switched from Paxil 40mg to Lexapro 10mg

[risskie]

I'd been on Paxil (increasing dosages from 20 to 40) for 6 years. I felt it wasn't helping anymore and had gained serious weight. My MD switched me to Lexapro 10mg saying no wean off was needed. I'm now on my 3rd day of Lexapro with a little dizzyness ...but waiting for the shoe to drop. I'm worried about the withdrawl symptoms yet excited for lexapro to begin working.

Anyone out there know if it will be a smooth transition to Lexapro?
How long will it take for lexapro to help me to FEEL BETTER?

[auntybiotic]

How are you doing with the transition from Paxil to Lexapro.

In my opinion, Lexapro is just as BAD if not worse then Paxil. My daughter along with thousands of others are ADDICTED to LEXAPRO and cannot stop taking it. My daughter has been tapering since January from 20 Mg and is now down to 12 but the withdrawals have been from HELL.
It will take her almost two years to safely taper from Lexapro.

Please rethink taking Lexapro..you are jumping into a full blown FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read the 19 pAages of Lexapro withdrawal posts on this forum to see what your future may hold. Please be careful with Lexapro..............it is a terrible DRUG!

aunt y

[risskie]

Thanks for the advice aunty. I've had a rocky transition to Lexapro. As I said, I tried a complete swtich from Paxil 40 to Lexapro 10. I began, about 2-3 days later, with the 'shocks'. I then went back to Paxil alone for 3 days. Then I tried a Lexapro and 20 mg Paxil. I take the meds at night, but by 6pm I had some minor shocks, so I took another 20 mg Paxil. I did that for 3 days. On the 8th day I was able to exist, with very minor shock, without that 6pm 20 mg Paxil supplement.However, my appetite has been out of control these past two days.

I'm told Lexapro will not increase my appetite nor affect sleep. That, along with the fact that I didn't think the Paxil was helping anymore, was the reason I switched. I'm hoping to see a difference soon. I'm just shocked with my 'hungry horrors' which I hadn't had in a long, long time.

[DarlinDenise]

My family member was put on Lexapro for anxiety. He hasn't been on long enough to experience the weight gain, but I can tell you this much... He hardly sleeps at night anymore. It just makes me worry all the time.

Right now he's trying to come off Lexapro. From 20 mg to 10 mg. I've noticed a slight change in his personality. In my opinion, it's coming back!

He's now aware of the side effects and wants to come off this med too. Time will tell. I just hope the doc doesn't put him on anything else.

We need to find out what causes his anxiety without the help of meds and work through this together. That's the only way things will ever get back to normal.

Good luck to you if you really need this medication. I hope you don't experience the side effects that others have.