Awful Lexapro side-effects. Will they go away after quitting???

[Randog]

I feel absolutely horrible that I took this drug and am concerned about the long-lasting effects. Have I done permanent damage to my brain?

I created an anxiety disorder for myself after having been diagnosed with thyroid cancer early this year. After many months of trying to deal with it without medication, my GP put me on Lexapro 10mg which I took for 2 weeks before stopping it 6 days ago. At the time I wasn't aware about creeping up on the dose for either going on or off.

Side effects were severe: on day 10 my right head side went numb. On day 11 the other side went numb. I was spaced and had trouble sleeping... felt ill all the time. The doctor told me to stick it out. It was the worst 2 weeks of my life.

The worst is that on day 3 I got a full upper body shock followed by nausea, a feeling of doom, chills, clammy, etc and thought I had a pinched nerve or something worse. This continued the whole time I was on it (approx 1 per day) and I just figured out from a lot of research that I was having panic attacks. I never had them before this med and they continue after I've stopped it! (although less severe)

My head is still numb in different places. I have trouble concentrating on my work and get fatigued quickly (mentally). Have I done permanent damage or will all this go away? How long? I'm exercising and taking vitamins.

Has anyone tried Sam-e to try and counter-effect SSRI damage?

I've searched high and low for answers about what-if you don't taper off and what-if you are one of the 'lucky' ones to go crazy on SSRI's, but I can't seem to find any knowledge about what to expect from here. If you can't answer, please refer me to someone who can! Help!

Thank you,
Randy

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

yes, all of the side effects will go away. You have had a withdrawal reaction and the worst of it is over...expect to have no more symptoms from lexapro after about another week.

[taeme]

I'm sorry I'm not familiar with Lexapro.  What is it? What is it used for?  What did the doc put you on this medication to relieve/treat?  Is the medication addictive, and if so how quickly can this addiction take place?  It didn't seem that you were on the medication that long but with some medications addictions can occur almost immediately. What dosage were you taking?  Were you taking it as prescribed?  Or is it prescribed as needed?  Also, when you stopped taking the medication did you (your doctor recommend) tappering down the dosage to avoid withdrawl?  With many medications, especially those with addictive and dependance tendencies, tappering is a must to avoid severe discomfort and possible serious/life threatening side effects.  Thank you.

[kawaii]

Lexipro is a safe and effective medication perscribed for a variety of illnesses, but primarily for depression. The side effects that this gentleman is describing are very unusual.

[prettypwz]

Hi all I am new to the boards, a brief hist I was on celexa for 1 year quit working like I needed more, I gained 15 pounds so my doc changed me to wellbutrin xl did nothing so now I am on lexapro for 2 weeks I had awful withdrawls from the celexa and I don't feel as if the lexapro a kicked in.  Does his med take a while?  has anyone had the weight issues??

[Tedser]

Help please - my doctor switched me from Effexor to Lexapro yesterday.  No weaning off - a quick one day switch!  I was on Effexor for 3 months with poor results.  Am I going to suffer withdrawal problems?
Thanks to anyone who can help.
Ted.

[alz]

Just wanted to share my lexapro experience.  After years of on-off therapy (i am only 19.)  I, and my doctors established (and established, and established...) that although there were and are things in my life that I have had trouble with, I have depression with a large biological basis.  

I tried lexapro.  Mild nausea and chills for the first two weeks.  Otherwise it was great, I cried less, was more active inmy community, had fewer sleeping problems.  I stayed on the drug for 10 weeks.

I stopped when I realized that I was failing school, and I was completely unable to concentrate on my studies.  Instead of forcing myself to stay on task i had been completely unable to complete my tasks.  More than just crying less, I had become numb.  My grandfather died, and I did not feel anything while on the meds.  

In fact, I felt my whole personality pto have been altered.  I am naturally not shy, but I tend to be very quiet and very focused.  While on lexapro I was loud and very unfocused.

I was unable to moderate my diet, or keep up with things.  My doctor agreed when I decided to stop.  I would like to find another solution (I am posting this during a bout of insomnia) but I have too much to deal with to drug myself again.  

as far as advice, I don't have much to say.  lexapro is safe, side effects can last a long time after the medicine has stopped.  They also tend to go away in most people after they have been on the medication for awhile- going on the stuff is a long term commitment, because in the short term the stuff generally makes people feel pretty crappy.

I would be pretty angry at whoever prescribed the stuff to you if they failed to explain possible side effects, and the fact that they are completely reversible.  I think the medical community needs to be more aware that though SRIs can be god-sends to some, they are frightening things to go on.  They are drugs that have far reaching effects, and there is no way to tell what these effects will be.  

Not to say that anyone who needs medication should avoid it, but it is not as easy a choice as we would like it to be.

[deb723]

I am currently doing research for an upcoming book which deals with the side effects and withdrawals people have experienced from Effexor XR and other (like) anti-depressants. I am interested in receiving any information current or former users would like to share concerning their experiences with these drugs. Please email me @:
beach-***@****
and thanks!
deb

[alimcbeal]

After reading the remarks in this forum and others...I want to let everyone know that they are NOT exaggerating. Taking LEXapro has been the worse experience. Four years ago I took Celexa for 4-5 months and had no bad sidee effects. After my brother death, the doctor put me on Lexapro in Jan 16, 2004 and it has been hell since. At first at 10mg..it seemed fine, they upped it to 20mg and after 2-3 weeks, my personality completely changed, I became aggitated and very aggressive. It got so bad that I scared myself with the amount of anger I felt. I trembled a lot and had electric shock like twinges 4-6 times a day...and all night. I am quitting the Lexapro and going beck to Celexa. I hope the anger and twitching go away...

[alimcbeal]

After reading the remarks in this forum and others...I want to let everyone know that they are NOT exaggerating. Taking LEXapro has been the worse experience. Four years ago I took Celexa for 4-5 months and had no bad sidee effects. After my brother death, the doctor put me on Lexapro in Jan 16, 2004 and it has been hell since. At first at 10mg..it seemed fine, they upped it to 20mg and after 2-3 weeks, my personality completely changed, I became aggitated and very aggressive. It got so bad that I scared myself with the amount of anger I felt. I trembled a lot and had electric shock like twinges 4-6 times a day...and all night. I am quitting the Lexapro and going beck to Celexa. I hope the anger and twitching go away...

[alimcbeal]

After reading the remarks in this forum and others...I want to let everyone know that they are NOT exaggerating. Taking LEXapro has been the worse experience. Four years ago I took Celexa for 4-5 months and had no bad sidee effects. After my brother death, the doctor put me on Lexapro in Jan 16, 2004 and it has been hell since. At first at 10mg..it seemed fine, they upped it to 20mg and after 2-3 weeks, my personality completely changed, I became aggitated and very aggressive. It got so bad that I scared myself with the amount of anger I felt. I trembled a lot and had electric shock like twinges 4-6 times a day...and all night. I am quitting the Lexapro and going beck to Celexa. I hope the anger and twitching go away...

[jlu]

It's been 9 wks since I've been taking Lexapro, prescribed by my OB/GYN...She informed me of all the side effects, mostly about the stomach cramps/nausea, but said they'd disappear after use. I haven't really noticed any 'improved' mood, nor have I been feeling all that different.
I've been mostly aware of the sexual side effects since taking this anti-depressant. There's not even so much as a 'feeling of sexual desire' in the past 5 or 6 wks now. So, my thoughts are to quit taking Lexapro, as I believe I can improve my moods through more natural means. Plus, it's too expensive to pay the price for a medication that's not doing that much for me, not to mention that it's ruined my sexual appetite. Not worth it!

[jlu]

It's been 9 wks since I've been taking Lexapro, prescribed by my OB/GYN...She informed me of all the side effects, mostly about the stomach cramps/nausea, but said they'd disappear after use. I haven't really noticed any 'improved' mood, nor have I been feeling all that different.
I've been mostly aware of the sexual side effects since taking this anti-depressant. There's not even so much as a 'feeling of sexual desire' in the past 5 or 6 wks now. So, my thoughts are to quit taking Lexapro, as I believe I can improve my moods through more natural means. Plus, it's too expensive to pay the price for a medication that's not doing that much for me, not to mention that it's ruined my sexual appetite. Not worth it!

[jacquetet]

I was on lexapro for about 8 months. i started at 10 mg, then moved up to 20mg, then 30 mg. i felt good while taking the lexapro, i was taking it for panic attacks,and anxiety disorder. the panick attacks went away. recently i lost my health insurance and found out to buy them without insurance would run me 154.00 for one perscription. so i started weeing off slowly, by taking 20mg for a couple weeks, then 10mg for a couple weeks. then i stopped a couple days ago, and it has been hell iam constantly dizzy, and lightheaded, i cant concentrate, my brain freezes, i cant sleep good, i have crazy dreams every night it has only been three days and it isn;t getting better, when will it? I cant take it? iam glad i stopped now couldn't picture if a waited a couple years, it would be even worse, good luck to everyone i know what you are going through.