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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by galkeepinon on August 5, 2003, at 1:19:14
Last night I took my Lamictal (I am on a starter pack) and I didn't sleep well. This happened when I took the Lamictal WITH the Lexapro the other night also.
I am having a little diarrhea *embarrassed*
I have a slight headache
**These things could be from something else, but who knows.......Other than that, I'm still continuing with Day 5 tomorrow.
Best Wishes To All
Posted by galkeepinon on August 5, 2003, at 1:22:55
In reply to Lexapro******Day 4, posted by galkeepinon on August 5, 2003, at 1:19:14
I wanted to ask those of you who are on Lexapro or were......... I wake up and take it in the AM, then go back to sleep for almost 5 hours more or less-this med definately makes me drowsy. Would anyone suggest taking it at night to maybe help the sleep better also???
I have sachool in the AM and cannot afford to keep hitting snooze and/or miss class.
Thanks in advance so much
Posted by Rudi on August 5, 2003, at 10:36:44
In reply to Lexapro******Day 4, posted by galkeepinon on August 5, 2003, at 1:19:14
I am on day 2 on Lexapro....had a slight headache yesterday...went to bed with it...and woke up with it....if it is from the med. hope it goes away after a while. If it interrupts my sleep thinking of trying xanax or posslbly benydryl...that usually knocks me out.
I take my lex in the morning...hope it doesnt make me really sleepy....have 3 boys who don't need a sleepy Mom. I wonder if this SE will go away with time???
Good Luck
Posted by galkeepinon on August 5, 2003, at 14:30:12
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4, posted by Rudi on August 5, 2003, at 10:36:44
Hi Rudi, I'm finding that I'm getting insomnia mostly which IS listed on the leaflet as a side effect. I'm also getting slight leg aches. I take Klonopin and Benadryl at night too, but to no avail. So, I may have to augment some other med to help for sleep. I'm going to totally give Lexapro a fair chance, because so far, my depression has lifted after 4 days. I'm not crying as much and I'm letting things "roll off my back" easier-which is always good. I don't like drama. We don't need it in life.
I wish you the best, let's both cross our fingers!> I am on day 2 on Lexapro....had a slight headache yesterday...went to bed with it...and woke up with it....if it is from the med. hope it goes away after a while. If it interrupts my sleep thinking of trying xanax or posslbly benydryl...that usually knocks me out.
> I take my lex in the morning...hope it doesnt make me really sleepy....have 3 boys who don't need a sleepy Mom. I wonder if this SE will go away with time???
> Good Luck
Posted by KimMcD on August 12, 2003, at 18:52:29
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4 » Rudi, posted by galkeepinon on August 5, 2003, at 14:30:12
Hi there--for insomnia, instead of benadryl which doesnt work well for me (it puts me to sleep but i have terrible dreams and then wake up very alert 3-4 hrs later)...I take unisom--it's the only over the counter sleep aid that isnt essentially benadryl--doxylamine succinate instead.
Posted by galkeepinon on August 13, 2003, at 2:32:55
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4, posted by KimMcD on August 12, 2003, at 18:52:29
Thanks!!! I bought some tonight, I'm a little nervous about taking it but I'll see how it works.
> Hi there--for insomnia, instead of benadryl which doesnt work well for me (it puts me to sleep but i have terrible dreams and then wake up very alert 3-4 hrs later)...I take unisom--it's the only over the counter sleep aid that isnt essentially benadryl--doxylamine succinate instead.
Posted by KimMcD on August 14, 2003, at 0:53:47
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4 » KimMcD, posted by galkeepinon on August 13, 2003, at 2:32:55
Let me know if it helped you fall asleep and stay asleep--I know taking new meds, even over the counter ones, can be scary...
Posted by galkeepinon on August 14, 2003, at 1:19:02
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4, posted by KimMcD on August 14, 2003, at 0:53:47
nope-it didn't help, but if it did, it didn't start working until 12 hours later becasue I took my Lexapro this AM instead of tonight and I slept ALL day!!! I don't know if that was related to the Unisom or the Lexapro taken at 7am this morning?
:-( I may go back to the HCI 50 mg sleep aids. What do you think?> Let me know if it helped you fall asleep and stay asleep--I know taking new meds, even over the counter ones, can be scary...
Posted by KimMcD on August 14, 2003, at 14:35:25
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4 » KimMcD, posted by galkeepinon on August 14, 2003, at 1:19:02
Well, if it's any help, I am on Day 4 of Lexapro (I also take Neurontin for anxiety), and I've had GREAT difficulty falling asleep, when usually half a unisom does the trick. Last nite it was 4.30A and I got up at 1PM. Thank god I'm self employeed and Ive scheduled client stuff mid to late afternoons! You can take up to 2 unisom at a time safely. I try to make myself stay in my bed, with book and crosswords to help, but after a few hours I give up and get up. Last night I cleaned the cabinets in my kitchen! LOL
Posted by galkeepinon on August 15, 2003, at 3:32:44
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4, posted by KimMcD on August 14, 2003, at 14:35:25
Hey KimMcD I may try 2 next time, my brother said that he has taken 2 before also-so why not try it? I hear ya about your client scheduling! Thank God I'm self-employed too.
I bet your cabinets are sparklin eh?
LOL
keep in touch and thanks again:-)> Well, if it's any help, I am on Day 4 of Lexapro (I also take Neurontin for anxiety), and I've had GREAT difficulty falling asleep, when usually half a unisom does the trick. Last nite it was 4.30A and I got up at 1PM. Thank god I'm self employeed and Ive scheduled client stuff mid to late afternoons! You can take up to 2 unisom at a time safely. I try to make myself stay in my bed, with book and crosswords to help, but after a few hours I give up and get up. Last night I cleaned the cabinets in my kitchen! LOL
Posted by Mariposa on August 16, 2003, at 11:30:37
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4 » KimMcD, posted by galkeepinon on August 15, 2003, at 3:32:44
Just starting out on Lex I had a lot of trouble w/sleep. At first couldn't sleep, then slept too much, napping in stockroom at work!!! I moved time of dose from morning to afternoon to evening and back to mornings again.
It's something you may have to play with until your body gets used to Lex. Am into 6th month now, take Lex as early in morning as I can. Do NOT have trouble sleeping any more, go to sleep and don't wake up untill alarm goes off. Before Lex I was a TOTAL insomniac, never sleeping more than a few hours, always woke up at 3-4AM and could never go back to sleep. Thank you Lex for that!!!!
Good Luck to us all~~~8|8
Posted by McPac on August 17, 2003, at 13:12:47
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4, posted by Mariposa on August 16, 2003, at 11:30:37
I need to know if Celexa feels differently than Lexapro for some?
I know that Lex is SUPPOSED to be only the active metabolite of Celexa, so they're SUPPOSED to be VERY similar.
But Lex gave me those anxious jitters and started to cause me irritability problems as well.
I'd like to try Celexa but am wondering if some folks prefer the way Celexa feels over Lex? Does Celexa cause as much anxiety and irritability as Lex or might it be more calming, sedating (I'd LIKE the calming, sedating option!) THANKS for all responses to the "differences" between Celexa and Lexapro!!!
Posted by Oak on August 17, 2003, at 18:23:40
In reply to Re: Lexapro******Day 4, posted by Rudi on August 5, 2003, at 10:36:44
I am on day 5 of Lexapro after about 5 years of Zoloft. So far, no side effects and I seem to be feeling better every day. (Zoloft had stopped working well).
Good luck to all.
Posted by Bill L on August 18, 2003, at 11:31:47
In reply to Celexa/Lexapro Users....Need your HELP!!!!!, posted by McPac on August 17, 2003, at 13:12:47
I used to take Celexa and I now take Lex. I switched last year when Lex came out. I did really well on Celexa but feel that I am doing even better on Lexapro.
It's hard to predict side effects since different people react differently to the same drugs.
I felt jittery when I first went on Celexa. It lasted 2 or 3 months. I took the herb Valerian when I felt jittery and it worked great in about 30 minutes. The calming effect worked for several hours. I would suggest trying Valerian. Only buy Valerian that says "standardized".
Kava also works but has been implemented in causing liver problems. So stay away from that.
Posted by McPac on August 18, 2003, at 12:08:02
In reply to Re: Celexa/Lexapro Users....Need your HELP!!!!!, posted by Bill L on August 18, 2003, at 11:31:47
Posted by jc12578 on August 21, 2003, at 1:11:46
In reply to Celexa/Lexapro Users....Need your HELP!!!!!, posted by McPac on August 17, 2003, at 13:12:47
> I need to know if Celexa feels differently than Lexapro for some?
> I know that Lex is SUPPOSED to be only the active metabolite of Celexa, so they're SUPPOSED to be VERY similar.
> But Lex gave me those anxious jitters and started to cause me irritability problems as well.
> I'd like to try Celexa but am wondering if some folks prefer the way Celexa feels over Lex? Does Celexa cause as much anxiety and irritability as Lex or might it be more calming, sedating (I'd LIKE the calming, sedating option!) THANKS for all responses to the "differences" between Celexa and Lexapro!!!
All I can tell you about Celexa and LExapro is that they are not interchangable as my pharmacist and pysch seem to think....for 4 months I was put on one then the other depending on what the pharmacist had in stock...I am still suffering from effects...shakes headaches and nausea and these sort of blackouts...where it feels like my brain sorta re-boots...however for me the Celexa was more mild and I had less side effects from that than from the Lexapro...if that helps any....for me the celexa didn't give me those mood swings wich I prefer over anything...cause it's hard to ANYTHING when you are like snake ready to strike at anytime
Posted by El on August 21, 2003, at 19:15:34
In reply to Re: Celexa/Lexapro Users....Need your HELP!!!!!, posted by Bill L on August 18, 2003, at 11:31:47
i am only on day 3 of lex and my head feels like it's being squeezed at the temples. i also feel lightheaded and extremely spacey. i hate feeling this way (because of bad experiences with drugs in college) i am only taking 5 mg, but this is the first prescribed drug i have ever taken, is this all normal.
Posted by jc12578 on August 22, 2003, at 10:22:04
In reply to Re: Celexa/Lexapro Users....Need your HELP!!!!!, posted by El on August 21, 2003, at 19:15:34
> i am only on day 3 of lex and my head feels like it's being squeezed at the temples. i also feel lightheaded and extremely spacey. i hate feeling this way (because of bad experiences with drugs in college) i am only taking 5 mg, but this is the first prescribed drug i have ever taken, is this all normal.
it's going to feel like that for at least a week...it's so not plesant....are you working up to a higher dose or is 5mg what you are going to stay on? especially if this is your first prescription so it will take a bit to get used to it...hopefully this one will work for you...
Posted by KimMcD on August 22, 2003, at 12:36:48
In reply to Re: Celexa/Lexapro Users....Need your HELP!!!!!, posted by jc12578 on August 22, 2003, at 10:22:04
I remember going on my first antidepressant...It can be a bit scary. Unfortunately, just about any side effect is "normal". It should wear off within 2-3 weeks of when you started it. Talk to your Dr. if it becomes unbearable...I started on 10mg Lexapro 10 days ago and the side effect you are having is not one I am experiencing. Insomnia is the one I am suffering through at the moment. Have you tried taking ibuprofen for the pain???
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