I recently switched from Paxil to Lexapro. I don't notice much of a change; in fact, I don't feel much of anything right now. My psychologist told me not to read the side effects, just pay attention to what's listed on the bottle. The only side effect I've experienced is constipation, bit it only lasted a few days.
I got really sick from lexapro and couldn't take it but my dad is on it and loves it. It depends on the person really. No one can really tell you exactly what it will do or not do for you. You just need to try it and see if it works out.
Lexapro is one of the several SSRI class of antidepressants out there. Prozac is usually the first of choice as that is the one known to have the least of side effects, but Lexapro does not fall far behind. Websites of course have to lise all the side effects, but I can say from a Registered Nurse and from someone who's been on nearly every antidepressant in the book, the side-effects from most SSRIs are pretty general. You might experience a small amount of weight gain, limited to 2-3 lbs, some dry mouth or dry eyes, constipation, decreased libido. However Lexapro has shown to be affective in both depression and anxiety and will probably decrease the amount of xanax you need to take. Lexapro should be safe to take with your heart concerns, just take the amount prescribed. It will take about 3-6 weeks to feel full effects, but gradually you should notice a general improvement of well-being. I try not to read all the side effects of the medications I'm prescribed today, because the more I don't know, the less I have to worry about! Best of luck
The thing to remember most with these types of medications is that we all react differently to them. They all come with side effects but that doesn't mean you will experience any. I took Lexapro for several years with excellent results, but another may not have done so well on it. We normally don't know how we will respond until we try it, and it is often trial and error as to what will work best for us, but well worth it when we find the right one! You need to start somewhere to get some relief, Lexapro may just be the right medication for you. If not, there are many others you can try. All drugs come with side effects and if we looked them all up, nobody would take any type of medication. Unfortunately, we only hear the few bad experiences on the forums, when there are so many more that have excellent results on these types of medications. It's well worth trying, and trust in your doctor while working closely with him while on the medication. Keep in mind also that if only one person out of thousands had a side effect from a drug, they have to list it. It doesn't mean you will have the same results. Hope this helps, good luck and take care!