Does anyone take this drug that could tell me their side effects or if it has helped you. Any insite will help.

It's Lexapro. Haven't taken this one!

I took for a while---didn't do much for me except suppress any libido.
Dry mouth was a huge side effect for me as well as having cold sweat type episodes (like a hot flash)

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

My dd and her friend have been on this for 2 years. The side effects for her are night sweats, vivid dreams and some weight gain. The short story is that it is genetic, brain chemical problem with my dd. She is a vibrant, motivated, passionate person. The depression/anxiety side swipes for no apparent reason (no triggers, just depletion of the necessary chemicals) and the drug works well for her. She needs to increase the dosage during pms.
My dh takes effexor, a cousin takes wellbutrin and his father was on paxil and zoloft.
You need to find out what works best for YOU, not what works for others. It takes 6 weeks for any medication to show significant results and many times the drug is good, but the dosage is not.....it is a long journey of discovery.

You also need to know why you need the medication? And will it help with therapy or not? For us, the drug worked well alone.

We have written about depression and different drugs many times. Do a search for depression and hopefully you can see other stories.

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Hi, my doctor put me on this last year. He put me on it because of PMS, and not sleeping. It work. I only took it for 4 months, because the last month it put 20+lbs on me.

I have been on this for a few years and it has worked very well for me. Over the years I have been on several different meds but eventually they stopped being as effective ...this one seems to be lasting... Side effects have been minor, mild night sweats, wild dreams, and yawning a lot (yes, yawning LOL) Cookie

I'm a Paxil girl! And I'll never look back!

I have PMDD (constant PMS...all the month!) and this seems to do the trick. Now I have "normal" PMS (not the psycho kind anymore). My abnormal was laughing hysterically without being prompted and then crying all of a sudden. I was quite the BiPolar-Betty it seemed, but Paxil definately helped.

With all medicines of this type, you have to take it for a few weeks for your body to adjust to it. It took me 3 weeks to feel like I wasn't in a fog anymore. And it's only $4 at Sam's for a one month supply.

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Kristee
Kritter0114@aol.com

"Hold on, let me check....YES! I do have a coupon for that!"

Just be very careful if you ever get off Paxil. I was on it for several years and had brain zaps for the whole time I was getting off it. And I gradually lowered the dosage over about 6-8 weeks. Now I'm on Zoloft. Much better for me-Paxil was exhausting! I had to chuckle at your post-I laugh hysterically over tiny little things now! But i enjoy it! My son stares at me like I've lost my mind but then he just laughs with me which makes me laugh more.....lol We are goofy here! lol

Thanks for the replys. they want to put my DD on this. we have a month supply of samples but just reading about the many different drugs scares the HE## out of both of us. I want the best for her but so many doubts. She is in therapy also. The doctor said she could get off of it easy but i have read no you can't, My mind is going in so many different directions. I think I going to have to go on something to deal with all of this!

From what I have seen from someone I know taking it, you have to be careful to take it at the same time everyday or it can make you really tired and off. Otherwise it can be very helpful! Good Luck!

That another thing , one doc says morning and the other doc says night!

The drug can possibly make you sleepy, so my dd takes it (lexapro) just before she goes to bed. I think that is the only reason for morning/night issues.
My dh takes his (effexor) in the morning because his drug does not make him sleepy.

Whenever through the past 25 years we have talked to the drs. it was really a personal preference and not an OMG medical reason for when you took your meds. The most important thing is just to take it consistently.

And as far as you being scared....My DH had major depression, couldn't think, work, function at all. He couldn't sleep and had thoughts of suicide....well if it's that or drug side effects.....side effects we would handle.

I didn't want my dd to start medication and I waited as long as I could, but she had 2 bouts of anxiety/depression and while it was not as bad as her father's, it was becoming debilitating. Again, we got to the point where the problem was bigger than any side effect would be.

You have to do your research on her illness and you have to do your research on the drugs. There are alot of great websites about depression. Learn all you can and be her advocate.

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