# thank goodness for lexapro!



## veryalone (Aug 26, 2009)

i have been taking it overall for about 2 months or so and started taking 20mg about 3-4 weeks ago and recently it started to work wonders... i had my doubts after awhile, but suddenly i was able to talk to girls and in crowds without having anxiety. it was freaking amazing. i can talk to pretty girls now! everybody here just needs to give these drugs some time before u begin to judge whether it is working or not. also, part of it has to come from you. i wouldnt say lexapro has made me into some super extrovert, but it has enabled me to become something like that if i wish to make the effort in that direction. i must add that fortunately i did not have ANY side effects with this drug, as my psychiatrist started me on a very small dose and we worked our way up slowly. i was very patient and now i am reaping the benefits. right now i am living in a very social environment and my anxiety is almost nonexistant in many instances. good luck to u all in however u choose to deal with this disorder.


----------



## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

My doctor started me right with the highest dose - 20mg/day. Only side effect was a somewhat diminished sex drive... which, let's be honest, makes absolutely no difference for a severe social phobic. I was on it for around 6 months too.

Unfortunately, I didn't really get any noticeable benefit from it either.


----------



## veryalone (Aug 26, 2009)

sorry to hear that, but keep in mind that these drugs affect each user differently. there are other options that could potentially work for you.


----------



## arth67 (Aug 6, 2009)

its common for a particular AD to help one SA sufferer a lot but be of no help at all for another

this is why its not useful to ask for others experiences on a particular antidepressant


----------



## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

arth67 said:


> its common for a particular AD to help one SA sufferer a lot but be of no help at all for another
> 
> this is why its not useful to ask for others experiences on a particular antidepressant


This is true. Even though it didn't work for me, if I were a doctor this would still be the first anti-depressant I'd prescribe. Efficacy is as good as or better than the other SSRIs, and it's no secret that it has a much lower side effect profile.


----------



## danstelter (Jan 16, 2009)

veryalone said:


> i have been taking it overall for about 2 months or so and started taking 20mg about 3-4 weeks ago and recently it started to work wonders... i had my doubts after awhile, but suddenly i was able to talk to girls and in crowds without having anxiety. it was freaking amazing. i can talk to pretty girls now! everybody here just needs to give these drugs some time before u begin to judge whether it is working or not. also, part of it has to come from you. i wouldnt say lexapro has made me into some super extrovert, but it has enabled me to become something like that if i wish to make the effort in that direction. i must add that fortunately i did not have ANY side effects with this drug, as my psychiatrist started me on a very small dose and we worked our way up slowly. i was very patient and now i am reaping the benefits. right now i am living in a very social environment and my anxiety is almost nonexistant in many instances. good luck to u all in however u choose to deal with this disorder.


Wow, you are one of the success stories of using medication! If you are going to use medication, this is the way to do it. It is a part of a larger plan, and it takes time to work. As you noted, it simply enables you to do the hard work, which is getting out and socializing and doing what it is that you need to do in order to get better. Stepping your way up in a gradual manner is a great way to do it, and I am glad that you found a wise psychiatrist!


----------



## ShawnnyK (Aug 18, 2009)

Lexapro is great for GAD and SA, just a bit sedating....


----------



## rockst4r (May 4, 2009)

i just had my first visit ever to the psychiatrist...he prescribed me Lexapro...can't wait to try it out ;D


----------



## JimiPePPeroni (Sep 1, 2009)

Sorry for sounding rather lost here, but how exactly does Lexapro differ from all the other SSRI's & serotonin acting supplements? I would be interesting in trying, especially after hearing/reading about how well it works for SAD, but after trying things such as Zoloft, 5-HTP, Inositol, SJW, and Tryptophan, I wouldn't really expect it to be much help for me, especially with Zoloft being a let down. Thanks in advance.


----------



## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

JimiPePPeroni said:


> Sorry for sounding rather lost here, but how exactly does Lexapro differ from all the other SSRI's & serotonin acting supplements? I would be interesting in trying, especially after hearing/reading about how well it works for SAD, but after trying things such as Zoloft, 5-HTP, Inositol, SJW, and Tryptophan, I wouldn't really expect it to be much help for me, especially with Zoloft being a let down. Thanks in advance.


Honestly, those supplements are no surprise that they failed to work. Inositol might, but the doses required are pretty large... like half an ounce.

If you want a supplement that might help, SAM-e is your best bet.

Now admittedly, Lexapro is about just as effective as Zoloft. These two drugs are the best as far as SSRIs go. Thing is, they're still not fully understood and while one may not work for you, another might be a huge success, so really all you can do is try it out.

If that's no good, maybe an SNRI (I can't tolerate these at all but a lot of people swear by Effexor.) If that's no good, maybe a NaSSA. All else failing, maybe an MAOI and/or benzos. Unfortunately there is no single treatment that helps everyone, and the ones that can help the most people tend to have serious side effects or addiction liabilities.

That's why, unless you're an immediate risk to yourself, it's typical for doctors to take their time with drugs that often feel useless to the patient. Just go through the motions, and stay optimistic! The drugs work better that way :b


----------



## db0255 (Jul 20, 2009)

JimiPePPeroni said:


> Sorry for sounding rather lost here, but how exactly does Lexapro differ from all the other SSRI's & serotonin acting supplements? I would be interesting in trying, especially after hearing/reading about how well it works for SAD, but after trying things such as Zoloft, 5-HTP, Inositol, SJW, and Tryptophan, I wouldn't really expect it to be much help for me, especially with Zoloft being a let down. Thanks in advance.


As I understand it, the SSRIs work on inhibiting reuptake of serotonin, and this is where the similarities stop. There are 7 5-HT receptors, with many of them having A,B, and C subreceptors. These receptors are found in different areas of the brain also. So, whereas Zoloft might be a let down, another SSRI might work on another serotonin receptor.

Take my case for example. Paxil didn't work for me, and neither did Zoloft, but Lexapro seems to work a tad well, and taking Prozac is basically like hitting my brain over with a baseball bat. Yet, other people find the exact opposite, Prozac does nothing for them, and Paxil will make them a raving extravert.

In my experience, Remeron worked for me because it targets the 5-HT2C receptor, which is where most of my symptoms lie. Lexapro/Celexa derives clinical benefit from 5-HT1A reuptake inhibition. Also, it's agreed upon that Lexapro/Celexa have the best side-effect profile of the SSRIs. Other than that, every SSRI is different.


----------

