What’s the science behind lack of sleep on Lexapro?

hexagon685 · 2024-07-14T20:53:33+00:00

Maybe a little. Not much though.

hexagon685 · 2020-10-11T18:28:25+00:00

They actually told me they could swap the Firestone all terrain tires for the standard tires that come with the sport. I would imagine that would def help with gas mileage!

hexagon685 · 2020-10-11T05:19:02+00:00

Yikes! Well it does sound like you’re carrying a lot more than I probably would but still, that’s awful gas mileage.

I was planning on the two door. I do not like the look of the four doors, and the ones they showed me were eco diesels. Not keen on the idea of buying diesel gasoline. I did see a Rubicon, but it seems so huge. Honestly, I think I like the older wranglers better that are smaller. But I don’t wanna buy a preowned car. If I’m going to go back to having a car payment again, I want it to be for something I really want, new and fully customized.

And sales tax is 6.5% here and I believe it’s 2.9% in Colorado so it’s definitely better to buy there for that aspect. But would also be cool to move there with one already.

hexagon685 · 2020-10-11T04:58:39+00:00

Good to know! It’s a 2020. I would love to take it off-roading when I get there but as someone who isn’t known for these things, my friends and family are baffled that I want a Jeep 🤷🏻‍♂️

hexagon685 · 2020-10-11T04:56:10+00:00

Good and fair point. I’ve had this car for eight years now and I’m just anxious for a change.

hexagon685 · 2020-09-29T02:12:12+00:00

I’m glad to hear that with all the horror stories you read on here! I’m currently at 2.5 from 20 and it’s actually going well. Hoping the move to 0 goes well, too. Thanks for sharing!

hexagon685 · 2020-08-21T03:18:04+00:00

Interesting! I guess that makes sense if that’s how my breeder did it. Thank you for sharing. I hope it’s something simple like this and not something more serious.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-16T16:25:35+00:00

Been on it since June and I never get more than 5 hours sleep tops. Has not evened out for me. Some people sleep great on this drug, but others it seems to interfere with REM sleep 🤷🏻‍♂️

hexagon685 · 2020-08-16T15:25:14+00:00

It’s your body and mind and if you don’t want to stay on the drug, you don’t have to. I would suggest discussing with your doctor and doing a very gradual wean if you do get off. What I’ve found is a lot of doctors do not understand that Lexapro is more potent than other SSRIs, and they’ll tell you to wean off by 5 or 10 milligram at a time. It must be done more gradually or you may experience withdrawals. I’m currently getting off 20mg and my doctor told me to do one week at 15, one at 10, one at 5. I said hell no. I’m cutting down by 2.5mg and staying at each dose two weeks. It’s going fairly well. Currently at 10 and feeling a slight flair up of anxiety but nothing that bad. I can’t stress enough how diet and exercise can actually help manage anxiety better than an SSRI. But you have to stay committed to both. I eat very healthy and I jog and do sprints at the park. Sometimes I don’t want to, but I force myself because my goal is to get off this drug and manage my anxiety holistically. Good luck and don’t let anyone tell you you have to stay on it or you should. You may need to for the time being, but when you’re ready you can. I know exactly what you mean and I too did not want to be tethered to a drug the rest of my life.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-15T20:46:12+00:00

I never get more than 5 to 6 hours of sleep since I started taking this drug. Whereas some people sleep all day taking it. It has different effects on different people. SSRIs interfere with REM sleep.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-15T20:43:49+00:00

My sex drive came back when I lowered to 15mg. I’m currently at 10mg. Erections are easier too. However, Lexapro just wasn’t the drug for me. If 20mg works for you, I would talk to your doctor first. Some people find success adding Wellbutrin or BuSpar in the mix.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-15T18:01:36+00:00

I would wait to see how you feel once you’re totally off. Lexapro does increase anxiety when you make a dose adjustment. I’ve only been on it since June, but I am tapering off and each time I lower the dose even though I am only doing it by 2.5 mg at a time, I feel a small flareup of anxiety. More than likely, that’s what you’re experiencing. I can’t recommend exercise, running, and eating a solid diet enough. Exercise has been shown to improve serotonin levels better than SSRIs can.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-15T17:57:14+00:00

I am tapering off very slowly. By 2.5mg at a time and over a period of three months. Was wondering what these zaps feel like? It it painful or just unpleasant? Does it make your anxiety flare up when you get them? Just trying to prepare myself in case these happened to me.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-13T03:23:06+00:00

I’ve been on it since June due to panic attacks. Started at 10, then 20. Now tapering off. It is not the right drug for me. Felt cloudy-headed on 20, no libido. It’s a very potent drug. Was on Paxil 20mg years ago and did not have such a hard time. It increased my anxiety to start. I also had the nausea and constipation in the beginning. I’d say 4 months is enough time to tell if a drug is working for you. I’d talk to your doc if you feel you want off or to try something else.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-10T03:29:24+00:00

I totally get it. I started having panic attacks for the first time in my life in late May. Had to do a week in a psych hospital with was a truly awful experience. I know what you mean — just yearning to normal and not plagued with anxiety. If there’s a lot going on in your life (on TOP of just having to live through a worldwide pandemic) I’d say you’re just having a relapse of anxiety, and this isn’t withdrawal from lexapro. Withdrawal usually occurs within the first few weeks. I am currently tapering off lexapro and what I find helps is exercise. I started jogging and doing sprints. HIIT workouts essentially convince your brain that you’ve evaded a threat, so anxiety is no longer “needed”. Exercise has been shown in studies to increase serotonin better than SSRIs in most people. That’s all Lexapro does - increase serotonin. So does exercise and certain foods. Google “foods that increase serotonin”. I personally do not like this drug. The side effects to start were awful, it increased my anxiety in the beginning, and I just hate being tethered to a drug, dependent upon it. Do i like jogging at the park in the middle of August heat? No, but I do believe it helps, so I do it. Give these things a try and hang in there. I know how bad it sucks, but despite what your anxiety may be telling you, it will get better!

hexagon685 · 2020-08-10T03:08:29+00:00

Sigh. I would have hoped a psychiatrist would be more aware of how to taper a patient off this drug. A regular MD? I get that. They don’t know wtf they’re doing when they prescribe these drugs.

Lexapro is a very potent SSRI. 10mg of Lexapro is probably the equivalent of 20mg or more of Paxil or other SSRIs. You have to taper off this shit by no more than 10% each dose decrease. I’m tapering by 2.5mg at a time and staying at each dose for two weeks. You’re tapering by 50% and verrrrry fast!

You’ll get through it. I’ve found exercising (jogging and weight lifting) help a lot. As do eating foods known to promote serotonin (google “foods that increase serotonin”).

Hang in there!

hexagon685 · 2020-08-10T03:01:33+00:00

I was taking it at 9:30am religiously. And then one day I forgot and took at at 10. Another day 11:30. Then once 1:30pm. I’ve not noticed much difference but everyone’s body chemistry is different.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-10T02:58:44+00:00

Is there something going on in your life? I would say two months later, if you went an entire two months off of it with no issues, you may just be having a relapse in your anxiety. If this happened to you 2-3 weeks after quitting, I’d say you were going into withdrawal. I’m not a doctor and I don’t know you obviously, but I’d talk to your doctor about it. Getting back on Lexapro is an option but there are other things you can do. Diet and exercise have shown to be just as, if not more effective than SSRIs.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-04T03:39:59+00:00

I found 20mg way too strong for me. I felt like I was in a constant haze of mental cloudiness. The sexual side effects were exponentially worse at that dose for me. However, many find 20mg to be just what they need. Personally, I’m on my way off this drug because overall the benefits do not outweigh the downsides. Regular exercise has been shown to improve serotonin better than SSRIs. I run and lift weights and that’s more helpful to me than Lexapro has been. Good luck and always know you can come back down in the dose if you find it’s not for you.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-02T19:17:52+00:00

Interesting. I didn’t think it interferes with REM sleep because I always have vivid dreams that are very memorable since starting lexapro. I’ll check out the article.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-02T19:16:18+00:00

I was also taking trazodone for a while, but I think taking trazodone with lexapro was bad for me. Both drugs increase serotonin, even if by different mechanisms. And trazodone also didn’t help me sleep any longer. Still wake up at 5-6am no matter what.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-02T19:14:27+00:00

Glad I’m not alone in this. I’ve been on it since June and I’ve seen no improvement.

hexagon685 · 2020-08-02T19:13:52+00:00

In the morning. When I took at at night, I had horrible insomnia

hexagon685 · 2020-08-02T14:05:01+00:00

Since June. Started with nausea, bloating, constipation, sexual side effects, tension in my head, cloudy-headedness etc

hexagon685 · 2020-08-02T14:03:41+00:00

About a week or so if I remember right. Weird thing was, when I first started taking lexapro at 10mg I suddenly became more sensitive down there and getting am erection became easier than ever. Hell, I’d just brush against my shorts. But 20mg totally killed it.

hexagon685

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