How effective is Lexapro for treating alcohol abuse?
Lexapro will not treat alcohol abuse. Once someone is sober, Lexapro will assist with the recovery of healthy seratonin levels in the brain. After periods of alcohol abuse, the brain's chemistry is affected, and seratonin levels become low. Supplementing a recovery program, e.g., 12-step program, with an SSRI, such as Lexapro, is an option to help find serenity. Serenity is the medicine addicts need to stay off of drugs and alcohol.
Lexapro has been shown to be of benefit to some people in the clinical treatment of alcohol addiction when it is combined with other treatment and therapy. It's theorized that in some way it reduces the discomfort caused by low levels of certain neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, that are depleted by alcohol use, and that it makes the transition to sobriety easier.
Because everyone's brain chemistry is different, psych drugs of all kinds tend to be selective. Some people need to try several in order to find one that works. We also need to be aware that with many psych drugs it is necessary to take them for prolonged periods before seeing results, especially if our brain chemistry has been disrupted by addiction. The effects of alcohol and other drugs on the brain can persist for months, even for a couple of years.
I took Lexapro for 6 months and this drug is very effective in reducing alcohol consumption. I may have an occasional beer or a drink, but I was unable to do so while taking Lexapro. The side effects with alcohol are horrible. As with any drug, side effects depend on the person who is taking the medication.
Lexapro is an antidepressant and will not help with preventing abuse. I might help with help someone to not think that they need to drink so often.
Lexapro might offer some benefit if the underlying cause of the alcohol abuse is depression.
Unfortunately, it isn't always easy to tell, even by professionals, if the alcoholism stems from depression or if the depression is caused by the alcoholism. This is the case with one of my family members; he's fought with both for many years...and he's losing.
I've been on Lexapro for depression (not alcohol abuse) fora little over a month. It hasn't seemed to do much so I've had my dosage increased. It still has not seemed to do much.
The way it was explained to me by my Dr. is that Lexapro isn't mood-altering. It simply maintains your seratonin levels so that you don't get rock bottom depressed or stay there.
Being that I'm having a hard time "believing" that Lexapro treats depression, I'd have an even harder time believing it would help someone suffering from alcohol abuse -- unless the abuse were specifically caused by the person's inability to produce seratonin -- a highly unlikely (in my opinion, anyway), "cause" of alcohol abuse.
I have found that a drug called Topamax, a drug used as a treatment for biploar, cluster headaches and more, has truly helped me control cravings to binge drink and to binge eat. I don't drink nearly as much as I used to. I's been amazing!
What are side effects of taking lexapro and adderall?
It depends on whether you take the drug alone or with other drugs. try www.ehealthme.com. eHealthMe may have the answers specific to your case.
What is an anticholinergic effect?
Anticholinergic medications are bronchodilators which affect the muscles around the large airways in the lungs. They stop those muscles from tightening, which makes breathing easier.
Can you take st johns wort and doxycycline at the same time?
No the two interact. If you Google doxycycline you can find a pdf download all about it and it says these two medications should not be taken together.
Ask your doctor if it can be taken two hours apart, because sometimes they do that if drugs interfere.
The PI sheet for Lexapro doesn't list acne as a side-effect, but many who've taken the drug state that, for them, it has resulted in moderate to severe acne. This is true for me. I had relatively clear skin -- only the occasional pimple -- before starting this drug. Now I've broken out across my back and have developed cystic acne around my chin. Big, deep, painful nodules. I've never had this problem before. It's depressing.
What does Lortab withdraw symptoms feel like?
you feel like throwing up sometimes, you feel different pains this is your head telling you to get more, don't eat shitt alot I get runny nose, i see those true life on MTV about pill addiction and it makes me want it everything that's fun makes me want it there is a pill called saboxone that stops your withdrawl and gives you a buzz so you don't want lortabs it really helps some call it a miracle drug and its true give it a try
Is nausea a symptom of quitting Lexapro?
Oh, yes it is a very big side effect. Well at least for me it is. Stomach felt bubbly after taking 10mg pill it helps when I laid on my side or stood/sat up. Also try taking some nausea medicine or things for sour stomach.
What are sexual effectss of lexapro?
When I was taking Lexapro (I am a male)I was unable to have an orgasm. I would get an erection, but could not no matter how long I had sex, have an orgasm. My doctor switched me to Welebutrin and I have not had a problem since.
What is the best anti-depressant to replace Lexapro with?
Hi, I have currently been weaning from lexapro for the last couple of weaks and now am off all together. I am still having the symptoms that others are having but they dont sound as severe. I started taking an amino acid called 5-htp. It claims to naturally increase your own bodys seritonin level. I take two 100 mg pills a couple hours before bed. I am not sure if most people need to start off with such a high dose. I did because I was also weaning off a sleeping pill, which has also been a success. The 5-htp also comes in a 50mg pill. I hope this info was a little helpful.
Does Lexapro help with social aniexty?
i think it depends on the person. lexapro is used an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication. for me, while i was on 10 mg lexapro, it was useless. then my doctor switched me to prozac, which is more commonly used in treating eating disorders. so far that in combination with counseling and therapy, has been helpful
Can Lexapro cause skin rashes?
I believe it can be. I typed "Lexapro Rash" into google, and found many, many people claiming to have gotten a rash from the drug. I myself took lexapro for 3 days, and suddenly developed a rash that's covered ~3/4 of my upper body.
However, to argue the Lexapro side of the story, in their FDA expieriment, their were no cases of rashes in any of their subjects.
Either way, I believe that it can cause rashes, and that it's merely left to chance as to whether the person will develop a rash.
What percent of people gain weight on Lexapro?
will i gain a little weight on 5mg of lexapro and will it only make you tired at the beginning
Will anti-depressants show up in drug screen?
No.
Antidepressants will not show up on standard drug tests. However some commonly used drug tests will detect tricyclic antidepressants (TCA's), an older class of antidepressants.
Since antidepressants (including TCA's) are not addictive or controlled substances there is rarely a need to test for them. It is technically possible to test for any drug but employer, military, home, and hospital drug tests will not test for them (although some home drug tests and hospital tests will find TCA's).
A class of drugs known as benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin/Rivotril, Serax, Restoril) are often incorrectly described as antidepressants. These drugs are often tested for due to their potential for abuse, however most drug tests only test for PCP, cocaine, amphetamines (including meth and ecstasy), opiates (codeine, morphine, and heroin), and THC (marijuana). Benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and oxycodone are the most common tests added to the basic 5-panel test.
If any drug were to show up on a drug test you would not have a problem if you can provide a valid prescription.
How do you taper off 20 mg of Lexapro?
I was on 20 mg of Lexapro for 6ish months. My psyciatrist said I could taper down to 10 for one week and then stop. I did this recently and 3 days later I now have typical lexapro withdrawl symptoms such as aches and pains and nausea and insomnia etc. It has been 4 days since I stopped the Lexapro and I am in a lot of discomfort that the pharmasist told me could last up to 2 weeks. Could this be done easier? For example, should I take 5 or 10 mg for ? amount of time. Was 1 week down 10 mg from 20 mg and then stopping too much reduction too fast? The lowest dose and fastest cessation is ideal, but I am having trouble functioning when I feel so bad physically. I would ask my psyciatrist but she is on vacation and will not be back for 2 weeks. What should I do? Please help! Thank you, Rinner/Corinne
How long do withdrawal symptoms last from stopping lexapro cold turkey?
It is not recommended to stop Lexapro cold turkey. Everyone's withdrawal period is different, and the amount of time it takes to be fully off the drug depends on many factors. Check out this link for information on the topic: http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/05/07/lexapro-withdrawal-symptoms-how-long-do-they-last/
Can Straterra give you night sweats?
My son is on his second day of 40mg straterra and has been alseep for the majority of the time, so I think the answer is YES straterra does make you sleepy. I am going to change the dosage time from a.m. to p.m. and see if it helps, maybe you might try your dosage time as well.
Yes it can. My 12 year old son has been on 40mg.of Straterra for 4 months. His attention span was somewhat better, but he was so sleepy he could barely stay awake for the first 2-4 hours. So we checked with his doctor and switched his med time to 10:00PM. He now sleeps much better at night and is awake enough for his classes daily. However, upon getting out of school in the afternoon he starts to behave more hyperactively and by 8:00 p.m., he's really hyper.
It must work differently for people because i get the exact opposite effect. I have actually needed less sleep while on it 80mg day.
Yes, Strattera made me too sleepy the first several days. I switched from taking Strattera in the morning to taking it at night. That has done the trick. I feel alert all day. I do feel very very calm. For some people that might be disturbing, for me it's a relief.
Now, if I could figure out how to stay alseep without waking every hour or so.
i think Straterra can make you tired and cause you to not be able to sleep during the same day - it happened to me.
in the first few hours after taking it, i can't sleep. but about 4 hours after taking it, i get very sleepy (but only if i am engaged in non active activities - watching tv, reading, etc).
i also realized that if i take the medicine too late in the day (after 3pm), i would wake up every hour all night long.
therefore i take the medicine in the morning and try to remain active in the 4-5 hours after.
i think the answer is different for everyone, but the time of day that you take it plays a big factor in sleepiness/sleeplessness.
Yes. I am a 28 year old male. I took Strattera a few months ago for about a month, and finally had to stop because I had no energy, and had to take a nap every evening. I normally only need about 6-7 hours of sleep, but on Strattera I need a lot more. It got a little better after a few weeks, but I was still always tired. I started taking it again a few days ago, after talking with my doctor and deciding to try a lower dose. I had the same effects with only 25mg. I stopped it this time because of other side effects (severe testicle pain), which I had last time, but didn't realize it was the Strattera causing it.
YES!
I have been taking strattera for 15 months now, and I am certain that it is causing me to need more sleep than before.
I used to only need 5-6 hours a day. Now, if i don't get at least 8 (10 is best) I can hardly function.
This has required some adjustment for me and my wife (i'm a 30 year old male), but the benefits of Strattera have very far outweighed this inconvenience.
In my experience, the answer is a clear YES! I was on 25mg first, then 40mg for a month, and have now been on 80mg for six weeks. I have never felt so fatigued except when I had anemia. I can sleep for 10 hours a day and not feel refreshed. I can't be awake for more than a few hours without feeling really tired. And to make things worse, my ADD symptoms have not gone away at all. In addition, I feel hungry all the time.
Prior to this, I had been on Adderall XR for three years. That worked like magic the first two years, but then quit on me. I hope that if I start taking it again, it'll work again because the tolerance will have worn off.
How long does it take for your body to get used to Antidepressants?
i have been off seroxat for 14 months and i am still having withdrawal, its awful i cant find anyone to tell me that they have come off it and are now well, the most help i have had is from CITA 0151 2815496, good luck
Can valproic acid and Lexapro be taken together?
Yes, they are fine. Remember to take your medicine every day whether you feel you need it or not. Bipolars have a bad habit of stopping their medicines because they feel they do not need them any more. The valproic acid is a mood stabilizer and will keep your moods more under control. Lexapro will help your depression.
Can you take Prozac and Lexapro together?
NO!!! Each of them is an SSRI, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor -- or serotonin booster -- and this will cause problems.
i do, seems to work pretty good but i dunno see what works for u, (but really nothing can happen)
I take prozac and was having an unusually rough time. My doctor prescribed Lexapro as well to get me over the hump I took Lexapro with Prozac together for a couple of months and it worked well (under the guidance of a DR)
How long does nausea last when starting Lexapro?
I consulted the Physician's Desk Reference to find my answer. I found no results for "brentellex," but I did find results for the drug "brintellix." If this is not the right drug, then please disregard my answer. According to the side effects section of the article, it states that "Nausea was the most common adverse reaction and its frequency was dose-related (Table 2). It was usually considered mild or moderate in intensity and the median duration was 2 weeks. Nausea was more common in females than males. Nausea most commonly occurred in the first week of BRINTELLIX treatment with 15 to 20% of patients experiencing nausea after 1 to 2 days of treatment. Approximately 10% of patients taking BRINTELLIX 10 mg/day to 20 mg/day had nausea at the end of the 6 to 8 week placebo-controlled studies." If you search for "brintellix" on this site, you will find this section located under section 6.1: "Adverse side effects" on the page's table of contents. This information is not to be taken in replacement of consulting your doctor. I would recommend talking to your doctor for further answers.
Sources:
"Brintellix (vortioxetine) - Full Prescribing Information." PDR.net. 2015. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.Can you take Lexapro and erythromycin?
Both of them have same antibacterial spetrum and there is no logic behind using the combination. Please use either of them at a time and if you do not get response then start the other one.
Average withdrawal time from Lexapro?
Not sure on the exact amount of time it takes to withdraw from Lexapro, but it sounds like it could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months or more depending on how your body responds to the withdrawal.
My own experience to date is as follows: After taking first 10 mg of Lexapro for 1 1/2 years, my dosage was increased to 20 mg. Now that I have been on the new dosage for almost 1 1/2 years, I have decided it is time to see if I can cope without taking Lexapro any more. I began weaning myself off with the advice of my doctor. I began by decreasing my dosage from 20 mg to 10 mg daily. After 10 days, I stopped taking lexapro all together (under by Dr.'s advice) and the result was many withdrawal symptoms such as: headache, burning stomach pain, dizziness, fatigue and acid reflux. The headache doesn't respond to Tylenol or advil and sleep is the only way to improve the headache, which isn't possible during the work day. The dizziness is the most irritating symptom and the one that concerns me the most since I have been known to faint when I get dizzy. After doing research on the web, I discovered that taking a multi-vitamin may help with the withdrawal symptoms. I am not sure if it will work or not, but it is worth a try. Also, I have read that sometimes you have to wean yourself more slowly and for a longer period of time. I have a call to my dr. to see if I need to start taking smaller doses of lexapro before weaning myself all together.
Has anyone had success with Lexapro?
I had great success with Lexapro. I was given it for panic disorder last year and am currently weaning off of it, due to the weight gain. I've put on 45 lbs. in 1 year of taking it. That's the only negative long-term side effect. I am basically panic free now.
Yes. Synthroid, when taken at a dose too high for someone, stimulates sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight response), which causes many effects such as tachycardia, anxiousness, and diaphoresis (sweating).