After consulting with my doctor yesterday, I am switching from Paxil to Cipralex (Lexapro for you US crazies). The one side effect from Paxil that I’m really not enjoying is the loss of libido. Plus, the wife is getting cranky and starting to eye my neighbour.
Anyone have any experience with a similar switch and care to share their stories, horrific or otherwise?
I made the switch from Paxil to Effexor a few years back. My Paxil dosage had steadily increased to the point that I felt like a zombie. I was just emotionally numb all the time. I remember having wild emotion swings coming off the Paxil, but mostly it went ok. I was definitely more horny after I was off of it a few days. The Effexor was much better for me (although, I got off all medications a year or so later).
Good luck finding the right medicine! Brains are weird and anti-depressants work differently for everyone.
Those are the only two antidepressants I’ve taken. I hated Paxil. I had all of the side effects and very little benefit. Loved Cipralex. I took it for about a year for post partum depression. My mood was great, and the only side effects I had were a little bit of spaciness/lightheadedness while I was adjusting to the initial dosage and some dry mouth. Not really bothersome at all.
I can’t give you any insight on switching from one drug to the other - I took Paxil for about a year back in 2000 and Cipralex about seven years later.
Hope it works as well for you.
I’ve been on every SSRI out there. My experience is that escitalopram (Cipralex) is the most neutral. It doesn’t make you sleepy, and it doesn’t make you wired. And the libido effects are less than Paxil.
As long as you aren’t severe, there’s no problem switching between the two. The main problem is the little dip between them, as you’re switching. Make sure to give it a few weeks before claiming it doesn’t work.
ETA: I want to qualify the libido thing: I wish I’d had a partner during the switch. I about wore myself out.