Comparing Effexor vs Lexapro

For Depression I started this medicine in nursing school. Very much so needed. I started seeing myself with less worry, and a more of a "whatever" type of mentality. I figured that worked for me. However, my biggest problem has been the weight gain. Before I knew it I gained atleast 25 lbs. I'm a very active person and I do what wait I eat, especially since I am a cardiac nurse. Also make sure you NEVER miss a day of the medication. My side effects would be vertigo and shooting nerve pains in my head. I just upped my dosage to 150mg hoping it will increase my energy and help with weight loss. I was really bad off emotionally before so besides everything above, I have my life back.

For Depression I have been on this med for only 4 days after being on multiple other meds for general anxiety disorder for several years now. And I can already feel the difference in myself. Not exactly where I want to be yet but definitely positive results so far. It does make my pupils seriously dilated and at night when it's dark my vision seems like I'm on a merry go round if I moves my eyes to quickly. Other than that I feel much better than just a few days ago! Hopefully this med will work for me. I hate switching meds cause of the time I have to wait to start a new one. Sends me in a downward spiral of panic attacks and irritability. So far since being on Effexor EX I've not had even one episode!!!!!! And I was having them every single day!

For Anxiety After months of cbt with my psychologist for severe anxiety and panic disorder i decided to seek help from a psychiatrist. I was perscribed 5mg then 10mg of lexapro to start and it gradually incresed to 20mg. In the first few days i had never felt worse. More frequant and severe panic attacks and my general anxiety went through the roof and i had the most extreme feeling of hopelessness. I was a mess and calling my drs telling them i needed to stop taking it. They reassured me these side affects would go away within weeks, and they did. I continued with the cbt, mindfullness, lifestyle changes and stayed on the lexapro and within months i felt i was back to my normal self. Post like these kept me going. Hang in there, you're not alone!

For Anxiety I have been smoking marijuana for almost 10 years until recently when I knew that was causing me more anxiety and depression. So I broke down to my doctor and told her my head isn’t right, that I messed with it for too many years. The first week of Lexapro I felt the affects right away. What a difference honestly I felt normal and could take on anything. I do believe in lifestyle change: I started 3 months ago to lose weight and I have lost 10 lbs so far. That’s because I pushed myself but was still miserable. It really is reprogramming your mind, but with the THC withdrawals Lexapro definitely saved me. Eventually I would like to get off it but it’s saving me a lot of trouble with suffering. Plus, it’s giving me so much confidence and NO more social anxiety. It’s hard to say if I really do have generalized anxiety because I abused THC for a decade but right now, this medication really does help with everything else I’m doing to change my life. I’m on a low dosage of 5 mg which I feel is enough.