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Celexa vs Zoloft
I think I am going to switch from Zoloft to Celexa. I am going to my doctor this week to ask about it. I KNOW that we all are different & every medicine will affect us on a different level, but is there a difference between the two? I hope I don't have the same side effects I had on Zoloft.
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Yes, tremors are being exacerbated by the Lexapro. That is one reason I don't want to up the dosage. =( I don't understand why am I getting more intense tremors on SSRIs, but it is better on Lex than on Zoloft. I am having less side effects on the Lex, but I feel lethargic. I feel more depressed, too. I am not sure if that is a start up side effect or not. I think the Zoloft helped my anxiety & depression better but I couldn't handle the tremors on it. I will continue to stay on the Lex & hope it will fully kick in. Thank you for your help.
Sorry to hear you haven't had much luck with the Lexapro yet. I thought your hand tremors weren't being exacerbated by the Lexapro? It seems, overall, the side effects are much less severe than the ones you had on the Zoloft?
I would definitely give it more time. Remember, the typical time period is 4-6 weeks. As for the dosage, you could speak to your doctor about SLOWLY increasing your dose to see if that makes a difference. Just my opinion, but I still think, when a person has already invested a certain amount of time and energy on a med, it's worth it to again, exhaust all posibilities with that med before moving on. You also have to remember too, that for some people, this process takes a bit longer.
Every doctor I've ever dealt with has always said to be fair, a person should give each med at least 2 months before making any decisions about its effectiveness, unless of course, there are side effects that are just too much.
I hope you start turning the corner soon, for your sake.
I would definitely give it more time. Remember, the typical time period is 4-6 weeks. As for the dosage, you could speak to your doctor about SLOWLY increasing your dose to see if that makes a difference. Just my opinion, but I still think, when a person has already invested a certain amount of time and energy on a med, it's worth it to again, exhaust all posibilities with that med before moving on. You also have to remember too, that for some people, this process takes a bit longer.
Every doctor I've ever dealt with has always said to be fair, a person should give each med at least 2 months before making any decisions about its effectiveness, unless of course, there are side effects that are just too much.
I hope you start turning the corner soon, for your sake.
I have taken some Advil on a few occasions, along with trying to sleep them off. I hope the headaches go away. I am not sure about increasing the dose. I don't want my tremor to get too out of control. I am staying exhausted on Lex. I wake up tired & ready to go back to bed after sleeping all night. I think Lex is more sedating than Zoloft. That is my guess or at least my experience. I am at 3 weeks on Lex. I can't tell a big difference with my anxiety. Do I still need to give it some time? I actually feel more depressed. I hope it all gets better soon.
If you can get past the headaches (have you tried Tylenol or Motrin to help?)...remember that it's very possible you will need a higher dose...so don't be too ready to call it quits yet.
You would want to exhaust ALL possibilities with the Lexapro before starting over with yet another med. Your dose is on the low side of the spectrum. When I was on Lexapro, I ended up on 40 mg a day.
Just keep that in mind. Don't start thinking in terms that you are going to have to start again with a new med. You've tolerated the Lexapro pretty well thus far...and yes, headaches can be a common side effect, they will subside.
You would want to exhaust ALL possibilities with the Lexapro before starting over with yet another med. Your dose is on the low side of the spectrum. When I was on Lexapro, I ended up on 40 mg a day.
Just keep that in mind. Don't start thinking in terms that you are going to have to start again with a new med. You've tolerated the Lexapro pretty well thus far...and yes, headaches can be a common side effect, they will subside.
10 mg of Lexapro. I was on 25 mg of Zoloft.
I am not seeing any improvement on the Lex. I've had a headache off & on for days. My Google search shows that this can be a side effect. I don't know if I will stay on the Lex if the headaches don't subside. It goes to show that we all are different. I found the Zoloft to help much more than the Lex. If it wouldn't have made me shake so bad I would still be on it. If I switch meds I am not sure what to try next.
Are you feeling any better?
I am not seeing any improvement on the Lex. I've had a headache off & on for days. My Google search shows that this can be a side effect. I don't know if I will stay on the Lex if the headaches don't subside. It goes to show that we all are different. I found the Zoloft to help much more than the Lex. If it wouldn't have made me shake so bad I would still be on it. If I switch meds I am not sure what to try next.
Are you feeling any better?
What dosage of the Lexapro are you on? The thing that I just recently learned is that MD's don't know anywhere near as much as psychiatrists do about SSRI's. I was on 20 mg of Lexapro and my MD put me on 50 mg of Zoloft. I saw a psychiatrist, though, and she said that I was on much too low of a dose of Zoloft to be equivalent to Lexapro. If I remember correctly, you were also on 50 mg of Zoloft, correct? It took me about six to eight weeks on the Lexapro to feel better, but once I did, it was FANTASTIC!
I'm not having a lot of luck with Zoloft, at least not yet, though my dosage was too low for several weeks. I've been on 100 mg now for only a week and a half, though, and the psychiatrist said I'd need to be on 100-150 mg to be equivalent to what I was taking on Lexapro. So, I'm hoping that after being on the 100 mg for a few more weeks that I'll start feeling better. I had a GREAT nine days a couple of weeks ago; I finally felt like I was getting my life back, but now I feel worse again. Two steps forward, three steps back, I guess.
Do you feel any better than last week?
I'm not having a lot of luck with Zoloft, at least not yet, though my dosage was too low for several weeks. I've been on 100 mg now for only a week and a half, though, and the psychiatrist said I'd need to be on 100-150 mg to be equivalent to what I was taking on Lexapro. So, I'm hoping that after being on the 100 mg for a few more weeks that I'll start feeling better. I had a GREAT nine days a couple of weeks ago; I finally felt like I was getting my life back, but now I feel worse again. Two steps forward, three steps back, I guess.
Do you feel any better than last week?
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While two meds might both be SSRIs, they all work a little differently in their mechanism of action. The end result is the same (an increased amount of serotonin in the brain)..but how you get there is different with each med, hence why there are so many varying experiences.
Cymbalta tends to be a bit activating, so that may not be the best choice, ask your doctor about it. There's no way to predict how you will do on something else, but let's hope well. I STRONGLY urge you to have a back up plan in place to help deal with any side effects, should they occur. A short acting benzo would be appropriate. I know you're fearful after your experience with Xanax but it's worth a try. Ativan tends to be a little less intense, so you could try that. Again, mention it to your doctor. Whatever you do...don't make any changes...stay on your current dose of the Zoloft until you get in to see him.
Again, remain open mided. Do NOT go into the doctor's office with a mind full of what you will or won't take. Let the doctor make some recommendations, then have a discussion from there. With the new world of google, we are all so quick to want to play doctor...lol.
Good luck....update us on the new plan.