Posted by HannahBeGood on February 13, 2003, at 2:11:16
In reply to Dealing with Lexapro, posted by handmemymidol on February 11, 2003, at 17:49:14
> I have been diagnosed and dealing with panic disorder and agorophobia for 5 years now. Zoloft did nothing for me. Paxil made my stomach hurt. Serzone worked great, but of course, can't take that anymore with the liver scare and all. Now I am on Lexapro. I can't decide what I think of it. On the plus side, I am living a "normal" life, work, etc. All panic symptoms have subsided. I did have the loss of apetite that others are mentioning but after the first 2 weeks or so, apetite is back. The biggest problems I am having are sexual. I have no interest at all anymore in sex. And when I do have sex, forget about an orgasm. I have taken to faking it so my husband doesn't feel bad. I am at the 10 mg dose and that is working well so I don't think the doc will be upping it. Will this symptom fade away too like the loss of apetite? How long might it take? It has also made me really sleepy. I have been experimenting with taking it at different times to eliminate that. Also, does anybody else experience itching? Geez, when I try to go to sleep at night, I itch like crazy! The more I try to ignore it, the more I itch! It is making me nuts! Doesn't bother me much during the day when I am busy, only when I am lying around, watching tv, etc., so I don't think it is an allergic thing. What say ye?
I say "great" on the panic subject. So glad u have improved! i have some serious anxiety problems and they can be such an intrusive obstacle to 'normal' living. My interest in sex is coming back, altho only sporadically. Haven't actually had realations w/hubby in a long time,he has problems w/E.D and I have been dysthymic and out of in and out of major depressive episodes on and off since Feb. 2000, when my father died suddenly.
But, since dropping FXR afer 9 mos.(it made me so drowsy & a bit blase), I have woken up a lot since 3 mos. on the lex and I take stimulents for ADD + clonazepam and propanolol for mood balance and my high baseline anxiety (which I had long before adding p-stims about a year ago).
I think it's possible the sexual side-effect will fade w/a little time. And a glass of wine just before sex has always helped me get in the mood.And then itching-YES-mine is mainly on my scalp and most bothersome right in the middle of my head, where my part is.And ya know, I'm on quite a cocktail, so I had not really considered the Lex as the culprit. Thought it might just be the dry weather or my new, more expensive(!)'no frizz hair care regimen. I went around for a couple of weeks, shopping, doing chores, chatting or whatever and just scratching my dumb head intermittently, the whole way. Bet I looked like a real smart cookie!
Then, thankfully, my old stand-by, Benadryl, popped into my head. Now, I can usually take a benadryl-25 mgs.- and the itching is gone in no time. So, my opinion, if u haven't already--Definitely try at least one dose of an antihistamine for the itch. in my case, it was such a simple solution, and I don't have to take it everyday. Benadryl does make some people drowsy, some just a bit calmer, some feel no side-effects.
Ask your doc about using a non-drowsy antihistamine, low-dose, if the lex makes u drowsy, if it wires u out, The benadryl may be just what u need.
Here's to an itch-free future...best of luck`
Hannah
poster:HannahBeGood
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030208/msgs/140824.html