Lexapro/Cipralex

Post Reply New Topic

I've recently started taking Lexapro (also known as Cipralex in some countries) to treat depression and anxiety. I'm just wondering if anyone else here has taken it, or is currently taking it, and what experiences you've had with it.

For the first three days I took 5mg and I'm now on the 4th day of taking 10mg. It hasn't really improved my mood yet but I have had some side effects. These include constant tiredness/feeling groggy, headaches, slight nausea and lower libido. I've also noticed that I've been waking up a lot earlier in the morning too.

I took it for a few months, but had to stop because I gained 10 lbs, starting having higher blood sugar (I am not diabetic but I check regularly because of a family history of diabetes), started waking up several times throughout the night with difficulty falling back asleep, and started clenching my jaw involuntarily. I'm disappointed by those side effects because unlike the dozens of other antidepressants I've tried, I think it might have actually made a difference. Those side effects are too serious for me to continue taking the drug, though. I am not messing with diabetes, and I don't want more wear and tear on my teeth. And now I have to lose weight.

Lexapro is an SSRI.
SSRIs tend to take a while to have an effect - even the ones with a very short half life.

It's been less than a week, so you won't notice any serious changes. You probably won't notice any serious changes when it's already working, other than that you may no longer be shutting yourself down or whatever your depression causes you to do.

I took Lexapro once when I was a child around... 11 years old? 10? Dunno anymore, it's been a while. But it worked, though the medication also had the bad side effect of absolutely ruining my mental capabilities. I also tried Zoloft, which changed my personality and gave me severe heartburn. Eventually settled on Prozac, which worked just fine.

Everyone's different - SSRIs are safe enough, and there are several of them. Wait until you've at least been on it for a month under the supervision of a friend or a family member, see if they notice anything different other than the depression going away. If there's a visible side effect, tell your doctor, get on a different medication.

I have cycled through most of the SSRI's, and am now on citalopram (generic celexa, which is lexapro's predecessor). It has worked well for me for several years now.

I have found that I, personally, usually do best on the smallest dose of most medications, which is what I am now taking.

I have also found that, for me, I have to allow about 4 weeks for any initial side effects to stabilize. Of course if a side effect is not tolerable, I talk to my doctor about ending it sooner.

Yes, I'm on lexapro. Helps my general anxiety, social anxiety, and over stimulation a lot.

I've been taking Cipralex for like 7 years now. It's a godsen d for me. I'm not aware of any side effects.

Yes, I took it for about six months or thereabouts. Side effects for me were decreased sex drive, minor weight gain, and very vivid dreams. It wasn't an especially effective anti-depressant for me. I have been on several. Effexor currently.