Q. I was simply recommended Lexapro for my depression/anxiety. I have been investigating it for the last two days, and nothing I have checked out sounds like something I want to handle. I want the real scoop on what this drug has actually done to help/hurt you.
Often medication is essential to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety if these symptoms interfere in an individual’s capability to handle day-to-day live events. Lexapro is an antidepressant that can significantly improve the symptoms of depression and anxiety for lots of patients.
Therefore, if a patient suffers from either depression or anxiety, Lexapro may be advantageous in relieving symptoms. Dealing with your physician to discover the right medication will help in recovering a satisfying life.
Pros and Cons of Taking Lexapro
How lexapro works in the brain? Lexapro belongs to the group of prescription drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is an oral medication that is typically taken when a day. Lexapro has been prescribed to over 18 million individuals. Lexapro is generally categorized as an antidepressant but is used to treat anxiety too. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is thought to affect mood.
SSRIs such as Lexapro help ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety by increasing the offered supply of serotonin in the brain with very little impact on many of the other chemicals in the brain. An imbalance in serotonin may be an essential consider the development of depression and anxiety.
The balancing act is developed when serotonin is launched from one afferent neuron and becomes accessible to the next, but at the same time a few of the serotonin launched is reabsorbed by the first afferent neuron. Lexapro obstructs the re-absorption of serotonin into the first cell, which causes an increased amount of serotonin to end up being readily available.
Lexapro Benefits for Depression
Depression and anxiety can be devastating, preventing many patients from working totally in life and leaving an influence on their families. This medication is not an illegal drug, fairly affordable and will not cause reliance issues. Many patients have alleviated symptoms within two to 4 weeks.
The medication enhances state of mind, sleep, energy and cravings, in addition to reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety assisting patients gain back a satisfying life. Nevertheless, this medication is not planned for pediatric patients under the age of 12.
What are Lexapro Side Effects?
Just like any medication, side effects are possible. The threats involved with Lexapro reported from scientific trials indicate the most common side effects associated with the treatment in adults were queasiness, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), ejaculation condition (mainly hold-up), tiredness and drowsiness, increased sweating, reduced libido, and anorgasmia (difficulty achieving orgasm).
For pediatric and young person patients, added side effects were reported, such as back pain, urinary tract infection, vomiting and nasal blockage. Patients of any ages who are using an antidepressant therapy needs to be kept track of carefully for medical worsening, suicidal tendencies or uncommon changes in habits.
For the Length of Time Can We Take Lexapro?
Take it as long as it works! I do not think there’s a ton of research on taking it this long. When business do “long term” research studies they suggest like 6 months.
Which is amusing since you’re supposed to take them for numerous months anyways. If there were some glaring consequences, we ‘d be discussing them. A lot of us need to take psych meds our entire lives, and you’re absolutely not setting a record with taking lexapro that long. Is there a reason you’re wanting to stop?
Health Tips
Lexapro ought to be taken even if you begin feeling better, otherwise your symptoms could return or aggravate. This medication needs to be used in conjunction with psychiatric therapy. Although Lexapro is not considered addictive, there are withdrawal symptoms reported when ending treatment.
These include irritation, dizziness, sensory disturbances, anxiety, confusion, headache, unsteady state of mind and insomnia. Many patients numerous need medication long-term, while others might just require it for a much shorter period.
Response of the patient. Hope that you are doing relatively well. Depression and anxiety resemble two peas in a pod. Well, you’ve been researching and so you are not to enthusiastic about the side effects, that can occur. I was on it for a long time. My dose ended up to be 30 mg.
When, I believe it was for a two week period, it depended on 50 mg. The scoop … well, in my case, it was a drug that kept my anxiety level down. Did an excellent task for me because area. The depression … once again, talking about me, did not leave me. Now please, remember, in my case, medication is refractory. Often, dose will constantly end up being high.
Tips from Patients
1. So the other day I went to my doctors appointment and went over the anxiety that I experience, primarily social anxiety and she suggested taking Lexapro to assist ease off the tension that I obtain from my anxiety particularly when I’m out in public but since of my anxiety, I’m afraid to even take it. I keep going over the advantages and disadvantages of how it can help and how it can effect me. Due to the fact that I have nobody else to turn to about it, I hoping someone can help relieve my mind or caution me.
Everybody that I normally talk with about this, they do not truly help me due to the fact that they don’t comprehend what’s going through my mind particularly when you’ve dealt with living in the shadows for so long and now all you desire is to burst out and be known. I’m scared this medication is going to make me feel more crazier than I feel today. I’m afraid of what it’ll do to me. Anyways, I hope somebody can help me feel less distressed about taking this medication.
2. The first thing to understand about antidepressants is that they have no direct impact on anxiety, or depression in the way say aspirin has on a headache. They work by promoting the growth of brand-new brain cells (neurogenesis) to change cells eliminated, or prevented from growing by high brain stress hormone levels. The restorative reaction is produced by these brand-new cells and the stronger affiliations they create, not the medications per se. They simply return the brain to something like its pre anxious/depressed state.
Side-effects can be a problem for some, duplicate some, they are by no means a certainty. Most people experience only mild symptoms at worst. They are even less most likely with Lexapro (escitalopram) and the associated Celexa (citalopram) which typically have the best SSRI side-effects profiles.
Beginning on a low dosage, no greater than 5mg for Lexapro, and ramping it up by the same amount after a week will minimize any side-effects even more. If you doctor has recommended a higher starting dosage ask if you can start on less.
Antidepressants can sometimes be a pain in the butt, particularly at the beginning, however when they work they can make a significant difference to quality of life. They’ve been keeping me anxiety complimentary for over Thirty Years.
3. The same thing occurred to me when i was informed i had to start lexapro. it took me months to go on and take what i had to take. I kept believing id go nuts on it, that itd change my personality, that id have crazy side effects, etc etc. I was so frightened to take it that i wept after taking my first tablet and needed to stay with my mama. Recalling, i cant think i was so afraid.
Pros of taking lexapro: lessens anxiety and makes it more manageable. it made my anxiety workable without removing it totally or changing my personality. it also isn’t really irreversible, if u choose u don’t feel great on it, youll go off it and change meds. i likewise didnt really have any bad side effects on it and if you do, those are likewise very temporary.
Cons of taking lexapro: it does make me sort of sleepy, often i have brilliant dreams, however thats about it. Nothing else. It works fantastic. Begin on 5 or 10 mg if you stressed. Develop gradually in 5mg increments.
You’ll be great give been taking it for about 8 months now and even though im not all the method treated, im doing and feeling a lot better than i was previously. Its worth a shot.
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Good luck! Have a nice weekend!
I have used ciprolex for over 10 years in conjunction with Wellbutrin. Really helps me function normally with few depressive episodes and strengthens my sociability skills. My health continues to be good.
A few years ago, I discontinued it for a year. My friends really noticed changes in my behaviour and asked what’s wrong. I said nothing, but apparently when I was with people they noticed. I continue to take Escitalopram with great success and recommend it to my grown up ADD kids