Please help!!!! Lexapro (escitalopram) need help here

Hi can anybody help - Im on day 8 of taking Lexapro (escitalopram) and I feel so grim!!! The nausea is just so bad and I can't stand it much longer and I just feel so ill all the tiime - my doc told me to stick it out but I get so lightheaded and weird head feelings too - how long does it go on for????
Please help.

i had the same reaction...never could get used to it.
i'd say dump it and try something else...why should you subject your body to such ill feeling?
there's a million others out there to try.

I had nausea with it, too, for weeks and weeks. It did get better, but it was pretty horrible. I'll be honest and say that I had to smoke something green to get through it sometimes. After a while, the nausea did stop being so horrible, and I noticed that keeping it on a regular as possible schedule of ingestion is good, and missing a dose-then restarting-makes it more pronounced.

Now that I think about it, here are some other tips to perhaps try, if you believe that the medication is helping you:

-I take it in the middle of late-afternoon or evening meals most often, and it seems to help.

-Taking it, and then settling into a long nap, or bed.

My dosage had to come down from 15 to 10 to 5 and then subsequently back up to 10mg, because the nauseating, sedating, and sexual side effects had to be titrated. Most of the sexual side effects are gone, I think. As are the sedative, and the nausea. But, I'm approaching a year on it, now. I hope this is helpful information in your quest for the right meds.

That's what it is, a damn quest, and there are some bad rooms you can go in sometimes. Sometimes you just gotta drudge through it, and I hope there are some good folks there to help ya through it! BIG CYBER HUG, take care!

Thanks for the tip - Its getting so hard - and im getting really strange thoughts sometimes too and not feeling like myself but my doc told me to stick it out. Going to see therapist today - so will see what is advised.

((bob))

My side effects really only lasted about 5 days, with headaches into the 3rd week. It's been about 6 months, and I have increased my dose once from 10 to 20 mg, and had no side effects when I increased.

Perhaps it's not the right drug for you?

I just love when docs say that-- "stick with it." Hmmm... take a few these, get a load of the side effects, and why don't you stick with it, doc?

I'm sorry it is not working out for you. I only had the side effects for about a week. The first night I couldn't sleep because of the nausea (I prefer to call it feeling like you are going to throw up.) Tell the doctor to try working while wanting to go to sleep, cry and throw up at the same time.
If you CAN stick with it, it might help you but I hate the fact that you have to live through the side effects before you can see the full therepeutic effects. If you can't deal with the side effects, there are other drugs out there to try.

I started out with Zoloft, but it gave me terrible headaches.
My dr. then went to Lexapro and I had very good results from it and no side effects. However: it didn't mix well with my cancer drug Tamoxifen, so I got switched to Paxil. That worked for a while, but then my emotions came soaring through the top again, and I had to get on something else.
That's when I went for a clinical diagnosis, and tht's when I got put on Luvox with Lamictal. Very good!!! Now I feel great, most days, and can be in the "normal" world.

Thanks guys - its good to know Im not alone - yes the sticking with it is the hardest - I know I want to feel better (who doesn't) but how long do I need to out up with feeling terrible til I do! Anyway I will continue on and see how it goes.

When I first started with Lexapro, I had nausea for several days. It subsided thereafter. I tolerate it better than other antidepressants. I presently take 20mg and it suits me. I tried backing down to 10 mg..then to 5mg to see if it was really helping. I began having the "100 thoughts dashing thru my brain" at night again. It definitely slows my overactive brain down.
Good luck with it as it definitely has less sexual side effects than most.
Be well

Thanks so much.

I tried lexapro and did not do well. No nausea - but complete mood change, more depression and total insomnia. I went 7 complete days without falling asleep. It was horrible.

I would say that the average time to get adjusted to this medicine is about 1 month - 4 weeks...... then if it works for YOU all will be good again with time on the med (with in and with out).