Lexapro? Pros and cons, please.

Posted by lonestarinitaly @lonestarinitaly, Mar 5 7:43am

Need feedback on pros and cons of Lexapro antidepressant.

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I was not able to take it, it made me sick with diarrhea.

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Changed my life. I started taking Lexapro 2006 and never looked back. My depression is gone and anxiety is gone. Also I stopped biting my finger nails and shaking my leg.

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@dwheels8

Changed my life. I started taking Lexapro 2006 and never looked back. My depression is gone and anxiety is gone. Also I stopped biting my finger nails and shaking my leg.

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What dose are you on? My son takes it for anxiety and in my opinion, it doesn't help him. I'm not sure what dose he is on but I know it's a low dose. If I'm correct it may only be 10mg. He is 37 yrs old.

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I have written about this before in this Mayo Clinic category. Lexapro changed my life for the worse. A small dose, only two months, and a savage onset of what can only be called a waking coma. It occurred daily for about five hours: could not move yet was totally awake, absolutely no will power even to life an arm, dissociative (my own identity was complete erased... I became little more than a camcorder), and suicidal. You just can't envision it ending or that you will escape. That was in 2019. Naturally I tapered off, using the advice my PCP told me. But the affects are still present. I measure them in percentages. For a month, maybe no onset. Then one comes on at about 40% of the full incapacity, or maybe 25%. I can function at 25%, if higher than 40%, I have to yield and lie down. I've had nearly every test conceivable. There is only disbelief and no explanation, no cure. I understand I'm an outlier. The drug has helped many. But here is at least one person who found it very dangerous.

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@mitfit

I was not able to take it, it made me sick with diarrhea.

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I am a huge fan of Lexapro. I have been taking 10 mg for 3 months. Has completely stopped my panic attacks and anxiety.

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I am happy Lexapro is working for you. I have a friend that it helped immensely.

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Like all the rx you don’t know know till you tried them . As many Drs have told me . Side effects are so scarry, even at low doses.
What are they doing to the liver long term????
For me hot sweats , felt like my skin was on fire when out in heat, couldn’t sleep , fatique, in a fog … horrible . I weaned off.
Even taking the Geno testing didn’t prove the right drug.
Do all what you can naturally first walking, water, little sugars, yoga, mediation, therapy first!!

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While it worked for my anxiety and depression, I was unable to feel emotions, could not tolerate alcohol, and gained weight. It felt good to go off of it after about 18 months.

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The only true answer is that the experience varies by person. Unfortunately, that means trial and error 🙁 I know, it sucks and its an annoying process.

For example, I could not handle the side effects and discontinued the medication before it could give me full relief.

However, I have a family friend who has used the medication for 20+ years and it changed their life.

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10 mg daily of Lexapro lowered my sodium blood concentration causing headaches and lightheadedness. Those effects showed six months after starting with the drug.

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