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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Steve3211 on January 5, 2004, at 12:32:21
In reply to Lexapro side-effects, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 10:54:06
> I'm starting the the first day of week number two on 10mg of Lexapro & need some encouraging words. I didn't have a hard time eating or sleeping before, but since the first day I started taking it, I've not had much of an appetite, I've been nauseous and I've had horrible insomnia - usually waking up with severe anxiety (which is fairly new). I don't want to give up if it truly gets better after the 2nd week. Let me know!!
Mandy,
Just ended my second week at 5mg. Nausea was bad at first but seems to be a little better now. I also could not eat a thing on this for a long time, but my appetite is slowly returning. Takes a while. Somewhat hopeful. Hang in there.
Steve
Posted by LynneDa on January 5, 2004, at 12:41:59
In reply to Lexapro side-effects, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 10:54:06
Hi Mandy - Hang in there . . . it does get better! The first 2 weeks were hard. I started feeling really good and s/e free by week 5 or 6. I've been on 10 mg of Lex since late October. I was nauseous, had some abdominal problems, felt jittery, couldn't sleep, yet was so tired, etc.! About 10 days ago I upped the dosage to 20 mg. and had a repeat of some of the s/e's, but not bad.
Don't give up. This is a wonderful drug that has alleviated symptoms of anxiety and depression for so many posting to this Board!! Let us know how you're doing!
~ Lynne
Posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 13:24:35
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » platinumbride, posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 11:58:19
Hi bluesfan. Let me tell you a bit more. My dark thoughts were hateful ones toward others....In the car, at work, at family functions, I was constantly thinking: "Oh my God, you are so stupid, ugly, loathsome".... (you fill in the negative adjective, and chances are that I was thinking that at some time or another). These thoughts I was having were at times about people I once cherished and had warm feelings towards (and now do again). So to answer you question, no, I didn't have thoughts about death, although I have read posts on this forum from those who have, but my negative thoughts did in time go away. Where once I was cussing in my head about how slow or stupid someone was being, I now feel very generous and patient with him or her. I feel like I have a new personality....but it's not new, it's how I used to be years ago. I had forgotten that me until that me came back thanks to Lex. (I take Wellbutrin too, but my dark feelings had gone away before I began taking it, so I do attribute the positive outlook to Lex). Hope this helps, and the best of luck to you. Please keep me posted because although I don't know you, I do care about you. Regards,Bali
Posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 13:26:43
In reply to Lexapro side-effects, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 10:54:06
Mandy, It really does get better. Hang in there!! You will be so glad you did. Regards, Bali
Posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 13:30:17
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » bluesfan, posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 13:24:35
Thanks very much for your kind words. I have had those thoughts about people in the past as well, and hopefully that will go away. I used to be so much nicer than the person I've turned into.....always anxious, very tempermental, etc. The biggest problem I have is thoughts of my wife dying. I can never really tell whether it is me that is hurting her, or if I just find her dead. Needless to say it is very disturbing and made me have suicidal thoughts just thinking about hurting her. I would rather die than ever hurt my wife, and that is the biggest problem I have. I have never been violent or had violent thoughts in the past, so this is all very new to me. I hope I have as much luck on Lexapro as you have had.
> Hi bluesfan. Let me tell you a bit more. My dark thoughts were hateful ones toward others....In the car, at work, at family functions, I was constantly thinking: "Oh my God, you are so stupid, ugly, loathsome".... (you fill in the negative adjective, and chances are that I was thinking that at some time or another). These thoughts I was having were at times about people I once cherished and had warm feelings towards (and now do again). So to answer you question, no, I didn't have thoughts about death, although I have read posts on this forum from those who have, but my negative thoughts did in time go away. Where once I was cussing in my head about how slow or stupid someone was being, I now feel very generous and patient with him or her. I feel like I have a new personality....but it's not new, it's how I used to be years ago. I had forgotten that me until that me came back thanks to Lex. (I take Wellbutrin too, but my dark feelings had gone away before I began taking it, so I do attribute the positive outlook to Lex). Hope this helps, and the best of luck to you. Please keep me posted because although I don't know you, I do care about you. Regards,Bali
Posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 13:44:57
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » Bali, posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 13:30:17
Dear bluesfan, I hope so too. It must very hard having those thoughts because you sound like such a loving husband. Maybe talking to a counselor (if you haven't already) could give you some peace. Everyone deserves to live the best life they are capable of...and if Lexapro makes us more capable, then I say "HOORAY." I know it's a wait and see type of thing for you right now, but just try to hold on until the Lex starts to do it's work, and if you can, talk to a professional about your feelings. Regards, Bali
Posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 13:48:59
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » Bali, posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 13:30:17
P.S. My relief started at or around week 5. I also wanted to say that I am concerned about your suicidal thoughts.....maybe it would be a good idea to talk to someone asap about them.
Posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 14:27:13
In reply to Bluesfan, posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 13:48:59
I have spoken to a psychiatrist a couple of weeks ago when I first started the depression. They said they didn't think I was a threat to myself or anyone else.....it is just something some depressed people go through. He wanted me to give the Lexapro a chance and see what happened. I'm praying about it a lot, and I'm going to see my pastor about it this week so I'm sure that will help too! It is just disturbing to have these thoughts when I've never had them before!
> P.S. My relief started at or around week 5. I also wanted to say that I am concerned about your suicidal thoughts.....maybe it would be a good idea to talk to someone asap about them.
Posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 14:36:11
In reply to Re: Bluesfan, posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 14:27:13
Bluesman, That's great that you are getting counsel! Sorry if I sounded "in your business" but that one statement you made worried me! Please keep me posted about you. Regards, Bali
Posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 14:41:54
In reply to Re: Bluesfan, posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 14:36:11
I really appreciate your concern. I felt pretty suicidal at first, but I got the help I needed right away. After I felt bad for about a week and figured out it wasn't the flu or something, I went to the doctor right away. Normally I would just wait and see if the thoughts and feelings would go away on their own, but I really felt I needed drugs for this. I will keep you posted!
> Bluesman, That's great that you are getting counsel! Sorry if I sounded "in your business" but that one statement you made worried me! Please keep me posted about you. Regards, Bali
Posted by sip on January 5, 2004, at 15:09:53
In reply to Lexapro side-effects, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 10:54:06
Mandy, just chiming in to say: Don't give up! I didn't have the same s/e's as you, but did notice a change in appetite, excessive tiredness, fogginess, emotional flatness, and for the first week I woke up a couple hours earlier than normal (but was able to fall back asleep). I still am more physically tired than usual, but I have noticed that I am not prone to fall into the pit of depression as before. I am on Week 5 and upped my dose to 10 mg from 5 last week. I am feeling hopeful, but have definitely had moments of uncertainty and/or doubt. Hang in there! Keep us updated. Best of luck to you.
> I'm starting the the first day of week number two on 10mg of Lexapro & need some encouraging words. I didn't have a hard time eating or sleeping before, but since the first day I started taking it, I've not had much of an appetite, I've been nauseous and I've had horrible insomnia - usually waking up with severe anxiety (which is fairly new). I don't want to give up if it truly gets better after the 2nd week. Let me know!!
Posted by nicky847 on January 5, 2004, at 15:28:55
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects » Mandy Roberts, posted by sip on January 5, 2004, at 15:09:53
Mandy-
After 5 1/2 weeks on Lexapro I can say that my "Depression Channel" in my head is scrambled..a good thing b/c i didnt order that channel and definitely dont want it as part of my subscription..now its like the depressive thoughts I had before dont make sense anymore..which is good b/c they DONT make sense..except to a depressed mind..
just keep on keepin on and youll feel better!> Mandy, just chiming in to say: Don't give up! I didn't have the same s/e's as you, but did notice a change in appetite, excessive tiredness, fogginess, emotional flatness, and for the first week I woke up a couple hours earlier than normal (but was able to fall back asleep). I still am more physically tired than usual, but I have noticed that I am not prone to fall into the pit of depression as before. I am on Week 5 and upped my dose to 10 mg from 5 last week. I am feeling hopeful, but have definitely had moments of uncertainty and/or doubt. Hang in there! Keep us updated. Best of luck to you.
>
>
> > I'm starting the the first day of week number two on 10mg of Lexapro & need some encouraging words. I didn't have a hard time eating or sleeping before, but since the first day I started taking it, I've not had much of an appetite, I've been nauseous and I've had horrible insomnia - usually waking up with severe anxiety (which is fairly new). I don't want to give up if it truly gets better after the 2nd week. Let me know!!
>
>
Posted by KathrynLex on January 5, 2004, at 19:24:21
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects, posted by nicky847 on January 5, 2004, at 15:28:55
I've noticed that the side effects of Lex are quite a bit more tolerable if I take it with an Advil. This helps my head to feel less foggy and I don't feel quite as anxious at night. Has anyone else experienced this? Or can you tell me if it's dangerous to take Advil on a daily basis?
Posted by reluctant on January 5, 2004, at 20:00:51
In reply to Lexapro and Advil, posted by KathrynLex on January 5, 2004, at 19:24:21
Hi -
I'd be careful about taking Advil *every* day - I'd certainly do some research & ask a doctor, were I you. If there's no problem, then it's great that you found something that helps.
-r.
Posted by reluctant on January 5, 2004, at 20:06:37
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » Bali, posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 13:30:17
I'm with Bali. The dark thoughts *are not you*, and the most dangerous thing about them is that it's so easy to become convinced that they are you - makes the angry feelings worse. god knows, I've been there - it does get better.-r.
Posted by reluctant on January 5, 2004, at 20:08:56
In reply to Re: Lexapro side-effects, posted by Steve3211 on January 5, 2004, at 12:32:21
Posted by KenK on January 5, 2004, at 20:23:03
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » bluesfan, posted by Bali on January 5, 2004, at 13:44:57
Hi all:
I am also on the Lex/Wellbutrin cocktail. Have been on Lexapro for about 3 months (30 mg a day). It has helped my depression somewhat and the anxiety I was experiencing is gone. BUT, I was still feeling down and lethargic much of the time, so about 3 weeks ago, my doctor put me on 150 mg of Wellbutrin a day. So far, it has not had much effect.
I have two questions for people: does it take a long time for the Wellbutrin to kick in like the other SSRI's - many of which take 2 -5 weeks? I.e. might it be taking my body a while to respond to the Wellbutrin?
Second, what are people's experiences with upping dosages of W? Has anyone gone from 150 to something higher? I plan to bring this up with my doc, but am pretty sure the Lex dose is high enough. Would appreciate anyone else's experiences. Have appreciated all your posts - good to know others are facing similar issues.
KenK
Posted by reluctant on January 5, 2004, at 20:38:28
In reply to Lexapro + Wellbutrin Time to effect, posted by KenK on January 5, 2004, at 20:23:03
hey -
3 weeks, seems like you should be feeling something. wellbutrin kicks in pretty fast normally. 150 mg is not an especially high dose - I think 200-300 is pretty average, tho maybe I'm wrong about that. see what your doctor says - if your side effects aren't bad then it's worth a shot.
-r.
Posted by Oldhand on January 5, 2004, at 20:54:43
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin Time to effect » KenK, posted by reluctant on January 5, 2004, at 20:38:28
> hey -
>
> 3 weeks, seems like you should be feeling something. wellbutrin kicks in pretty fast normally. 150 mg is not an especially high dose - I think 200-300 is pretty average, tho maybe I'm wrong about that. see what your doctor says - if your side effects aren't bad then it's worth a shot.
> -r.Hi all,
I am on 20mg Lexapro and started at 150mg of wellbutrin XL. I was feeling angry and resentful and very irritable. The doc upped it after a month cause I still felt pretty irritable. It has worked quite well for me. As someone said before, I am more patient, less angry, more able to accept and focus on things. I had signifigant abdominal discomfort for the first month but now all is back to normal. It has been worth it to me to ride out the side effects as long as I possibly can.
Good luck,
Shelley
Posted by KathrynLex on January 6, 2004, at 0:54:19
In reply to Lexapro side-effects, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 10:54:06
I'm 17 days in to 10 mg of Lex. I was experiencing side effects very similar to yours...I still am, but to a lesser degree. At first I didn't want to eat anything, but by the end of the second week I found there were a few hours a day when food sounded pretty good. I'm not waking up as often with anxiety - it was horrible the first week! But things seem to be calming down. I hope you find that things calm down for you too as your second week on Lex progresses.
Posted by ginger C on January 6, 2004, at 12:07:26
In reply to Re: Lexapro and Wellbutrin SR, posted by lexman on January 5, 2004, at 0:32:33
I am on 400mg welbutrin and 20mg Lexapro and am doing just great on it. I had been on welbutrin alone and it was ok but when the Lex was added I really felt the difference.
Posted by BobYuma on January 6, 2004, at 12:14:02
In reply to Lexapro + Wellbutrin Time to effect, posted by KenK on January 5, 2004, at 20:23:03
Week Five on Lexapro - Expectations
Hello, everyone.
I wanted to put my two cents in, as they say, about my Lexapro experience thus far.
These messages helped me tremendously when I first started on Lex, and I hope that new users continue to receive benefits from the board.I had read several times that around the fifth week one could possibly experience the feeling of reaching a "plateau" or even feel like we were "backsliding" a bit. I started on my fifth week with Lex last Thursday, and by Sunday I thought that the backsliding had surely started. I was so lethargic [comatose comes closer to describing me] and down that I actually watched three football games in a row, that is, in-between naps. I felt like I couldn't have moved in a fast manner if the house were on fire. Amazingly, yesterday [Monday], I felt like a different person. I seemed to have an access of energy and was constantly on the go unless I made myself stop.
As far as the side effects go, I'm still experiencing the jaw-clinching and quite a bit of what I call "hyper-ness" - because this word best describes my state. I am normally anything but a hyper person, but now, most of the time I seem to always be telling myself to calm down, slow down, and breathe for crying out loud. Yes, I've even caught myself holding my breath when I'm in a hurry to get something done. I'm also still repeating song lyrics, etc., in my head over and over again, as someone else wrote on the board. But even with all of this, I can still say that the side effects are not as bad as the depression was before I started on Lex.
The bottom line - Thank God for Lexapro.
Thanks for all the encouragement that each one of you have written on the board, and Good Luck to everyone.
BobYuma
Posted by nicky847 on January 6, 2004, at 12:56:33
In reply to Lexapro - Expectations, posted by BobYuma on January 6, 2004, at 12:14:02
Bob-
Geez in reading this post I thought for a second that I had wrote it...but I didnt someone else did..its amazing how many people feel the plateau effect right around the fifth week..followed by feeling "hyper"...for me i guess you could break it down like this..Week 1 No real effect + or -
Week 2 Hell Week
Week 3 S/E's subsided, began to feel improvement
Week 4 Felt pretty good, best week thus far
Week 5 Slight backslide, a little depressed
Week 6 Depression much better but feel pretty caffeinated..and not in a good way..Lexapro has done a great job of remedying my depression.. but would love for things to just even out and feel a little closer to "normal"..or normal for me..I'm thinking I've probably gotta wait a couple more weeks before that happens..
> Week Five on Lexapro - Expectations
> Hello, everyone.
> I wanted to put my two cents in, as they say, about my Lexapro experience thus far.
> These messages helped me tremendously when I first started on Lex, and I hope that new users continue to receive benefits from the board.
>
> I had read several times that around the fifth week one could possibly experience the feeling of reaching a "plateau" or even feel like we were "backsliding" a bit. I started on my fifth week with Lex last Thursday, and by Sunday I thought that the backsliding had surely started. I was so lethargic [comatose comes closer to describing me] and down that I actually watched three football games in a row, that is, in-between naps. I felt like I couldn't have moved in a fast manner if the house were on fire. Amazingly, yesterday [Monday], I felt like a different person. I seemed to have an access of energy and was constantly on the go unless I made myself stop.
>
> As far as the side effects go, I'm still experiencing the jaw-clinching and quite a bit of what I call "hyper-ness" - because this word best describes my state. I am normally anything but a hyper person, but now, most of the time I seem to always be telling myself to calm down, slow down, and breathe for crying out loud. Yes, I've even caught myself holding my breath when I'm in a hurry to get something done. I'm also still repeating song lyrics, etc., in my head over and over again, as someone else wrote on the board. But even with all of this, I can still say that the side effects are not as bad as the depression was before I started on Lex.
>
> The bottom line - Thank God for Lexapro.
> Thanks for all the encouragement that each one of you have written on the board, and Good Luck to everyone.
> BobYuma
Posted by KathrynLex on January 6, 2004, at 13:25:19
In reply to Re: Lexapro - Expectations, posted by nicky847 on January 6, 2004, at 12:56:33
Bob,
I had been wondering how you were doing, it's so good to hear a success story! I hope your hyper moods even out in the upcoming weeks. Please let us know when it goes away.
It's also nice to hear that the Lexapro has helped with your depression. Were you taking it for anxiety also, or just depression? I'm on my third week of Lex for anxiety and it seems to be helping.
Thanks again for your informative post.
K
Posted by Anjul on January 6, 2004, at 14:01:04
In reply to Lexapro - Expectations, posted by BobYuma on January 6, 2004, at 12:14:02
Bob, you mentioned something that caught my eye about repeating song lyrics in your head. Thats something I am very familiar with, when its been most extreme I've done it at night (as opposed to sleeping). What is that called or what is it a symptom of? Thanks!
Anjul
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