My lexapro diary

[jonjon]

Went to work today. Another diazepam and paracetamol day. Totally wiped by the time I got home. Hope this starts levelling off soon. Do not feel relaxed in any sense of the word. :-(

[Phill2]

Hang in there jon.
You'll get there

[pulisa]

You can always go back to 5mg if you would feel psychologically better doing that? After checking with your psych of course. You did appear to be more comfortable on that dose?

[jonjon]

Hey pulisa,

I am not feeling anything positive from the lexapro yet.

Headaches, fatigue, anxiety and mental fog all still present.

I am seeing my psych next Thursday and will discuss whether I stick to the current dose or reduce back to 5mg.

PDU mentioned a blood test that can determine how much lexapro is floating around your system. Maybe I ask for one if I still feel crap next week.

John

[pulisa]

What would you most like to get rid of with any medication? Chronic headache? General lethargy? What distresses you most?

[jonjon]

It is not just one thing unfortunately.

The headaches and mental fog probably give me the most trouble.

It is hard to do any sort of psychology or thought challenging for anxiety when I am mentally spent and in pain.

[panic_down_under]

I am seeing my psych next Thursday and will discuss whether I stick to the current dose or reduce back to 5mg.

If you can't tolerate taking 10mg then you might as well not take it, imho. Taking less than the minimum therapeutic dose is something you've done with just about every med you've tried and none of then have subsequently worked. I know you believe you're a slow metaboliser John, but if that were really the case the meds would have been effective at the lower doses.

PDU mentioned a blood test that can determine how much lexapro is floating around your system. Maybe I ask for one if I still feel crap next week.

I would/should have suggested that for TCAs, not SSRIs. As far as I know there is no readily available commercial blood test for SSRIs and SNRIs.

The headaches and mental fog probably give me the most trouble.

'Mental fog' is a fairly common potential initial side-effect of most ADs and also an anxiety symptom. My understanding is headaches are an issue even when you're not taking ADs. They probably need further investigation to determine whether there is an organic problem, or if they are driven by anxiety.

[pulisa]

It is not just one thing unfortunately.

The headaches and mental fog probably give me the most trouble.

It is hard to do any sort of psychology or thought challenging for anxiety when I am mentally spent and in pain.

It's hard but not out of the question. I have a chronic pain condition and am a carer for my 2 adult autistic children who both have complex MH issues. I have to work on my anxiety al the time.

[jonjon]

It's hard but not out of the question. I have a chronic pain condition and am a carer for my 2 adult autistic children who both have complex MH issues. I have to work on my anxiety al the time.

Oh pulisa I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for you. If I had half your strength I would be so grateful.

At the moment I am about 2 1/2 weeks into my dose increase and feel all I have is side effects and no benefits.

How did you settle on 5mg of lexapro? Did you ever try increasing your dose?

[jonjon]

'Mental fog' is a fairly common potential initial side-effect of most ADs and also an anxiety symptom. My understanding is headaches are an issue even when you're not taking ADs. They probably need further investigation to determine whether there is an organic problem, or if they are driven by anxiety.

Hey Ian

I used to get Botox injections into my scalp and neck for headaches last year with mixed success and might have to try that again.

The mental fog is really bad at the moment.
I looked back at my paroxetine notes and found i did not see any improvement until the seven week mark which means I have another month before this medication does its thing. My God that feels like a long long way away right now.