Side effects ?

Question

Hi guys! My doctor prescribed me lexapro today, I have general anxiety disorder. Wondering about other people’s reactions with it and side effects? Thank you!! 💗💗💞 I heard it causes sexual dysfunction? I really hope that’s not a big side effect 😭

Answer

I really hate to comment this. But I really wish I had someone to warn me before I tried Lexapro. I’m going to write a lot, sorry. I wasn’t officially diagnosed with anything, I went to my doctor in January or February 2019 with a list of symptoms including being depressed for many years & recently having anxiety/panic attacks very often. He could tell the attacks were bad & that I had anxiety so he prescribed it.
I was on it for about 2 months I think. It didn’t do anything for my depression. It might’ve lessened the anxiety attacks, but it didn’t help the generalized anxiety.
My dreams were really intense. It was extremely hard to wake up to get out of it & when I did wake up, I felt like I hadn’t rested bc it felt like my brain had been so active from it. It made me hate having dreams bc it was every night. I felt like I kept zoning out throughout the day.
A few weeks in, one of my ears started ringing. I kept taking it for some reason & a couple weeks later the other ear started ringing too. I weaned off, I might have rushed it a little bit, but I did wean. I got the withdrawal side effect of “brain zaps” where your brain feels like it shakes or has a tiny “zap” I didn’t enjoy those at all. The intensity of the zaps lessened then went away.
It took a really long time for the intense dreaming to stop. The tinnitus never went away. Quite a few months later I got a hearing test, I don’t have any hearing loss. I went to an Ear, Nose, Throat specialist & they basically did nothing for me. They even suggested going on antidepressants/anti anxiety bc that usually stops tinnitus & I said that that’s what caused it. They suggested a supplement lipo flavonoid, it did nothing for the tinnitus. They said caffeine makes it worse, so I cut out all caffeine to help with the tinnitus & anxiety. 
For many many months, I was even more depressed & anxious than I was before taking it bc of the tinnitus. I felt like it was my fault bc I chose to take them. The ringing was driving me insane. Fast forward to now, I still have tinnitus in both ears, I’ve learned to ignore it better though. Taking Lexapro scared me off from trying any other antidepressants. I think it’s for the best for me though bc I just don’t think I can mentally handle any more side effects.
Oh & I’ve always had a very low libido, so I didn’t see much of a change, I think it just stayed low. 
I suggest limiting your caffeine intake or cutting it out entirely for your anxiety & eating healthier for better health in general which can help with mental health. If you think medication is best, just be prepared for side effects. I definitely wouldn’t recommend Lexapro but I have seen quite a few people on this app say they have positive results from it. 
Good luck & I hope that whatever you decide works out for you 🖤

Answer

I was on lexapro for years. No weight gain, no sexual side effects, and it also removed my migraines. It really helped stabilize my emotions. However, as another commenter mentioned, when I tried coming off of it I would get horrible “brain zaps” these were so awful, that I stayed on it for much longer than I needed to, because it was so hard to withdraw from. I am very grateful I am finally off it due to the Terrible withdrawals, which no one warned me about. So it’s important to know withdrawing maybe difficult. however the lexapro also really helped me feel more stable in a time of need as well.

Answer

I take 10 mg of lexapro. I've been doing great on it, but I can't answer for any libido issues because mine was already dropped from sex being painful on and off  for the past few months. So I've been kinda scared of it and avoidant.

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It totally lowered my sex drive and I couldn't orgasm,

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Its supposed to be 1 in 10 that end up with a low Libido. It happened to me gradually. I have a very high sex drive so my bf & i noticed the changes right away, so I switched to cymbalta... but now I use CBD and I'm slowly coming off the Cymbalta. The Lexapro was great for a hot minute though. Let it run its course. Its a side effect, not a guarantee.... just take note if its been a while and see how you feel.

Answer

I’ve been taking it for 2 years, I’m on 20mg. Started on 10mg. I myself have not had any side effects on it and it truly has helped my depression and i get angry way less now. I was prescribed it for moderate depression, that heightens in the summer time. I tried Prozac first and it made me feel like a zombie and gave me terrible nightmares! How a antidepressant works truly can change with every person and how severe your depression/mental health is. In my opinion unless it’s giving you terrible side effects right off the bat, always try it for at least 6-8 weeks to know truly how you’re gonna respond to it and then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t seem to be going right!

Answer

I didn’t have too many side effects while I was on it except for decreased sex drive and weight gain. I didn’t even realize how much weight I was holding onto until I stopped it, but I would go back on it again in a heart beat if I needed to... it gave me my life back! It took me about a year to taper myself off of it and as of this month I’ve been off for a year. Picked a bad year to stop it, that’s for sure, but I’ve been hanging in there.

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It worked great for my generalized anxiety disorder. My only complaint was that I absolutely couldn’t orgasm while taking it.

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I was on lexapro for about a year in 2009. I was sleepy all the time. My sleep went way up. My sex drive dropped a little. In general, it was one of the better SSRI’s ive been on, other than the exhaustion, which is why I eventually went off it.

Answer

It's different person to person, the way that it affects you. For me it's the only drug that helps my severe anxiety & depression. I've tried many things and that's the one that helps me. You have to find the right drug for you. Everyone's bodies are different. I've heard people say that it makes them feel completely numb and the only side effect that I've noticed is restless leg syndrome and restless arms. It's mild and doesn't happen but every once in a while. To me it's worth it. I was in a very dark place and it just did enough to make life bearable. It is a harder drug to get off of though if you don't plan on taking it long term. I would try something that doesn't have as bad of withdrawal if you do plan to get off of it. Prozac is a good option. Lexapro gave me serious withdraws when I tried to get off of it but I also am very sensitive to medications in general and it could be completely different for you.

Side effects ?

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