Lovan

My daughter has been put on Lovan and has gained about 7 kilos since taking it...NOT a good thing as this makes her more depressed and anxious about her body shape

Been on Lovan for a while now, was having pretty bad sleep apnia eposodes, didn't really link the 2 untill i went off lovan for 3 weeks, 1 week after going of them the sleep apnia went away, started feeling crappy again and decided i was better off on lovan, first night back on them and the sleep apnia has returned with a vengence, anyone else had thse symptoms?

I've just been started on 5mg of Lovan, tomorrow I go to 10mg and then if I need to I go to the 20mg daily. I did realise a change in vision when I first started; everything seemed to be magnified a little and I have to sleep for at least 9-10hrs a day.. besides that I haven't had any symptoms yet- my paediatrition it's better if you gradually increase the intake over time so the effects don't hit you as hard as going to 20mg straight away.

just started on 10mg of lovan today. Very scary experience. I feel spaced out, extremely tired and I feel that someone has taken a sledge hammer to my head. How is this stuff supposed to be making you feel better when the side effects are so severe. Don't know if I will be taking another one tomorrow. I think i'm better off without it!

this is how i feel when i take it aswell

Has stopped my OCD habits and I have given up smoking with the aid of patches and lozenges. However, I now feel like doing nothing, spend most of my time in bed if I'm not at work and continually turn down invitations to socialise. This is not like me. Could it be the lovan?

I've been taking lovan for a few days & each time i take them i feel a bit loppy, i feel like I am high, it soon goes. Is this normal ?

I've been on lexapro before for depression.. at the moment ive been taking lovan for 3 or so weeks. I had side effects that just made me feel bad for the first few days.
now they're making me feel really good except i'm starting to get night sweats.
5/06/2011

hey long to u start knowing u have side efects for the lovan

I had the same experience with Lexapro after 3 days, I ended up in hospital I was a complete mess. My son had to call an ambulance. The doctors at the hospital told me to keep taking it and I refused. I went back to my GP and he said it was a severe reaction and switched me to Lovan, 3 days now and not too many side effects at all.

I started Lovan 3 days ago and today I have felt really tired and spaced out too. I previously tried Lexapro but ended up in hospital after 3 days with a bad reaction, so I am happy with Lovan so far. I am taking 10mg and up to 20mg tommorrow.

vomiting,nervousness,shaking cant keep still,body aches,chills,all this is happening to me and iv only been taking lovan for 2 days,i realy dont know if i should take another one,im fealing worse than before

It takes way more than two weeks for Lovan or any other anti-depressent to kick in. At least six weeks before you feel any change, from my experiance. However, you CAN have withdrawels after only two weeks...so don't go off Lovan without consulting someone first. Having said that, give it a chance to work if you can Echo...it made me feel very agitated for some time. I'm still struggling after a month...so I'm following my own advice and waiting and giving it time. All the best!!

I started taking lovan 2 weeks ago but feel my depression has not lifted in fact I have spent 3 days not wanting to get out of bed and my mood has darkened is this normal?? should I stop taking lovan my doctor on holidays don't know what I should do??

i have been on lovan for 12 months and we have been trying for a baby for 6 months but not success, i fell really easy with my other 3 could lovan be the reason its not happening?

Okay...day one of double dose was not great. I was very agitated within a couple hours of taking it, and needed diazepam to calm me down. The restless legs returned big time last night...so it can't be a coincedence!! Needed diazepam(again) to help with my legs, as well!! I wonder what today will bring??

no, i dont believe so, it could effect the drug and bring worst side effects on.. as it will be changing the brain and make it go alot slower, whilst processing the Lovan.

the doctor told me, that this could happen, but dont stop taking them.. because it will gradually get better, i know the panic attacks SUCK, but you;ll be okay :)

I started Lovan yesterday, so far so good, yesterday I felt really happy, im on the lovan 20mg due to anxiety and ocd.. i was wondering if anyone else has felt really tired and spaced out on the second day?
im only 18. and before lovan i have never taken anything.. 
thanks.

I have been reading the posts on Lovan side effects. Thank you so much everyone for your input. I began Lovan on 15th Feb. after coming off another anti-depress. I started off on 10mg for a week, and then went up to 20mg. This morning I go up to 40mg. I cannot honestly tell you whether it has helped up to this point. I am very curious to find out just what 40mg will do... I have had restless legs to the point of distraction, however, this  seems to have worn off now (I hope!!) I am absolutely exhausted, but cannot yet tell you whether this is due to the Lovan. I'm getting blood tests done to rule out other things. I will keep you updated...Again, thank you so much for your comments...it helps to know I am not alone on this.

Ive been on lovan for about 8 months and ive noticed my anxiety got better at the beginning but now its as if i have become immune to the drug. It makes me feel dissociated and spaced out

I lost alot of weight on Lovan due to not eating. I stopped eating all together. I know weight less than I did at 16 (I'm 22 now) I went off them and started eating like crazy.

I have been on Lovan for about a week now. I am 14 and suffer from PTSD, OCD and diagnosed depression, and I hope that this medication will help me. But at the moment it is actually making me feel more anxious then ever. My daily pacing has increased and I am having more frequenting panic attacks. Hopefully when it finaly kicks in I can get some rest from myself.

I have been on lovan for 2 years. It has changes my life. I was to the point where I had difficulty leaving my home as anxiety made me sick at the thought of socialisation. I tried other medication which had terrible side effects. Lovan has been fantastic it has saved me from myself.

Yeah, I,ve just strated takin lovan and It works for me! The only problem is that I can't sleep. Most of the times it gets to 1 or 2 in the morning & I can't sleep - what do you do about it? (I've only been taking half a dose)

I have only been taking lovan for about 4 weeks,but i find that my sleep has been broken since taking it,

When I got onto the full dose after 3 days of a half dose I felt like I was on ecstacy, I couldn't stop moving and felt the need to go to the park late at night to release all my energy. I gained weight on this drug. I lost interest in sex. I stopped feeling suicidal and was not as obsessive compulsive.

im on my first day of Lovan and so far great! the only thing i have had is not interested in eating...which is AWESOME....and an occasional pins and needles sensation in my hands. 
only last a second or two at a time.
Apart from that, i feel reasonably happy.
If i lose weight along the way, well All the more Happy ME

I've also found extremely good effects from loven, but also edxperiencing sight trembles, particuarlly when i forget and take it a couple hours after i've woken up.

I have been taking Lovan for 4 months now after battling with depression. I feel fantastic and have lost 11 kilograms as well. I did feel slight nausea at the beginning but that is the only side effect I have noticed. Stressful situations are all around me at the moment within the family but I am still coping well and feeling confident, in control and most importantly happy. One other sort of side effect is my libido has increased which my husband has no complaints about. Wouldnt be without my wonderful Lovan!!

I am a 41 year old female diagnosed with BiPolar 2 at age 19.  Over the years I have been on several types of anti depressants including prothieden, ciprimil and zoloft.  I have been taking Lovan off and on (mostly on) for over four years.  I have found this the most effective drug to maintain stability with my depression without any severe side effects.  I can still feel the full range of emotions (unlike prothieden which made me numb) and can still feel my body going through the cycles of depression, I just rarely sink into a hole I can't get out of.  At times I feel so good and incontrol of my depression I bring myself off of Lovan, but always return to it as it doesn't take long for my mind to turn negative and feel myself spiralling down.

Like you SamiJo,  I have been on Lovan for 12 months.  I initially went on Lovan because of terrible PMS, I would really hit a low and be absolutely horrible to my husband and children, I mean horrible!  After starting Lovan everything was much better.  I saw a  different GP about an unrelated matter who asked when I was planning on stopping taking Lovan, he told me that I should try to get off after 12 months.  So I stopped taking it a couple of months ago, I have gained 6 kilos even though I am a fairly active person and am back to being a nasty mum!  I am going back to Dr ASAP hopefully will get back to the person I used to be.

PS - I forgot to mention that when I stopped Lovan for about 6 months, I gained 5 kilos.

I have been mildly depressed for a very long time and about two years ago my doctor perscribed Lovan.  It made a very big difference to my life.  I was able to laugh again and not feel so miserable and negative all the time.   After taking it for one year, I stopped (because I thought I could beat depression without drugs).  All was fine for a few months until all my negativity and misery came back - and I didnt realise it until my workmakes started making comments.  So I'm back on it again and am starting to feel better.  Only side effect I have is that I seem to tremble for a few seconds once or twice in 24 hours.   The benefits - for me - are fantastic.

Initially lovan can increase depressive symtoms ( doctors should make u aware of that) but once the inital side effect's, if any, pass and u are on the correct dosage i have found lovan is fantastic. I havn't experienced any bad side effect's and those who are worried about taking it need to remember most people only advertise negative situations, its human nature to tell people when somthing has gone wrong but not when it has worked for you. That is prob why this post is full of peoples dislike of lovan, not because the medication has a bad reputation.

used the off and on over last three yeara, no problems at all but i can  tell tha i still need them if i stop. started back on them today and already feeling better and not so angry.

I started Lovan in about March after experience major stress and personal trauma that resulted in an almost complete breakdown and inability to function. Initially my doctor was reluctant to perscribe them to me as I was only seveteen but after I started to have disturbing thoughts of self harm I was put on the drug immediately. I started out with half a tablet, then went up to one. The change was instant. I felt alive again, moreso than I had in years having been a sufferer of mild depression long term. I was pleasant again and I had confidence. At first the only side effect was nausea which was great as I promptly lost three kilos. However after being on the drug for several months I have experienced distressing vivid dreams, constant fatigue, extreme nausea and weakness and also gained about seven kilos. I am unsure as to whether this was solely due to the Lovan tablets or due to my stressful VCE (final year of highschool) schedule. I am choosing to wean off of them due to excessive reflux issues and also because of the possibility that they contributed to my weight gain. As far as my mood goes the drugs were life saving when used in conjunction with regular pyschologist sessions. They gave me the ability to get better when before I could hardly get out of bed.  

um, so not ONE good review... all shit. wtf, i am about to start taking it and i feel more reluctant than ever. what the hell. if the stats in the wider population look like this then why the hell were they approved. ahhh idk what to do now :S doesnt anyone have anything good to say?

i take tham ans they make me feelthis way

I took lovan for a few months and ended up putting on around 6-8 kilos. after that I got off of them, this was about 5 months ago and have found it almost impossible to lose the weight. I wish i had never taken them.

I have taken Lovan for week and a half now, feeling more depressed, crying a lot and sad. I have left work yesterday because I could not consentrate. Told them I'm seek... I hope I will be better soon.

20 mg all good for the past 3 or so yrs No probs

I have taken 20mg Lovan every day for almost 2 weeks, but in the last few days I've felt very flighty, anxious/overly cautious, tenderness around my navel. I keep expecting things to start jumping out at me and it is not helping me concerntrate at all. Anyone experiencing similar nauseous and anxious feelings?

I have been on Lovan for a month now and ever since i have experienced severe acne breakouts and iregular bleeding, has anyone else experienced these side effects?

Like Kim I was given lovan for menopause as  I had anxiety, panic attacks, then sleep patterns disrupted and then slight depression.  Since taking lovan I feel the anxiety is worse, its made sleeping harder because I wake with panic and the depression seems to have gotten worse.  i have to take diazapam to counteract all the side effects which seems crazy...Ive been told I have to take for 3 weeks to see any improvement but I dont think I can last the distance...I feel more awful as the  days go by and am considering going off them.

I've been on lovan 20mg for 4weeks and this was increased to 40mg .Now I feel sleepy and tired  and with a sick unwell feeling.Please advise if anyone else is experiencing the same.

I had nausea and vomitting on and off for around 6 days. I also felt very anxious and a bit depressed. I've only just starting taking a whole pill though and I was told by my GP that these side - effects will subside. I can't sleep at night... is it safe to take half a valium until I adjust?

I was prescribed Lovan 60mg to help the symptoms of menopause but find that the side effects of Lovan are similar to the symptoms of menopause, such as the anxiety, nervousness, fatigue and excessive sweating. So in reality my menopausal symptoms are worse after taking Lovan.

I never had a problem taking 20mg but for some weird reason i've been upped to 40mg and am getting side effects now, such as drowsiness and random bursts of crying that i didnt really have on 20mg.

Basically I have had very bad side effects from it most likely because they upped my dosage to 30mg but I get sick,aches and pains, drowsiness, sometimes inability to concentrate

i have heard that long term usage of lovan causes renal failure is this true

i also have restless legs never had it before taking lovan 20

Hi Leanne, my legs dont ache, but i get restless legs and it makes me not able to fall asleep. I have had it for years but i think the Lovan makes it worse. On the up side i hold down a job in retail and love it.

Could aching legs and feet be a side effect of Lovan - it only seems to have started after starting to take them?