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Lexapro does work! Give it a chance.

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Posted 8/11/2014 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...
Jessy 89, we are on a same boat, I guess.
I started cipralex 5mg 3 months ago and after a week increased the dose to 10 mg. I felt slightly better only after about month and a half since I started taking it. This month, a week before my period I felt awful: increased anxiety, palpitations, negative thoughts, disrupted sleep. I asked my doctor and she said that I can take another half a tablet (5mg) in addition to what I am taking now. So I am taking now 15mg Just waiting until my period is over, hope I will start feeling better. But it is easy to say :-(. I'm just not myself-totally antisocial. :-(.
Should I increase the dose to 20 mg?
I'm a bit lost :-(
Posted 9/4/2014 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone! I'm new here. I tried 5 mg of Lexapro for the first time this morning & really got hit with nausea!!!

I tried all kinds of antidepressants over the years & never did well on them. I suffer from GAD IBS & just low self esteem. I am a 2 1/2 yr breast cancer survivor & did well through it all. I've been on Compazine for those 2 1/2 yrs. 1st for chemo side effects & then rad side effects & for some nausea from the cancer pill Arimidex. (it has since been determined my nausea was not from the Arimidex but from the anxiety) In July the onco wouldn't refill my script saying long term use of Compazine is not good. Well it started nausea & ramped up my GAD. I started back in therapy & my MD started me on the Lexapro. Now first day I take it I get worse nausea then before!!!! Will this subside.  I've heard such good things about Lexapro & really want to stay on it. Should I take it at a different time then first thing in the morning & how do others cope with the start up nausea. Out of all things I hate about a GAD flare up is the nausea! Help! Thanks & Blessings to all!!!

Posted 9/4/2014 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sandy,
Hi Seashell...

Sandy, I don't know how I missed your post from 8/11, but for that I am sorry...

I think nausea is a side effect, but that should go away.

Keep posting.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 9/10/2014 5:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
I'm new to this form, and a little nervous. I have Major Depression & Anxiety. I used to take Zoloft & Effexor for years and it worked great, so I stopped taking them. I thought I could get by with out them and take each day one day at a time, but then I started to have many more bad days then good days. I realized I needed to get back on the medication.
My doctor said I could take 1 pill instead of 3 and I thought that was great. He prescribed me Lexapro, I start my first 10mg pill tomorrow. I was scared reading all the horror stories on other sites, but I reading thru here I feel a little better about starting it.
Posted 9/10/2014 10:57 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Wildfire,

Welcome to the depression forum. I am glad you found us. I hope that the medication works for you. I noticed some people get a little high anxiety but it goes away. I hope it works well for you. Do keepus posted.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 12/13/2014 10:24 AM (GMT 0)
I know this is a old forum but hoping to get some feedback. I'm on Lexapro for GAD. For the 1st 10 days I was at 5mg, and for the last 18 days I have been on 10mg of Lexapro. It seemed like I had a decent 4 days in a row ( had headache )for the 1 st time ever with good sleep and now yesterday and today I've had some spike in my anxiety along with nausea . . I'm at exactly 4 weeks in total on Lexapro. I'm hoping to hear some good feedback. I hear 4 weeks is the therapeutic time frame and then I hear 6-8 weeks.
Posted 12/13/2014 11:36 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Leon1978,

You may be experiencing this from the change of dosage. Sometimes we get some side effects but they normally go away in a week or so...

I have never taken Lexapro myself. But I have taken a lot of different ones. I took Effexor for a long time, which I believe is a close cousin to the Lexapro. I take pristiq now, which is a cousin to the Effexor... If that makes any sense at all... Ha!!!

Keep hanging in there. If the side effects get too bothersome, make sure to let the doc know what is going on. I do really think you will stabilize soon.

Hugs, Karen....
Posted 12/13/2014 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the reply. I have a few more questions and would love your opinion. Does it normally take 6-8 weeks to get the full effect? Is that 6-8 weeks on the 10 mg ? Or total? And also is it normal to experience a strand of good days like I did On days 22-26 then have some bad days? This is my 1st time and I'm losing hope on the med right when I thought there was hope! Am I making sense?
Posted 12/13/2014 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Oh yes, you make perfect sense. It takes usually six to eight weeks from start... It is normal to have some funky days as your body adjusts to different doses and the medication in general...

Try not to lose hope. The medication is probably pulling you out of a bad depression and it does take some adjusting. You should start to have more good days than bad, and eventually mostly good days. Even an undepressed person will have a bad day now and again. So have patience with the medication and with yourself. If it gets bad, make sure you let the doc know. But I think you will be feeling better.

Do you go to any type of counseling? Meds alone don't always do the trick. We have to go to therapy sometimes and learn coping skills. There is a lot of work getting better but it is truly worth it all..

Hope that you continue to feel good and that it keeps improving...

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 12/13/2014 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
I have visited with a cbt therapist 2 times already. I like it. I just got freaked out because I had 4 good days and the BAM 1 1/2 bad after being on the meds for 26 days. Just wonder if that's normal .
Posted 12/13/2014 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
I think it is. Especially if you haven't even been on for a month. The fact that you already had some good days shows that this medication is most likely going to work for you. Some people don't even have a change until six to eight weeks. It is so hard to say what is normal. Basically because we are all chemically different and sometimes the medications work differently on different individuals. So hang in there. You did have some good days, that is a really good sign...

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 12/13/2014 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much !
Posted 12/14/2014 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone went from 10-15 mg and is there a good difference in anxiety relief?
Posted 12/15/2014 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Leno,

I was thinking that you would maybe get better responses if you started your own thread about the upping of the Lex...

This thread is old and long. Frankly, I think you are probably getting over looked.

You can start a new thread by clicking on "new topic" at the top of the page. Give the thread a good title and go from there. I honestly think you will get responses because your post will be seen better.

Hope you get some answers. I haven't taken Lexapro so I don't know about it...

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 2/4/2016 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
I just started Lexapro for anxiety and depression. Never been on any meds before. I am 34 yr old female. The first week I felt great. Everything was easier to handle, calmer, happier and just more chill. After that first week and now going into week 3, I feel extra irritated at everyone around me and lashing out very quickly. No other issues, but that is bad enough. I keep seeing people saying to stick it out the 6-8 weeks, my concern is that I felt so good in the beginning off the bat, and now it seems to be making things worse. Has anyone else experience it work so well then go bad after a few weeks???
Posted 2/4/2016 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there - It's not unnatural for it to increase your anxiety during your startup. Definitely stick it out - if you saw some improvement then it means it is in fact doing something for you. It just takes awhile for our bodies to adjust to the influx of chemicals. Good luck!
Posted 2/4/2016 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
You may even need a bump on it. An increase in dosage. Make sure your doctor knows what is going on. but I agree, it sounds like it did something for you and that is a good sign.

Welcome to the depression forum...

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 7/7/2016 4:47 PM (GMT 0)

I have suffered from depression since my mother died when I ws 14 but was always described as highly strung....so My life was a continuopus anxiety ridden struggle.  I had glimpses of happoiness but only wehn life was going my way.  The minute the poo hit the fan I would be back on my knees.....so at 47 menopausal, no marriage and no kids and a recent heartbreak I hit the bottom rung of the poo.........  so my doctor recommended lexapro. and i as like ah yeah sure  give me a tablet to get rid of me.  bet it doesnt work !!!!!  now the first 4 weeks were hell as I was coming out of my skin with the heightened anxiety and sense of doom but on my fifth week it was like a happy calm switch was turned on and I became this capable rational logical person !!!!!!! yay....i started to smile and giggle at tlittle things and I felt resourceful and happy in myself and didnt really need people whereas heretofore I had benn exceedingly needy and clingy.  Cried every day for two years and havent felt the need to cry since the epiphany day dawned.   I would highly recommend this drug and wish I had taken it twenty years ago.  Maybe I wouldve been happy in myself then as a young woman to to have allowed myself to have a happy relationship rather than being an insecure afraid girl that I was gonna be hurt and used......I am glad that at least I have done it now.  and as for the heartbreak I can also reframe that as Thank god for unanswered prayers !!!!!  If he crawled towards me on his bended knees I wouldnt even look in his direction    yay !!!!!!! turn    thank yon lexapro

Posted 7/7/2016 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there and welcome to the forum.

Thank you for chiming in with a success story. That is awesome.

I hope you have a good day. Keep posting.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 7/8/2016 8:35 AM (GMT 0)
hey karen...thanks for the welcome and wishing you a great day too...
Posted 9/3/2016 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
I don't normally post on these but I feel it necessary so others will read a positive response when going through the start up process of Lexapro. I started Lexapro about 3 years ago after I hit rock bottom with my anxiety. I suffered from panic attacks, intrusive thoughts and felt paralyzed by anxiety. I was like many of you, afraid to death to start on any medication but I finally broke and started Lexapro. I'm not going to lie, the first 6-8 weeks was horrible but with my counselor and doctors support I continued to take it and work through the side effects. After 2 months I was a totally different perwon, I got my old confident, strong self back. Lexapro saved my life and if I have to take it the rest of my life, it's worth it! I actually just went up to 15mg because I was starting to feel anoxious again. All meds have side effects but if the benefit is having control of my life, I'll deal with them. I hope this message gives someone the reassurance that even though it's rough right away, therected is a light at the end of the tunnel. My advice, stay away from the Internet, it is full of negative and will lake your anxiety worse, trust me I've done it! Blessings turn
Posted 3/23/2017 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi--
Just getting my script for Lexapro filled today, I've been battling depression and anxiety for a little while now. I tried meditation and other calming methods but it still seems to rear its ugly head. Yesterday I finally made and went to see a psychiatrist. After hearing everything going on in my life for the past few years she agreed my coping mechanisms are burnt out. I hope Lexapro works for me. I have a thyroid problem and take my thyroid medication every morning at 6. I wonder if its okay to take the Lexapro later in the day. Say mid morning? Hope everyone is doing good.
Posted 3/23/2017 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Mina,

Welcome to the forum. I hope you start to feeling better soon.

Is there a reason that you don't want to take the Lexapro when you take your thyroid medication? Just curious as taking it later may not help you to remember. Do you have a pill box? I keep my medications in a pill box so I know for sure I took them. It is so easy to forget.

I would ask the doc or a pharmacist about what time to take it. They would know best. I am not positive but I think most people take it in the morning. I think that the important thing is to take it at the same time each day.

Keep us posted on how you are doing. As you can see this is an old thread, so if you want to, feel free to start a new one about yourself.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 4/19/2017 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
I hope lexapro works. I never realized I was depressed until everything fell apart. I was prescribed lexapro 7 days ago and so far all I feel is side effects. Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, being tired all the time (I slept 16 hours straight over the weekend). There has been 1 day of being jittery. The sweating is horrible and the hot flashes are bad. I'm on 10mg right now. After reading these posts, I'm going to suffer through it to hopefully feel better. The depression is awful, so I think I can handle a few weeks of not feeling good to get to a better place.
Posted 4/19/2017 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
The side effects usually go away in a week to ten days from what I have read. It seems like a real good medication though I haven't tried it. I wish you the best Uafan21.

Welcome to the depression forum and have a great rest of the day.

Hugs, Karen...
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