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On lexapro almost 2 months

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Posted 6/29/2014 6:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I have been on lexapro 10mg it will be 2 months July 16. At beginning I was also taking Xanax 1/2 .25 mg 3x a day then it went to no X recently. However this weekend I am feeling anxious and
I took 1/2 2-3x a day. Am I relapsing or this is normal? My daughter got sick and that's what started it! I am thinking that's playing a big part here. Couldn't sleep last night. I took 15mg of lexapro thinking it would lessen my anxiety but today I have the same side effects as when I started lexapro. Tonight I will only take my normal dose 10mg. Anyone else run into this?

Thanks everyone!
Bananas20
Posted 6/29/2014 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
From what I understand, Lexapro is not taken 'as needed,' where-as Xanax is completely designed for 'those moments.'

The dose you take is relatively small, and it works for you, yes? And it was prescribed for you to take in this manner, yes?

Then you are doing just fine! No, my dear, not a relapse at all....It's called Life! You'll be peachy! :D









M.
Posted 6/29/2014 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
Bananas20,

It is very common for anxiety to wax and wane. If you have the Xanax to use when necessary and you took it due to rising anxiety that has been pretty steady then be OK with it. :-)

The Lexapro is the drug I would question. What is the dose your Dr. has ordered for you?  Lexapro is usually taken on time per day, with or without food. The dose usually ranges from 10 mg to 20 mg.  Only your healthcare provider can determine the correct dose for you.

You can always call your Dr. with  concerns as perhaps an increase in the Lexapro is a consideration if your anxiety spike doesn't return to where you were at.

Having a sick child is truly stressful so know things should settle down.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 6/30/2014 10:01 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks girls for replying back. I am on 10 mg of lexapro and .25mg of Xanxax which i take a 1/2 at a tine. The week b4 my period, my anixety seems to go back up. I have been told its perimenopause??? Anyone else experience this or heard of this?

Thanks
Bananas
Posted 7/31/2014 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
I know this is an old thread, so not sure if anyone will answer.

I've been back on lexapro for 11 days after being off it for 2 months and relapsing (hard). I had increased anxiety as soon as I started taking it. I even had a panic attack the first day i took it, and i've had a handful of them in my life. Days, 7, 8, and 9 i felt the anxiety subside and started feeling better, then on day 10 and today my anxiety is back. I haven't had a panic attack but it's difficult to concentrate and sleep and eat. I noticed that i have other pms symptoms right now and I think i will start in less than 4 or 5 days. So I'm wondering if the set back is due to pms.
Posted 7/31/2014 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Keaz, I am also on Lexapro almost 5 months now I am on 20 mg(soon to be 30mg with insurance approval), I have noticed with me for some time that before my menses usually up to 3 days before I can hardly sleep at night and get a very bad headache, and become increasingly itchy(if that makes any sense)but the other symptoms seem to last all month :) sometimes, unfortunately as woman we have PMS, then we get our period which makes me personally cry way more easily(when you cry when the fiber one commercial is on because the guy can't eat what the others are eating, you know it's hormonal), then you have like one good week before PPMS strikes(Post post menstrual cycle) I personally do feel a set back on the onset of a period, but never have really discussed that with my doctor.
Posted 7/31/2014 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the encouragement.

I hope that after i start, i can go back to having better days. The last two have not been good. I'm kicking myself for getting off lexapro in the first place. I never had trouble sleeping, or anxiety like this. I got off it because i gained weight, which now i've lost since i can't eat, but I would gladly put it on if i just felt better.
Posted 8/1/2014 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Um, you shouldn't mess with your dosage change from one day to the next. Thats why your feeling the way you are.
Posted 8/1/2014 9:30 AM (GMT 0)
Are you guys on generic or Brand Lexapro?
Posted 8/1/2014 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
Personally I am on generic, Lexapro is one of the most expensive medications I have ever been on, the generic brand itself for a 30 day supply is around 118.00, couldn't imagine what the real brand costs.
Posted 8/1/2014 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
I am also on generic, but i was on it before too and it was fine. I didn't think my body would need to adjust this much since i had only been off it for a couple of months.

I can deal with all other side effects, but the anxiety is hard to get through each day. It seems to let up mid day and come back in the evening.
Posted 8/1/2014 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
Keaz, looked over the posts and didn't see you mention taking any additional anxiety medication with the lexapro, do you take anything like xanax?
Posted 8/1/2014 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
I'm trying not to take the xanax or the ativan prescribed to me because i feel like it worsens my depression. Plus i'm taking ambien to sleep (temporarily hopefully), so I'm afraid to mix them.

Yesterday, I almost gave in and took it. Most of my anxiety is in the morning, and the anti-anxiety meds make me tired, so I don't know how i would get through work etc. I thought about replacing the ambien with xanax at night, but I can't decide.

did you have start up anxiety as one of your symptoms when you started lexapro? If so, how long before it went away? And when did the lexapro start working for you?
Posted 8/2/2014 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Keaz, I know exactly how you are feeling. I was/am same way. I got off Lexapro and had to restart and I could of kicked myself for getting off. Starting back up was awful for about 6 weeks. I was taking a 1/2 of .25mg Xanxax with it to take my anixety down. I still have the morning anxiety and I try to fight it and not take the 1/2 of X but it just gets worse. I wake up middle of night too, lAtely I have been good and talk myself out of it. I love the nights I sleep! Of course!! Hang in there it does get better, and take ur X when u need it, it really helps. Take care. Keep us posted
Posted 8/2/2014 9:46 AM (GMT 0)
I was on Brand Lex for 7 years. When I decided to wean off, Generic came out so I weaned off generic. Can't recall any issues but now it's a different story.. Pdoc put me back on generic(escitalopram) and I'm going on week "10". As far as the med goes for helping anxiety/panic ect..It's excellent but I'm not sleeping. I have to take .50 traz and melotonin and I'm lucky to get 6 hours. Doc wants me to take .75 traz and I won't. I feel groggy with the meds I'm taking now and don't want to feel more tired. I still get choking feeling on and off, throat tightness (due to anxiety) but lord forbid.. I am not anxous and this comes and goes.. It's getting tiresome and my next appt is Aug 27. We then decide on what to do and I already know I want to go back on Brand Lex because I did NOT have these issues and was fine at 6 weeks.. Really felt terrific all the way around.
What irks me is: Escitalopram is manufactured by over 25 different Pharms and they are not alike. I did a research last night for the one I am taking now mfg. by Teva and the one I weaned off ini 2013 Torrent, needless to say different fillers ect.. Maybe the active ingredients are the same but not the fillers and I still have a hunch I have a sensitivity to something in the pills manufactured by Teva. It's been too long for this to continue and I know I can't sleep without traz and this is something I never had to depend on.
I don't know what to think but there has been no change here and s/b by now.

I don't care if I have to spend 80.00 a month on Brand opposed to 4.00 for generic.
Posted 8/2/2014 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
This week I changed to when I take it and I have been sleeping better, hopefully it last! I used to take it b4 bed now I take it in the afternoon. What time do u take yours
Posted 8/2/2014 2:10 PM (GMT 0)
Well, it's day 13.

Yesterday, after the morning anxiety died down, I had a pretty normal day. Work was good, I even did Zumba and my husband, youngest daughter and I went swimming at night and had fun. But as soon as we got back in the car, my anxiety/borderline panic got bad. I took my ambien and even though I didn't feel as anxious, I did not sleep. Probably less than 3 hours. But I did start my period today, so I'm hoping the heightened anxiety was in some ways due to that.

I have so much to do today with my kids going back to school wed. My son has senior portraits, my daughters have dance, I have to take them school shopping. So I hope the anxiety and tiredness go away. I drank 1/2 cup of coffee this morning because I was so tired, so hope it doesn't make the anxiety worse.

I know I have to be patient - it's been less than two weeks, but when I have good days, it feels so dreadful when the anxiety comes back in. But I'll always take the good days.

I take mine in the morning at 8.
Posted 8/2/2014 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
I take mine in the evening around 9 pm, I'm on 20 mg, which is the suggested dose, but my doctor wants me to increase to 30mg(he says this could really make a difference for me), but I have to get insurance approval, so I will not up it until I know for certain because that would be stupid to up it then down it when I run out.

I'm sure the Lexapro has helped my anxiety, I just believe it was so subtle that I couldn't even tell you when it happened.

I'm just a very panicky person by nature, I had my first panic attack when I was 9 years old, my parents took me to the ER, they said I had "bad nerves", so you just wonder why some people have the skills or will to overcome anxiety and others just seem to battle it forever.

I routinely take my xanax, even if I am not having a panic attack....just in case. I think the only way I am really ever going to know if I am doing well is to one day not take it, but I may panic just knowing I didn't take it. I am going to start therapy on the 13th(with insurance approval)hopefully I can get to the root of the problem, not sure if I even really want to know.

Glad you did better Kaez!
Posted 8/2/2014 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
I take mine in early am when I wake. 20mg.
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