Posted by Mariposa on July 30, 2004, at 9:18:12
In reply to Re: Low dose Lexapro, posted by Bill LL on July 29, 2004, at 9:57:36
> I don't know about the weight gain. Most peple don't gain weight on Lexapro, but some do.
>
> As for lack of energy and motivation, it's complicated. Untreated depressed people often have a lack of energy and motivation. Then they take drugs such as SSRI's. Usually they feel better after starting SSRI's, then feel lack of motivation again.
>
> In my own experience with Lexapro, each time I felt bad, I raised the dose and then felt good again with more energy and more motivation. I now take 40 mg Lexapro along with Strattera (ADD drug).
>
> If I were you, I would not lower the Lexapro to 5 right now. I would probably increase the dose of Ritalin, and take the long acting form of it. Ritalin is good for both energy and depression.
>
> Otherwise, increase Lexapro to 30 mg and see how that works out. I would experiment with increasing the dose first before decreasing it.
>
> > I have a previos post "Stimulants as Antidepressant" in which I described my problems with SSRI's. I have tried a few and still come home and go directly to the couch and have no interest in doing anything with anyone. I also take Klonopin to give me more help with anxiety and Ritalin to get me out of bed. My main complaints of Lexapro, as with the other SSRI's I have taken, are lack of interest/motivation, weight gain, and lack of energy. I am not really sure if these are side-effects from Lexapro or mild depression. I started at 10 mg then my doctor raised my dose to 20 mg to help with severe anxiety. Now I am starting to wonder if a low dose such as 5 mg would actually be better. Has anyone else out there had more success with a low dose of Lexapro after having been on higher doses?
>
>I agree w/BillLL......I have found that a lower dose brings on uncomfortable se's like migraine, bitchyness, and other withdrawal-type effects. I too have felt relief from increasing dose, currently at 30mg. For me the lethargy is a *mental* problem not physical....the brain says I'm tired I want to go back to bed, but the body is ready willing and ABLE to function normally, I have to ignore the brain, drink some coffee, distract brain by making it get involved w/project, and soon it quits complaining and I'm back to a normal day at work. DON'T LET BRAIN FOOL YOU, it's just being LAZY!!!~8|8
poster:Mariposa
thread:371916
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040730/msgs/372293.html