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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Krissy P on March 26, 2003, at 0:20:51
Lexapro Bests Effexor in Depression Study
First Head-to-Head Comparison of the Popular Antidepressants
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD
on Wednesday, October 09, 2002
Oct. 9, 2002 -- A new antidepressant works faster with fewer side effects than a competitor, according to new research.
The first head-to-head study of two antidepressants shows Lexapro is not only as effective as the popular antidepressant Effexor XR but appears to relieve symptoms faster with fewer side effects.
Study researcher Stuart Montgomery, of the Imperial College School of Medicine at the University of London, presented the findings this week at a meeting of specialists in treating mental health conditions.
The study compared the effectiveness of the two drugs in relieving depression in 288 people who were randomly assigned to take either drug for eight weeks.
Although both drugs effectively eased symptoms and relieved depression in most patients, the researchers found Lexapro prompted a quicker response.
For example, researchers found a significantly larger number of people who took Lexapro had achieved a sustained response to the drug by week six than those treated with Effexor XR. Lexapro-treated patients also experienced a complete remission of their symptoms an average of more than six days faster than the other patients.
Researchers say the early response found with Lexapro is especially important because compliance is a major problem in the treatment of depression -- depressed patients are likely to stop taking a drug if they don't see results.
In addition, the study showed Lexapro seemed to be better tolerated by its users, and fewer Lexapro participants dropped out of the study due to side effects.
However, the majority of patients on either drug (69% for Lexapro and 76% for Effexor XR) reported side effects such as nausea, headache, and sweating.
The FDA approved Lexapro in August for treating depression. It was created using a relatively new approach that removed inactive ingredients in Celexa -- yielding a safer and more potent form of the medication.Ahh what a little research can do. Didn't know it was an SSRI, and didn't know it had Celexa components-a mned that worked well-better than Effexor for me anyway.
What do y'all think?
I am seriously thinking about Lexapro instead of this manic inducing Effexor
Posted by ayuda on March 26, 2003, at 0:44:51
In reply to LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.........., posted by Krissy P on March 26, 2003, at 0:20:51
> Lexapro Bests Effexor in Depression Study
> First Head-to-Head Comparison of the Popular Antidepressants
> By Jennifer Warner
> WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD
> on Wednesday, October 09, 2002
>
> Oct. 9, 2002 -- A new antidepressant works faster with fewer side effects than a competitor, according to new research.
> The first head-to-head study of two antidepressants shows Lexapro is not only as effective as the popular antidepressant Effexor XR but appears to relieve symptoms faster with fewer side effects.
>
>
> Study researcher Stuart Montgomery, of the Imperial College School of Medicine at the University of London, presented the findings this week at a meeting of specialists in treating mental health conditions.
> The study compared the effectiveness of the two drugs in relieving depression in 288 people who were randomly assigned to take either drug for eight weeks.
> Although both drugs effectively eased symptoms and relieved depression in most patients, the researchers found Lexapro prompted a quicker response.
> For example, researchers found a significantly larger number of people who took Lexapro had achieved a sustained response to the drug by week six than those treated with Effexor XR. Lexapro-treated patients also experienced a complete remission of their symptoms an average of more than six days faster than the other patients.
> Researchers say the early response found with Lexapro is especially important because compliance is a major problem in the treatment of depression -- depressed patients are likely to stop taking a drug if they don't see results.
> In addition, the study showed Lexapro seemed to be better tolerated by its users, and fewer Lexapro participants dropped out of the study due to side effects.
> However, the majority of patients on either drug (69% for Lexapro and 76% for Effexor XR) reported side effects such as nausea, headache, and sweating.
> The FDA approved Lexapro in August for treating depression. It was created using a relatively new approach that removed inactive ingredients in Celexa -- yielding a safer and more potent form of the medication.
>
> Ahh what a little research can do. Didn't know it was an SSRI, and didn't know it had Celexa components-a mned that worked well-better than Effexor for me anyway.
> What do y'all think?
> I am seriously thinking about Lexapro instead of this manic inducing Effexor
>
>Krissy --
I switched from Effexor XR to Lexapro in November, and I feel so much better on the Lexapro. The benefits of the Effexor (I was on it for about 7 months, and up to 225 mg) was that it treated my GAD much better than anything else I've ever taken, but I gained loads of weight on it, and was constantly nauseated (and developed an ulcer from it). It was also very hard to move off the Effexor, and I had about a 6-week or more taper, I can't recall.
However, since I started the Lexapro (started on 5mg, and I've been on 20mg for a couple of months now), I have had no side effects that would make me want to go off of it (same can't be said for Effexor, Zoloft and Celexa, the others I've tried). The ones I've experienced are excessive sweating (I live in south Florida, where I sweat all the time anyhow) and insomnia, and that's about all I think I can attribute to the Lexapro. Others on the Lexapro thread have had other problems, mostly at start up, including headaches and sexual dysfunction (male and female). Start up has not been fun for lots of people, it seems.
But I feel NORMAL -- not that ideal of "normal" we all think is out there that we are not, but normal for me, like when I'm not suffering from depression. My anxiety (as evidenced by my thread about the benzos and hydrocodone) rears its ugly head, but it is not completely uncontrolled. Based on my experience, I would recommend Lexapro over Effexor.
Oh, and no weird dreams on Lexapro.
But, you know, everyone is different, and some people don't like the Lexapro. But for me, it has been good and tolerable.
So that's my 2-cents, for what it's worth!
Ayuda
Posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 15:27:36
In reply to Re: LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.......... » Krissy P, posted by ayuda on March 26, 2003, at 0:44:51
Count me in kinda - EffexorXR was too intense for me, induced frequent mood swings like a pendulum from mania to exhaustion/depression. It was awful. Switched to Celexa, the pre-cursor to Lexapro and wow, what a difference. No more mood swings. I'd consider switching to the *purer* Lexapro, but there's that saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." In any case, I will ask my pdoc next appointment about possible switch - I kinda feel like why take a med (Celexa) with a bunch of inactive ingredients when I can take the same basic formulation without them, with only the WORKING ingredients? Hmmmmmmm ...
Posted by Krissy P on March 26, 2003, at 17:43:28
In reply to Re: LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.........., posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 15:27:36
Hi Janelle,
Thanks for your kind post earlier, I am going to stay and continue to help people and get support from others as well.
Thanks so much for your kind words:-)
Anyway, doesn't Lexapro just make sense? Is it a mood stabilizer or an AD?
But do you like Celexa? How many mg did you get to? I took it also and it worked very well for me-I just *thought* Effexor worked better-that's why I went *back* on it a month ago. Now, I'm thinking it has stopped working. It's not doing much for my depression anymore, and it makes me extremely manic, (if that makes sense lol)having to add more and more meds-which I don't like.
I see my pdoc Friday and hopefully we can agree to start me on it. I'm trying to do some more research about it before the appt, so I hope it works out.
I'm glad you are feeling pretty good:-)
All the best to you, kristen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Count me in kinda - EffexorXR was too intense for me, induced frequent mood swings like a pendulum from mania to exhaustion/depression. It was awful. Switched to Celexa, the pre-cursor to Lexapro and wow, what a difference. No more mood swings. I'd consider switching to the *purer* Lexapro, but there's that saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." In any case, I will ask my pdoc next appointment about possible switch - I kinda feel like why take a med (Celexa) with a bunch of inactive ingredients when I can take the same basic formulation without them, with only the WORKING ingredients? Hmmmmmmm ...
Posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 22:04:43
In reply to Re: LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.......... » Janelle, posted by Krissy P on March 26, 2003, at 17:43:28
Hi Krissy,
So glad you are going to stay! :-)
Nope, from all I've read here, Lexapro does not make much sense, so I'm sticking with Celexa for now and not rocking any boats!
FYI - Celexa AND Lexapro are both SSRI a-d's, NOT mood stabilizers.
Yes, so far I like Celexa; I'm on 30 mg/day, might go to 40 at most because the SSRI a-d's can bring on mania in people with bipolar tendencies (like me).
I had also just *thought* Effexor worked better until I got to a dose that is considered a good one, but gave me real intense mood swings.
It mostly made me extremely hypomanic, followed by deep depression over and over again.I can't quite recall: which a-d are you on now - Celexa, Effexor, or something else? Wellbutrin?
Posted by Krissy P on March 27, 2003, at 0:18:53
In reply to Re: LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.......... » Krissy P, posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 22:04:43
Hi there,
Ahhhh ok so Lexapro is an SSRI?!
I was wondering. Good for you to not 'rock any boats' lol you're right-why fix it if it ain't broke? Good for you:-)
I'm on Effexor and BINGO-It is mostly making me extremely hypomanic, followed by deep depression over and over again, so I may go back on Celexa-see what my pdoc says Friday. My appt can't come soon enough!
What was your highest dose on Effexor? Did you take the XR? I forgot.
I do know that when I was on Celexa-I didn't get the hypomania I do on Effexor now, and the Effexor did work for me well at one time, but now it doesn't seem to be. Oh what a tangled web of meds we weave.....
Take Care, Kristen:-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Krissy,
So glad you are going to stay! :-)
Nope, from all I've read here, Lexapro does not make much sense, so I'm sticking with Celexa for now and not rocking any boats!
FYI - Celexa AND Lexapro are both SSRI a-d's, NOT mood stabilizers.
Yes, so far I like Celexa; I'm on 30 mg/day, might go to 40 at most because the SSRI a-d's can bring on mania in people with bipolar tendencies (like me).
I had also just *thought* Effexor worked better until I got to a dose that is considered a good one, but gave me real intense mood swings.
It mostly made me extremely hypomanic, followed by deep depression over and over again.
I can't quite recall: which a-d are you on now - Celexa, Effexor, or something else? Wellbutrin?
Posted by Krissy P on March 27, 2003, at 1:58:13
In reply to Re: LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.......... » Krissy P, posted by ayuda on March 26, 2003, at 0:44:51
Posted by Janelle on March 27, 2003, at 18:07:09
In reply to Re: LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.......... » Janelle, posted by Krissy P on March 27, 2003, at 0:18:53
Sounds like you are going through something similar to what I did on Effexor.
To answer your questions - my highest dose on Effexor was 150 mg/day, and it was the XR (you didn't forget to ask; you never did ask and I forgot to mention it!)
What dose of Effexor (and is it XR?) are YOU on now?
I also have not gotten the hypomania while on Celexa (knock on wood!), BUT I am taking it with other meds, including mood stabilizers.
However, I was also taking the EffexorXR with mood stabilizers (only one though) and apparently the EffexorXR overrode the mood stabilizer.
Well, for me, it's NO MORE EffexorXR after two unsuccessful trials!
Good luck and I look forward to hearing the results of your pdoc visit.
Posted by Krissy P on March 27, 2003, at 20:20:51
In reply to Re: LEXAPRO Is winning! Check This Out.......... » Krissy P, posted by Janelle on March 27, 2003, at 18:07:09
Hi Janelle,
I look so forward to hearing back from you on this.
As for me, I'm on 75mg of EffexorXR right now, 50mg of Lamictal, 100-200mg of Seroquel, and 2-3 mg of Klonopin.**Can I ask what other meds/mood stabilizers are you taking with the Celexa???
**What 1 mood stabilizer were you taking with the EffexorXR when you were taking EffexorXR???This will help me a lot to get another person's experience!!! And help me with my pdoc appt tomorrow! I look forward to hearing back from you:-)
Thanks so much, Kristen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sounds like you are going through something similar to what I did on Effexor.
To answer your questions - my highest dose on Effexor was 150 mg/day, and it was the XR (you didn't forget to ask; you never did ask and I forgot to mention it!)
What dose of Effexor (and is it XR?) are YOU on now?
I also have not gotten the hypomania while on Celexa (knock on wood!), BUT I am taking it with other meds, including mood stabilizers.
However, I was also taking the EffexorXR with mood stabilizers (only one though) and apparently the EffexorXR overrode the mood stabilizer.
Well, for me, it's NO MORE EffexorXR after two unsuccessful trials!
Good luck and I look forward to hearing the results of your pdoc visit.
This is the end of the thread.
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