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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by humpback on April 23, 2003, at 12:07:37
I've been prescribed Lexapro 20mg from my fam Dr since Sept 2002, for anxiety, aggitation, and depression. I was trying to lose weight at that time and weighed 200lbs. Since then I've gained 15lbs! and that was with exersice and diet. I am totally calmer and more pleasant and tremendously less worried about all our financial problems but - I have been wanting to not go to family get togethers, and have felt rejected from potential jobs and I feel it's due to my weight. I feel ugly, and am poor and don't have nice clothes, and sometimes it seems all too much for me. I have 2 boys under 6yrs, and a 16 year old son and they keep me running. I am trying to get it all together and get a job but have horrible feelings of rejection and that others really do not like me!! What's wrong with me???
Posted by Stacey fu on April 23, 2003, at 14:31:02
In reply to Lexapro not enough?, posted by humpback on April 23, 2003, at 12:07:37
> I've been prescribed Lexapro 20mg from my fam Dr since Sept 2002, for anxiety, aggitation, and depression. I was trying to lose weight at that time and weighed 200lbs. Since then I've gained 15lbs! and that was with exersice and diet. I am totally calmer and more pleasant and tremendously less worried about all our financial problems but - I have been wanting to not go to family get togethers, and have felt rejected from potential jobs and I feel it's due to my weight. I feel ugly, and am poor and don't have nice clothes, and sometimes it seems all too much for me. I have 2 boys under 6yrs, and a 16 year old son and they keep me running. I am trying to get it all together and get a job but have horrible feelings of rejection and that others really do not like me!! What's wrong with me???
It seems that the issue here is not so much the Lexapro,as it is your negative attitude. You really should not be so hard on yourself. Your depression has significantly took it's toll on your self-esteem. Start building it up again by finding activities you enjoy, even if it's just something simple like going for a walk with your boys. Or, make time for yourself, get a massage, or take a friend and go dancing one night. A change of pace is always good. If your self-conciousness is severe enough that you can't muster the guts to do much of anything, you may benefit from psychotherapy, where you can start addressing what your feelings about yourself and your life have been. I'd also strongly recommend seeing a psychiatrist and getting your antidepressant switched from Lexapro to something else. (There may be state funds available from public aid if you'd want to look into it) There are other AD's that you may want to try instead of Lexapro. Effexor is approved for depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and causes many people to lose their appetites. Wellbutrin can suppress the appetite also, but you may want to check with your doctor, as that may aggravate your anxiety. So good luck, and I hope I was of some help to you! :)Stacey
Posted by leeran on April 23, 2003, at 19:20:34
In reply to Lexapro not enough?, posted by humpback on April 23, 2003, at 12:07:37
I'm sorry to hear that you're not feeling the greatest. I have experienced similar feelings and based on my own experience, I know how one feeling can build on top of another. Each issue may seem separate, but for me they're rarely mutually exclusive. Within no time, the problems can take on gang-like qualities, and it's me against "them" and they like to win.
Your subject line, "Lexapro not enough?" caught my attention.
I've recently come to the realization that Wellbutrin is my magic bullet, or at least, it's the casing of my magic bullet. I was on it for almost a year and went off of it cold turkey a month ago because I misunderstood that my doctor intended to supplement the Wellbutrin with an SSRI (I have always replaced anti-depressants with other anti-depressants, not added new ones, so I was going by my old modus operandi).
Wellbutrin seems to affect my motivation level. Adderall helps my concentration and now Ambien is helping me sleep through some pretty loud snoring on the other side of the mattress. My pdoc thinks Lexapro will help with my tendency to obsess over everything. Time will tell if it's the gun powder in my psychiatric bullet, or the casing.
I just re-read your post and saw "fam dr."
One of the reasons I would never have thought of adding one anti-depressant on top of the other is because, until January, any medication I ever tried was prescribed by a general pracititioner. Usually after I had researched it beforehand.
If your insurance plan covers a visit with a psychiatrist I would highly recommend that as an option, especially since you're wondering if there's something missing.
I think many general practitioners feel comfortable writing a scrip for ONE anti-depressant medication, but from what I've gathered in reading these boards (and from my own experience), one medication doesn't necessarily cover all the bases.
Based on what you've written, it sounds like you're calm but still overwhelmed. Who wouldn't be? You've got a lot going on!
I can relate because that month off of Wellbutrin left me feeling like I knew I had so many things to do but I wasn't sure which direction I should take to get started.
Oh yeah, to make matters even more complicated, depending on your age (I noticed you have a 16 year old, I have a 15 year old) you may have hormonal issues dragging you down. I started perimenopause several years before I knew what was really going on. Looking back, I can almost pinpoint the moment my depression kicked in with the time period when my cycles started to change.
Most days I take a 5 x 9 note card and make columns of "to do," "errands," and "pending." Just seeing it neatly written down amidst my chaos makes me feel like I have some sort of a game plan. It can also help you figure out what tasks can be delegated to your sons.
Best of luck with your situation. At least you're analyzing your options and trying to figure out a solution that works. That's a real positive! "One day at a time," "Baby Steps," and "This, too, shall pass" are my mantras during the hairpulling periods.
Posted by Bill L on April 24, 2003, at 14:55:52
In reply to Lexapro not enough?, posted by humpback on April 23, 2003, at 12:07:37
It sounds like the Lexapro is working very well for you. It's an excellent antidepressent for many people. I would stay on it if I were you. It seems like most people do not gain weight on Lexapro, but I know that some do. This can happen with most antidepressents.
I also take 20 mg of Lexapro and have had excellent results.
I hope you can lose some of the weight. Talk to your doctor about the Atkins diet. It seems to be the most successful of the numerous diets being used.
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