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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 9:37:38
I'm just wondering if anyone has stuck with lexpro and found that it didn't start working for 3-4 months. I've tried Lex twice now. First time for 8 weeks going from 5mg to 20mg every two weeks. didn't really seem to be doing much and the anxiety/aggitation never got better. But after going off it, I realized things were better on it than off. Tried it again a few months later, started at 20mg this time and stuck it out for 6 weeks. This time the stomach trouble made me quit. Other wise it was the same...anxiety/aggitation, slight help with depression.
I'm ultra sensetive to meds and I'm under the impression that if you have stomach issues on one SSRI, you'll probably have them on any??
I'm also under the impression that Lexapro is somewhat of a weak SSRI and thus, may take longer to work in severe cases??
I've heard that many people don't get relief on lexpro until they reach 30mg or 40mg so I'm debating giving it one more try...sticking it out and hopefully getting past the stomach problem phase.
I'm currently entering week 4 of wellbutrin sr with a very small dose of Lithium and having a horrible experience. I want to stick it out longer but I'm thinking I should add an SSRI to the mix.
So again, I'm wondering if anyone has needed 3-4 months to feel any benefits from Lexapro, or any other SSRI for that matter. Thanks
Posted by linkadge on May 12, 2007, at 9:44:25
In reply to SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 9:37:38
Have you ever tried just a low dose of lexapro with some wellbutrin?
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on May 12, 2007, at 12:01:42
In reply to Re: SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by linkadge on May 12, 2007, at 9:44:25
Or a dose of klonopin with the lexapro? Love Phillipa
Posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 14:41:23
In reply to Re: SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by linkadge on May 12, 2007, at 9:44:25
I'm entering week 4 of wellbutrin sr right now and having a horrible experience. I just started Lexapro again today to see how the combo works.
> Have you ever tried just a low dose of lexapro with some wellbutrin?
>
> Linkadge
Posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 14:43:35
In reply to Re: SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by Phillipa on May 12, 2007, at 12:01:42
Tried all the benzos. Minimal help. Any thoughts on the duration question?
Posted by Sandra62 on May 12, 2007, at 16:13:36
In reply to SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 9:37:38
I've gone up to 20 mg of Lexapro for months and it did absolutely nothing for my depression. Maybe I needed to on a higher dose. It's the only SSRI that doesn't give me sexual side effects so that fact makes me suspicious that it doesn't work for me at all. Anyways I'm weaning off of it now and my PDOC is raising my dosage of Lamictal as I had good response with that before for depression and it increased my creativity.
I hope you get things sorted soon. Good luck!
Posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 18:02:05
In reply to Re: SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by Sandra62 on May 12, 2007, at 16:13:36
can I ask why you tried Lexapro if you had good results with Lamictal? I've been considering Lamictal myself. Was the Lexapro an addition to Lamactil you're currently taking or was that a diferent instance of depression? thanks for your input.
> I've gone up to 20 mg of Lexapro for months and it did absolutely nothing for my depression. Maybe I needed to on a higher dose. It's the only SSRI that doesn't give me sexual side effects so that fact makes me suspicious that it doesn't work for me at all. Anyways I'm weaning off of it now and my PDOC is raising my dosage of Lamictal as I had good response with that before for depression and it increased my creativity.
>
> I hope you get things sorted soon. Good luck!
Posted by Sandra62 on May 12, 2007, at 20:52:53
In reply to Re: SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro? » Sandra62, posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 18:02:05
Initially when I was first diagnosed with Bipolar a couple of years ago I tried Neurontin. It did nothing. Then I tried Lamictal. I got manic at 150 mg. My PDOC added Zyprexa. I felt good for a year on that, but the depression started coming back. My PDOC decided just to add an AD instead of raising the Lamictal.
Now we've ditched the AP, and added Topamax instead. She's had good results with Topamax and Lamictal. So instead of trying another AD we're trying to raise the dosage of Lamictal from the 100 mg I was on to see if it works. I'm taking 125 mg now and already feel better. Target dose is 150 mg - 200 mg. If I get manic again we'll raise the dosage of Topamax. Hoping for the best.
Posted by Dianne Hammond on May 12, 2007, at 22:24:06
In reply to SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 9:37:38
> I'm just wondering if anyone has stuck with lexpro and found that it didn't start working for 3-4 months.<
I have been on Lexapro for about 4 years now. It did take about a week ± for it to begin working. Just recently I tried Celexa for about 2 weeks. It didn't work as well. As of today, I am back on Lexapro. My initial dosage was 10mg. After 6 months I went up to 20mg. It has been at that level ever since.
>Tried it again a few months later, started at 20mg this time and stuck it out for 6 weeks. This time the stomach trouble made me quit. Other wise it was the same...anxiety/aggitation, slight help with depression. <
I have intestinal problems that are ongoing since my gallbladder was removed. Stomach doesn't seem to be causing problems. I did have an ulcer a year ago from too much Excedrine. Off it now.
Posted by elanor roosevelt on May 21, 2007, at 20:40:05
In reply to Re: SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by Dianne Hammond on May 12, 2007, at 22:24:06
i am most fond of lexapro and celexa for teh short time they work for me
the change is immediate
especially helping me with my impatience
i do find them rough on the intestines
more so than other ssri's
so don't let that side effect keep you from trying other ssi's
good luck
Posted by Denise190466 on May 27, 2007, at 14:05:58
In reply to SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by cmorhoun on May 12, 2007, at 9:37:38
Hi,
I've been taking 20mg of Lexapro now for over two months and although it has helped a little with the depression I still have an awful lot of anxiety there and apathy, almost like a weakness in my spine at the back of my head.
A small addition of Zyprexa has helped with the anxiety and apathy but I have to say I know the lexapro istn't working very well.
Seroxat worked better (but that was when it worked). It stopped working after two years.
Denise
Posted by cmorhoun on May 29, 2007, at 8:48:00
In reply to Re: SSRIs taking 3-4 months? Lexapro?, posted by Denise190466 on May 27, 2007, at 14:05:58
You might try going up to 30 or even 40mgs. I have a good friend who didn't get any benefit until he got up to 30 and he knows a number of people who take 40. My problem is the stomach upset. It gets pretty bad at 20mg and I'm under the impression that doesn't typically go away like other side effects.
This is the end of the thread.
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