# I'm staring LEXAPRO.... ADVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



## Jessica Rose (Jan 12, 2013)

Hey guys.... So basically I have always been so against taking anti-depressants/anti-anxiety medication because I feel as though thats just doing more damage to the problem rather than fixing it.... However, since my last post, (the sex post) lol, I have decided, you know what? Eff it! I've been suffering with DP since 2009 and I have gone without medication all these years and it still hasn't gone away! Why not just try it to see if it makes even the slightest bit of a difference for me.... I am beyond skeptical and scared about it though.... I have the bottle of it sitting right in front of me and I still haven't taken it. I guess I am just scared of the thought of worsening all of my symptoms rather than easing them.... I want anybody and EVERYBODYS input on this anti-depressant, good or bad, whether you've taken it or you know of someone that has taken it, and please let me know your experience with this drug. Did it help? Did it make the problem worse? What were your side effects? Everything. I just want to get a better understanding of what I am getting myself into and see if this is the right path for me. Thanks guys, I hope to hear from you soon!


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## eddy1886 (Oct 11, 2012)

As with all other anti depressants/ SSRIs give it about 6 weeks to kick in properly and build up in your system....It wont work overnight but you should feel gradually better over the next few weeks...I have found with anti depressants that the effects are slow and subtle and that you hardly notice them...Then after a few weeks your feeling like wow this is much better!

You almost gradually kind of forget that you have DP...

If you do get side effects they will more than likely diminish over a few weeks too...Its just your body adjusting to the new drug...

Dont expect to be totally cured of your DP either...You will still have symptoms/just no where near as bad...Your overall mood will improve though which in turn will help with the anxiety and DP....

In general my experience of anti depressants has been that you become more positive about everyday life and tend to worry alot less...This in turn helps with the DP...The best thing anti dperessants have done for me are to practically eliminate the kind of OCD rumination thinking that comes with DP....They almost slow your brain down but in a positive way leading to better concentration etc....

If you start taking them KEEP taking them...Stopping anti depressants suddenly can be really bad...If you feel after about 6 to 8 weeks that they are either doing you no good or are making you worse and you want to come back off them make sure you taper yourself off them slowly over time....

Also make sure you are doing this under a doctors supervision...This is very important....Dont just take SSRIs you bought off the internet of your own accord.....Drugs bought off the internet have been known to contain different ingredients than those that are prescribed and this is especially true of Anti Depressants....


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## One Day (Jun 4, 2014)

Go with your hunch, dont take it.


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## deckeromega12345 (Feb 23, 2014)

I would give it a shot, I started Prozac and it has helped me tremendously with my Depersonalisation and Depression. I had the same stand point as you on anti-depressants but before I started Prozac I was very suicidal and it has helped a lot. So just give it a chance but it might not be for you or it could help you a lot too.


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## RonnieK (Jun 27, 2014)

I've taken Lexapro at night for 10 years. It apprently helps. However, it muddles my thinking a bit if I take it during the day. If I quit taking it 'cold turkey' I have bizarre dreams and never really sleep.


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## Noooooope (Jun 25, 2014)

Hey  I'm starting clexa on monday- super low dose of 5mgs in the morning (was supposed to be 10mgs but i chickened out and asked the psych if 5mgs would do any good)

scared as hell about the side effects but oh well

GOOD LUCK TO YOU


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## King POTUS (Oct 6, 2014)

One Day said:


> Go with your hunch, dont take it.


No, don't go with your "hunch". Follow the advice of a REAL doctor.


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## Guest (Oct 9, 2014)

Why not give it a try and see how you go? You can always stop if it makes you feel worse or doesn't help.. Trust your own judgement.


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## One Day (Jun 4, 2014)

King POTUS said:


> No, don't go with your "hunch". Follow the advice of a REAL doctor.


When Lexapro cures dp let me know


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## King POTUS (Oct 6, 2014)

One Day said:


> When Lexapro cures dp let me know


If ANYTHING cures DP, let me know. Do you have the cure, or just a "hunch"?


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## One Day (Jun 4, 2014)

she's got the hunch 'I am beyond skeptical and scared about it though' did you even read that bit or just come here to disagree with me? lol

"follow the advice of a REAL doctor" how'd that go for you? what the dp doc say, just quickly?

"If anything cures DP" you haven't read much have you.


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## King POTUS (Oct 6, 2014)

One Day said:


> she's got the hunch 'I am beyond skeptical and scared about it though' did you even read that bit or just come here to disagree with me? lol
> 
> "follow the advice of a REAL doctor" how'd that go for you? what the dp doc say, just quickly?
> 
> "If anything cures DP" you haven't read much have you.


First off, it's not a "hunch", it's paranoia. People with anxiety and OCD are prone to paranoia and fear, and that includes fear of substances and medication. I used to be that way. I also used to think my food was poisoned. I didn't come here to disagree with you, but to dispute your terrible advice.

And what did the doctor say? The quick version? "Here, take this." The long version was "This should help with your irrational fears and anxiety." And guess what.. IT DID. So, it went well for me. VERY well. I no longer think the owl painting in my house is a demon. I'd rather listen to someone who does this for a living and has the education and knowledge as opposed to someone on a forum with absolutely no clue what they're doing.

And yes, I've read a lot. TOO MUCH. No one on here has "THE" answer. Because there is no one answer. People get DPDR for different reason, and there are different ways to be rid of it. I'm not trying to bash anybody, but most people on here are Joe Schmo making guesses and giving contradictory advice. "Caffeine is bad" "Caffeine makes me feel better" "Exercise a lot" "Exercise does nothing for me" "Klonopin cured me" "Klonopin fucked my life up".

It's all trial and error, guessing, and 90 percent of people on here are scared, ignorant, and confused.

Back to the subject: Take the medicine. Lexapro got rid of my OCD and fear. It improved my derealization, but didn't get rid of it. But I am so much happier now.


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## One Day (Jun 4, 2014)

thanks for trying to convince me

i'm not gonna change my opinion on lexapro because you're in love with it and don't like my opinion about it


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## King POTUS (Oct 6, 2014)

One Day said:


> thanks for trying to convince me
> 
> i'm not gonna change my opinion on lexapro because you're in love with it and don't like my opinion about it


That's fine. I'm not trying to "convince" YOU. I'm just letting people know how well it worked for me, as a reassurance to anyone nervous about taking it. Do whatever YOU want, but please don't hurt others with your baseless suggestions and tell them to reject professional help. Let your "opinion" be your "opinion". I'll let facts be facts.

Maybe you can pray to a salt crystal and see what that does.


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## eddy1886 (Oct 11, 2012)

Without medicine i would be dead..FACT..My DP was so bad i had no other option (I was very close to suicide many times)..And guess what? It has helped me immensley for over 20 years of having this condition...And yes i go to psychotherapy regularly..And yes i know people get over DP without meds..

The fact is everybody is different...some do well with meds some dont..some do well with therapy some dont...etc etc etc...

The problem on this website is too many people believe that what worked for them is the ANSWER when in fact everybody takes different paths with this horrible condition...Some are helped with therapy, some are helped with meds..some suffer long term..some suffer short term...

All we can do on here is suggest things to each other..we should not play doctor if we are not doctors!


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## sharp (Nov 20, 2014)

Ive been taking lexapro for 4 weeks now. I'm starting to feel improvement in mood and a decrease in anxiety sometimes. However, I feel that, even just after 5 months of DR, I cannot think of anything else than DR. It's so overwhelming that it's constantly in my mind. I feel that if I had taken Lexapro much earlier than I would be on recovery already. Now I feel that I am too late and there is no recovery possible because my DR is really bad and keeps getting worse. I feel good for one or two days and then I get scared again because of DR, which worsens it again. Even on Lexapro I feel really depressed and suicidal (not because of the meds but of my situation)

I can't live with myself anymore.

How do you guys get distracted because even when Im at work or when im training im thinking about it constantly and cant seem to keep my mind distracted?


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## flat (Jun 18, 2006)

Just keep thinking things take time. Try to find more ways to distract yourself. Just push it into the background. Maybe wear dark sunglasses for a while outside. It's hard to notice your dr if it's covered up a bit. Eventually you will stop thinking about it period and find yourself more immersed in everyday activities. Also, tell your doc how you feel as well.


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