Help - more info.

[tohelpu]

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION:

I started taking Lex (10mg) )about 2 years ago for 6 months and gained massive belly weight.  I went off the drug with no problem and lost the weight by eating right and exercising.  The second time I went on Lex (10mg) was for 9 months and THIS TIME I AM HAVING A VERY HARD TIME.  

This time around I had devloped constipation and massive belly weight.  But I have stopped taking Lexapro and have been OFF it for 30 days and for some strange reason I am having major withdrawls. I weened off the drug for a month prior but now I am off it.  I am OFF Lex but I am still constipated with a huge belly and so tired?  I have been off it for 30 days and the brain zapping has wore off and the sex drive has increased so these are the only 2 indicators that something is changing for the better.  But the belly is huge and I'm craving sweets and I feel like it's not going to end.  Does anyone know how long this well last?

I am also on 2 other medications.  I take Serequel for sleep (25mg) as the doctor prescribed this just for sleep only.  I take one at night along with 2mg of Lorizipam.  Believe me I will be coming off these drugs as soon as my body is done with the Lexapro.  My doctor told me not to withdraw from it all at once so I'm taking one step and drug at a time.  Believe me I am prepared to learn yogo and many other things once my body is free from all these drugs.

But can anyone please let me know how long it will take for Lexapro to LEAVE my system.  Will my body correct the constipation problem and the belly fat?  I'm so worried that nothing is really changing but please if anyone knows anything:  I feel like I'm all alone on this "road back" - between the withdrawls and constipation and belly fat it's all a bit scary and frustrating.

Many thanks.  

[Dreamsie]

I did some quick research for you to the side effects of your other medications, and funny enough they come with constipation, weight gain, increased appetite.

I can't say this often enough, before you take any type of medication, research it on the internet, just type it in on google and look it up. BE EDUCATING ABOUT WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY!!!!!

I know, I speak from experience.

Here's your information by the way:

the most common Seroquel side effects included:

Dry mouth -- in up to 44 percent of people (see Seroquel and Dry Mouth)
Drowsiness -- up to 34 percent
High triglycerides -- up to 23 percent
Headaches -- up to 21 percent
Agitation -- up to 20 percent
Dizziness -- up to 18 percent
High cholesterol -- up to 16 percent
Weakness -- up to 10 percent
Constipation -- up to 10 percent
Fatigue -- up to 10 percent.

Some other common side effects (occurring in 2 to 10 percent of people taking the drug) included:

Indigestion or heartburn
Vomiting
Increased appetite
Lethargy
Nasal congestion
Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
Back pain
Weight gain (see Seroquel and Weight Gain)
Shakiness (tremor)
Sore throat
Fever
Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
Irritated or runny nose
Vision problems.

Catalogue of side effects for the medication Ativan - generic Lorazepam - which is an antianxiety medication and also a mild tranquilizer and sedative. This prescription drug may be used in the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Common Side Effects:

Check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:

Clumsiness or unsteadiness; dizziness or lightheadedness; drowsiness; slurred speech

Less Common Side Effects:

Check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:

Abdominal or stomach cramps or pain; blurred vision or other changes in vision; changes in sexual desire or ability; constipation; diarrhea; dryness of mouth or increased thirst; false sense of well-being; headache; increased bronchial secretions or watering of mouth; muscle spasm; nausea or vomiting; problems with urination; trembling or shaking; unusual tiredness or weakness

Always Notify Doctor:

Less common: Anxiety; confusion (may be more common in the elderly); fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat; lack of memory of events taking place after benzodiazepine is taken (may be more common with triazolam); mental depression

Rare: Abnormal thinking, including disorientation, delusions (holding false beliefs that cannot be changed by facts), or loss of sense of reality; agitation; behavior changes, including aggressive behavior, bizarre behavior, decreased inhibition, or outbursts of anger; convulsions (seizures); hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there); hypotension (low blood pressure); muscle weakness; skin rash or itching; sore throat, fever, and chills; trouble in sleeping; ulcers or sores in mouth or throat (continuing); uncontrolled movements of body, including the eyes; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability; unusual tiredness or weakness (severe); yellow eyes or skin

[fowerman]

i have been prescribed serequel now for 2years i take 50mg in a morning and 150mg at night i take it for schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, insomnia and borderline personality disorder.

it has been very efffective for me and has reduced the symptoms of my illnesess so much, but the side effects are massive, like the weight gain i put on 4stone round my belly i cant get rid of it have tried everything it just wont go, but ive tried all sorts of different drugs for my illnessess and none are as effective as serequel, so i have sympathy with ya

[BS65]

You are definitely not all alone, this is a very common problem that many people suffer when getting off antidepressants, especially SSRI's it seems. I can't tell you exactly how long the withdrawals will last because for everyone it is different. I took Paxil for years and went off it and unfortunately it took a very long time to finally get it out of my system but I think Paxil might be the worse one for this. I recently stopped taking Lexapro too and switched over to Buproprion and it has made a WORLD of difference. I feel like my old self and "normal" again. I tapered off the Lexapro but only for a couple weeks and then just stopped taking it. Every once in a while I feel that familiar withdrawal feeling but I am trying to ignore it and deal with it because I know it will go away.

There really is no getting around it though, stopping your antidepressants is plain MISERABLE and no one really escapes that except for very few. So I would suggest talking to your doctor about your constipation because I am not so sure that is a symptom but I am not a doctor so I don't know for sure. Either way you should let them know so they can give you something to help ease that problem. As for belly fat, well that will take time to go away because it is "fat" and the only way to get rid of fat once it is on your body, regardless of how it got there, is through diet and exercise however not taking Lexapro will at least help it from getting worse.