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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by bah on February 25, 2004, at 22:47:51
Hi all, I'm new to this board. I've been dealing with depression for about fourteen years, but now it's really interfering with my job. I seem to get forgetful and have trouble thinking clearly when I'm stressed out. Unfortunately, as a TV photojournalist, that's pretty much every day. My boss seems to have gone to the Machiavelli School of Management. He thinks instilling fear in his employees makes them better workers. At this point I've made enough big mistakes that my job is on the line, and few people trust me to do good work. Of course that just stresses me out even more!
I finally saw a therapist last Friday and he Prescribed me Lexapro becuase it seems to have the fewest side effects when combined with my Coumadin and Rythmol.
I took my first 10 miligram tablet yesterday eveneing and it was sheer hell. My head felt heavy, my skin felt like it was prickling and burning, I had a massive headache, and I felt nauseous. I called my therapist today and he sugested I go down to half a tablet a day to start. My regular doctor sugested half a tablet ever other day for a while.
I think I'm going to wait until my weekend starts before I take any thing at all. I had to call in sick to work today because I felt so bad.
From what I'm hearing, most people get over the side effects over time, but my experience last night was very scary and unpleasant. I won't be able to work like that. I really need to be on the ball. Does any one have any sugestions?
Posted by irishcatholic on February 26, 2004, at 13:33:04
In reply to 1st time on SSRIs, Lexapro, posted by bah on February 25, 2004, at 22:47:51
Not surprising, Lex was exact same way for me.
I never got past day 2 - it was nasty.
Prozac has been my best SSRI so far (also tried Celexa, Paxil, and Zoloft).Don't let anybody tell you that "this class of drugs is all the same". Ain't true. 20 minutes on this board will convince you of that.
Keep trying though, there's something out there that will do the trick.
Good luck!
Posted by Zena on February 26, 2004, at 14:18:29
In reply to 1st time on SSRIs, Lexapro, posted by bah on February 25, 2004, at 22:47:51
> Hi all, I'm new to this board. I've been dealing with depression for about fourteen years, but now it's really interfering with my job. I seem to get forgetful and have trouble thinking clearly when I'm stressed out. Unfortunately, as a TV photojournalist, that's pretty much every day. My boss seems to have gone to the Machiavelli School of Management. He thinks instilling fear in his employees makes them better workers. At this point I've made enough big mistakes that my job is on the line, and few people trust me to do good work. Of course that just stresses me out even more!
>
> I finally saw a therapist last Friday and he Prescribed me Lexapro becuase it seems to have the fewest side effects when combined with my Coumadin and Rythmol.
>
> I took my first 10 miligram tablet yesterday eveneing and it was sheer hell. My head felt heavy, my skin felt like it was prickling and burning, I had a massive headache, and I felt nauseous. I called my therapist today and he sugested I go down to half a tablet a day to start. My regular doctor sugested half a tablet ever other day for a while.
>
> I think I'm going to wait until my weekend starts before I take any thing at all. I had to call in sick to work today because I felt so bad.
>
> From what I'm hearing, most people get over the side effects over time, but my experience last night was very scary and unpleasant. I won't be able to work like that. I really need to be on the ball. Does any one have any sugestions?Hi BAH,
I just started on Lexapro 3 weeks ago & the way my Dr. did it was 1/4 of a tablet for 4 days until I reached 10mg. That way your body has time to adjust to each dose. So far I've had very few side effects. I am also on remeron 15mg. & klonopin when needed. Hope this answers your questions.
Zena
Posted by KathrynLex on February 27, 2004, at 10:13:56
In reply to 1st time on SSRIs, Lexapro, posted by bah on February 25, 2004, at 22:47:51
Hi Bah,
It sounds like you're either very sensitive to meds or you had a bad reaction to Lexapro. I suggest trying it at a really, really low dose for a few days and if you still feel awful don't take it.
I'm on 15 mgs of Lexapro, started at 10 mgs. The first 2 weeks were unpleasant but tolerable. I had a bad experience on Paxil before taking Lex...for three days I was sick to my stomach, dizzy and incoherant. Needless to say, I threw the bottle in the trash.
There are a lot of antidepressants out there. If Lexapro turns out not to be the right med for you there are many others you can try. Prozac is a great med. Zoloft, Wellbutrin and Paxil are others you might try looking in to. I hope you find something that works for you!
Best of luck and please let us know how it goes.
K.
Posted by bill-bob on February 27, 2004, at 15:04:28
In reply to 1st time on SSRIs, Lexapro, posted by bah on February 25, 2004, at 22:47:51
My doc had me on 1/2 tablet (i.e., a 5 mg dose) for about 3 weeks until increasing to the full 10 mg/day dose. I don't know if this was overly conservative, but in any case I had relatively mild SEs in comparison to what you described.
It does seem one has to be patient in using the SSRI drugs (3-6 weeks of patience), but perhaps you are especially senstive to Lex (or all SSRIs).
As others have mentioned, try starting with a lower dose and perhaps don't increase too quickly.
B-B
Posted by Nemo2 on February 27, 2004, at 20:29:34
In reply to 1st time on SSRIs, Lexapro, posted by bah on February 25, 2004, at 22:47:51
Hi Bah,
I went for about 10 years showing the world this successful guy in a big job who supposedly was confident and competent and so on.....
Not true. I've struggled with anxiety all my life and did a tailspin into my first real depressive state over the last 4 years. Bad stomach, trembling, headaches, anxiety attacks during speeches, lots of fun. Finally, became suicidal and my GI doc said "Hey, you might be depressed". I'll get you a shrink or you can try Amytriptiline and see what it does for you". That was in October 2003. I tried it and it made me sick as a dog for 4 days. Then I said I'll go back to plan "A", which was to take care of all this with my own "inner strength". I am one who prays and reads some scripture and that helped, but I was a very unhappy believer, folks. By Christmas I was really becoming a different person. Scary time. I went to see my Internist and he said "Hey, maybe you're depressed. Let's try Lexapro and see what it does for you". I started 10mg on January 9th. Lexapro had minor side effects. Some nausea and about an hour less sleep each night. I did become concerned about week 3 with my brain fog and some increased hand tremors. Those, however, reduced quite a bit in week 6. Now I'm going in to week 8 and thinking that Lexapro is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I am confident and assured again. I see my personal problems in their proper perspective. I am LOOKING FORWARD to being alive again. My boss is a very demanding and anxiety producing person. Fortunately, I have worked for the same family company for 25 years and I decided last May to ask for a transfer back to my old job in National Accounts. It was granted and I'm in the last stages of training my replacement in the job I do not like at all. Hope springs eternal. Marriage and family problems remain. I still have digestive discomfort, but it is much reduced since taking Lexapro. The bottom line is that I AM GOING TO HAVE A GREAT LIFE....and that is not just me talking and trying to convince myself during days where I actually am thinking that I'd be better off dead. Thank you Lexapro. There are lots of different AD's out there. Keep trying them until you find your very own. It will happen. Don't give up. Don't listen to your doc's if they don't BELIEVE. It will happen. Good luck. Nemo2
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