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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by captain on June 15, 2004, at 10:00:49
Hi all, I am extremely new to all of this but have been reading your posts for the last few weeks. I have never taken any medication in my life (28 year old female) but have had anxiety attacks for the last 4-5 years off an on. I come from a long line of worriers! I tend to stress and worry about my health a ton and always seem to think I have something! My doc just asked me to try Lexapro and I am on day 8. I started with 5mg and now take the 10mg a day. I am just feeling kind of foggy and a little dizzy. I am also not sleeping as well (I usually sleep like a rock for 9-10 hours a night!) and have some tingling/numbness in my foot/lower leg. Is this all normal? I fortunately do not suffer from depression (I am actually incredibly upbeat which is why I think I am anxious because I am so excitable)- but I am hoping maybe you guys can let me know if these feelings will pass? I even think this medicine right now is making me a little more anxious because it makes me worry about these weird side effects being other diseases! haha - Anyway- thanks for listening - everyone seems so nice to each other on this board!
Posted by mattsit on June 15, 2004, at 10:42:07
In reply to Brand NEW to this!, posted by captain on June 15, 2004, at 10:00:49
Hey!
I was on Lexapro last fall, and it worked great. Let me tell you, all the break-in "symptoms" you mentioned are normal. It'll take a few days for the fog to clear, but then its great. Nothing to worry about. I know what you mean about worrying about your health. Three years ago I was convinced I had everything from Aids to Lymphoma all because of a swollen lymph node. Its in my neck, and it turns out that nodes sometimes "burn out" after illness and remain hard, that's apparently what this one did. I realized this an MRI, countless doctor visits, and finally after Lexapro later....Note, until the lexapro, I was still convinced I was a dead man.
Good luck.
Posted by captain on June 15, 2004, at 11:23:36
In reply to Re: Brand NEW to this!, posted by mattsit on June 15, 2004, at 10:42:07
Thank you for the post! I wish my doc would give me an MRI - (how pathetic is that!) haha - I did have a catscan a few years ago because I was convinced that I had a brain tumor, which I didn't. I worry about MS, ALS, Lupus and other hard to diagnos diseases. I have had bouts of vertigo (which I am hoping are somehow anxiety related and will susbide) but those spinning sensations send my anxiety into overdrive. That is why I decided to try the lexapro. Just out of curiousity - why did you come off? Why does anyone end up coming off? I hear of so many stories where people "used" to be on something and said it worked, and I don't understand why they come off.
Thanks again for writing back!
Posted by mattsit on June 15, 2004, at 14:28:17
In reply to Re: Brand NEW to this!, posted by captain on June 15, 2004, at 11:23:36
Captain...
For me its like this...I felt so great and normal, I was like, "I dont need this medicine anymore." Guess what, Im back on it now, and this time, I probably wont go off.
Posted by spinningteri on June 18, 2004, at 12:51:29
In reply to Re: Brand NEW to this!, posted by mattsit on June 15, 2004, at 14:28:17
I'm on 150 Effexor XR and 150 Wellbutrin SR per day and it has probably saved my life. I zoned out on Paxil and had high anxiety. On Zoloft I could function but I was totally flat.
I have been on this combination for about 2.5 years and the side effects (other than gaining a ton) have been minimal.
However, I wonder if anyone has experienced something that I call "restless legs." while on Effexor or Wellbutrin or both? It wakes me up at night and seems to happen mostly when I am trying to catch some Zs. Kind of a feeling that something is chewing on my nerve endings? Hard to describe but most annoying?
I've just joined this list and have read several past posts but haven't found any reference to this.
Thanks,
Teri
Posted by greenwillow on June 18, 2004, at 20:12:50
In reply to Re: Restless legs on Effexor, posted by spinningteri on June 18, 2004, at 12:51:29
> I'm on 150 Effexor XR and 150 Wellbutrin SR per day and it has probably saved my life. I zoned out on Paxil and had high anxiety. On Zoloft I could function but I was totally flat.
> I have been on this combination for about 2.5 years and the side effects (other than gaining a ton) have been minimal.
> However, I wonder if anyone has experienced something that I call "restless legs." while on Effexor or Wellbutrin or both? It wakes me up at night and seems to happen mostly when I am trying to catch some Zs. Kind of a feeling that something is chewing on my nerve endings? Hard to describe but most annoying?
> I've just joined this list and have read several past posts but haven't found any reference to this.
> Thanks,
> TeriYes, I have had Restless Leg Syndrome in the past and it did happen that I was on Effexor at the same time. My doctors prescribed an additional med (Sinemet) and the result was disasterous for me. I have actually cured the RLS by taking 200 mg. Selenium (mineral) daily. Actually it was my sleep doctor who told me about it. It took a few weeks to a month to get results, and when I went down to 100 mg., the problem recurred, so I went back up to 200 mg. and the problem stopped again. You might try that.
This is the end of the thread.
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