Lexapro and sweating

I noticed increased profuse sweating shortly after starting lexapro. I had the same issue with paxil. I have just taken it in stride, picked up better antiperspirants, and carry a small towel whenever I need to go anywhere more than a few blocks by foot or bike. As long as you get plenty of water and replenish electrolytes (sports drinks are good), it is probably nothing to worry about. It is a natural effect of increasing serotonin in certain parts of your brain, which control your heat regulation.

Thanks to all of you who shared your experiences with Lexapro and night sweats. The same thing is happening to me and I am relieved to hear that it is pretty common. The night sweats started for me after about 5 months of taking Lexapro 20 mg. They have been varied in their severity and frequency, but it's happening more often now that I am tapering off the drug.

I need to know can you take don qui and or black cohosh and still take lexapro? As far as an anti depressant i love it. I wish i had the weight loss on it thou. I gained 15 pounds. ugh. I am post menopause and need hormones desperately. Just wanted to know if I can take the cohosh until i go to the doctor next month to get real hormones. thanks

the night sweats worried the **** out of me at first. I googled those symptoms and the big two that popped up again and again were cancer and HIV. I'm glad it's just the lexapro!! whew!

Hi, I was on Lexapro 10 mg throughout high school but switched to 20 mg when I entered college. After I switched, I had night sweats which caused prickly heat (like babies get) on my legs. I would wake up damp but not sopping and after a while it became less and less severe and isn't really a problem anymore. The prickly heat goes away if you use face cleansing wipes on it. I have been on Lexapro for 5 years now and other than being pretty tired in the morning I feel great. I haven't had a panic attack in months so it's worth it for me.

I have been taking 10 mg of Lexapro every morning but every night I have vivid dreams and night sweats. I had taken Lexapro about a year ago and had the same problem. I changed the time I was taking the medicine too before bed and the night sweats stopped. I guess it is something about how it is released... Hope this helps!

I'm also very glad to come across this post! I feel really good most of the time. I'm almost 41 - been on Lexapro now for two months - and I have had some moderate to severe mood swings about 7 days before my period. Even on Lexapro I have noticed a day or two where I can yo yo with my mood. My night sweats seems to be more near the week leading up to my period....I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this. And I wonder if they'll decrease in severity (the night sweats) as time goes by. Because wow! I didn't know that my body could actually sweat that much! And I never once thought of drinking tons of water, although I have been very thirsty - once again thank you for the posts....I am wondering...about the decreased libido and not easily being able to achieve orgasm - has that lessened for anyone that has experienced that? I love the results from Lexapro, but not thrilled with the orgasm/libido thing - although I can overcome the libido, it's the other that I'm finding I have to "work at it". Will it get better?

I've been taking Lexapro 5-10mg for a little over a month, and the night sweats are pretty bad. I wake up sticky and cold a couple of times a night, and have to towel off before going back to sleep. No more evening showers either, I'm stuck with getting up early for morning showers. I'm 27 and nowhere near The Change. I also continuously cycle, so I'm no help with relating the severity to cycles; sorry. I had noticed the vivid dreams too, but not associated it with the Lexapro-- thanks! As far as the low libido/anorgasmia, it drove me crazy right away, so my doc also prescribed bupropion (Wellbutrin), and it counters the effects nicely. My moods don't run my life any more, and I feel like ME again.

Many anti-dependants are used as anti anxiety meds.

I have the exact same problem!!! Its awful! I change pj's sometimes 3 times in one night!! :(

I am on 10mg of Lexapro and I love how the medication is helping me with my depression and anxiety but I have horrible night sweats every night.

I'm so glad I found this thread!  I just started on Lexapro about two months ago (10mg/day) and I noticed my mood elevate and my anxiety diminish within several weeks of taking it.  I have noticed however that in over the past month I have night sweats so bad that all my blankets are soaked and I wake up with the chills.  Also am having incredibly vivid dreams.  My boyfriend suggested I switch to something different because he is grossed out by sleeping with the wetness next to him.  I am afraid to switch though because this is working so well for all my other symptoms.  I want to lose 10 lbs, so if that is another side effect, I'm all for it!  As long as it's not dangerous.  Does anyone know if all this sweating is dangerous? Also, I was taking this medication hoping that it would alleviate my PMS (I get very overly emotional and sensitive) and I did notice that those symptoms were still there this past month.  Does anyone know if it helps with that eventually?  

I am glad I found this post.  I have had night sweats.  I can almost mark the onset of these occurrences since I have been prescribed 10 mg of Lexapro daily.  In fact, it is 3:30 a.m. in the morning and I am drying off from an occurence of the sweats so I decided to see if lexapro might be the culprit.  I am going to have to decide whether to continue on this medication or speak with my doctor gain to see if I can switch to another medication.    I am to the point where I am becoming anxious when I go to sleep at night over this matter, knowing that eventually I will be waking up in a pool of sweat!

I been on 20mg Lexapro for over a year now. I also have night sweats so bad that I have to completely change my cloth's. I am soaked. I wasn't sure what was going on because when I went throw menopause it was never this bad. I went to my Thyroid Dr to see if my med's where off. Every thing was great. I am glad I came across this post. I am not going to go off my Lexapro because it has been a life saver for me. At least I know what is going on now...     

I also have experienced this problem with 3 different types of SSRI's. My doctor switched me to Lexapro because he said it has less side effects but I am only on 5 mg tablets and it is causing me to sweat at night. My whole body sweats, it wakes me up and then I become chilled. In the past (while taking the others), I have been known to wake up 3-6x a night, completely drenched and needing to change my clothes. I discontinued all SSRI's, until now. But it seems as though maybe Lexapro doesn't have less side effects. I am currently taking the generic and have asked my doctor to call in the actual drug to see if that stops the sweating at night...but if it doesn't resolve I will unfortunately need to discontinue it as well. If anyone else has had these problems and has found a anti-depressant that doesn't cause the sweats than please write in.