HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Lexapro increase from 5mg w/ativan to 10mg w/klonopin

Support Forums
>
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
How effective is lexapro in treating anxiety & OCD?
90% - 100.0% - 1 votes
80% - 0.0% - 0 votes
60% - 0.0% - 0 votes
50% - 0.0% - 0 votes
Less than 50% - 0.0% - 0 votes
Not at all - 0.0% - 0 votes
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/23/2014 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all!

I am new to this site & I'm so thankful I stumbled across it. My SSRI journey has been rough. First I was out on 20mg celebs
& the first & ONLY time I took it I felt extreme side effects. At that time I had a different MD & she didn't prescribe me anything for the increased anxiety. So the next day I saw a different MD whom prescribed me 10mg lexapro with .5mg ativan. I was so scared to start the lexapro bc of my celexa experience. I ended up waiting a week to start it & cutting the pill in half. I took 5mg lexapro for
17 days. I got anxiety here & there but the ativan came in handy. I then tried going up to the 10mg lexapro & experienced extreme anxiety & racy thoughts. Felt complete negativity wash over me. So I tried taking an ativan & it did nothing. I couldn't see a doctor for 4 days after that episode & I literally had to stay home for 3 days feeling completely out of control of my anxiety & thoughts.
It was extremely scarey.
When I finally got to MD I was told that SSRI meds have "no side effects" mad mad complete BS. Anyways my doc prescribed me .5 klonopin 3x day. So since then I have been on 10mg lex for the past 3 days & taking .25 klonopin between every 4-8 hours. It's been going ok. Thank GOD.
I start therapy tomorrow which I'm nervous about. Bringing emotions out has been a struggle for me lately. I find it hard to cry lately.

Please let me know your experiences on lexapro & positive reviews. I want to be positive about this journey.

God bless ALL!
Posted 3/24/2014 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi MNW.

I am glad to see that you have started your own thread here.:)

I am guessing that you saw my reply to your firts post in the older thread...but I will copy it here just in case.



It sounds like you and your doctor have come up with a solid plan as far as your Rx's go.

I think that any side effects from your increase will be mild, and like you say, covered by your benzo, taken as needed.

It is wonderful news to hear that you are starting therapy! I can't tell you what a difference it made for me.

The combination on meds and therapy is a proven one for many people...you are surely on your way to a great recovery.



Wishing you much luck...and hoping that you'll keep posting with us.:)

S.C.

Posted 3/24/2014 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi S.C.

Yes I did see your reply & thank you again for your kindness. I will keep posting on my journey, & hopefully others can relate. I would love to chat with people that can help me get through this.
Posted 3/24/2014 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, sorry...I did see your reply to my reply (lol!) after I posted this last one here!

I am sure that you will find lots of people who relate and have similar experiences here.

I know that just having other to talk to, who understand, has been a huge part of my recovery...support is key!

Looking forward to getting to know you better.:)

S.C.
Posted 3/24/2014 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
I have lexapro but never took it. I was on klonopin, but stopped taking it ONLY because for some reason it knocked me plum out for a couple of hours, but my ativan does that too. :( so I take now .125 mgs of ativan only when I absolutely have to which hasn't been since four weeks ago. The remeron I take and the librax (for stomach issues) has helped with the anxiety issues enough I haven't had to take the ativan since starting the other two.
Posted 3/24/2014 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi chadj

That's so awesome that you haven't needed to take ativan for your anxiety. I can't wait to get to that point. God bless on your journey.
Posted 3/24/2014 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
I recently had a bad experience on paxil, so my doctor also started me on Lexapro for anxiety and depression and because of my "fear of medication" he started me out on 5mgs a day this is my 5th day and so far I don't really think I feel any bad side effects.

I do get prescribed xanax, which is sometimes the only thing that helps me through such tough panic attacks, I too am hoping the Lexapro will work for me, Zoloft worked wonders, but then it lost its effectiveness on me, and I couldn't up the dosage because of how shaky i would get.
Posted 3/24/2014 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
Brendaboo,

When I was on 5mg I didn't feel much the first 2 weeks either, the third week was when my anxiety started to flare. But that was also the weekend I started my cycle, which always brings out my anxiety. I'm now up to 10mg, this is my fourth day on it & I have the klonopin to help with the side effects. Today I feel a little anxious here & there with my thoughts & some dizziness. Anxiety can really test you, sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind. I pray that my med & therapy will get me where I need to be.

I hope the lex works for you. How bad is your anxiety?
Posted 3/24/2014 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
MNW,

As you continue to read through the various posts here, you may actually feel a greater sense of calm in seeing just how many other people share this similar experience.....whether it's health anxiety, a fear of meds (and postponing taking them, or desiring to take a fraction of the prescribed dose),...we've got it all here!

What do they call it? A cornucopia? Well, that's us. You'll find yourself welcomed into a great and quite diverse group of members who can share experiences, positive, negative and neutral, and that's one of the (many) wonderful aspects of this site. It's not biased.

I am not familiar with Lexapro in particular, but I can attest to,--before finding the right med for me,--I went through lots of the same things,...not wanting to take the full dose (even though my doc would assure me we were starting low).

You'll see how we all pretty much had to adjust to expecting that sometimes our experiences with meds would increase our symptoms at first, but we have to, (if possible), give them a chance if we want to give it a fair shake.

Whatever you do decide to do to manage your anxiety, it's a personal choice, and this is a safe place to ask questions and vent and offer support too!

Welcome aboard!





M.
Posted 3/25/2014 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
MNM

My anxiety is quite bad, but it was bad before I started the lexapro. I do get xanax prescribed to me which was like pulling teeth to get from my doctor. He started me out on one .5 xanax a day which was a joke. When he later saw how physically disabling my panic attacks were he upped my xanax to 1mg 2x's a day which I rarely ever take a whole one. I think of myself as the "xanax hoarder", I have them stashed and still get them filled even if I have many, I told my doctor this and he was not surprised.

I believe the lexapro is upsetting my stomach though, which doesn't take much medication to cause me issues in that area.

I hope it works for you and me both! I look forward to your updates.
Posted 3/25/2014 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hello MNW--

I haven't tried Lexapro--my doctor suggested Cymbalta, and I'm SOOO glad he did. I was a basket-case. Irrational, angry, excessive crying, paranoid, very depressed--to the point of giving up.

I started on 60mg, increased to 90, and then to 120. That's a good dosage for me. I really thought I felt its effectiveness the first day! But as a month went by, my system had leveled, and depression creeped back in--hence, the higher dose. I still have "blue" moments, but who doesn't?

Regarding side effects--I had about a week of feeling flu-like and yucky and tired. Seemed to all work itself out, though.

Good for you if Lexapro is your answer! You might want to check out some Lexapro forums to see what others say.

Oh--and depending on your insurance, or not, Cymbalta can be pretty pricey. I was glad my doctor had plenty of samples so I could try it out first.

Wishing you the best--
Jan
Posted 3/26/2014 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

So today is my sixth day on 10mg lex. I take it at 9am with .25mg klonopin. So far I don't have any terrible side effects but I will give the klonopin ALL of the credit for that. By the early evening I start to feel anxious around 4:30ish but I do try to hold off on the klonopin. I notice that the longer I hold off the more sensitive I am to my anxiety. So I will take .25klonopin mid day. I then take it again around 9:30-10pm. I also have a little increase in appetite. Other than that my benzo knocks out the other side effects.

I forgot to mention in my first post my whole reasoning for being on ad. After I had my daughter 3 years ago I did go through minor ppd. I was rx something but didn't take it. I was scared to take it, which is stupid & wrong of me. Then exactly on my daughters first birthday my husband admitted his infidelity that happened while I was pregnant with our daughter. We went to couples counseling & our therapist thought I needed an AD. I resisted & I told her no. I honestly thought my anger & feelings all together were justified.

Since then, for the past 1.5yr I have noticed a change in myself. Angrier, less patience, hate my job, lack of motivation, just down right snippy & not happy. Then my anxiety hit 2 months ago. I woke up from a dream/nightmare & had a panic attack. Thinking back on the dream it wasn't really scary it just had an ominous feeling. Since then I have had anxiety & intrusive thoughts. I dealt with it for a month & then saw my internal med doc. She thought I might have premenstrual dysphoric disorder bc my anxiety got worse during my cycle. She rx celexa 20mg with no benzo. So I went home & took it. I was honestly so tired & scared of my intrusive thoughts giving me anxiety. After taking the 20mg celexa I woke up 4 hrs later in complete panic, heart palpitations, every bad side effect. I went back to the doc the next day & was given 10mg lex with .5 ativan. I took the lex but only 5mg for about 2 weeks. When I tried going up to the full 10mg I felt the bad side effects again & when I took the ativan I didn't help. So that's when I was given klonopin.

Thinking back on my journey to getting here, I should have been on AD when I first had my daughter. So now I just have a lot of built up emotion which I'm happy I'm seeing my therapist & on medication. I truly want to enjoy my life & my daughter. I have a good life no matter what bad things have happened. I have a job, amazing supportive family, my daughter is just greatest thing I have ever done in my life.

With all that being said, pheeew, I will keep you posted on my progress. Thank you for the support.
Posted 3/26/2014 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
Even when our reactions are justified, it doesn't mean we don't still need a little help,...whatever form that help may come in. Reaching out to whatever type of support that works,--for you,--is what's key.

Ruminating on if you did the right thing or not by choosing not to take a med years ago will only wear you down, and it keeps you from moving forward.

Focus on today, on what you have,...and it sounds like despite the negative emotions you acknowledge, you also acknowledge that you have support around you.

This is also a safe place to vet ideas. The anonymity of a forum can often boost the appeal and free us up to open up.

It will boil down to how you select to handle matters in your life from today, forward....those decisions, the simple and the complex, remain up to you. If that includes new meds or new approaches, we're a forum that'll support you. If it's electing something different, we support you, the person...

Are you still in therapy? (If you don't mind answering). Having a safe place to talk with another person, face to face, can also be such a help,...that objective third person point of view...

Any thoughts?





M.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply