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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Annabel Lee on April 24, 2004, at 18:33:20
I went on Celexa almost a year and a half ago. I was in a tremendously bad state and it really helped me to overcome my depression. One problem, though: I put on weight. I am a relatively active person and eat healthy so it was clearly a result of the Celexa.
A friend of mine recently told me about Lexapro and explained that it was similar to Celexa only was known to have less side effects. I asked my Dr. about it and he explained that Lexapro was relatively new on the market but "yes, it was known to have less side effects".
I'm wondering how many people here have made the switch. I'm also wondering if anybody else experienced immediate weight gain upon going on Celexa and was able to notice a significant difference upon switching over.
Stories are appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by Annabel Lee on April 24, 2004, at 19:00:21
In reply to I just switched from Celexa to Lexapro, posted by Annabel Lee on April 24, 2004, at 18:33:20
Um, why can't I see my post? I even cleared my cache and tried Netscape. Is lexapro making me stupid?
Posted by Joslynn on April 25, 2004, at 14:10:10
In reply to Re: I just switched from Celexa to Lexapro, posted by Annabel Lee on April 24, 2004, at 19:00:21
Hi. I switched from Celexa to Lexapro. My pdoc drew me a little diagram of molecules to explain to me the difference. Something like...oh dear, let me remember...Celexa was made out of two halves, like mirror images, and then the Celexa makers found a way to strip out the unneeded half, which was the one the caused the side effects. (Maybe someone more scientific could explain this.)
Anyway...I am not a good example, because first I was on a combo of Celexa and Remeron. I gained weight on that (10 pounds, then leveld off). However, I think it was the Remeron that made me gain the weight. So, I went off the Remeron and lost the weight, while remaining on Celexa.
Time went on, and I realized that I was waking up too early. This scared me, because that is a big symtom of depression for me. Other than that though, I had not D symptoms. So, I talked to my pdoc and he thought that perhaps it was the side effect of the Celexa, which the sleep-inducing Remeron had been counteracting.
It was around this time that Lexarpro came out, and he said that at first he had been a bit skeptical that it was just a way for the drug company to keep making $ since the Celexa patent was running out. But he said despite his initial doubt, he had seen really good results, and he had some samples, so I may as well try out. I went from 20 mg Celexa to 10mg Lexapro, because the Lexapro is more powerful.
Thankfully, I started sleeping fine and did not gain weight either.
Then, the beginning of this year, I did gain weight (about 5-7 lbs), but that was because I was super-busy at work and stress-eating, plus not working out much. I don't think it's the Lexapro. Now I am exercising more.
So, in a nutshell, neither Celexa nor Lexapro made me gain weight, but Remeron did.
Posted by Dr. Bob on April 26, 2004, at 8:34:12
In reply to Re: I just switched from Celexa to Lexapro, posted by Annabel Lee on April 24, 2004, at 19:00:21
> Um, why can't I see my post?
Try this link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040423/msgs/339622.html
Bob
Posted by Bill LL on April 26, 2004, at 9:51:25
In reply to I just switched from Celexa to Lexapro, posted by Annabel Lee on April 24, 2004, at 18:33:20
I switched, but I did not have weight gain with either drug.
I did notice less day time tiredness with Lexapro.
Posted by celextolex on April 27, 2004, at 17:23:33
In reply to I just switched from Celexa to Lexapro, posted by Annabel Lee on April 24, 2004, at 18:33:20
I switched from Celexa to Lexapro about 5 weeks ago. I was on 20 mg Celexa and switched to Lexapro because Celexa had stopped working for me. I went to 10 mg Lexapro, but it wasn't enough so 1 week ago I went to 20 mg Lexapro. Based on my experience, 20 mg of Lexapro will have similar side effects as 20 mg celexa, but will be more potent. I never had weight gain with either drug.
This is the end of the thread.
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