Someone here who has good experience with LEXAPRO

[Byzek]

Hello.
I hot prescriped lexapro (escitalopram) in august 2020 due to depression.
Havent took them but im depressed and im afraid of side effects like dead dick and addiction.
Im 28 and I wanna have a succesful live and not be depressed.
I dont have panic attacks or anxiety attacks ir whatever but i have low energy bad sleep quality and 0 motivation.
And my life goes like that since 10 years

 

[Keif' Richards]

Byzek, I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through this. Myself and many other members here on BL struggle with Mental Illness and it is very often, the ultimate cause of our respective, unrestrained drug use and addiction. I know depression sucks, so again, I'm sorry to hear you're going through it. I can't say that I've had a "great" experience with Escitalopram (Lexapro), but I can say that it probably made me feel 20% better or so after two weeks of taking 20mg per day. I have also been on Fluoxetine (Prozac) before in the distant past. I found that Escitalopram barely, if at all affected my libido or ability to get an erection. I hope you will have the same expertience. Fluoxetine was a different story. I went months without sex and really didn't care at all, that's to say if I even had the ability to.

 

[OpiateKiller]

I’m gonna go on a rant and say I have a special hatred for antidepressant SSRI prescriptions. I’ve watched them change the people I love into emotionless zombies. So numb to the world basically like they’re not even there.

They may numb out depression and the bad, but I’ll be damned if they don’t numb out consciousness, ones ability to be present, and ones ability to fully enjoy life.

You just were using meth man that’s gonna cause some post drug use depression. Things like a good diet, exercise, new habits... fuck man go sign up for a yoga class. Get out of your comfort zone. No one can help you get out of depression but yourself.

The solution to our suffering isn’t pharmaceutical based. Too many of my friends are jacked up on pills and they can’t even see the good around them. It fucking kills me. Stuck and afraid to get off.

My ex was on them for a month and I watched her turn from a happy go lucky person to someone sleeping 12-14 hours a day, yawning all day, and she told me she couldn’t feel sad even if she wanted. This was Prozac. I made sure those refills never saw the light of day. Fuck that shit.

 

[ChronicFuture]

I have to agree with @OpiateKiller. I've been anxious and depressed ever since I was 12. But I never really went to seek help for it.Thats just the way my culture is. So I dont have experience with antidepressants. But I have felt it all go away by like 80% or more through regular exercise, good diet, and changing my social situations.

I do take phenibut as well and it has really helped change things for the better. I cant imagine my life without it. I know its just relying on another substance but its very cheap, easy to get, and doesn't rewire your brain like ssri's do. I recommended it to everybody that is going through it. Only downside to me is that its pretty addictive. But im the ass that does it everyday, you dont have to.

I know this didnt answer your original question but its what has helped me. I really hope everything works out for you cuz I been there.

 

[JessFR]

Hello.
I hot prescriped lexapro (escitalopram) in august 2020 due to depression.
Havent took them but im depressed and im afraid of side effects like dead dick and addiction.
Im 28 and I wanna have a succesful live and not be depressed.
I dont have panic attacks or anxiety attacks ir whatever but i have low energy bad sleep quality and 0 motivation.
And my life goes like that since 10 years

Give the Lexapro a chance. I was on it among a bunch of other antidepressants over the years. Depression is a terrible disease and it's well worth trying to treat it.

Any dependence involving ssri's like Lexapro is extremely mild by comparison to the kinda drug dependence most of us here deal with. Worst case scenario you just gotta taper down.

I was on duloxetine for years, and it's known as one of the harder antidepressant dependencies. In the end I got off it with no trouble.

I can't honestly say any of the antidepressants I was on seemed to help all that much. But I do know people who've had much better results. Especially with SNRI's.

It's worth a try given how horrible depression is IMHO.

 

[lovemissile66]

Hey Dude,

I fought against having to get on that SSRI train as well. My family did not embrace Psychiatry or therapy, airing out one's 'dirty laundry' etc. So, for most of my

life, I felt weak, like why couldn't I fix myself? Why couldn't I just snap out of the funk that seemed to linger or imagining that everyone else seemed happy, WTF

was wrong with me? These feelings started when I was very young...maybe 7 or 8. It took being in a relationship that I valued, and hurting that person who did

not deserve my wrath, to go get help. I was started on Lexapro and then a friend recommended Celexa. She said it was really helping her. So, that's what I did.

And then....no orgasms. I don't have a dick, but my vagina was not able to fully enjoy sex or any pleasure. Fuck that!! But what to do? Go off Celexa and continue being

depressed, or stay on it and be depressed anyway because I cannot get off? I went back to my shrink and he started me on Wellbutrin. The Celexa I take at

night since it has a sedating effect on me, and the Wellbutrin is energizing so that is in the a.m. The two compliment each other. Wellbutrin reversed the

sexual side effects of the Celexa. I didn't notice any positive, significant changes right away. But over the course of two years, looking back on that time

period, I achieved A LOT. Its subtle. Of course I stopped taking them at that point because I felt great. And then the dysthymia snuck back in. So,

I'm cool with being on them for now. I still use heroin. But if/when that ever changes, I will benefit from staying on my meds. Hope this helps. Its

a crapshoot at best. You may have to try several different meds before you find the best one that works for you. Before the heroin and before the meds,

I had a YMCA membership. I worked out all the time, ate healthy and slept fine. It was that nagging feeling inside that just wouldn't go away. And no

amount of will or discipline was going to change my brain chemistry. Good luck to you

 

[OpiateKiller]

Hey Dude,

I fought against having to get on that SSRI train as well. My family did not embrace Psychiatry or therapy, airing out one's 'dirty laundry' etc. So, for most of my

life, I felt weak, like why couldn't I fix myself? Why couldn't I just snap out of the funk that seemed to linger or imagining that everyone else seemed happy, WTF

was wrong with me? These feelings started when I was very young...maybe 7 or 8. It took being in a relationship that I valued, and hurting that person who did

not deserve my wrath, to go get help. I was started on Lexapro and then a friend recommended Celexa. She said it was really helping her. So, that's what I did.

And then....no orgasms. I don't have a dick, but my vagina was not able to fully enjoy sex or any pleasure. Fuck that!! But what to do? Go off Celexa and continue being

depressed, or stay on it and be depressed anyway because I cannot get off? I went back to my shrink and he started me on Wellbutrin. The Celexa I take at

night since it has a sedating effect on me, and the Wellbutrin is energizing so that is in the a.m. The two compliment each other. Wellbutrin reversed the

sexual side effects of the Celexa. I didn't notice any positive, significant changes right away. But over the course of two years, looking back on that time

period, I achieved A LOT. Its subtle. Of course I stopped taking them at that point because I felt great. And then the dysthymia snuck back in. So,

I'm cool with being on them for now. I still use heroin. But if/when that ever changes, I will benefit from staying on my meds. Hope this helps. Its

a crapshoot at best. You may have to try several different meds before you find the best one that works for you. Before the heroin and before the meds,

I had a YMCA membership. I worked out all the time, ate healthy and slept fine. It was that nagging feeling inside that just wouldn't go away. And no

amount of will or discipline was going to change my brain chemistry. Good luck to you

This is the flip side of my rant and I agree with this person they gave solid advice. Shit I’ve been depressed and anxiety ridden since 12 never been on antidepressants but they probably would help me. I’m just skeptical

 

[Phoenix_03]

Hello.
I hot prescriped lexapro (escitalopram) in august 2020 due to depression.
Havent took them but im depressed and im afraid of side effects like dead dick and addiction.
Im 28 and I wanna have a succesful live and not be depressed.
I dont have panic attacks or anxiety attacks ir whatever but i have low energy bad sleep quality and 0 motivation.
And my life goes like that since 10 years

I’ve been on couple different antidepressants In my lifetime, but only for short periods to kind of get me through some rough emotional pAtches. I was on Zoloft then Prozac and maybe I’m in the minority but they both helped me tremendously. I had very noticeable mood lifts and felt the desire to live and do things I could barely get out of bed for before. Again, both times were short stints with slow weaning off without any issues. I thought they were godsend during those times in my life. Everyone’s different though so maybe my experience is in the minority. Also, I never experienced lexapro.

 

[Oxyonthemind87]

Hey Dude,

I fought against having to get on that SSRI train as well. My family did not embrace Psychiatry or therapy, airing out one's 'dirty laundry' etc. So, for most of my

life, I felt weak, like why couldn't I fix myself? Why couldn't I just snap out of the funk that seemed to linger or imagining that everyone else seemed happy, WTF

was wrong with me? These feelings started when I was very young...maybe 7 or 8. It took being in a relationship that I valued, and hurting that person who did

not deserve my wrath, to go get help. I was started on Lexapro and then a friend recommended Celexa. She said it was really helping her. So, that's what I did.

And then....no orgasms. I don't have a dick, but my vagina was not able to fully enjoy sex or any pleasure. Fuck that!! But what to do? Go off Celexa and continue being

depressed, or stay on it and be depressed anyway because I cannot get off? I went back to my shrink and he started me on Wellbutrin. The Celexa I take at

night since it has a sedating effect on me, and the Wellbutrin is energizing so that is in the a.m. The two compliment each other. Wellbutrin reversed the

sexual side effects of the Celexa. I didn't notice any positive, significant changes right away. But over the course of two years, looking back on that time

period, I achieved A LOT. Its subtle. Of course I stopped taking them at that point because I felt great. And then the dysthymia snuck back in. So,

I'm cool with being on them for now. I still use heroin. But if/when that ever changes, I will benefit from staying on my meds. Hope this helps. Its

a crapshoot at best. You may have to try several different meds before you find the best one that works for you. Before the heroin and before the meds,

I had a YMCA membership. I worked out all the time, ate healthy and slept fine. It was that nagging feeling inside that just wouldn't go away. And no

amount of will or discipline was going to change my brain chemistry. Good luck to you

I’m in a similar situation. Sick of SSRI and self medicating etc. I’m starting ketamine treatment which is supposed to be groundbreaking in the mental health/addiction field. If you are able or live in an area that allows this I HIGHLY recommend this over anything.

 

[Elizabeth669]

Lexapro saved my life and I have seen good effects from it for others. I do believe though an antidepressant is a tool to be used. It gave me a mental break from constant hell and pain, and I was able to catch my breath a bit, then begin to make life changes and create inner systems to deal with it all. No one persons story is the same as every one elses, we are all different, but it is a worth a solid try. SSRI’s do not cure, they help.

I am female so our sexual responses are different - I was completely unable to orgasm for about nine months on 20 mg, but I did have a sexual response, and after a while I was able to crack the odd one off. M desire for sex was not affected but I have a really high drive. Obviously as a guy, it it may well prevent erection and/or desire too - absolute pain in the arse BUT a damn good time then to develop your oral/finger and communication skills.

Every day, one breath at a time. It can be worth it.