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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by verbena on May 5, 2006, at 9:41:15
After major colon surgery and following complications my doctor suggested lexapro for my depression and loss of interest in my surroundings. Have taken Lexapro 10mg for 10 months, before bedtime. I have bad insomnia, but have never slept really well. Need to know if anyone feels lexapro adds to insomnia or causes it. Also, it has not given me much of a lift mentally. Is the dose too small?
Does anyone take it in the a.m. with better results with the sleep issue?
Posted by blueberry on May 5, 2006, at 17:12:11
In reply to experiences with lexapro causing insomnia, posted by verbena on May 5, 2006, at 9:41:15
I also have trouble with sleep and lexapro 5mg to 10mg made sleep very troublesome the whole 3 months I was on it. It improved my anxiety about 70% and by depression only 10%.
I doubt a higher dose will help your depression and loss of interest. It would probably just numb you out more and make loss of interest worse. Mileage does vary from person to person though. Clinical studies showed that generally higher doses were no more effective than 10mg.
Another medication or supplement that targets norepinephrine or dopamine would probably help a lot more than boosting serotonin more.
As a quick experiment you could buy some of the cheap natural amino acid tyrosine which converts to dopamine and norepinephrine, take 250mg in the morning on an empty stomach and 250mg at lunch. If you don't feel anything, try 500mg twice the next day. It could make sleep even worse, maybe not, but at least it would give you a very quick idea of whether going in the norepinephrine/dopamine direction will help, without having to go through various difficult expensive time consuming medication trials.
If it does help, you can get an even better effect by buying a broad based amino acid supplement with 20 aminos in it that includes tyrosine and phenylalanine. Experimentation would be needed to find the right dose. Some people do well on 4grams a day while others need 40grams.
Sleep...that's another issue. Lunesta maybe? Ambien maybe? Remeron maybe? Seroquel or zyprexa definitely work, but I would save them for hard-core last. Or naturally, combine any or all of these...gaba, taurine, glycine, magnesium.
Posted by Phillipa on May 5, 2006, at 21:51:41
In reply to experiences with lexapro causing insomnia, posted by verbena on May 5, 2006, at 9:41:15
I hope the colon surgery went well. Did you have part of it removed? That could explain lack of response. I have no idea how bad your depression is but since your intestines are involved have you looked into ENSAM the patch. Doesn't go into the digestive system just a thought. I have my eye on this med too. Since it's new. I like the ideas of a a patch you can take off if side effects ares bad. Love Phillipa
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on May 5, 2006, at 22:09:15
In reply to experiences with lexapro causing insomnia, posted by verbena on May 5, 2006, at 9:41:15
I think you should try to take Lexapro in the AM. That's what I have always done and I think that is what most docs suggest. It can be an activating drug.
I do have some sleep difficulties, but I take a number of meds, so I don't know if the lex is to blame. It even could be the depression itself. I do take ambien every night in order to help establish normal sleep patterns. Adequate sleep is so impt in fighting depression (and in my case, anxiety too).
Best,
EE
Posted by verbena on May 6, 2006, at 10:18:13
In reply to Re: experiences with lexapro causing insomnia, posted by Emily Elizabeth on May 5, 2006, at 22:09:15
Thanks very much to Emily Elizabeth, Phillipa and Blueberry...interesting advice, will give each a try. Yes, it was a subtotal colectomy and the absorption could be a problem. Why wouldnt the Dr have realized that...frustrating!
Oddly, ambien doesnt seem to help, except slightly, and then spills over into the next day to keep me drowsy. So many meds work so differently on different people..makes it very difficult to hit on the right one. Thanks to all of you for the help.
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