anxiety

Hi Tina,

You can always call your doctor and tell him/her about your symptoms while starting Lexapro.   You can ask about getting the drug in liquid form from a compounding pharmacy so that you can start on a lower dose and taper up much more gradually.

Regards,

Jennifer L. Fee, Psy.D.

The Stress Masters

*Jennifer Fee, Psy.D. is a Psychologist, not a Psychiatrist. Psychiatrists prescribe medications, Psychologists study them, but the majority of Psychologists are not authorized to prescribe meds. or give you specific advice about them. Dr. Fee's answers are not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or mental disorder. Any information given in a post about medication is for educational purposes only, and primarily to aid you in having an informed discussion with your own Psychiatrist/Physician.

Hi Tina:

I agree with Dr. Fee, and you should speak with your doctor about this. What you need to understand is that the majority of antidepressants can cause fatigue as a side effect in the beginning. Switching to another antidepressant probably isn't going to make this fatigue go away. Remember that you are trying to change how your brain works, not just how you are feeling. That takes time.  Read more about Lexapro here.

That being said, most of my patients are given the smallest dose by their doctor, and if possible, to split the dose in half in order to ride out the side effects. They also tell their patients to take the medication at bedtime in order to avoid experiencing these effects.

It all depends on whether you are willing to deal with some fatigue for a few more days and get some help with your anxiety or depression, or if the mood disorder is worth living with.

Again, speak with your physician, but he would probably ask you to hang in there to get the benefits.

Best of Luck,

Dr. Diana Walcutt

*Dr. Walcutt is a Psychologist. Dr. Walcutt's answers are not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or mental disorder. Any information given in a post about medication is for educational purposes only, and primarily to aid you in having an informed discussion with your own Psychiatrist/Physician.