Lexapro and exhaustion

bobpriest · Post by **bobpriest** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:39 am

Can Lexapro make me very tired. I have been taking 10 mg of Lexapro each evening and feel pretty good, but every afternoon I become very tired and need to take a nap. I rarely have panic attacks anymore but have no desire to go out and do things. In fact, the last minor attack came before I was going out New years Eve. any suggestions and support.

Bob

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:05 am

It could make you tired, but I wouldnt think it would do it in the afternoon so far after taking it, KWIM?? How long have you been on it?

I take 10mg also and for the forst month or so I was tired on it, now I am fine. I too get tired in the middle of the day, but that is generally the time of the day I get tired, everyone has those times.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:40 am

I also take Lexapro (5mg) and I think I noticed that when I first started taking it. I also get very tired or feel fatigue when I am experiencing anxiety. I surely hope this medicine is working for me. It's been 3 years now that I have been taking Lexapro and also Valium as needed but I do feel exhausted when I am experiencing anxiety. My question is why would I feel this way if I am on Lexapro?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:39 pm

Originally posted by BookOfPsalms:
I also take Lexapro (5mg) and I think I noticed that when I first started taking it. I also get very tired or feel fatigue when I am experiencing anxiety. I surely hope this medicine is working for me. It's been 3 years now that I have been taking Lexapro and also Valium as needed but I do feel exhausted when I am experiencing anxiety. My question is why would I feel this way if I am on Lexapro?

Well EVERYONE experiences anxiety from time to time, it is normal in some circimstances. But you may still be having breakthrough anxiety because of a few reason. 1) Your dose is too low, technically 10mg is the lowest theraputic dose and you take 5mg so perhaps you need a higher dose 2) Lexapro may not be the right drug for you, you made need a switch to another med, this is also a common occurance.

I would discuss with your doc and see what they say. Most likely you need a higher dose to get the true theraputic effects of the meds.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:17 am

Thanks Noelle-
I did try the increased dosage [10mg] recently and had to go back down to 5 mg. The 10 mg dosage made me have a reaction so my doctor suggested that I go back down to 5 mg. I am kind in the middle now. I am so sensitive until my doctor has to put me on a very low dosage of meds and I just have to "find" the right one, and that is sometimes so hard for me. I truly hope I am not going to med-shopping again!

Thanks for your suggestions.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:29 pm

I've been on Lex 10mg for 6 months and have been going through the same thing. I always feel very worn out and find it hard to have the energy to feel motivated and do things, al though overall it has helped my anxiety and depression (though my depression returned a few weeks ago). I too am terrified of the idea of switching, so I'm not sure what I will do.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:53 am

jUST STARTED TAKINK LEXAPRO, hOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO REALLY START TO WORK? hAS ANY ONE GIVEN THE DRUG MORE THAN 3 WEEKS BEFORE THEY NOTICED A CHANCGE?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:30 pm

I have been taking 20mg of Lexapro daily for 3 months now. I seem to be much more in control of my emotions now and I feel less need to take the Ativan perscribed for the anxiety attacks but all I want to do is sleep. I literally can sleep off and on for 24 hours at a time. I get up to go to work only because the income IS necessary, otherwise I could care less if I ever got out of bed. I told my health care professional of my concern and thought that maybe this wasn't the medication for me. Her answer was for me to exercise. ????? I don't recall having this problem when I took Paxil or Wellbutrin but my doctor seems opposed to any change. My HMO doesn't offer me an alternative doctor so here I am!!! Without the meds I was depressed, slept all of the time and had chronic anxiety attacks quite frequently. I suppose at this point I am expected to just be happy that my depression is less debilitating, the anxiety attacks are less frequent and sleep comes quite easily; but; I'm still not happy, I have no life and now my dogs are depressed also. Go figure??? Maybe my vet can help!!! Ha! Ha! I'm certain that just dropping the Lexapro is not the answer but I am a bit perplexed as to what I should do now. Has ANYONE had this problem? Help please. Any possibility the dosage is too high??

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:53 am

Hello,
I am taking 20 mg as well and i feel like a zombie. I am tired alot. i feel like the medicine has worked but i also feel like i am still not 100%. its like one week i can handle things and feel pretty good and then i have a horrible week where i feel nervous every day. I always have to remind myself that this will pass and i will feel good again but it gets frustrating. my frined is on 40 mg (two 20mg pills) a day. he said that was the dose that finally got him out of his funk and now he feels good. Im waiting to talk to a psychiatrist so i can find out what is the best option. hope this helps.

epa · Post by **epa** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:13 am

Charlie617, and all,
I am on Lexapro 15 mg a day. I have had the most luck in the aspect of no major side effects, but I am tired quite often. I don't think it is the medication as much as it is the anxiety in combination with the meds (I also take an "as needed" lorazapam and a beta blocker). My doctors say the same thing about exercising, I know that it is true but it is hard to exercise when each waking moment you feel like you just got off a treadmill. It is all I can do some days to do my job, much less exercise. I think I could sleep for a week if given a chance, but I am realizing that it is because I want to sleep long enough to wake up and go, oh, I am panic free now, where are the pancakes?

I have willed myself to take the mutt for walks, and that does feel good. Also, I think the exhaustion is because I want my brain to be quiet. It is really like the little angel on one shoulder and the little devil on the other. I want the positive thoughts, but that little bugger on the left won't shut up!! Sorry for rambling, I too struggle with 'is this the right medication' constantly. I think that is inherent to our condition. I took lexapro several years ago at 10mg and I was able to function as though I was not on any medication. Getting through this program has opened my eyes to the fact that I have pretty much been anxiety filled my whole life, and that is a little depressing. Some days are good, some days aren't and there is no magic pill that is going to make that go away completely, only help us deal with the bad days a little better, so we have more good ones. I admire the folks out here that are not on meds, but I no longer beat myself up that I am on meds. My mother is a nurse and for her, success for me is being off medication. I have decided finally, after 43 years, that her shoulds don't have to be mine, and if I had diabetes, she would not be asking me when I was off my diabetes pills. Take them without guilt, don't take them, make your own choice, but know there is no magic, just our will power.