When I graduated college and moved into the “real world” I had difficulty adjusting. I had trouble sleeping, I was uncomfortable at interviews, and I missed my old life so much that I never felt happy. I knew what I was going through was worse than just a temporary funk. My internist prescribed Lexapro, a medicine to treat major depressive disorder and general anxiety disorder. I have been on the medication, happily, for two and a half years.
Lexapro (generic name is escitalopram) is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs increase the extra cellular level of the neurotransmitter serotonin by inhibiting its reuptake into the presynaptic cell, increasing the level of serotonin available to bind to the postsynaptic receptor. Basically, they up your serotonin. Most similar to Lexapro is Cipralex and Esertia. Other common SSRIs are Celexa, Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft.
My doctor suggested a SSRI because she felt I had an anxiety disorder with depressive tendencies so she wanted a medicine to take care of both. I also have a family history of depression. My mother had tried Paxil but felt that it leveled all of her moods and she could no longer feel sad, happy, disappointed or excited. Paxil has been known to have a few severe side effects. My doctor didn’t want me to take something like Zoloft that can be addictive so we settled on Lexapro.
I started taking Lexapro with a warning from my doctor; it takes two weeks to start working and I wondered, would I really wake up in two weeks and feel like a different person? It turns out, I would. I began sleeping better and I noticed that the little things, being late or a traffic jam, didn’t bother me as much. With Lexapro, it took a lot more little things to make me feel stressed. If I miss two or more days of Lexapro, I go back to being easily frustrated.
My doctor told me to call her if any of my anxiety or depression symptoms worsened. People taking Lexapro under the age of 24 may experienced new or worsened symptoms. This side effect is consistent in all SSRIs and is one of the scarier side effects of antidepressants. Patients under the age of 24 should be watched closely during the first 12 weeks of medication. My doctor made me come to her office after 12 weeks on Lexapro but, luckily I did not experience this side effect.
In all of the research I read it was consistently said that Lexapro has fewer side effects than other SSRIs. Studies have shown that the side effects are similar to the effects people feel on a placebo. Personally, I only experience side effects when I miss a dose or mix Lexapro with alcohol which is not recommended.
The most common side effects are a restless feeling, headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, sleep problems, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, decreased sex drive, impotence, difficulty having an orgasm, dry mouth, and ringing in your ears. When I miss a dose, I have gotten pounding headaches in my temples but experience no other side effects. Since being on Lexapro, my alcohol tolerance has lowered. I become hung over with fewer drinks and my symptoms typically involve nausea.
I have never experienced a more serious side effect but if you experience one of these major side effects, call your doctor immediately. Serious Lexapro side effects include: seizures, tremors, muscle twitching or swiftness, problems with balance, agitation, confusion, sweating, and fast hear beats.
I personally have had a great experience with Lexapro but medications affect everyone differently. You should consult your doctor and do research on all SSRIs before making a decision.
Sources:
http://www.Lexapro.com/
http://www.webmd.com/
http://www.drugs.com/Lexapro.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_serotonin_reuptake_inhibitor
