Posted by butch1952 on January 10, 2004, at 21:01:09
In Dr. Bob's en-psych-lopedia I read that in the treatment of panic disorder with tricyclics and MAOI's the patient should be informed that their symptoms may actually get worse before they get better, since these drugs increase the amounts of monoamines at the synaptic cleft resulting in increased levels of noradrenaline (we all know what adrenaline does). My question is, with Lexapro and other SSRI's used to treat panic/anxiety disorders, does the same thing or something similar happen? I certainly didn't feel depressed, so taken an "antidepressant" struck me as being likely to make me a bit giddy, which Lexapro seems to do. I've tried taking it at night, and I get a lot of nocturnal erections (wish they'd happen during the day...) but also inhibited orgasm, which is like dangling a chocolate eclair in front of a starving person. Taking Lex in the morning, I feel hyper within a few hours after dosing, and seem to need Xanax to calm myself down (though I only take an eighth of a mg of Xanax - more makes me sleepy). Anyway, is this Lexapro reaction typical, and will it go away, and will the anxiety/agoraphobia magically disappear? It seems pointless to take Lexapro if I'll still need Xanax. I'm only at day 14 and using 5 mg of Lexapro - afraid to use more considering what I've felt so far.... Incidentally, although I have a history of panic disorder in the past, I went for many years, a decade at least, between episodes. The epidoses previously were fairly discreet and limited, didn't have agoraphobia. Had a heart attack last year which seemed to bring on the latest episode and the fear of being alone. Am also concerned about increased noradrenaline in the presence of heart disease.
poster:butch1952
thread:299186
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040109/msgs/299186.html