Newly diagnosed and 4 days on Lexapro...

I have read the posts here on Lexapro and depression but I have to say that while I am waiting this very first week out, I am very unsure and I am afraid. On Febuary 9th of this year I ( out of nowhere) had a Grand Mal Seizure. I was getting ready for work and it happened. Thank God my brother was here visiting and he knew what to do. And that I was not driving to work at the time.

Fistly welcome calexx,i have been depreesed now for 3 years and fighting all the way ,i have been on many different meds and coped with different feelings that they give you.i had a stroke when i was 27 and being a mother of 4 found life so bad i wanted to give it up.but i have been fighting all my mite and finally i am seeing the light at the end of that nasty tunnel.
im glad to here you have your family around you it really helps because that was the luck that i had,.
You will survive i just know it you sound like a very kind person and have a very careing family,the medication just wants to give your mind a chance to heal and just go with it until YOU feel ready to take your first steps to recovery.i wish you all the luck and also your family ,as depression affects all around us my husbands been great,i bet at times he has wanted to cry but he also manages a smile for me and the kids .
speak to you soon mate and take care.

Welcome Alex!!

So happy to hear that you are getting some help!! Are you in counseling as well as taking meds?? If not, it would be a good idea so that you can work through some of your feelings.

I do take lexapro. I have been taking it for a couple years. I have also tried 3 other anti-d's. Each person is different, but Lexapro has been the best for me. I feel like "me" again. I also have a chronic illness and depression just seems to go hand in hand with lengthy illness.

Lexapro is an SSRI . . . this class of drugs helps your brain to retain seratonin (which has probably been spilling from your body too quickly to be used properly by your brain). That's why the meds take as long as 3 weeks or more to kick in fully. Your body has to accumulate enough seratonin to make a difference to your brain. These kinds of brain chemicals help you to think rationally and receive information correctly. I actually felt much better within a week. Part of that might have been believing that relief was coming. I hope you have the same affect.

Please read and post as much as you wish here. I hope you'll keep us updated on your progress. There is also an epilepsy forum here which might interest you. BTW: one of my brothers has a seizure disorder and he was depressed for many years before he would agree to take an anti-d. He finally agreed to go on an anti-d and it has made him a new person. He is his old self again (still has seizures . . . but is a much more balanced person).

Blessings!

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In His Grip,

 HI,

Thank you all very much for the replies. It may be very unrealistic to think that I will feel better after 5 1/2 days on Lexapro. If and when I do feel better I will post it so your responses wont be wasted.

               C. Alexander

C.,

Post as you go along. No need to do this alone. Hope things are starting to feel better for you.

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In His Grip,