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Posted 1/16/2007 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone.

I have just recently been diagnosed with depression although i have felt for about 6 months this was where i was headed. 

I generally post on the Hepatit board, having been diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and cirrhosis in 2004.  For some unknown reason my body rejected my liver. This is a chronic illness.  Medication will be for the rest of my life. (I'm 58 now).

I lost my sister early 2006, from another autoimmune disease.  I feel my depression stems from grieving for her.  This has stirred up memories of my mum who died January 14th, 9 years ago, and my baby daughter who died Feb. 79, aged three days.  The birth of my first grand child, a girl in August 2006,  has been a wonderful experience, but has reminded me of the baby i lost so long ago. 

I don't want to do anything.  Just sit around unable to get started on anything. Crying at the drop of a hat - at anything and everything.   My husband takes me walking each day. sometimes twice a day.  He is a great support.  He tries to fill each day so I have less time to dwell on how I am feeling.   I am a school teacher and I am currently on school holidays.  I go back to work first week in Feb. (I'm in australia).

 i have lots of friends but at the moment i have lost interest in them.  I'd prefer to be at home and avoid contact with these great friends.  I still enjoy seeing my two sons, their wives and of course the beautiful bub.

Prednisone is one of my meds and I know this can make a person crazy.  My husband has recently retired and I worry about retiring myself in a couple of years and whether i am ready for this change.  It scares me.

I have gained about 10 kilos in the past twelve months and am very disappointed in my appearance as a result of this weight gain.  I just don't seem to have the will power to diet and I get depressed as the weight goes on. 

I have been prescribed Lexapro.  Can anyone tell me anything about this medication?

Thank you for allowing me to air my thoughts here.  As a regular member on hepatitis i know it is good you put it into writing.

I have just read "Taming The Black Dog"  Has anyone read it?

Marg

Posted 1/16/2007 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marg,   Welcome to the depression forum.   I am so sorry to hear everything you are going through.   I once took lexapro but am now taking effexor. Lexapro is a good medication for anxiety and depression, I just needed something a little bit stronger.   This medication is relatively new and I have heard many good things about it and I know many people here take it.   I have posted a link to this website which contains some info on lexapro.        http://www.lexapro.com/   Take care and post again to let us know how you get on with it
Posted 1/16/2007 3:59 PM (GMT 0)

I am on 20 mg of Lexapro and have been for 4 weeks...here is what I have found and can anyone else please chime in

- works fast

- not eating a lot - in fact losing weight

- I feel better - cant describe this, just better. also in therapy

- sleep is either really good or BAD insomnia (take xananx for that)

- helping me to stop smoking - NOT easy

- no sexual side effects

I was on effexor and it was HELL to get off. Shrink assured me no withdrawl from lexapro.

Posted 1/17/2007 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
I dread the withdrawal from effexor.  I know it will be a long time until I stop the med but I still worry about it!!
Posted 1/18/2007 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marg, I have been on Lexapro for a while now. I think it works great!  tried Welbutrin for a while, I did not think it worked nearly as good as Lexapro, plus I felt Lexepro kicked in faster too. I hope you do well, I know it has made a difference in my life and I am happy I have chose to stay on it. I don't feel I have had any side effects, and when I went off it, I did not feel with drawel symptoms. I have put on a lot of weight, but most say they lose weight, so that just may be my eating habbits. :-) I wish you luck and keep us posted!

Tanya

Posted 1/19/2007 11:40 AM (GMT 0)
"Crying at the drop of a hat - at anything and everything. He tries to fill each day so I have less time to dwell on how I am feeling."

Marj, then Lex is the med for you. I'm on Lex and I am extremely happy with it. I dont dwell on the negative or irrelevent things that just depress me anymore, and I'm far less vulnerable to crying at the drop of the hat. I dont know what I would have done without it. Though I've had many side effects (mainly apathy, nausea and being very very sleepy but about 14 in total for me) it is 150% worth it. I'd advise Lex to anyone needing an SSRI. Like many have said, it works very quickly. I havnt been one of the weight gain candidates thank goodness, but instead I've lost about 10lbs now. (I eat ALOT less because of it) Not that Lex will make you "happy" but it'll make you feel "normal" if that makes sense.

Hope that helps.
Take care and many hugs,
Carly.
Posted 1/22/2007 10:42 AM (GMT 0)
I'm taking Lexapro. I take it with another antidepressant because 20 mg wasn't enough. I take 60 mg Cymbalta and 30 mg of Lexapro. I also take 100 mg of Lactimal. I think my body makes very little serotonin because I've been able to take the Cymbalta and Lexapro together. I've taking this combo for four months now and it has helped and I haven't developed serotonin symdrome. I'm also hypothyrodic and I started 100 mg synthroid six weeks ago. I'm still cold and sleepy but feeling a little better. I have a history of treatment resistant depression and so far Lexapro with Cymbalta is the best thing for me. I'm not bipolar but the Lactimal really helped. I also have fibromyalgia, insulin dependent diabetes and osteoarthritis. vmarier
Posted 1/22/2007 1:41 PM (GMT 0)

Hi vmarier, welcome to healing well forum we are most happy to have you join us here.  It is common for physicians to do what is called "stacking", this is when someone is as you described treatment resistant to one antidepressant they will add another to their regime to boost the effect of the medication.  This does often times work well but as we all know everyone is different and sometimes it takes a little playing around with the medications to find the right balance.  I am glad this combination has worked well for you.  Although Lactimal is often prescribed for bipolar disorders and is classified as an antipsychotic, it does have many other benefits and uses and shouldn’t scare those of us who do have depression away from usage if necessary.  Such as Seroquel is an antipsychotic and prescribed mostly for bipolar disorder but research has found that it has great benefits as a sleep aid so, physicians have been prescribing it for sleep disorders.

Please do feel free to post here.  This is a wonderful site for information and support.  There are so many great people always willing to help.  Take care... :-)

Posted 1/26/2007 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there. Glad you took the initiative to get some help. I was on Lexapro for about a year and recently stopped. I'm suprised to see how many have said they lost weight or heard most lose weight on this drug. I was posting here more a few months ago and there was a very long thread about Lexapro and weight gain.

I quickly gained 6 lbs. when starting Lexapro. I am someone that never gains weight and only weighed 99 lbs. when starting it. After a year, I'm up 15 lbs. Now, I am also hypothyroid so it's hard to determine if it's that or the drug but I can't help but think, based on all I've read about Lexapro, that it was the drug.

With that said, I'm thinking about getting back on it. It worked beautifully for my irritability and depression. Other than the weight gain, I had no side effects. I'm still going to try the natural route for a while but if nothing helps, I'll go back to Lexapro.

Good luck to you! :-)

Posted 2/1/2007 7:51 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you to all who have replied to my post. I have just had a week away (last week) plus this week I returned to work (high school teaching - music). I have not been around a computer to check your replies until tonight.

Lexapro seems to be doing to job. I am feeling good - no side effects - and I'm sleeping really well - more than 8 hours a day. I sure hope I don't put on weight. I can do without that side effect for sure.

Last week end was the first anniversary of my sisters death and I coped well - I have also been more interested in meeting friends and going out. What a change from 2 weeks ago.

thank you Victoria for the link to reseach Lexapro further.

should I also have therapy of some kind? I have been recommended a book called "Beating the Blues" (my GP) which apparently gives suggestions and strategies to change my way of thinking. My GP also suggested I may like to see a Pychologist who may help with more coping strategies.

I'm trying to think positively but I'm not sure if it's the Lexapro making me "happy".

Thank you again for your replies. I'll keep you posted and look forward to reading posts on this Forum as well as Hepatitis.

Take care.
Marg
Posted 2/1/2007 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marg,
I am on the UC site more than on this one, but I noticed the lexapro question.
I have been on it for almost 3 years now at 20 mgs a day. Its done wonders for me dealing with a life long desease. I think its a wonderful drug and I was not one
to go on anti-depressants or mood stabilizers. I am glad I decided to try it because
its been a life saver for me.
I do get the sweating side effect badly in the summer. It never did pass. I am in the a/c all summer long but its worth it not to be off balance with my mood and depression.
Good luck!!!
Posted 2/1/2007 1:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marg,   Nice to hear how well you are doing.  I'm glad that you feel the lexapro is working.  Hope the website was useful.  I think that you should maybe consider your doctor's offer of psychotherapy as it can be useful for learning coping mechanisms.   Really pleased at how well you are doing. Keep in touch and take care  
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