[Juliana]

Does anyone take something works well at fighting the lethargy they get from meds?

I'm on Lexapro and it's working very well on my anxiety and my depression, but I have no energy. I would give just about anything for a burst of energy. I'm so tired of feeling tired all the time. I'm not as lethargic as I was on Celexa, so that's a good thing, but I'm so unmotivated and just... pfffffft... all the time.

A friend of mine was on Prednisone for a bad case of poison ivy and she told me she couldn't sit still. She cleaned and organized her house top to bottom. I was jealous. I want just ONE day like that!

I looked at all the alertness OTC products at the drugstore, but they're just caffeine. I drink a lot of coffee and caffeine doesn't perk me up at all. Any suggestions? I love not having panic attacks and I don't want my anxiety to go through the roof again, so I'm sticking with the Lexapro, but I need a bit of energy... at least once in a while. I need to clean up my flat!!!! Help!!!!

[DePressMe]

Oh, yeah, lethargy was a major problem for me. Wellbutrin helped, but was not enough. Provigil was a godsend and fairly safe--you might ask your pdoc abou it. Now, however, I am on a low dose of Dexedrine. Come to find out I have ADD--not the hyperactive kind. The Dexedrine slows down my brain and I don't worry about stuff as much--that gives me more energy to do other things.

if you find the magic potion, let me know. my get up and go just got up and went........xoxoxo pat

[Juliana]

Thanks for the info. I'll ask my doc about Provigil. Is it something you take everyday or just as needed? I'm also wondering if it increases anxiety. I finally have my anxiety under control and am afraid of taking something that will exacerbate it... but I'm also tired of feeling so drained all the time. I can't get anything done at home. I have enough energy to do my job and that's about it.

[psisci]

Yes it increases subjective reports of anxiety.

[Juliana]

Thanks for the info psisci. Is there anything that fights lethargy WITHOUT increasing anxiety?

[January]

((((((((( Juliana )))))))))

Ask your Dr. if you can take the lexapro at night. Mine doesn't make me tired, or at least I can't tell it, because I have chronic fatigue and fibro, but it seems to me it might be a great help to you if you could just take it at night.

Hugs,

Jan

[Juliana]

Thanks January. I took the Lexapro at night for the first couple of weeks, but it was making my insomnia worse. Then I tried it in the morning, but felt more brain-foggy than usual during the day. Now I take it when I get home from work.

My doc and I are both very pleased with how well the Lexapro has worked on my panic attacks and depression. I haven't had a panic attack in months. So, its pros are outweighing the cons. I am frustrated with this constant lack of energy and having trouble concentrating, though. I'm starting to feel like the only way I'll be able to stay panic-attack-free is to be slightly zombified all the time... and that's not a cheery thought. It's hard for me to muster up the energy even to do things I enjoy and I have stopped reading. I can't concentrate on a book anymore. Reading has always been one of my favourite things to do... and I miss it.

[DePressMe]

I know there are some reports of provigil increasing anxiety, but that was not the case for me. I have an anxiety disorder and I found my anxiety to go down when I took provigil. Part of it was that I was able to get up and get things done instead of sitting around worring about them. I am not sure, but I think out of all the "uppers" provigil has the least likely chance of causing anxiety. You can take it once a day or as needed. I am not advocating provigil as a magic cure...but, it really did help me out. Of course, everybody is different...

[Perna]

I don't have any meds (other than my asthma meds) but have found that a good B-complex vitamin along with a multiple vitamin gives me energy and I don't feel like I need as much sleep and feel good, etc.

[psisci]

For most people provigil feels alot like drinking alot of coffee. Low doses of adderall have been shown to be the best for this purpose with the least amount of increased anxiety.

[Zen888]

I suffer from lethargy due to meds! Feel like a total zombie.

i hadn't thought about adderall......my mind says that i have so much to do and my heart wants to do it....and i can't get it done.

[Juliana]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
fayerody said:
i hadn't thought about adderall......my mind says that i have so much to do and my heart wants to do it....and i can't get it done.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Ditto. I get a lot done when I'm at work, but as soon as I get home, I'm just useless.

I'm going to ask my doc about some of the meds that were discussed here. I hope one of them might work for me. I don't need something every day, but I need a little bit of help. I want to clean up my flat, get some laundry done... essential stuff like that. I can't keep buying new underwear every time I run out of clean ones. It's getting ridiculous... and expensive!

and socks...........

[Juliana]

I'm really looking forward to sandal weather. Then I'll just have to wash my feet.

[CamW]

Juliana - How long have you been taking your current dose of Lexapro™ (escitalopram) and what dose are you taking? I find that the anergia (lack of energy) does eventually resolve by itself within a month of taking a constant dose of an SSRI. In some people it can take 3 months (or more) for energy to return. I have had people say that their SSRI isn't working anymore, but when I question them further it isn't that the antidepressant has stopped working, but that their body has finally adjusted to the drug, and their energy has returned.

Another instance where SSRIs (Lexapro™ being one) cause anergia is when the dose is too high. Do not just lower your dose by yourself, though. It is tricky to find a dose that high enough to be effective, but low enough to minimize side effects. Ask your doctor about a dosage adjustment, especially if you have been taking the same dose for more than 3 months. Your doctor should monitor you fairly closely if he/she does decide to lower your dose, in order to make sure that you keep your depression and anxiety in remission.

I hope that this is of some help. - Cam

When I was on Lexapro, the lethargy was gone after a little while of taking it.

Trileptal is a different story....

I drink a lot of coffee. That's all I can do.

It makes me so tired, I can't stand it.

[Juliana]

Thanks for your post, Cam. I have been on 10 mg Lexapro since the end of January.

I was SSRI-free for about a year before I started taking Lexapro and before that I was on Celexa for about 18 months. The inertia and lethargy were much worse on Celexa than on Lexapro. It never got better the entire time I was taking it. It helped a lot with my anxiety (helped me get over agoraphobia and get back to a full-time job), but I felt lethargic and unmotivated and brain-foggy during the entire time I was on it. I'm starting to think it's going to be the same way on Lexapro. The only difference is that Lexapro seems to be even more effective in dealing with my anxiety and I'm not quite as lethargic as I was on Celexa.

Btw, in the year that I was taking no SSRI, my regular energy level didn't return. It improved a bit, but I never felt as clear-headed or energetic or motivated as before I took Celexa. This lack of energy feels like a permanent condition.

i fear what you said.......a permanent condition........pat

[Juliana]

It's really frustrating. I miss the way I used to be. I don't know how I'm ever going to get over my mild depression fully if I feel so pffffft, blah and worn out all the time. I get so discouraged. Everything feels like such a chore. Everything's so much harder than it used to be. I'm not as quick and smart and sharp and clear-headed and creative and energetic as I used to be. Those were all parts of my personality that enhanced my life. I miss them terribly. I used to enjoy cooking and cleaning and loved decorating my home. I haven't had the ooomph to do any of those things since September of 2004.

I can't concentrate on reading a good book (and I was always a voracious reader) and I never feel motivated to design a sweater (and I certainly don't have the patience or motivation to knit it!). Now I just read articles (because they're short) and knit scarves (because they're quick). I'm not nearly as good at Jeopardy as I used to be. I still know most of the answers, but they don't come out as quickly. They seem to get trapped somewhere between my brain and my mouth. I don't draw or paint anymore either. So many of the things I used to enjoy seem to have been taken from me... and I don't think it's because of depression. I didn't get depressed until last summer and this was a problem long before that. So, it's not because of depression. I just feel like my brain is different (slower) and I feel so dopey most of the time. I also feel like I need much more time to get things done. There's never enough time... mainly because I waste so much time... doing nothing.

I feel worn out. I can muster up the energy to do my job, but that's about it. I miss ENTHUSIASM!! I haven't felt enthusiastic about anything in such a long time.

my statement is this: i want my freaking JOY back. i was brimming over with it and i want it back.