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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Esmarelda on December 31, 2003, at 9:42:51
In reply to Re: Wicked Witch of the West, posted by Interject79 on December 30, 2003, at 23:15:04
I know that in the past some of you have mentioned taking Wellbutrin and Lex together. Why is this done? And, what does it relieve that the Lex alone does not cover. Over the holidays (and it may just be the holidays), I once again have not been feeling comfortable in my skin so I was thinking about talking to my doctor about trying the 2 together. I just wanted to find out what you all thought the advantage was. Thanks.
Posted by Quinn on December 31, 2003, at 10:50:21
In reply to Lexapro + Wellbutrin, posted by Esmarelda on December 31, 2003, at 9:42:51
I've been on Prozac + Wellbutrin for about 6 months. My PDoc has suggested substituting Lexapro for the Prozac because he thinks the Prozac has become less effective over time (I’ve been on Prozac for 15 years) and he thinks the Lex may be more stimulating (I’ve been feeling very fatigued lately).
I know a lot of people add Wellbutrin to their SSRI to try to offset sexual SEs. This may help some people, but the Wellbutrin made my sexual SEs worse. However, this may be specific to Wellbutrin’s interaction with Prozac, as they both affect isoenzyme CYP-2D6, which Lex does not.
My Wellbutrin was added as a substitute for Effexor, which I was on for about 3 months but doing poorly. The Effexor was added as a substitute for Desipramine, which I had been on for a few years before I started the Prozac.
Posted by evercare on December 31, 2003, at 10:53:58
In reply to Anyone switched to Lexapro? « ggrrl, posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2002, at 7:52:48
I have been on Lexapro for almost a year. It takes forever to have an orgasm. I also get phases of irritability and restlessness and find it hard not to sleep all day if i can. I either feel like i should be doing something or asleep. Are these side effects or are they just me??
Posted by Esmarelda on December 31, 2003, at 11:01:06
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin, posted by Quinn on December 31, 2003, at 10:50:21
Thanks
Posted by Quinn on December 31, 2003, at 11:50:41
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » Quinn, posted by Esmarelda on December 31, 2003, at 11:01:06
> Thanks
You’re welcome.
Besides the SE concern, another reason for augmenting an SSRI with Wellbutrin is that Wellbutrin is believed to affect the norapinephrine and dopamine systems, with no affect on seratonin, and thus be complimentary to the effects of the SSRI.
Posted by TerryS on December 31, 2003, at 12:33:05
In reply to Wicked Witch of the West, posted by Linny on December 30, 2003, at 18:23:32
Hey Linny,
My husband also takes Lexapro. However, he is a much nicer person on the Lexapro. There are some side effects that can make a person a little nasty, sleep distubances, headachs, sexual disfunction, etc. I don't know why she is taking Lex, but if she was misdiagnosed she may be having other reactions.
My husband has anxiety, OCD and depression. It's no picknick here, but I like him better when he is taking Lexapro.
Posted by Gaza on December 31, 2003, at 13:12:58
In reply to Wicked Witch of the West, posted by Linny on December 30, 2003, at 18:23:32
> Help!! My wife of 5 years has been taking Lexapro
> for about 9 months. Since that time she has
> become downright mean. She has changed from
> someone who was a joy to be around to someone
> that is sarcastic, rude and unpleasant. I know
> it's the drug. I can't talk to her about it because
> she becomes defensive. Now I'm going to talk to
> her Dr. or to our Atty for a divorce. Does anybody
> know somebody that has taken Lexapro and has become
> the wicked witch of the west. I love her so...
> Linny
It sounds like she's augmenting Lexapro with something else. That 'wicked' reaction is extremely rare.
Posted by JohnFromCalifornia on December 31, 2003, at 20:08:47
In reply to Excessive Sleepiness, posted by JacquieJ on December 30, 2003, at 16:49:38
> I have been on lex 20mg for about 3 weeks now. I am SOOO sleepy I find myself very demotivated... find myself more and more "antisocial" wanting to hibernate alone with my 2 golden retrievers ... I used to go to the gym 5x a week which I feel helped my dep/anx also but don't even feel like doing that. Any words of hope?
I'm going down the very same road. After two weeks I have to drag myself out of bed. Though middle-aged I'm a cyclist and my weekly riding went from 150 miles to zero.
Still, I'm going to stick it out. I figure the seratonin really must be coming back -- that chemical controls your sleep as well as your mood, so if it's affecting one area it may well affect the other.
One thing I've discovered is because I sleep so well these days, if I FORCE myself out of bed and get busy at something, my mental focus and energy level is actually quite high.
So I suggest you stick it out too, and hopefully side effects like sleepiness will give way to generally brighter and more placid state of mind.
Posted by reluctant on December 31, 2003, at 21:30:56
In reply to Lexapro + Wellbutrin, posted by Esmarelda on December 31, 2003, at 9:42:51
hi - i'm new here - i've posted elsewhere but there's a lot of activity here & i'm hoping to hear from some folks. My situation is sort of the reverse of yours, Esmarelda - I'm about to start on lexapro, switching from zoloft, already on bupropion 200mg/day. Has anyone else made the zoloft to lexapro switch? why? how's it going? zoloft was knocking me out & not doing much else . . . the hope is that the lexapro will do what the zoloft failed to do. Wellbutrin alone lifted my energy but didn't do as much as I'd hoped for my mood - also after several months I found that I was developing a bit of a temper. the zoloft took care of the temper, certainly, but I lost the energy & became super-sleepy & dumb as a post on some days. And my mood didn't really improve - though I didn't care as much. Yee-haw. Zoloft's worked for me in the past, without the side effects - I just generally brightened up - so my pdoc is hoping that another flavor of ssri will help get me out of the dark.
Esmarelda - You're adding wellbutrin to the ssri, which will hopefully provide a little spark as well as countereffect some of the side effects of the ssri. It often improves libido, is energizing - it works on dopamine, not serotonin, if i'm not mistaken. seeing as different people can have completely opposite side effects to the same drug, the whole thing really is a mystery. kind of medieval, really. maybe if you start taking your wellbutrin on the first new moon of the year, standing on your left foot & blindfolded, and wash it down with some eye of newt, everything will work out ok. or maybe your hair will fall out. Who knows?
All sarcasm aside - I'm really committed to beating this, and I know that medication can only do a fraction of the work - the rest has to be me. Next week I start regular, bi-weekly therapy (as opposed to every few months), something I've been putting off. The drugs (hopefully!) give you the wherewithal to undo the patterns that depression has built up in your mind, I think, rather than fix things altogether. It may be frustrating to keep going through these trials with medicine, but try to take some hope from the knowledge that, even though you may not be able to feel it now, the ability to get through this is in you - absolutely. The hard part is getting to a place where you can begin to feel that to be true.
Happy New Year.
Take care.
Posted by Oldhand on December 31, 2003, at 21:49:35
In reply to Lexapro + Wellbutrin, posted by Esmarelda on December 31, 2003, at 9:42:51
> I know that in the past some of you have mentioned taking Wellbutrin and Lex together. Why is this done? And, what does it relieve that the Lex alone does not cover. Over the holidays (and it may just be the holidays), I once again have not been feeling comfortable in my skin so I was thinking about talking to my doctor about trying the 2 together. I just wanted to find out what you all thought the advantage was. Thanks.
Hello Esmerelda,
Wellbutrin was added to Lexapro about three months ago for me. I was feeling very irritable and short tempered. Since I live with and try to help my elderly parents, I did not want it to continue. I have been taking Lexapro over a year and it has been a miracle drug for me. I take 20 mgs When the irritability bacame a problem my psychiatrist started me on 150mg of Wellbutrin XL. I currently take 300mg and I feel much better, more patient and able to reason.
I hope this is hel[ful to you, my reason for the WelLex combo.
Happy and peaceful New Year to all,
Shelley
Posted by ednababish on January 1, 2004, at 9:19:02
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » Esmarelda, posted by Oldhand on December 31, 2003, at 21:49:35
I am wondering how much Lexapro most of you are taking, so please let me know. My psychiatrist pronounced me more depressed than I was admitting to myself the first visit; this second visit she said I needed more because I was still irratable and blue. I have been taking 10mg; she suggested 20mg, but I was concerned because two years ago 40mgs of Celexa was too much for me--I had a spell while teaching a collge class that I thought I was going to pass out. She then suggested 15mgs. Celexa and Lexapro have both made me jittery and a bit panicky until they have been levelled off in my system--but Celexa worked beautifully at 30 mgs two years ago. Any insights on this?
Posted by Mariposa on January 1, 2004, at 12:17:16
In reply to Re: Excessive Sleepiness, posted by JohnFromCalifornia on December 31, 2003, at 20:08:47
> > I have been on lex 20mg for about 3 weeks now. I am SOOO sleepy I find myself very demotivated... find myself more and more "antisocial" wanting to hibernate alone with my 2 golden retrievers ... I used to go to the gym 5x a week which I feel helped my dep/anx also but don't even feel like doing that. Any words of hope?
>
> I'm going down the very same road. After two weeks I have to drag myself out of bed. Though middle-aged I'm a cyclist and my weekly riding went from 150 miles to zero.
>
> Still, I'm going to stick it out. I figure the seratonin really must be coming back -- that chemical controls your sleep as well as your mood, so if it's affecting one area it may well affect the other.
>
> One thing I've discovered is because I sleep so well these days, if I FORCE myself out of bed and get busy at something, my mental focus and energy level is actually quite high.
>
> So I suggest you stick it out too, and hopefully side effects like sleepiness will give way to generally brighter and more placid state of mind.
>
>Have had the same experience....it's like the brain is sleepy but body is not...ignore brain, get moving and lethargy evaporates. I find Lex can be quite *energizing*.
Happy New Year everyone!~~~8|8
Posted by Mariposa on January 1, 2004, at 12:19:29
In reply to Average Lexapro dosage, posted by ednababish on January 1, 2004, at 9:19:02
> I am wondering how much Lexapro most of you are taking, so please let me know. My psychiatrist pronounced me more depressed than I was admitting to myself the first visit; this second visit she said I needed more because I was still irratable and blue. I have been taking 10mg; she suggested 20mg, but I was concerned because two years ago 40mgs of Celexa was too much for me--I had a spell while teaching a collge class that I thought I was going to pass out. She then suggested 15mgs. Celexa and Lexapro have both made me jittery and a bit panicky until they have been levelled off in my system--but Celexa worked beautifully at 30 mgs two years ago. Any insights on this?
Have been on Lex since Feb. w/good results, currently @20mg.~~~8|8
Posted by BobYuma on January 1, 2004, at 13:03:41
In reply to Average Lexapro dosage, posted by ednababish on January 1, 2004, at 9:19:02
> > > I am wondering how much Lexapro most of you are taking, so please let me know.> > >
Hello, Edna.
My doctor started me on 10 mg's of Lexapro one month ago, but told me that if I didn't think that the 10 mg's were doing the job, I could double the dosage.
However, I believe that 10 mg's is enough for me, because I haven't had any real depression since about the second day on Lex. Also, in the past few days I've started to get past the SE's, and that's one thing I'd hate to start back because of a higher doseage.
As a side note, I don't believe that my depression was nearly as "bad" as many people have, since it was caused by a particular incident. I think that [in most cases] we adapt ourselves to the various happenings of our lives and just learn to live with situations.
Take care of yourself, and good luck.
BobYuma
Posted by ginger C on January 1, 2004, at 16:22:35
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin » Esmarelda, posted by Oldhand on December 31, 2003, at 21:49:35
I have been on Lexapro and wellbutrin for over a year now. Lexapro works on seratonin levels and welbutrin they are noy reall sure exatcly how it works. I am taking 400mg welbutrin and 20mg Lex I have felt better on this combination than on any other meds they have tried
Posted by reluctant on January 1, 2004, at 16:30:39
In reply to Re: Lexapro + Wellbutrin, posted by ginger C on January 1, 2004, at 16:22:35
> I have been on Lexapro and wellbutrin for over a year now. Lexapro works on seratonin levels and welbutrin they are noy reall sure exatcly how it works. I am taking 400mg welbutrin and 20mg Lex I have felt better on this combination than on any other meds they have tried
that's good to hear! what had you tried before?
-r.
Posted by Neatfreak on January 1, 2004, at 17:12:18
In reply to Average Lexapro dosage, posted by ednababish on January 1, 2004, at 9:19:02
This is day 21 for Lexapro no side effects, and is it wishful thinking that perhaps my mood swings are as not as extream
Posted by BobYuma on January 1, 2004, at 17:38:32
In reply to Re: Average Lexapro dosage, posted by Neatfreak on January 1, 2004, at 17:12:18
> > >This is day 21 for Lexapro no side effects, and is it wishful thinking that perhaps my mood swings are as not as extream > >
Hi, Neat.
What amount is your dosage?
Posted by Alouette on January 1, 2004, at 18:26:28
In reply to Re: Lexapro - a TRUE test - and I passed!, posted by Mariposa on December 27, 2003, at 10:50:03
Hi All - I was on Effexor years ago (it helped my depression a lot but I hated the side effects); went off for a couple years; went on Prozac for a few years (ditto). I've been off antidepressants & doing well for about 1-1/2 years, but the last few months I've been swirling down, including loss of job. Two weeks + two days ago I went on Lexapro 10 mg a day. Yesterday was the first day I wasn't fantasizing about my own death - yay! (Don't worry - I'll never "off" myself because I have children, but when I'm depressed, sometimes it's a relief to think about suicide.) Today I'm a little glum again. Sleeping a lot, otherwise no side effects.
I sure would like to hear that there's hope that I'll feel a lot better soon on Lexapro -- especially since the side effects seem to be minimal.
Also, what are the hopes that my sex drive (which was actually way down even before I went on Lexapro) will ever return on Lexapro?
Thanks! Alouette
Posted by Gaza on January 1, 2004, at 18:39:13
In reply to Re: Lexapro, posted by Alouette on January 1, 2004, at 18:26:28
> Hi All - I was on Effexor years ago (it helped my depression a lot but I hated the side effects); went off for a couple years; went on Prozac for a few years (ditto). I've been off antidepressants & doing well for about 1-1/2 years, but the last few months I've been swirling down, including loss of job. Two weeks + two days ago I went on Lexapro 10 mg a day. Yesterday was the first day I wasn't fantasizing about my own death - yay! (Don't worry - I'll never "off" myself because I have children, but when I'm depressed, sometimes it's a relief to think about suicide.) Today I'm a little glum again. Sleeping a lot, otherwise no side effects.
>
> I sure would like to hear that there's hope that I'll feel a lot better soon on Lexapro -- especially since the side effects seem to be minimal.
>
> Also, what are the hopes that my sex drive (which was actually way down even before I went on Lexapro) will ever return on Lexapro?
>
> Thanks! AlouetteMan-o-man have I been there! Sounds like you were writing my experiences - exactly! To get the sex drive back you may need to use Welbutrin with Lexapro. Before Lex, I was so depressed that that eliminated any sex drive. Just didn't care at all. Mariposa has written well of my other experiences / feelings while sinking into that deep, deep pit. Man, it was really, really, really, bad. I've been on Lex now for about 3 months, and I haven't had those thoughts you mentioned for, at least a month. I sure feel for you. Stick with it, and maybe take 200 mg Welbutrin with the Lex. That helps the sexual situation pretty well.
Posted by ednababish on January 1, 2004, at 20:37:21
In reply to Re: Lexapro, posted by Alouette on January 1, 2004, at 18:26:28
My sexual side effects on Celexa and Lexapro have been minimal, as opposed to having no desire or response on paxil. It may not work for everyone, but it worked for me.
Posted by Neatfreak on January 1, 2004, at 21:09:57
In reply to Re: Average Lexapro dosage, posted by BobYuma on January 1, 2004, at 17:38:32
> > > >This is day 21 for Lexapro no side effects, and is it wishful thinking that perhaps my mood swings are as not as extream > >
>
> Hi, Neat.
> What amount is your dosage?Sorry left that out Bob.. it is 10mg
Posted by John2222 on January 2, 2004, at 12:12:36
In reply to Re: Average Lexapro dosage, posted by Neatfreak on January 1, 2004, at 21:09:57
Has anyone had any success with Lexapro at 5mg?
I was taking Effexor XR for about one and half years but recently tapered off the Effexor and switched to Wellbutrin.
I must say my motivation went way up after the change, and I don't sleep all the time like I was with Effexor. But, I feel kind of sad lately and the Wellbutrin doesn't seem to do much to relieve anxiety.
I was thinking of asking my dr about adding a small dose of Lexapro, maybe just 5mg. I'm hoping that a small dose will be just enough without any more side effects.
Any thoughts anyone?
John
>
> Sorry left that out Bob.. it is 10mg
Posted by Esmarelda on January 2, 2004, at 13:24:32
In reply to Average Lexapro dosage, posted by ednababish on January 1, 2004, at 9:19:02
I really appreciate everyone's input. I have taken Well with the Lex for 3 days now. I seem to have more energy and overall seem " happier." However, I woke up extremely depressed this morning and had to force myself out of bed. Since I got up and got moving, I feel fine. As for the dosage, I am on 20mg Lex now. I started on 10 in June, then upped to 15 in August and within last 2 weeks upped again to 20mg. I added Well a few days ago. I think the holidays may be dragging me down a bit. I would go from 10 to 15 and see if that helps, if not, go on up to the 20mg as suggested by your doc.
Posted by Esmarelda on January 2, 2004, at 13:28:47
In reply to Re: Average Lexapro dosage ? 5 mg ok?, posted by John2222 on January 2, 2004, at 12:12:36
There are people for which 5 or 7.5 mg has been very successful. It just depends on the person.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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