Switched from Paxil to Lexapro

Hi guys!

Well I wanted to share that I started on the Lexapro (finally). I took 2.5 of Lex for 1 week along with my 6.5 of Paxil.
Went pretty well! Towards the end of that first week I thought wow, I actually feel hopeful!

So the next week I started on 5mg of Lexapro and dropped my paxil down to about 5mg. (darn it, if I could go back in time!)

The Paxil drop hit me in about 2 days....started feeling anxious, having OCD thoughts again, feeling deeply sad, the typical Paxil W/D thing for me.

I guess I dropped either too much or too quickly.

I talked to my nurse and she said to go ahead and go to 10mgs of Lex this friday and hold the Paxil where it is.
I thought about going up a tiny bit in my paxil dose, but it's been 5 days now so I am going to keep it as is and muddle through.

I guess the plan now is to get to 10, stablize and then take tiny drops off Paxil till it's gone.

I would love to be able to just get to 10 and DROP that paxil, but I am one of the lucky ones I guess who has to take it reaaaally slow when getting off Paxil.

Still taking .25 clonazepam in the morning but it doesn't seem to be doing much. I am not wanting to go up in dose on that because it will just be harder to get off it in the long run.


The stress is my world is pretty big. Sometimes I wonder how I keep going.....but I do.
We just had a sexual offender move into the house behind ours, my youngest has been sick with the flu for 5 days, my husband might have to go to Puerto Rico for 2 weeks for work (while I am in the middle of my med change!) and he doesn't want to go due to the new neighbor behind us....he has been stressed big time about it and putting up spot lights and looking into buying security cameras etc.

Anyhoo, thanks for listening and please please keep me in your thoughts and prayers during this time.
Would love to hear "I switched to Lexapro and feel wonderful" stories!!!!

*hugs*

Dawnie

Dawnie

I have done the weaning dance so I know how you are feeling but know that going slow is the best way. I wish you the best in weaning off the medication and keep us posted re your progress.

Take care and you have my prayers.
Kitt

I have to say I am pretty nervous.....

I shouldn't be because adding the 2.5 wasn't bad, going up to 5 hasn't been bad....but I am scared that going to 10 will cause problems, and then I am filled with what if's....like what if it doesn't work for me? What if I feel worse? What if I have to then get off of Lexapro AND still get off Paxil??

But I feel pretty rough right now, so I guess I have to either keep trucking forward on the plan or abandon ship. If I don't try it, I will never know if it could have worked for me.

*hugs* to all and thanks for listening...

Dawnie

HI guys, and thanks so much for your replies!

Well I took the middle road.

On friday night, I took 7.5mgs of Lexapro. I spoke with my psych nurse about it and she said I should either go to 7.5 or 10....whichever I was comfortable with. She didn't think it good to stay at 5.

So I went ahead and took 7.5.

Saturday was pretty good. We had a garage sale with a friend of mine and we laughed so much! Laughter is great! Didn't make much money but had fun with my hubby, my friend, the kids and all the neighbors who came by. The whole day was really pretty great. I felt tired but good. No anxiety or OCD stuff.

But today....ugh!  I felt tired, angry, moody, and then just weird.....like I didn't want to be home but once we went out I didn't want to be out either. Just a mess....not feeling like me at all.

I am chalking it up to my PMS starting... I pray it's not going to stay like this.

I figure once my period starts (this week sometime) I will then go to 10mgs of Lex.

Since I have taken it so slow (1 week at 2.5, 1 week at 5, 1 week at 7.5 and then to 10)

4 weeks to get to 10mgs, do I have to wait another few weeks before I see the full benefits of Lexapro?

thanks to all of you,

Dawnie

(.25 Clonazepam & 5mgs of Paxil--AM, 7.5 mgs of Lexapro PM--)

along with fish oil, magnesium, and 1 a day for women!

Jen77,
so you jumped from 10mg to 20mg of Lex?

And had no jitters or sleepiness or anything?

Was this your first SSRI?


I hope Celexa works well for you! I am going to be in the same boat, Lex will cost me a lot of money, but if it works, I will stick with it till I feel better and then maybe go to Celexa also.

HI again Dawnie
Personally I would not make any changes unless you talk to your doc about this
These meds are or can be different for so many and you are put on doses by them and they adjust accordingly
Just my opinion
I am sure others will have theirs as well
I DO wish you all the best
LYN

I hear ya sweetie
I have not been on that med but know of many that have had great luck with it
Some had probs weaning but not many
'I do hope you will get your answers asap
No probs with the new thread we are just so swamped that we try to keep all questions in one thread
PPL especially the mods and long time members read each post and new posts added
Luvs and all the best to you
SO glad you are keeping in touch with a pro during this
Kudos to you
LYN