Posted by Bill LL on July 29, 2004, at 9:57:36
In reply to Low dose Lexapro, posted by sedona on July 29, 2004, at 2:11:40
I don't know about the weight gain. Most peple don't gain weight on Lexapro, but some do.
As for lack of energy and motivation, it's complicated. Untreated depressed people often have a lack of energy and motivation. Then they take drugs such as SSRI's. Usually they feel better after starting SSRI's, then feel lack of motivation again.
In my own experience with Lexapro, each time I felt bad, I raised the dose and then felt good again with more energy and more motivation. I now take 40 mg Lexapro along with Strattera (ADD drug).
If I were you, I would not lower the Lexapro to 5 right now. I would probably increase the dose of Ritalin, and take the long acting form of it. Ritalin is good for both energy and depression.
Otherwise, increase Lexapro to 30 mg and see how that works out. I would experiment with increasing the dose first before decreasing it.
> I have a previos post "Stimulants as Antidepressant" in which I described my problems with SSRI's. I have tried a few and still come home and go directly to the couch and have no interest in doing anything with anyone. I also take Klonopin to give me more help with anxiety and Ritalin to get me out of bed. My main complaints of Lexapro, as with the other SSRI's I have taken, are lack of interest/motivation, weight gain, and lack of energy. I am not really sure if these are side-effects from Lexapro or mild depression. I started at 10 mg then my doctor raised my dose to 20 mg to help with severe anxiety. Now I am starting to wonder if a low dose such as 5 mg would actually be better. Has anyone else out there had more success with a low dose of Lexapro after having been on higher doses?
poster:Bill LL
thread:371916
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040724/msgs/371985.html