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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 raisinb on December 6, 2008, at 9:09:37
I've been on 10 mg Lexapro for a little over a month. In the first few weeks, I experienced a little diarrhea in terms of GI side effects and felt a little calmer.
In the last week, I've had intense nausea and I need to sleep all the time. For a person with severe insomnia to need to sleep for three hours in the middle of the day--well, something's going on. It seems odd for side effects to show up so late, though these are common Lex SEs. What do you all think?
Posted by Phillipa on December 6, 2008, at 11:01:22
In reply to is this lexapro or the flu?, posted by raisinb on December 6, 2008, at 9:09:37
I wouldn't think it would be the med like you said this late. Wierd too as quite a few others are saying they are also tired during the day on different meds or none at all. me included thought it was the benzos. Will be interested in what others say. Any temperature or sore throat, muscle aches and pains? Love Phillipa
Posted by raisinb on December 6, 2008, at 11:13:03
In reply to Re: is this lexapro or the flu? » raisinb, posted by Phillipa on December 6, 2008, at 11:01:22
I don't have a temp or sore throat. I had some muscle aches (I thought) on Tuesday when it started but none since (and maybe I was just tired then).
My mom suggested, "maybe you're pregnant!" (unfortunately, not likely at all! :))
Posted by fleeting flutterby on December 6, 2008, at 11:30:45
In reply to is this lexapro or the flu?, posted by raisinb on December 6, 2008, at 9:09:37
> I've been on 10 mg Lexapro for a little over a month. In the first few weeks, I experienced a little diarrhea in terms of GI side effects and felt a little calmer.
>
> In the last week, I've had intense nausea and I need to sleep all the time. For a person with severe insomnia to need to sleep for three hours in the middle of the day--well, something's going on. It seems odd for side effects to show up so late, though these are common Lex SEs. What do you all think?<<
--------------------------------------------------I've been on 20mg Lexapro for almost 6 months.... and I still get nausea off and on. I would be EXTREMELY tired, also off and on, for about the first three months. I think it could be the medication-- but- please know I'm not a pharmacist.
on a side note--- I read somewhere that Lexapro is often given to anorexics-- helps calm them and increases their appetite. I have always been just below the average on BMI charts.... I recently started to gain and so I- myself, took the dose down to 10mg Lexapro. I don't want to gain weight, sheesh!anyway-- good luck to you.
flutterby-mandy
Posted by yxibow on December 7, 2008, at 4:58:35
In reply to is this lexapro or the flu?, posted by raisinb on December 6, 2008, at 9:09:37
> I've been on 10 mg Lexapro for a little over a month. In the first few weeks, I experienced a little diarrhea in terms of GI side effects and felt a little calmer.
>
> In the last week, I've had intense nausea and I need to sleep all the time. For a person with severe insomnia to need to sleep for three hours in the middle of the day--well, something's going on. It seems odd for side effects to show up so late, though these are common Lex SEs. What do you all think?
Flu like feelings can be caused by anxiety (or depression) -- they can become somatic and the autonomic sensations that one can get from our fight or flight system can seem very real but are not necessarily a sign of an infection.Of course there are probably over 50 viruses that people call a cold or a flu, that may cause different effects, not necessarily a fever. An infectious disease specialist told me once that the average person gets up to 5 infections a year but may or may not ever notice them.
That being said, I could never stand Lexapro, even though it was supposed to be the "cleanest" SSRI and after 20 days of nausea I quit it, even though it was probably coming to the end of that. But there were some other issues going on at the time, not the best time I want to revisit. Anyhow, that's just my personal experience with Lexapro, may not be yours.
-- best wishes
Jay
Posted by SLS on December 7, 2008, at 7:13:38
In reply to Re: is this lexapro or the flu? » raisinb, posted by yxibow on December 7, 2008, at 4:58:35
You ask a great question for which I don't have a good answer for.
Pehaps it is the presence of increased anxiety that helps diffentiate the flu from drug side effects. What about body temperature? Do you have any body aches? It is conceivable that drug side effects can arrive late. For instance Lexapro, while being calming and fatiguing at first, can become anxiogenic and agitating at about day 14, and then disappear by the end of week 3.
-------------------------------------------
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ssris/MH00066Side effects of SSRIs include:
* Nausea
* Sexual dysfunction
* Headache
* Diarrhea
* Nervousness
* Rash
* Agitation
* Restlessness
* Increased sweating
* Weight gain
* Drowsiness
* Insomnia
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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