# Physically Possible to feel effects of SSRI <1 Week



## Locke (Jan 26, 2010)

I started taking Lexapro last friday night and Ive been taking 10mg a day since then. Today was my first day back of school and I definitely noticed a huge difference in my "mental processes" and levels of anxiety while I was talking to people throughout the day. I know usually within this amount of time any effects felt are most likely placebo related, but just curious if it is physically possible for the effects of the medication to be working already.

It wasnt just anxiety levels, I found myself much more optimistic about things and more in a "playful/rough house" kind of mood. Its kind of simliar to that "drunk" feeling where Im not really as aware of the other people around me, and things feel "fuzzier" if anyone knows what I mean.

Im probably one of the biggest skeptics about things that you ever seen, but somehow it feels like what Im feeling is more than just hopefulness from taking a pill/placebo.


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## fcbfcb (Sep 17, 2009)

it's totally possible with lexapro, I feel it within days and strongest between weeks 2-3. I almost stopped taking it 'cause it really felt like too much at that point, but I stuck with it and it leveled out soon enough. These initial benefit seem to be the honeymoon period in my case, then it sort of becomes more mood balancing rather than elevating (The SA benefits are not so impressive either, IME). Here's hoping it will last in your case.


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## jeneep (Dec 8, 2009)

I started feeling the effects of Paxil in a matter of days, possibly even hours. Like you, I felt like my mental processes had slowed down and I was able to focus more on my thoughts. I was in a constant "chipper" mood, and I actually enjoyed talking to people time and again. I couldn't account my reaction to the placebo effect because I highly doubted an SSRI would work in the first place. I was literally taken aback when I realized that I was feeling better. It also helped in terms of my anxiety. I still felt a minor nagging in my chest, but it was much more tolerable. I just started taking Zoloft after weaning off Paxil (unbearable drowsiness) a week ago - I was only on it for 2-3 weeks and noticed a significant change - and I haven't felt any of the effects that I initially did when starting Paxil.


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## martyboi (Sep 18, 2009)

Yes! i thought i was the only one! i felt the effects of prozac, celexa and lexapro within a couple days or sometimes the first day


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## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes, same here. I'm pretty sure it's not just placebo effect. Don't ask me how it works that fast but it does for some people.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

I'd tend to think placebo effect as most likely, but drug reactions vary so greatly from one person to another that anything is possible. Of course, SSRIs would not normally be expected work anywhere near this fast.


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## Locke (Jan 26, 2010)

Hm today I felt like my regular nervous, dperessed self again, like the meds suddenly stopped working, dosage hasnt changed, been on 10mg for 4 days now. Is it normal to kind of alternate between the meds seemingly working and then having no apparent effect for the first few days/weeks?

Were the effects I was feeling yesterday just a temporary "high" (is such a thing even possible with SSRIS?), and now my body has adjusted to the drugs or something? Or is it still possible that Ill be able to get those "effects" back, and I just just need to give it longer to work back up their?


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## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes, it's possible.

I have the same problem. The antidepressants work for a couple days and then after that everything is just flat. There is a certain subset of people who respond very well for a few days (very happy and motivated)and then become worse (not seriously depressed, but not happy). You might want to research bipolar spectrum disorder or bipolar II or ask youir doctor about it. I don't understand why it happens but it does to some people. It's an ongoing area of research. Antidepressants effect different people in different ways that the psychiatrists can't completely explain yet (unfortunately). I hope that someone else can add more to to this topi because I haven't figured it out yet. 

If I were you, I would just do a lot of research on bipolar spectrum disorder in conjunction with antidepresssants. (In some cases, antidepressants can induce a certain type of bipolar, bipolar III or whatever, it is very confusing) Also, I would ask your doctor a lot of questions.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Locke said:


> Hm today I felt like my regular nervous, dperessed self again, like the meds suddenly stopped working, dosage hasnt changed, been on 10mg for 4 days now. Is it normal to kind of alternate between the meds seemingly working and then having no apparent effect for the first few days/weeks?
> 
> Were the effects I was feeling yesterday just a temporary "high" (is such a thing even possible with SSRIS?), and now my body has adjusted to the drugs or something? Or is it still possible that Ill be able to get those "effects" back, and I just just need to give it longer to work back up their?


An antidepressant response after a few day is usually mania, SSRI's dont work untill after 3-4 weeks.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

kev said:


> Yes, it's possible.
> 
> I have the same problem. The antidepressants work for a couple days and then after that everything is just flat. There is a certain subset of people who respond very well for a few days (very happy and motivated)and then become worse (not seriously depressed, but not happy). You might want to research bipolar spectrum disorder or bipolar II or ask youir doctor about it. I don't understand why it happens but it does to some people. It's an ongoing area of research. Antidepressants effect different people in different ways that the psychiatrists can't completely explain yet (unfortunately). I hope that someone else can add more to to this topi because I haven't figured it out yet.
> 
> If I were you, I would just do a lot of research on bipolar spectrum disorder in conjunction with antidepresssants. (In some cases, antidepressants can induce a certain type of bipolar, bipolar III or whatever, it is very confusing) Also, I would ask your doctor a lot of questions.


Definatly, a response so fast is not good, its actually something to worry about as it will lead to a crash later.
When this happends, looking into bipolar disorder is a very good idea.


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## fcbfcb (Sep 17, 2009)

First a word on the placebo effect, if I was susceptible I would be on Vitamin D or 5-htp or something. I've been on several SSRI's and I most definitely noticed familiar effects within 3 days, despite believing it wouldn't work at all after trying so many other similar meds. Within a week I had to bite my lips or avoid eye contact to keep from smiling, and I am NOT a smiley type of person at all. I'm still on 10mg at 1.5 months, and I'm not on that plane at this point, but still have a better disposition for the most part. It helps to have low expectations concerning AD treament.



Locke said:


> Hm today I felt like my regular nervous, dperessed self again, like the meds suddenly stopped working, dosage hasnt changed, been on 10mg for 4 days now. Is it normal to kind of alternate between the meds seemingly working and then having no apparent effect for the first few days/weeks?


This is normal and happens to myself and one other I have spoken to. It takes a week to reach steady state blood concentration, but I would give it at least 2 weeks to even out.

Here's a quote from crazymeds.us about lexapro:



> Like all SSRIs Lexapro starts to work anywhere from a couple days to over a month, but many who have tried other SSRIs report that Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate) kicks in faster than the competition, with about one to two weeks being reported frequently. One large meta-analysis (pooling data of published studies) concluded that  Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate) pretty much works in a week. The standard line with SSRIs is the if you don't feel any positive benefit after six weeks, then you should talk to your doctor about either another SSRI or trying a med that hits another neurotransmitter. With Lexapro cut that down to three weeks to a month."


My guess is that those folks that require 6-8 weeks for improvement (with anything except prozac) suffer from troublesome emotional difficulties and, not until significant 5-HT receptor down-regulation (emotional blunting) occurs do they feel better. If science could fix the down-regulation predicament, life could be a whole lot happier for those of us that like to have emotions.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Interesting, didnt know about that meta analysis.


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## Locke (Jan 26, 2010)

crayzyMed said:


> An antidepressant response after a few day is usually mania, SSRI's dont work untill after 3-4 weeks.


Well I was felling "chipper", but I dont know if that would qualify from mania, which from my limited understanding seems to mean an intense and uncontrollable happiness and playfulness. It felt more like how it was to be normal + happiness that this is the first day in years where Ive felt different, rather than being outright euphoria, dont know if this changes anything though.

Today was the same again, maybe Im better then I was, but since I kind of "crashed" it feels like meds arent doing anything, no real side-effects either, whereas on the "good day" I noticed a lot of side effects the night before, this mean anything?


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Locke said:


> Well I was felling "chipper", but I dont know if that would qualify from mania, which from my limited understanding seems to mean an intense and uncontrollable happiness and playfulness. It felt more like how it was to be normal + happiness that this is the first day in years where Ive felt different, rather than being outright euphoria, dont know if this changes anything though.
> 
> Today was the same again, maybe Im better then I was, but since I kind of "crashed" it feels like meds arent doing anything, no real side-effects either, whereas on the "good day" I noticed a lot of side effects the night before, this mean anything?


That can mean anything, id just continue your trial for a few weeks to see wheter youll improve again.


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## KurtG85 (Sep 19, 2008)

Having been on lexapro going on like 11 years or something, stopping and starting very frequently for trials with other meds, varying dosages, etc. I can say for a fact that for me personally the effects of lexapro are noticeable within about 15 minutes to an hour. That is whether that be taking my daily dose or starting up for the first time after it being 'washed' out of my system. Some level of mood effects of just about every SSRI I have tried are clearly noticeable for me within this time frame. I theorize a lot of this has to do with just how mindful/sensitive/present you are to your own mind (i.e: emotions, cognitive abilities). Also, I would guess a lot of this 'takes 4 weeks to work' stuff just has to do with clinical studies which reflect how long real visual improvements were noticeable in subjects. Also, as a marketing tool to encourage people to stay on the meds for a longer period of time in order to give them time to actually notice the potentially positive effects (and hence want to continue to stay on the med). 

Claiming that this quick reaction is indicative of mania would require some supporting research/studies for this to hold any credibility with me. I know plenty of people who have clearly never been manic (as physiologically un-defined this state of mind is) who feel the psychological effects of meds like lex within an hour.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

KurtG85 said:


> Having been on lexapro going on like 11 years or something, stopping and starting very frequently for trials with other meds, varying dosages, etc. I can say for a fact that for me personally the effects of lexapro are noticeable within about 15 minutes to an hour. That is whether that be taking my daily dose or starting up for the first time after it being 'washed' out of my system. Some level of mood effects of just about every SSRI I have tried are clearly noticeable for me within this time frame. I theorize a lot of this has to do with just how mindful/sensitive/present you are to your own mind (i.e: emotions, cognitive abilities). Also, I would guess a lot of this 'takes 4 weeks to work' stuff just has to do with clinical studies which reflect how long real visual improvements were noticeable in subjects. Also, as a marketing tool to encourage people to stay on the meds for a longer period of time in order to give them time to actually notice the potentially positive effects (and hence want to continue to stay on the med).
> 
> Claiming that this quick reaction is indicative of mania would require some supporting research/studies for this to hold any credibility with me. I know plenty of people who have clearly never been manic (as physiologically un-defined this state of mind is) who feel the psychological effects of meds like lex within an hour.


How much improvement did you notice after an hour? Did it get better/worse after a few days?

I just find it strange that Locke got a rapid response wich quickly pooped out again, i've never heared that happening with SSRI's before.

I disagree that the waiting period has been made up for marketing, the same thing happends in rodents and it is explaining by downregulation of the 5HT1A autoreceptors and 5HT2C receptors.


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