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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by psychodivit on November 26, 2003, at 16:40:54
I'm an ex-user of Paxil. I found it worked wonderfully for depression over the 5+ years I was on it. However it had side effects- Practically no sex drive, feelings of lethargy etc. And I also had the feeling that I couldn't get very motivated about anything. I took it in combination with Nortriptyline which I took at bedtime.
So now I'm taking 10 mg Lexapro but without the Nortriptyline. I've been trying instead to sleep with Melatonin but it doesn't seem to be working. I've been on Lexapro for 9 days but it doesn't feel like its taking care of the depression very well. Last night I woke up at 4:00 AM and that was all she wrote and I've been basically very depressed all day. I've noticed that on those days when I sleep reasonably well I feel reasonably functional in mood though not as good as with the Paxil/Nortrip combination.
My question is this: should I just supplement with my old standby Nortriptyline? I'm beginning to get the feeling that some of that good vibe I used to get that I attributed mostly to Paxil may have gotten a significant boost from the Nortriptyline. So far I haven't found a good time of day to take Lexapro. If I take it in the morning I don't feel like doing anything and if I take it before bedtime I don't sleep well. So far I've also noticed the sexual side effect though not as strongly as Paxil. When are they going to perfect these things? It seems you get total suppression of depression with intolerable side affects or else you just have to live with some depression and less side effects. I'm frustrated.
Posted by Annette2 on November 27, 2003, at 10:41:20
In reply to Ex Paxil, Now Lexapro, posted by psychodivit on November 26, 2003, at 16:40:54
Hi-Unfortunately, I don't have answers for you, but just want to say that in the almost week I've been on Lexapro (taking it in the a.m.), I have lacked the energy and drive to do tasks I otherwise would do daily. I fall asleep at the drop of the hat. I haven't attempted sex yet, so don't know whether I'll have that bad SE yet. I am new to AD meds, and want to avoid the side effects I keep hearing about. As for lifting of depression, I just don't know...I suppose I had some "good" days on the Lex...that is, I was a little friendlier and yet, it does not seem readily apparent just what this med is supposed to be doing that is so positive that it would outweigh the heavy sleeping and lack of productivity. I'm getting a little bummed by it. My hopes were high when I got the prescription...
Posted by theo on November 27, 2003, at 10:46:55
In reply to Re: Ex Paxil, Now Lexapro, posted by Annette2 on November 27, 2003, at 10:41:20
That's ditto for me. I went from 20mg Paxil to Lexapro 10mg with high hopes because of the hype. It made things twice as bad for me, including side effects that I still had after 8 weeks so I discontinued it. The only reason I quit Paxil was to "try something new."
Posted by zeugma on November 27, 2003, at 11:18:27
In reply to Ex Paxil, Now Lexapro, posted by psychodivit on November 26, 2003, at 16:40:54
check out this study:
http://biopsychiatry.com/citalvnortrip.htm
and for an abstract that actually GIVES the rates of response to these drugs (very significant)
http://biopsychiatry.com/nortriptyline.htm
Granted, these are studies comparing rates of response in elderly patients, but it's not unreasonable to conclude that if the differential in efficacy is this great in what one would presume to think would be a hard-to-treat group, there might be similar differentials observable in other age groups.
Posted by Annette2 on November 30, 2003, at 0:56:39
In reply to Re: Ex Paxil, Now Lexapro » Annette2, posted by theo on November 27, 2003, at 10:46:55
> That's ditto for me. I went from 20mg Paxil to Lexapro 10mg with high hopes because of the hype. It made things twice as bad for me, including side effects that I still had after 8 weeks so I discontinued it. The only reason I quit Paxil was to "try something new."
I don't know if I can give Lexapro 8 weeks of my life. After a week, I realized I wasn't getting any work done, kept falling asleep, and ate constantly when awake. I didn't feel any energy. One attempt at sex fell flat: less sensation and inability to climax. Great. So on Friday (day after Thanksgiving), I skipped my dose. I skipped Saturday's as well. I told my doc I didn't want weight gain or dead libido. I did not realize this medicine would make me lethargic and sleepy.
This is the end of the thread.
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