Drug Ratings for LEXAPROAverage Rating: 3.3 (1731 Ratings)
Compare LEXAPRO with similar: |
Results are sorted by Satisfaction from lowest to highest Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR LEXAPRO | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 4 | anxiety | Side effects started with a loss of appetite (not such a bad thing really), slight nausea (gone now), chills (gone now) and difficulty reaching orgasm. Twenty-four hours after switching from 5mg to 10 mg I had burning and prickling sensations in my hands (thankfully that only lasted around 24 hours). I've had some strange dreams--one's that cause me to awake suddenly (often flailing around a bit). Just today I noticed some muscle twitches in my legs and feet, which is a bit worrisome. | The side effects make me worried I have some other affliction causing them. The drug has been decent in dealing with anxiety symptoms. I had been on Paxil, which produced far less side effects, although it stopped working for me after a few years. Lexapro seems to cause more side effects although they aren't too difficult to deal with. | M | 44 | 11 days | 1/6/2008 | 4 | anxiety | nausea , difficulting urinating, headache loss of libido | works good for anxiety.Taken for a year 10mg I have found taking supplement called MACA has returned libido to normal even higher. Headache are the side effecct that sticks around and nausea. Good luck! | M | 29 | 1 years | 1/4/2008 | 4 | anxiety, social phobia | only the first month or so, it seemed as if it wasn't working but slowly i started feeling better | This drug has given my life back. I can socialize again without being worried about what other people think of me. I used to have a short temper that seems to have lessened alot and now i feel more confident. I have been on this drug for 1.5 year and although the beginning was difficult it has payed off big time for me. Life is too short to just seat and worry, i hope this drug works for you the way it did for me. | M | 32 | 1.5 years | 1/1/2008 | 4 | Depression/Anxiety | Itching!!!! Some blurred vision, night sweats. Taking 5mg for two weeks and then going to 10 mg | I dont know if itching is common I think I only saw 2 other people w/ that side effect. Only on my 2nd day. Other then the itching other side effects are mild. | F | 23 | 2 days | 12/11/2007 | 4 | depression | Did not notice any side effects while taking this medication. I have taken Lexapro for 4 or 5 years now. Stopping this medication is a whole different story. Even not taking it for as much as a week at a time has devestating effects on me. I can not discribe the horrible disorientating feeling inside my head. Its a kind of dizzy, change in internal pressure, elevator feeling. I hope it will pass. Has anyone stop taking this medication after a significant period of time and gotten back to normal? I never had problems with anger before taking this only depression. Now I have to be very careful to keep from flying into rages. I feel like I am recovering from an addiction. | F | 35 | 5 years | 12/10/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | It helped my Anxiety GREATLY! But caused weight gain (about 20 pounds while being on it for 2 years). and It made me very tired and lazy...didn't get much work done and it was hard to get out of bed, but I loved not being full of anxiety. | F | 2 days | 12/8/2007 | 4 | anxiety, mild depression | Nothing too note worthy for the first four years, but this past year I have had unbelievable sleepiness, weight gain and forgetfulness. | I was moved on to Lexapro when Celexa stopped working for me - it seemed to be really grand, and I had no idea about the dependency issues at the time or how difficult it might be to leave it. Worked my way from 20 to 30 mg over the years, always at night because it makes me drowsy (and I had insomnia, so perfect!) But this past year I have experienced near narcopleptic sleepiness, short-term memory loss and weight gain of 20 lbs. Am transitioning off the Lexapro and on to Wellbutrin now, and it's freaky! Cracked out one minute, sleepy the next. Is this the phasing out of the Lex or beginning of the Well? Can't say. Lexapro is better than trying to live with anxiety attacks, but I wish I had known more about it getting started. | F | 36 | 5 years | 11/22/2007 | 4 | Severe depression/ PTSD/ anger | Jaw tremors, anxiety at first, tired a lot, SWEATING! The worst: lowered sex drive. | I love this drug but I do notice that I get sweaty more and my sex drive always goes down no matter what SSRI I take. But without this drug my mood swings are so bad! Used to be suicidal for five years on/off. I used to be a "cutter" also. I still have a lot of body dismorphic disorder problems while taking this drug but I really like lexapro. I only take 5 mg because if I was to take more I feel like a zombie. I hate having to depend on meds but I have gotten in trouble with the law because of my anger issues (I black out when I go in a "rage") I have taken Lexapro on and off for three years. Whenever I feel better I think it's ok to go off it but then all HELL breaks lose. It's great everyone here is taking care of yourself! love you all! happy thanksgiving. | F | 26 | 2 months | 11/21/2007 | 4 | Depression | Initially extreme fatigue but that was gone within the first two weeks. I've been on 20 mg for 3 1/2 years now and I've gained 30 pounds in that time. I've never had a weight problem in my life and now I'm FAT. I've been down to 10 mg for 6 weeks now and haven't lost any weight but my moods are still stable. I want to get completely off of it to lose weight as nothing else seems to get it off. | Literally changed my life. I've been on a ton of different anti-depressants for the last 15 years and this is the first one that treated my symptoms of irritability and agitation. I never even knew those symptoms were from my depression, just thought I was a "you know what". I feel like I have to chose between being fat or being patient and nice. Hard decision. | F | 39 | 3 years | 11/17/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | Weight gain, severe jaw clenching, decreased libido | Of all the SSRI's I've tried, Lexapro makes me feel the most like myself. It takes away the edge but doesn't overpower your emotional state and make you feel like a "zombie." However, I have severe jaw pain, and my hugest problem of all is WEIGHT GAIN! To be fair, my diet has not been phenomenal, but over these past years on it, I have gained 35 pounds. This is what did me in, and I am considering stopping taking it because of that. Since side effects differ, I would recommend trying it if your doctor suggests it. It has worked wonders for me mentally, and has helped me through very rough times and huge decisions. | F | 21 | 3 years | 11/16/2007 | 4 | social anxiety, depression, OCD | Tingly sensations all over, yawning a lot for the first few weeks, dilated pupils for the first two weeks, some insomnia, feeling tired throughout the day. The side effects weren't too bad but by far the worst one is loss of libido and difficulty achieving orgasm | I started to improve a lot when I went onto 20mg, I felt a lot happier in myself and more relaxed but a bit less motivated and less energetic, found it difficult getting up in the mornings and found it hard making myself get round to doing my studies, felt a bit lazier about things. Less worrying and thinking. I love the 20mg, I wish I could stay on it but I'm trying to ease of because of the sexual side effects, I really miss my libido, which feels almost non-existent on this. I'm mixing 10mg with 20mg right now and I've felt some withdrawal symptoms: insomnia has come back, a couple of headaches, tingly sensations have come back, weird dreams, a bit of depression, worrying coming back, was really emotional on one of the days and couldn't stop crying but hopefully it'll all balance out again. It's helped me loads, just hope I can keep it up once I've stopped it. | F | 20 | 1 years | 11/14/2007 | 4 | Depression, mild anxiety | Sleepiness | I've been taking 20mg Lexapro for three days now. Overall, I feel a little better. I've been getting up in the morning and going to bed at night, whereas before, I would sleep all day. I don't have any other side effects other than sleepiness during the day. | M | 22 | 3 days | 11/12/2007 | 4 | GAD, mild depression | For the first week, I had a very difficult time sleeping. A few nights I would wake up with night terrors. Luckily, my sleep returned to normal after about a week. | Overall, this medicine has greatly improved my life. I am no longer having panic attacks, and I have a much more positive outlook on life. I would definitely recommend lexapro for anyone going through a difficult, stressful time. | F | 23 | 1 days | 11/11/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | Took a few weeks to get used to, excellent results after that! | The change was so gradual that I didn't even notice it happening. A few weeks after starting it one of my friends mentioned how much more relaxed and happier I seemed (she didn't know I was taking anything). The only negative side effect I've had is a decrease in sex drive. For me it's worth it. | F | 23 | 1.5 years | 11/7/2007 | 4 | GAD | Jaw clinching,anxitey at first but whent away,mental fuzz at first whent away,increased iching | i have been takeing lexapro for about 7weeks and it has taken my anxitey completly away and has made me happy but the first 3 or 4 week was bad i had anxitey and panic attaks and felt mentally strange but after the first 2 or 3 weeks it was ok i feel great i am haveing a life with my daughter and my old lady has seen a change in me i am like i was before i had the anxitey BUT everybody reacts differnt so dont look at all the comments and think that u will have the same exprience | M | 26 | 7 weeks | 11/7/2007 | 4 | Depression, then migraines | Very sleepy, some nausea, anorgasmia, headaches, vivid dreams | I started on 10 mg after depression set in. I had a full blown panic attack (1st ever) three days into it. Very scary, but my MD kept me on the Lexapro & gave me addt'l meds so I could sleep and ride out the panic. Then things evened out. I was thrilled how I felt. Sleeping better too. But migraines were getting worse. I went to a new neurologist who said Lexapro can help with migraines. He upped my dose to 20 mg. I had four days of a terrible headache. Called and he told me to up my dose to 40 mg! That made me too wiped out (tired) so I cut back to 30 and take it before bed. My migraines are much improved (down from 10-12/mo. to 3-4 per month) and I feel great...except for the anorgasmia. Tough tradeoff but for the time being I'll live with it. | F | 43 | 4 months | 10/30/2007 | 4 | Depression, anxiety | Insomnia, sweating, anxiety, fatigue | I have been on lexapro just over 3 weeks, and I believe my body is adjusting and the side effects are at a minimum. I was also taking ativan/loreprazm for sleep, and I noticed that my fatigue and depression was worse after I would take the nerve pill. So, I haven't been taking it and just taking the lexapro, and I'm not have as tired or depressed. Read the side effects on the web about it. It helped me sleep, but I think that was the pill that was giving me more of the negative side effects than the lexapro. | F | 42 | 3 weeks | 10/26/2007 | 4 | Anxiety/Panic Attacks | Feeling high for the first few days, but that went away. Now I feel tired more frequently and I find myself not caring about many things. Very vivid dreams!! Sex drive down sometimes...some depression around the time of my period. | Overall this medication has changed my life. I have experienced EXTREME anxiety and panic attacks since junior high and this medication has made them almost completly disappear. Some of the side effects are a little bothersome but in comparison to what I was feeling before they are all worth it 100%! I can acutally live my life with out being in fear all the time. | F | 18 | 5 months | 10/25/2007 | 4 | Major Depression; Suicidal ideation | Nausea, diarrhea, cramping, fatigue, joint aching, headaches | I've been taking this medication since I was 16 for severe depression after wellbutrin did not work for me. I started with 20 mg and had horrible nausea which left in a few weeks, cut down to 10mg this summer and was fine. Then a week ago I went back to 20mg and I've had miserable stomach upset and overall discomfort as if I had the flu. Mood wise, this medication works very well for me and helps keep me from going back to a depressive episode in difficult situations. I would recommend trying it because the side effects do leave and lexapro provides lasting depression relief. | F | 19 | 3 years | 10/22/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | 10Mg...first 2-3 weeks, very tired, spacy. Got over that. Have gained weight @20#'s. Get light headed, eat something and feel better...theres your weight gain. Wierd dreams at night. | Was on it for a year, weined off for 3 months, anxiety started coming back...life was better on it. Decided to go back on. Very happy with the drug. Don't have to take Xanax for those "emergencys" anymore. Yes there are some minor side effects..but you have to weigh your options. My life is much better (normal) being on the drug then off. | M | 30 | 2 years | 10/17/2007 | 4 | anxiety | Initially jaw clenching. Over time weight gain. | The Lexapro started working on my anxiety within days. It completely saved me from debilitating panic attacks and insomnia. I worked up to 10mg (had to go slowly because of bad jaw clenching) and stayed there for over a year. I am now down to 5mg. I take it in the morning to reduce chance of insomnia. Never had any tiredness or spaciness on it. I also did not experience serious sexual side effects. The biggest issue has been weight gain. I have to diet in order to maintain my weight and if I stop dieting I gain weight. It's such a drag because otherwise the medication is great. | F | 43 | 3 years | 10/14/2007 | 4 | Depression | Drowsiness, anorgasmia (which may cause me to add or switch to Welbutrin) | Saved my life. Feel good for the first time in 20 years. | F | 35 | 15 months | 10/14/2007 | 4 | Grief and Post Trauma | Anorgasmia (inability to reach orgasm)and nausea were the two side effects. | The ffectiveness was amazing. Within 3 day s the deep pain and sorrow that I have had everyday for more than a year, disappeared. I felt like I was finally back to what I know as normal. However, the side effects I experienced created a big concern for me. | F | 53 | 9 days | 10/10/2007 | 4 | depression | Very few so far ... I've only been on it a week. It is replacing Celexa, which had completely stopped working. While I am tired and sleepy, I've had this problem on and off for years and it may be the result of painkillers I'm currently taking. No insomnia, no other side effects. I will have to watch for the weight gain, as I'm already heavy and can't afford to gain more. | This is REALLY working for me after I've had poop-out syndrom with lots of other antidepressants. I'm with the person who said that people SHOULD NOT tell others not to take this drug. As with any drug, the side-effects vary widely, from virtually none (me) to very severe ones. My side-effects on Wellbutrin were so severe I had to stop very quickly, yet most people seem to do pretty well on it. Don't try to judge for others what drugs they should take. Leave that up the person and her doctor, please. | F | 48 | 12 days | 10/9/2007 | 4 | Bipolar | Start up side effects was while tapering off Paxil. ONLY way I could get off Paxil (THAT one is a PAIN to get off). So start up was simultaneous with drawdown from Paxil and was very easy. Long term effects - headaches, nausea, vertigo. | Lexapro has been good for me but its getting to the point where I have to hibernate when the headache/nausea/vertigo kick in and its using up alot of my sick leave. So I guess I'll have to try another anti-depressant. Bummer. It did the job - the side effects are just starting to outweigh the benefits... | F | 42 | 2 years | 10/6/2007 | 4 | M | 39 | 6 months | 10/2/2007 | 4 | anxiety | Since starting the Lexapro diet about 1.5 yrs ago, my mood is better and I am much more relaxed. Before I was very short tempered and could not sit still for 10 min. at a time. My family is very happy I am taking this prescription. | Side Effects: I have gained 25 lbs. I have severe restless leg syndrome. Very little sex drive and I sweat a lot. | M | 39 | 1.5 years | 10/1/2007 | 4 | Depression/General Anxiety | Sleepiness,Weight Gain,Decreased sexual desire. | I took Lexapro for a little over a year and it helped a lot for about the first 10-12 months. After that I noticed I was having a hard time getting motivated in the morning and was sleepy on and off throughout the day. I still felt much better than i had though. The weight gain was what did it for me. I think I gained about 20 pounds and couldnt take it anymore so I started to ween myself off of it. That wasn't to bad it only took a few weeks and being off of it I still felt good so maybe I didnt need to take it anymore. A year and half later Im feeling depressed again and Im thinking about going back on it along with talking to a professional. | F | 27 | 15 days | 9/30/2007 | 4 | general anxiety disorder | none | I have been on 10mg for a year since panic attacks started after the death of my son. Just recently I had my first panic attack in 11mos...out of nowhere. I upped my dosage on my own (I'll tell the doc next week) to 15mg and am considering adding L-theanine to my daily routine. I like it; I haven't noticed any side effects, but perhaps that is b/c I was only on 10mg? | F | 33 | 1 years | 9/29/2007 | 4 | Depression, OCD, GAD | nausea, increased anxiousness (temporary) | I began taking Lexapro two days ago for my anxiety. The side effects so far are not significant, and I'm already feeling a noticeable improvement in my mood. | M | 18 | 2 days | 9/26/2007 | 4 | anxiety/depression | Initial-brain zaps, headache, fatigue: all went away after 2 weeks Later-Weight gain | This drug worked very well for anxiety and mild depression. If you can tough it out for the first couple of weeks with the side effects...it is worth it. Really quite amazing. I was actually able to overcome a long-standing fear of flying. I have gained weight that I have been unable to lose with diet/exercise. I have discontinued my daily 10 mg dose to see if I can lose the weight. I did not have any withdrawal side effects. | F | 48 | 2 years | 9/26/2007 | 4 | anxiety, mood-disorder, depression | The best thing I can say about Lexapro is that OTHERS have noticed the change in before I did!! I started taking Lexapro at night in case it would make me drowsy. Had quite the opposite effect and it gave me insomnia, but I've had trouble sleeping on and off for quite some time. Decided to give it a few more days before taking it in the morning. After about a week, the insomnia went away. I've noticed that I dont fly off the handle like before. I'm able to handle stress better. My severe mood swings have improved alot!! | F | 26 | 1 months | 9/25/2007 | 4 | Major depression and suicidal | Dry mouth, some sleepiness and excessive yawning | This has been a god send for me. Before I was barely functional and honestly might not be here. Any side effects were , for me, tolerable compared to the benefits. They pretty much disappeared after two weeks or so. | F | 38 | 2 years | 9/22/2007 | 4 | depression | Dizziness. Dry mouth. Yawning. All left after a couple of weeks. Erectile disfunction. Inability to orgasm. Lack of sexual desire. | 2 months now and so far so good. Lexapro has certainly lifted my mood and allowed me to think clearly and comfortably. It's also got me more motivated,out of my chair and into some mild exercise. I intend to stay on it for a while. The only side effect that's really concerned me is the sexual one. However the inability to orgasm has been addressed by use of a prostate massager which works well despite being embarrassing. I'm slowly beginning to have erections again so I expect that eventually the orgasm inability will resolve itself. Another reviewer above mentioned in his case it took several months. I began with ten and moved to twenty after a month. I don't intend to escalate. I'll report again at 6 months. | M | 52 | 2 months | 9/20/2007 | 4 | Significant stress, sleeplessness | Clenching jaw after three weeks | I have been taking Lexapro for almost a month and so far it has taken the edge off my feelings of being stressed all the time. But I realize now the only answer to my problems is to make a change in my life. | F | 54 | 27 days | 9/19/2007 | 4 | mild depression | first month - fatigue, dry mouth; second month - insomnia; lasting side effects - sweating | I became a more easy-going person on this drug. Before I was tense and snappy and not getting along well with most of my family. I noticed a difference within 3 days on lexapro - all positive. After experimenting with dosing time (I now take it in the morning) and getting through the first few months side effects, I am now content. The sweating is annoying, but manageable. | F | 33 | 1.5 years | 9/16/2007 | 4 | Anxiety, OCD | Burning headaches on the top of my head, dry mouth, sleeplessness, spacey, lack of sex drive, major mood swings, no emotions, short term memory loss | Started taking this due to numerous recurring irrational thoughts lasting all day. Lexapro has helped decrease the frequency of the thoughts, however sometimes due to the lack of emotions I've had a harder time convincing myself of what's true. I've only been taking it a week now but I feel a little better each day. | M | 27 | 7 days | 9/13/2007 | 4 | Severe Anxiety, Grief, Depression | Dr. started me on 20mg, did that for 3 days. Felt 'wired' and woke very early. Only 'half' asleep. Cut back to 10mg. Take it at noon, rather than night. Shakiness. Tingling in arm. Now near week 4, diarrhea (tend toward that in past), strange though, first 3 days on higher dosage, noticed the opposite, first time in long time. Also, opposite effect w/ alcohol. I can drink more and don't notice it. Not good! Esp. since it's hard to fall asleep sometimes! | Lexapro has definitely taken away the terror of dread I'd experience. Now into week 4, my sleep is all screwed up. I'll either not be able to get out of bed before 11am, or wake way too early. Also have Hashimotos and adrenal fatigue. So I'm trying to rest an hour early evening. I've got 4 kids, and a photography business, so it's tough. Yesterday felt kinda nauseous. Maybe it's a virus, don't know. Take 1/2 of a .25mcg xanax one or twice a day to help with sleep, etc. Started talk therapy 2 weeks ago, after death of close friend a month ago. Want to start seeing a psychiatrist soon, along with my GP who prescribed this, and my psychologist, to better monitor things. | F | 45 | 4 weeks | 9/12/2007 | 4 | Depression | Nausea & yawning for 1st month - Over last 6 months: difficulty reaching orgasm (F), loss of impulse control resulting in financial debt, increase in risky behavior, mania, lack of empathy, lack of emotional reactivity (haven't shed a single tear in over 6 months) | Despite some of the side effects I like the increased energy and increase in social confidence. I've lost weight, increased activity, done better at work and get out and do things. I feel much more alive. | F | 52 | 7 months | 9/12/2007 | 4 | depression and anxiety | I've been on Lexapro for 2.5 years and don't remember too many icky side effects in the beginning. Initially lost 8 lbs the first month on it, but have gained 10 since then. Definitely have the sweats at night though, not pleasant. | I gave this drug a 4 because like many others have said here, for the first time in my life I felt 'normal' -- I could let things go. It seemed for me, the missing link. I have suffered from depression since high school and tried to deal with it through exercise, diet and therapy. Although all that helped, I never felt the way I did when I started taking this drug. I still to this day reflect after a tough situation how different I would've handled it prior to lexapro. I cried almost every day and just felt like I was the worst person on earth. I've stopped re-thinking everything, worrying all the time and honestly just started living! The only thing is, I still get very angry at my children (ages 2 and 5) but I think it more has to do with dealing with toddlers. I thought I would research that a bit though and discovered this site. I sure wish I read this BEFORE taking Lexapro because I never wanted to be on meds for life and am now scared to death to go off them!!! (started on 10 m, | F | 43 | 2.5 years | 9/11/2007 | 4 | GAD, OCD, depression | Weight gain, excessive sleepiness with one alcoholic drink, anorgasmia | Thankfully, most of the side effects have gone away, but the weight gain is still an issue. However, I'd rather be healthy and happy than depressed and skin and bones. | F | 25 | 14 months | 9/11/2007 | 4 | Depression | Some Tiredness and weight gain, occasional bowel cramping | Found Lexapro to be a lifesaver, had gotten to a very low place and was quite disfunctional, after only about 2 weeks noticed an improvement have been taking it now for 2 years and still find it kicks in when I need it. | F | 42 | 2 days | 9/7/2007 | 4 | major depression/sucide attempt | Gained 30# in one year, sex life completely died, but when I weigh how well I am doing versus the weight and lack of orgasms, I'd rather stay on the meds. I joke around that I am spayed. However, for the first time in my life, I felt level, patient, able to reason. | Does anyone know the longterm effects of this medicine? I wonder if it will someday be found to cause major health problems. I am functioning in my life, my work, my marriage, and without Lexapro I don't think I would be. Always a hard choice whether to take meds or not. | F | 55 | 7 years | 9/1/2007 | 4 | Depression/Suicidal | Jaw clenching, anxiety | It got me out of my super depression.....but now my jaw is clenched so much I may have TMJ and need a night guard. The anxiety is out of control. | F | 33 | 4 years | 8/30/2007 | 4 | ANXIETY/DEPRESSION | FORGETFULNESS, SCATTER BRAINED | I WENT ON LEXAPRO AFTER HAVING BEEN ON ZOLOFT FOR 5 YEARS. SEEMS AS THOUGH I ZOLOFT SUDDENLY LOST ITS USEFULNESS. | F | 39 | 2 years | 8/29/2007 | 4 | Post pardum depression | Irregular periods, Head aches during first week of use, Tired/fatigue | First 5 day I had some real bad headaches. My period usually is like clockwork but I found that it came early the first month I was on this medication as well as the third month. It isn't as regular as it used to be. I was very surprised how well it worked. Within 2 weeks I started to feel my anxiety fade away. I can finally sleep at night too. I just don't have the energy like I used to. I did gain 5 lbs but that is also probably due to lack of exercise because I've been lazy since I have been on this medication. | F | 31 | 3 months | 8/27/2007 | 4 | Depression | A little anxiety in the first 2 weeks. Some afternoon fatigue. I take it in the morning. | I was misdiagnosed with bipolar, put on Lamictal and Topamax, BOTH WHICH CAUSED OVER 1/3 OF MY HAIR TO FALL OUT!!! and it did NOTHING for my depression. Lamictal causes various nasty rashes, which can come and go, and Topamax causes you to turn into an idiot. The 4 pound weight loss was definitely NOT worth it. I went off of both this summer, and on Lexapro, and am SO much better, happier, more relaxed. I am only at 7.5mg, and that is fine for me so far. | F | 50 | 3 weeks | 8/26/2007 | 4 | GAD, mild depression | Insomnia, loss of appetite, lethargy. | I'm on 5 mg. Already I feel like I can cope with things a bit better--but the insomnia I had last night kept me up until dawn. I was a zombie today. | F | 29 | 7 days | 8/23/2007 | 4 | Depression/ Anxiety | Hunger has increased with weight gain of 5-6 pounds. Sleep too much, drowsy, in a daze, apathetic, numb, non-orgasmic unmotivated, lack of drive, don't care. This was during the first 4 weeks but things got better. See additional comments. | I am taking 10 mg. at night before bed. After the first 4-5 weeks, things seemed to settle down. My sex drive is still somewhat decreased but is coming back. I can now orgasm, although it takes longer. I feel much less depressed. I can now go back to sleep after I awake at 3:45 a.m. to go to the bathroom. Rather than lying and obsessing for hours about negatives in my life. I have my configence back and my wife says I stay in a better mood. I had noticed some short term memory loss (one of my complaints before Lexapro)and that seems to have improved, or at least I'm less anxious about it. There is far less negativity in my thoughts and my sense of humor is much better. I have surreal dreams but don't mind, they are kind of fun. I feel so well, I plan to very slowly cut down on the doseage and quit after about 4 weeks of tapering down. We'll see how things go. | M | 60 | 3 months | 8/19/2007 | 4 | GAD, depression | fatigue | I took Lexapro for 2.5 years and decided to try to go without it a few months ago. I successfully weaned off of it with the help of acupuncture, but then my old symptoms came back with a vengeance. I honestly never gave Lexapro the credit it deserved for improving my symptoms and my life. My husband and I are planning on starting our family, so my GP decided I should try Zoloft, as it is the most studied medicine in pregnancy, but after 8 days on it, I was severely agitated, almost to the point of being agoraphobic. I went to see an OB/GYN and she assured me that Lexapro is as safe as Zoloft in pregnancy and if one SSRI works for me, I shouldn't mess with it! So, I went back on it yesterday and almost immediately have relief from my anxiety. If Lexapro does not work for you, though, try something else. Everyone's bio chemistry is different and there are plenty of other options out there. I only give it a 4 because it's not a "miracle drug", but it's best option out the | F | 27 | 2.5 years | 8/17/2007 | 4 | Major Depressive Disorder; PTSD | Sleepiness, yawning, vivid dreams, enteric side effects (gas, bloating) | I thought I was going to hate this stuff at first, still experiencing some of my depression, but coming out of the fog gradually. I took Prozac about 6 years ago and it did nothing, the Lexapro made me sleepy the first two days, but when I started taking it in the late afternoon, I could function in the morning time. In just a couple weeks of using, my anxiety level has markedly decreased and I am not the bundle of nerves I perceived myself to be before I started. Definitely glad I started this drug so far. | F | 27 | 2 weeks | 8/14/2007 | 4 | anxiety/panic attacks | anxiety (beginning), fatigue | I started on 5mg of Lexapro over a month ago and within the first 10 days noticed a period of increased anxiety. So much so, that I considered leaving work. I knew the medicine would have that effect, so I talked myself through those few days. The following 20 days were the best I've felt in many years. Clear headed, balanced and no noticeable anxiety in situations where I normally would have anxiety. However, the past week or so I am so lethargic and it only seems to be getting worse. I've had people ask me if I was depressed now, which is ironic, since it never happened while I wasn't taking SSRI's ;). I've heard the fatigue goes away after a few months but I find it terribly disrupting. Still, I find it does wonders for my mind. I just wish the physical side effects weren't so extreme. I definitely won't be increasing my dose and need to consult my physician in order to see if I should continue on this medicine. | F | 36 | 6 weeks | 8/13/2007 | 4 | Depression | *Can't orgasm as easily. *Thirsty all the time no matter how much water I drink (="dry mouth"?). *Nausea. *As I've begun cutting down, I'm getting a rash on my face and neck, but that may be due to a new moisturizer. | Along with a little counseling, Lexapro has helped me get out of the hole. I've taken Paxil in the past, also for a short time, and it also helped stop the overwhelming emotions. I became very dizzy when I stopped taking Paxil, though, and so far, that hasn't happened with Lexapro. | F | 32 | 2 months | 8/12/2007 | 4 | Depression, General Anxiety, OCD | Very intense, vivid dreams; constant state of drowsiness; yawning; increased appetite; levels out emotions | I was on 20 mg of Lexapro for awhile and decided to cut back due to negative side effects. I existed on only 5 mg for about a month, and suddenly, I crashed one day. I experienced extreme depression and mentally separated myself from reality. Now I'm back on 15 mg and have definitely noticed an improvement. However, I am having extremely vivid dreams which disturb me every night, and my appetite has increased which worries me. Overall though, Lexapro has made me a much happier person who is learning how to love life again. | F | 20 | 6 months | 7/27/2007 | 4 | depression and anxiety | light headed and increased anxiety the first few days, then subsided. the following side effects continue, sometimes more markedly than at other times: night sweats, excessive yawning, decreased sex drive, weight gain, vivid dreams, insomnia | stopped using lexapro for 4 months or so and became extremely depressed again. went back on the lexapro and within 3 weeks i felt much better and by week 6 i was back to even keel again. | F | 36 | 1.5 years | 7/25/2007 | 4 | General Anxiety | speed like effect (friends described this as my acting like i has 10 cups of caffine), loss of appetite, dry mouth, jaw clenching, "foggy" head, dialiated pupils, insomina!!!, 1 week of night sweats, dizziness, "utter happiness", a bit of staring...leading to about 12lbs of weight loss. after 2.5 months: yawning, lethargy, tiredness about 4 hours after taking | this drug takes time to work properly but it worked miracles for me. it turned me back into the happy, carefree person i use to be. i believe because i was so highly anxious and not sleeping at night before taking this drug, it helped me lose the weight i'd been trying to lose for 1 year. i calmed down, got happy, ate less, and had more control over my self than i'd had in a very long time. the weightloss has been gradual, and it is probably due to my abilty to deal with stress much better and to feel "good" again. i can miss a dose and still feel good. i started at 10mg - which was way to much for me, dropped it down to 5mg - and have recently been building back up to the 10mg again. I plan to take this as long as I can...and thats coming from someone who was scared to try any SSRI "ever." Also, be careful while drinking alcohol - I blacked out for the first time ever and it was the scariest thing to experience. One drink will feel like 3! Be careful! | F | 32 | 2.5 months | 7/23/2007 | 4 | mild depression | VIVID DREAMS!!!!!! | Woah what is going on here?? For a while before I started taking lexapro, I couldnt remember my dreams at all. I was beginning to think I'd stopped dreaming! Within a few days of starting lexapro oh my god the dreams are vivid, intense, long, and complex! And I can remember every detail of them when i wake up in the morning.It Feels like im living in 2 different worlds, my daytime world and dream world. Each seems as real as the other. So bizarre! I must say I absolutly love this side effect, I cant believe its been so marked though I didnt expect it at all! Makes going to bed a lot more exciting. Also feel very happy, confident and a general sense of wellbeing. Have had no negative side effects, glad I tried it. | F | 25 | 60 days | 7/19/2007 | 4 | anxiety/depression | First few days headache and jaw clenching, still unable to have an orgasim but the act feels good and I have the desire so thats proving to be hard. | I feel lexapro has given me the time to put things into perspective before just reacting (flipping out mad or upset). I still have emotions about everything but not always worrying or upset about everything. I tried Paxil 4 years ago for 2 mos. and was a zombie. The last week I have been having a little anxiety about things - I notice I keep taking deep breaths - but I still function and am not obsessing on things. I am about to start my period so I am attributing the slight anxiety to that. I am also in perimenopause. If the orgasim thing werent such a big deal I would be really happy. | F | 36 | 4 weeks | 7/14/2007 | 4 | depression | dizziness, lightheaded upon standing | I seem to have lost the ability to cry. Other than that it has been great. | F | 40 | 2 years | 7/12/2007 | 4 | Panic Attacks and anxiety | Not many, dizzy the first day but thats to be expected. Teeth gringing and loss of sex-drive but not completely! | Started on 5mg for a week, then upped to 10mg for 4 weeks and am now on 15mg. Definitely has helped re-condition my mind to not panic etc. I did have one panic attack at the start but even the symptons of the panic felt milder! I do think they take a few weeks to kick in. Has helped me re-gain my confidence about going in to bars, restaurants and shops which I was terrified to do because of the fear of having panic attacks! Subsequently the anxiety that developed as a result of panic attacks has almost gone. I am happy to continue taking them for a little longer. They have slowed my metabolism and lowered my appetite a little. I am quite health conscious and read some reviews where people put on a lot of weight. I haven't so far, but am very active and fit but I will be keeping an eye on this aspect. Plus, you can have a few drinks on them with no ill effects! | F | 32 | 2 months | 7/12/2007 |