Posted by mikal on February 4, 2003, at 16:28:24
In reply to Re: Lexapro has been very good for me, posted by piscesmoon7 on February 4, 2003, at 15:45:48
> hello there Sussus & fellow supporting friends!
>
> I too am a brand new user of LEXAPRO & to SUPPORT CHAT BOARDS for that matter and find this particular site very insightful & encouraging to know that I AM NOT ALONE going through this "unbalanced" journey!
>
> Even though i have not been posting to this board due to only being on 10mg of LEX now for a week now, i have been thoroughly reading everyone's individual experiences to see where i might fit in & what to possibly expect.
>
> I feel i have suffered mild to severe depression for well over 1/2 my life now & never truly knew how to label it or what was going on? All i know is things just kept getting worse or episodes lasted longer the older i got due to having more "traumatic/life altering" events within my life!
>
> I also noticed the "doom & gloom" ALWAYS got sooo much worse when the winter months came around the corner to a point that virtually NOTHING could get me to leave my home or to have the desire to be around other human beings.
>
> What finally got me to seek professional medical help was the rampant increase of anxiety(not a severe degree of episodes or panic attacks) along with the constant looping of negative thoughts & the classic "what if's" that prevented me from usually enjoying anything i once so freely enjoyed!(such as hobbies & passions)
>
> I just finally said i am SOOOO tired of these irrational thoughts & fears consuming another single day of my life & to those loved ones still around me who have been nothing but supportive in accepting me "as is"! For me to do nothing about this perpetual negative "internal dialog" i woke up to everyday was just too tiring & tolling for my spirit to take anymore!
>
> So i bit the proverbial bullet & sought help which is where LEXAPRO has come to my aid. So far from DAY 1 my anxiety & negative thoughts are completely gone with daily tasks being easily accomplished & an actual zesty & enjoyable appetite for food has come back in my life!
>
> However, i too am experiencing some pitfall side effects such as if i am not on my feet moving around all the time & happen to sit down on the couch or in front of the computer i almost immediately get EXTREMELY yawny & tired & usually start to fall asleep!(that NEVER used to happen before taking LEX)
>
> Also, i am having large bouts of lack of concentration when reading or typing which would be called being "spaced out" i guess with the mind wandering off somewhere at sorts. I also noticed my speech seems a little slurred & slower to my ears right now which i would guess is due to the wandering mind!
>
> Anyway, balance is the essential key for a good life & anything you invite into your life will always have a trade off & right now i TRULY like all the gains i have gotten from LEX which i haven't felt for well over 15 years! As i said, i am waiting to see what it does for me in the long term as my brain & body adjust to this tiny white miracle worker(hopefully!) & will always check this discussion board on a daily basis(when possible) for valuable support & to offer my 100% honest personal opinions!
>
> lovingly,
> PISCESMOON7Dear PISCESMOON7,
You're wonderful... I really appreciate and relate to how you describe the endless "loop" of negative thoughts. That's how it is... I used to wake up and seemingly pick up the dooming thought or thoughts that I was having when I finally got to sleep, every morning. This sounds "crazy" but I would sometimes just repeat the same words over and over, and I couldn't get them to sound right. It was an internal monologe that at moments made me shut down. I had a terrible drinking problem, which I have found arrestable through a 12 step program. I believe that for many years I drank to veil the anxiety/depression that was there... I started at a young age and during a very difficult part in my families life and my own life (as if the two are seperate when your young.) I'm actually not sure why I'm sharing this with everyone, perhaps it's the anonymity, perhaps I want other to know that life can be beautiful, it is something I forgot, or maybe never knew... but today it is real, I"m not a drugged up crazy person. I'm in chemical balance with my body now.
I hope to talk to you all some more, I find a great deal of support here.
poster:mikal
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030204/msgs/139381.html