Lexapro vs. Prozac or best anti anxiety meds

[Tigerlily]

Just wondering who has tried either of these medications and what your side effects were. Did they subside after a month or so?

I am not depressed, but I do feel overwhelmed, anxious and annoyed a lot of the time.

Everyone I know who has tried Lexapro really likes it so last night I took one 10mg tablet and I feel more anxious and irritated. I kept waking up last night and eventually had to take a half of Xanax just to get back to sleep. Should I take half (5mg) of the Lexapro for a few weeks until my body adjusts to it?

Prozac is OK, but the 20 mg my DR had me on was making me too jumpy.

 

[Totenkindly]

Well, most AD's take a few weeks for your body to get up to speed, so you can't go by just one night. I would try it for at least a few days and see how you adjust to things.

When I went on Wellbutrin, for the first few days I had to stop drinking coffee or I would get hand tremors; but once all of that passed, I was fine.

But I've been working on cutting my Effexor dose for a week now, and it's still dragging out. So it depends on the meds, but most do need some time for you to adjust.

Are you on multiple meds? Sometimes the effects stack or interfere with each other.

 

[Tigerlily]

Well, most AD's take a few weeks for your body to get up to speed, so you can't go by just one night. I would try it for at least a few days and see how you adjust to things.

When I went on Wellbutrin, for the first few days I had to stop drinking coffee or I would get hand tremors; but once all of that passed, I was fine.

But I've been working on cutting my Effexor dose for a week now, and it's still dragging out. So it depends on the meds, but most do need some time for you to adjust.

Are you on multiple meds? Sometimes the effects stack or interfere with each other.

No, just the Xanxax that I took at 2am so that I could go back to sleep.

I tried Wellbutrin once to stop smoking and I felt like I was losing my mind so I stopped taking it after a few days. I eventually quit smoking successfully by using the patch.

Maybe the key to these drugs is to start out with a low dose and work your way up to the required dosage which for me would probably be 10 mg as I am very sensitive to medication and even vitamins.

 

[Totenkindly]

Are you just taking the meds on your own (borrowing from someone), or did you get a doctor prescription? (Usually my doctor works with me to determine dose, although I have played around based on how I feel and then let them know what I'm doing...)

If you are generally sensitive to medication, taking the half dose and seeing how you adjust would be the logical step, then bumping it up if it works for you. Everyone's just so different when it comes to these sort of meds that it's hard to tell what you'll respond to until you try it.

I'm glad the patch worked for you in regards to your smoking situation. Wellbutrin actually never did anything bad to me (my body seems to like it and adjusts to it just fine), but I know some other people who responded differently to it.

 

[cafe]

I know three women (teacher, school counselor, nurse) who take and report being pleased with Lexapro.

 

[ygolo]

I was on Lexapro for a little while. It seemed to do absolutely nothing (good or bad).

 

[The Ü™]

I've been on Paroxetine (Paxil) since I was about 12. Only now have I started trying to lessen the dosage, mainly because my dad's health insurance won't cover me anymore. In my area, it's also almost impossible to get a full-time job (many companies only hire part-time workers to avoid paying for insurance benefits).

I think I was on 30 mg, but I've now started cutting some of the pills in half so I've been taking 15 mg. Eventually, though, I can be off of them for good.

I don't think Paxil has ever helped me. It's calmed me down on the outside, but on the inside, I was always a steaming rage. The only reason I continued taking it is because otherwise, I get the SSRI withdrawal symptoms. By reducing the dosage to 15 mg, I still get some of them, but they're not as severe.

The symptom I really worry about is erectile dysfunction. Is this permanent? Because I like getting erections!!!

 

[cafe]

I've been on Paroxetine (Paxil) since I was about 12. Only now have I started trying to lessen the dosage, mainly because my dad's health insurance won't cover me anymore. In my area, it's also almost impossible to get a full-time job (many companies only hire part-time workers to avoid paying for insurance benefits).

I think I was on 30 mg, but I've now started cutting some of the pills in half so I've been taking 15 mg. Eventually, though, I can be off of them for good.

I don't think Paxil has ever helped me. It's calmed me down on the outside, but on the inside, I was always a steaming rage. The only reason I continued taking it is because otherwise, I get the SSRI withdrawal symptoms. By reducing the dosage to 15 mg, I still get some of them, but they're not as severe.

The symptom I really worry about is erectile dysfunction. Is this permanent? Because I like getting erections!!!

It shouldn't be permanent, but it may take awhile to get back to normal.

 

[Tigerlily]

I was prescribed the lexapro by my Dr and have decided not to take them for now because it made me feel sick.

I'll be fine, I think I'm just stressed because I can't exercise for now because I hurt my foot and I was using exercise as my stress reliever.

Thanks all

 

[rachelle]

I would like to add that I had been on Lexapro for severe depression and anxiety, but had to add an adjunct Xanax in order to avoid anxiety attacks. Later switched to Prozac but was provided the generic version Fluoxetine which did less than the Lexapro for anxiety and gave unpredictable control of my depression, not working well with my cyclic hormonal system. My psychologist suggested I request the origonal Prozac and see if this did not control each depression and anxiety better, she stated that there were no studies she was aware of to prove this but in her observation and that of the Drs. she worked with, this was consistantly true; Prozac works much better than the generic Fluoxetine or Lexapro it's sister drug. This was tried and found to be true in my own case. I suggested this in the case of several others, both patients and friends, acquaintences that I came upon who wanted to know this such information. I have personally observed this to be true. Prozac works better than Fluoxetine and than Lexapro. Lexapro considered to be a very mild medication often used in elderly pts actually per my Internal Medicine MD.
I am now outraged by my own insurance company telling me that I need to switch to one of these other medications or pay $370./month for this one prescription. Who gave an insurance company the right to override a Medical Doctor's prescribing rights and tell you to accept another cheaper medication? I am now researching for supportive data to send to BCBS and allow them to reclassify Prozac as I am unable to tolerate the other 2 meds without taking added Benzos and other meds that do not allow me to function at my job as a nurse. If you have any or know of any research or supportive data, please send the reference! Thanks. R

 

[disregard]

Why don't you just stick to xanax?

 

[Tallulah]

Why don't you just stick to xanax?

That's what I'm wondering--if your symptoms are anxiety-related and not depression-related, I don't see any reason you should be on Lexapro or Wellbutrin. Xanax worked extremely well for me when I was having panic attacks.

I've taken Lexapro and Wellbutrin--if I remember correctly, the Lexapro didn't do much but make me gain a few pounds, and the Wellbutrin made me kind of jumpy. My hand would tremble, like Jennifer said, and it was hard to sleep at night. Effexor worked a little too well for me--it all but eliminated my depressive feelings, leading me to feel like nothing was amiss--and making sure that I would continue the cycle of expecting too much of myself. I'm not on anything right now.

 

[Anja]

Sorry to hear that you aren't feeling up to par, Jen.

It goes without saying that your best bet for prescribing psychoactives is a Psychiatrist. An MD is going to be even more hit and miss than a Psych has to be.

I do think the key to effective use of them is dependent on regular communication with your doctor about what you are doing with them and they will work best when used as prescribed. If, of course, the person doing the prescribing knows what they are doing. Heh.

It does seem to take people a week or two of possibly irritating side effects before the body adjusts so it requires some patience and willingness on the patient's part to hang in until they kick in and their cummulative effect begins to bring some relief.

And that can be a problem as you are noticing. When a person is already on edge it's hard to work up that kind of drive to deal with it.

Because all of the psychoactive drugs work differently depending on the individual, asking others how any one of them has worked for them isn't always a good predictor of how they will work for you.

Sending energy your way.

 

[Geoff]

Is it just me that noticed you are all responding to Jen's posts of about 15 or more months ago?

 

[Tigerlily]

 

[Anja]

Oh good grief. How to catch an INFP! Time means so little. . .

Well, I'll assume that all is better then and will be able to rest with Jen off my Mother Hen list for the night.

 

[Anja]

A couple of comments about depression. Some types of depression do manifest as anxiety.

But a steady use of Xanax for as long as this thread has been around will have a rebound effect actually creating an anxiety response. Even though it's nearly handed out like candy by some professionals, I've seen withdrawal responses of anxiety in a number of folks which has lasted for upwards of a year. And is not a drug to be taken with little consideration of that nasty effect. Talk about needing patience then!

 

[cloakofsnow]

I found that Effexor (Venlafaxine) worked pretty well. The problem with Effexor though, is that many people say they have a horrific time weaning off of it. I gradually stopped taking it for a time and I had no problems so I guess it depends on the person.

 

[Halla74]

Just wondering who has tried either of these medications and what your side effects were. Did they subside after a month or so?

I am not depressed, but I do feel overwhelmed, anxious and annoyed a lot of the time.

Everyone I know who has tried Lexapro really likes it so last night I took one 10mg tablet and I feel more anxious and irritated. I kept waking up last night and eventually had to take a half of Xanax just to get back to sleep. Should I take half (5mg) of the Lexapro for a few weeks until my body adjusts to it?

Prozac is OK, but the 20 mg my DR had me on was making me too jumpy.

The best antianxiolytics are benzodiazepines (Valium/Diazepam, Xanax/Alprazolam, Ativan/Lorazepam, etc.) but most doctors nowadays insist on prescribing SSRIs/SNRIs because they (purportedly are not addicitive), which I say is B.S.

If you take any SSRI/SNRI daily for a month or more and then stop, cold turkey, you will have physically uncomfortable side effects, if not a full blown panic attack. Is that not the definition of an addicitve substance? One that when withdrawn from regular administration causes unpleasant side effects?

Benzodiazepines treat the symptoms of many neurotic disorders. Some people have an addicitive personality, and therefore abuse them, hence the pharmaceutical industries fascination with SSRIs/SNRIs. Oh, did anyone think that its not possible to make a whole lot of money on the benzodiazepines anymore because they are all generics? But you can with new variations of the newer meds!

I have seen my wife and my mother use SSRIs for over a year and the results were not very good. They did not alleviate the problems, they caused MANY undesirable side effects, and they had to be taken daily.

So, before jumping on the serotonin bandwagon, think twice. There are other things out there to treat anxiety. Regular exercise and meditation are pretty damn effective actually, you don't need that much medication if your life is in balance.

Just my .02.

 

[ajblaise]

For people who aren't depressed but have anxiety, I think benzodiazepines is the best option if you need medication. Some non-depressed people might benefit from SSRIs/SNRI's, but if you don't have to take these drugs, it might be worth it not too.

Xanax to some is the strongest, fastest acting (with a short duration), and recreational of the benzos. If you want something that might be more mellow and just as good with helping anxiety, klonopin and valium might be worth looking into.