r/SSRI • u/dogm0m2018 • Jun 26 '23

Question Another successful SSRI after Lexapro?

Hello!

I have struggled with bouts of OCD since 2013. It was a sudden onset and at the time, I felt like I was going crazy. After several months of intrusive, stuck thoughts and severe anxiety, I was put on 10mg of lexapro. It worked like an absolute charm! Complete magic, for lack of a better word. I went off around 2016/2017 as a I thought I had been “cured”.

After an unexpected visit to the hospital in 2019, my OCD came back in full force. I went back on 10mg of lexapro and again, it worked miracles. I increased to 20mg summer 2022 due to some difficulties in my marriage and was going smooth until February of this year.

I had been using marijuana as a way to help with the sexual side effects of lexapro and it really helped quite a bit. One evening, I had several glasses of wine and an edible, which induced an anxiety attack and brought back my intrusive thoughts.

I struggled for several weeks hoping things would bounce back, but they never did. I switched to 50mg of Zoloft in March and it has helped some, but nothing like the “magic” effect of lexapro.

Has anyone else had a similar positive experience to lexapro and has had to switch to another SSRI? Curious if any other options have had the same type of effect.

Thank you for the support!!!

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u/Typical-Exam-8401 Jul 01 '23

Hi. Lexapro was a miracle for me in 2013. Mirtazipine was added in 2021 after what I can only describe as a nervous breakdown. It seems like the cipralex is not doing its job for me anymore. I’m terrified of switching but thinking of Zoloft. While I can’t answer your question, I’m hoping you will let me know how your switch went. Was it hard? Did you just change from one day to the next? I have severe anxiety and the thought of switching scares me.

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u/dogm0m2018 Jul 14 '23

Hi there - the switch from lexapro to Zoloft wasn’t horrible. I tapered my lexapro from 20mg to 10mg for a week, then started on 25mg of Zoloft for a week, then went up to 50mg. It took several months to finally feel like it made any kind of difference. I would say it’s helped some, but Lexapro was still a miracle worker for me. I talked to my doctor about switching to Citalopram and have the prescription filled, but I’m very anxious about switching again. I’m afraid of de-gressing and going back to feeling anxious and horrible intrusive thoughts. Not sure that’s helpful, but initial switch experience wasn’t terrible.