexor xr for over a year, and they made me feel exactly like you described, and worse. I have switched to lexapro (been on it for 2 weeks) and feel GREAT! No side effects, except the first week I did feel a little out of it, but now I feeel great. My depression is GONE, and my anxiety and panic attacks are gone too.
To give you an example of how bad my panic attacks and anxiety was before lexapro-I couldnt leave my house for months b/c I was scared of having panic attacks! Now, after only 2 weeks on lexapro, I'm going anywhere I want, and I feel GREAT!! Give the lexapro a shot. I was on celexa and effexor too, and had terrible side effects from them, plus the didnt help me at all. Actually, they made me worse b/c I felt so out of it all the time. On lexapro I havent had any of the problems I did on celexa/effexor, and it really is helping me.
I will say that at least for the first week(if you take lexapro for anxiety as well as depression), take a xanax with the lexapro b/c the lexapro gives me a lot of energy which I wasnt used to, so my body kind of misinterpreted the energy for an increase in anxiety for the first week. But now, I feel wonderful, and I NEVER have to take xanax anymore! Also, you may want to take it before bed b/c in the beginning it can make you a little tired, but that side effect has worn off. Now, I'm full of energy! Good luck to you!
Brandy
poster:Brandymac26
thread:127542
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021108/msgs/127598.html