Lexapro - Brookhaven,NY

I will tell you my experience, but everybody is different. I took Lexapro for about 6-8 months and it did not help at all. I stayed on it so long because I was hoping it would help eventually and had already tried 2 other meds and did not want to try anythign else. I decided to stop it and have nothing. I tapered off as my doctor suggested and it was horrible. I had headaches, was exhausted and in a fog for about a week. Coming off of Lexapro is the reason I have never tried another anti-depressant. I do not want to go through that again! However, after some research, I am thinking that Lexapro and the other meds I took were just not the the right category of medication I needed. So it may be different for you. I hope it is :)

Yes you may gain weight! I have always weighed under 120 lbs and never had a problem with keeping it under that. After I began taking Lexapro I gained 20 lbs over the course of a year!!! I even exercised and ate right and nothing helped. I saw another Dr and he ended up switching me to Welbutrin XL. I've tried just about every antidepressent and I would say the Welbutrin has been the best!

Everyone is different, it may work without side effects, it may not work, and it may not work and have side effects.

I am always kind of weary of SSRI's because of the weight gain issue too. This is not the only drug that you could try, and if you want to really have a good discussion about antidepressants, you could make an appointment with a psychiatrist who is an expert in all the medications available to you, and should be willing to have a long discussion about the treatment options and what might work without the weight gain issue. One option is welbutrin, which is not only weight neutral, but for some, helps with weight loss. Especially if your prescription came from your GP, you may want to consult someone with more information about these medications and more experience prescribing them. It could just be that Lexapro is the sample your doctor had in the office, which is not always going to mean that you get the best fit for you.

Many people have to wiegh the benefits vs. side effects of medication. You are the only one who can make that decision for you, with the help of your doctor.

While counseling and medication are frequently the best treatment for depression, some depression responds to medication alone, and you won't know if you have this type until you try. If you find that you are not getting sufficient releif, do consult a therapist.

M.

I took it for 9 months and did just fine. My doctor didn't say anything about those effects, just that I might feel jittery and more down the first couple of days. I didn't even experience that. No weight gain either. Everyone does differently. I know a guy who took it and it obviously didnt' work because he killed himself while on it. If you have those feelings though, of course you would need to tell your doctor right away. He just didn't communicate with anyone. You will know pretty quickly if they are or aren't for you.
I also just wanted to tell you that anyone who tells you that you don't need meds don't know what real depression is even if they are convinced they've had it. It is a chemical imbalance in your brain and can't correct itself. Depression is real and I always thought it was fake until I had it after my son died. It is very real and very scary.

I take this medication and I love it. I had an adverse reaction to another medication my doctor put me on and was switched to this one. I didn't experience any side effects when I started. What my doctor told me was that it doesn't actually make you gain weight or slow down your metabolism but it entices you more to carbs. So be careful of what you put in your mouth. I was and I didn't gain any weight. Good luck and if you need to talk you know where to find me. :)

Take it - but get some therapy as well. The two in combination work best.

I took Lexapro. I didn't have side effects at the time. I can say that being depressed, laying around sleeping and crying and eating, does more for weight gain than the medication! However, I had head splitting terrible agonizing headaches when I ran out. I have also had a wierd lingering affect since I stopped taking them 5 years ago. I can't get drunk! I can't feel codeine or nitrous. Sounds strange, but when I went to the dentist this year, he was not able to give me anything that worked better than Tylenol. He gave me the mega Vicodin, that comes with a stern warning from the pharmacist, I felt nothing. He gave me nitrous for 20 minutes, nothing. When I drink, I feel crappy the next day, but no buzz while drinking! Frustrating. I have to think that it was all the monkeying around of uptake inhibitors and what not. My brain doesn't process those chemicals the same way anymore. So, I say if you need them, really need them, or you might be a danger to yourself or others, by all means, get the help youneed. But if you are just blue and disasatisfied, go get on a regular excercise routine 1st. I know that sounds ridiculous. I used to get so pissed when people would tell me to excercise, but I have finally done it and it works wonders. Sunshine and excercise are the 2 things you get very little of when you start slipping down that slippery slope to depression, but they are the 2 mood elevators that really work. Hope this helped a little. Good Luck and be strong mama.

I gained a lot of weight on lexapro. It did not work either. The withdraw was horrendous. I am not a fan. I have not taken anything since, that was 2006. I would rather be slightly depressed than gain weight like that! I sitll can't get it all off :( Like you, i have another disease. That may make it easier for us to put on the weight. I just wanted to be honest with you. I asked my dr for months if the med could be doing it. She keep telling me no. It was!

Never had the med but wanted you to know that I was thinking about you and let that things can get better.
J.

HI L., I never took the meds you mention, but did use Zoloft for about 6 months when too many things were going on in my life and I was not coping well. Just wanted to sit and cry all day. The meds completely got me through it. I felt brighter lighter happier and most importably, ABLE within 2 weeks. After 6 months decided I might be able to make it on my own and slowly lowered the dosage to nothing. I had no side effects, and did not revert back to my miserable self once off completely. Discuss the Graves and weight gain issues with your Doc, there are MANY choices, hope you find it works for you. Good Luck and feel Good!!

I suggest that you do not take any type of anti depressants what so ever. I have had anxiety and depression before and the best way to help you get over it is if you talk to a psychologist and find some time in your day to exercise. That will be the only way. Anti-depressants just make you feel more down.