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I have been on a Lexapro for a year now and about 3-4 months ago I started experiencing a back pain on the lower right side. My doctor did some tests and his theory is that it might be be due to the Lexapro. My psichiatrist, however, claims that he has not seen such side effects from taking Lexapro. I decreased the amount of Lexapro I am taking, and the back pain started appearing less frequently. I intend to stop taking it altogether to see whether the back pain will disappear entirely.
I was taking lexapro for about 2 1/2 years. I recently weaned myself off, it has been about 6 weeks now. I started to have discomfort in my lower left side of my back, which turned into not sleeping bc I couldn't roll over, rolling myself out of bed, not being able to bend down, and sharp pains when walking. The doctors can find absolutely nothing wrong. I don't remenber doing anything that would cause pain. I began researching on line...I was very surprised to read all of the other comments about people on and after lexapro with back pain. I can't imagine living with this forever, please tell me it goes away?
I had been taking Lexapro for about 2 years. I took 1/2 a tablet before sleeping because it made me very tired if I took it in the daytime. I had trouble sleeping and felt achy all over when I got up in the morning. I thought I had fibromyalgia because I had undiagnosed pain in my joints, shoulders, neck, hands, elbows, wrists and some lower back pain. The worst part was I felt a tingling in my muscles and an achy, sick feeling like I had the flu. I had lab tests for MS, lupus, arthritis, thyroid function, kidney function, etc., which were all negative. My doctor suggested I go back to Prozac, which I had taken about 15 years ago. Prozac made me sleepy but the pain disappeared like magic. I have been off Lexapro for about 5 days and I have not felt this well in a long long time.
I have been protractive withdrawal from Lexapro. Meaning, I have been experiencing symptoms such as insomnia, loss of appetite, depression, intense anxiety, etc AFTER Lexapro and no, this is not a return of my original symptoms. In addition, I got low back pain after 3 months of being off and it has been chronic - I never had chronic pain ever, especially low back. So, I believe Lexapro has caused an inflammatory response to my body as I have had other issues relating to inflammaton appear during withdrawal. A doctor would not believe this since the Pharma industry would state that w/d can not last more than 1-2 months, which is utter BS. There are two websites dediciated to SSRI w/d which have thousands of members in them sharing the same trends/patterns.
I have been on Lexapro for several years and have been experiencing increasingly severe stiffness and lower back pain, culminating lately in being unable to bend over and having to roll over to get out of bed since I could not bring myself to a standing position. I have had to hold onto something to lift myself up from a squatting position.
I discontinued taking the Lexapro several weeks ago, and this stiffness has subsided to a large extent and I can now bend over without a problem.
I am also now thinking more quickly and clearly and moving faster as I am not in this chronic state of stiffness and soreness.
The down side is I do not fall asleep as well and I need more sleep and I feel more anxious.
I am going to try to exercise, which I have not been doing, to see if this will help me sleep better and feel calmer.
I have tried Zoloft in the past which definitely interfered with my memory and clarity of thinking.
We shall see........I am a work in progress, but didn't realize that lower back pain and stiffness was a possible side effect of Lexapro, and it most certainly is.
Very interesting. I have had chronic back pain since January 2009, mostly in the mornings when I get, or should I say, roll out of bed. I started taking Lexapro December of 2008. I never throught it could be the culprit, but seeing others have the same side effect, perhaps it is. The timing would be an awfully big coincidence.
yOU ARE All so not alone with the chronic baCK PAIN, but my issues are with SEROXAT/Paxil, and have exactly the same as you all describe here, so maybe..... its a very real possibility that all of these so called antidepressants (poisons) are responsible for the lower back pain, the anxiety, depression, crying jags and so much more!!!
I would like to hear from anyone who has these issues when either taking, tapering or off these drugs!!!!!
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You're very welcome, Susan.
Teri
I was intrested in this Lexapro question as I have lower back pain and after trying everything else out I was just given lexapro is this common? The Dr said that it can be used to treat lower back pain is this true? Or are they writing it off as depression. I have never had back pain until about four months ago when it just appeared and has not let up. I am not really depressed at all but in the months of dealing with this I am getting frustrated. Are they writing me off?