New Meds

I was just switched to lexapro and ambien. I only take the lexapro though. I felt better when I took my old meds; prozac and xanax. I seem to sleep alot on the lexapro

I had to take my lexapro at night because all I wanted to do is sleep.

Now I take it in the pm. One p doctor cut the dose form 10 mg to 5 mg because there is evidence "that lexapro causes cycling in bipolar patients"
now I do not sleep well at all. Oy vey! What to do....New p doctor only wants to up the lexapro now because of the sleep deprivation....Up to 15 or 20 mg ugh!

Has anyone else had experience with lexapro?

Ruby

Well i'm new to bipolar disorder but i've been on lexapro for over 2 years. I take it at night because it makes me sleepy. But when I got out of my depressive episode and had my first real manic episode, the lexapro did nothing for me (i was taking 20 mg because of past suicidal ideations during my depression). So I take the lexapro at night and the lithium in the morning and at night.

Depending on how long you take it, the sleepiness or lack of sleep (unless its a manic episode) will fade after a few weeks when your body regulates to the medicine.

Hello there! I've been formally dx with bi-polar for 10yrs. Now and started out on litium and zoloft. I /we (meaning my md and i) had troubles getting my levels smooth. I went to see a neurologist, and she changed my litium (thank god-i didn't find that med. Beneficial at all) to valporic acid and the dose being 250mg. Am.-noon-hs each time. This med. Helps me with my "lows" and we also (my md and i) changed my antidepressant to effexor -dose being 75mg. In am. I'm on a 4yr. Stable "ride"ever since. I find these meds. Very effective obviously for me anyway. Before this, my last manic phase I was rx seroqual at high doses to keep me pretty much sedated until I wasn't "high". This took about 6wks. Then we slowwly "brought me up" to level again. The starting dose was 25mg. In am and 100mg. Pm, then we went to 50mg. In am. And 150mg. In pm, then 200mg. In pm. In all honesty, I started to not takeing the am 50mg. Dose simply because I wasn't getting up out of bed until 3:00pm. And I was simply "tired" of being so tired and doing nothing but sleeping. This went on over a period of 3months before I leveled out. So like I mentioned earlier, i've been stable now 4yrs. I only work part-time which helps, I work out (even when I don't want to, stretching at least) I meditate and do yoga. This is my regimine very simple, and it works great. In ten yrs. I've never been on any of the meds. You've mentioned. Read about the two I take, and maybe they may be appropriate for you. Would't it be nice if we all suffering from bi-polar could just take the same med. And it work great!!

Wow 4 years without an episode!!!!!!!!

This last year has been one hefty roller coaster ride of emotions for me.
I was diagnosised 11/03 as bipolar ii.
In october I had two manic episodes. It just gets harder and harder to cope but I am doing the best I can.

I did go with the higher dose of lexapro. Am taking a sleeping pill to help get me to sleep regularly so tired of being tired in the day and awadke all night...

Ruby of the water

Let me clarify--it's not as if I haven't has any epesoids, i've just dip up and down, but don't need any med change and it doesn't interfer with my life to a point where i'm "not in the loop"if you know what I mean. I (as I mentioned) only work pt, therefore I could work my little butt off, then "relax" for a day or two. So in a sense I do have episodes, but after all the years, and with the meds. I'm on, I haven't had a "major manic or depressive"episode. I guess i'm one of the lucky ones. You really should talk with your md about these meds. I've been through the whole ordiel of changing meds, doses etc. And these work great- for me anyway.