Got perscribed Lexapro and Xanax afraid to take it

Hi everybody,

I have been dealing with serous digestive health problems for almost a year now. This has caused me to develop a fear of eating. I talked to my primary dr today and she suggested I try a very low dose (pediatric dose) of 5 mg lexapro and to take a half pill of Xanax when needed (sometimes I get severe very anxious while eating, before or after). She wants me to come back in two weeks but I am too afraid to start taking these meds. I have never done anything like this before. I had questions but my Dr told me she didn't have a half and hour to go over the medications with me so here I sit with the scripts.

Has anyone ever had any luck with this combo? Im really at the end of my rope here and need to start eating again.

Thanks.

Post Edited (LAWCHICK) : 7/16/2015 9:05:42 AM (GMT-6)

Hello!!

YES!!! At least it helped me. I have always had anxiety about eating, or mine is more of eating out at places. I have a fear of not being able to make it to the bathroom in time, which had lead me to avoid eating out at resturants, friends houses, family gatherings...any time I had to drive after eating. When I'm at home I'm fine. Any ways, I've had that fear for about 7-8 years. My doctor originally prescribed me Paxil about 7 years ago when I was balling in his office because I was at the end of my rope and couldn't eat or keep food in my stomach. It would just run right through me. The Paxil helped, but I went off it a couple months later. Now my doctor just prescribed me Lexapro for my other GAD issues back in the beginning of June and I can tell you it has helped a ton with my digestive issues. It's more or less helping calm my anxiety, which is helping to calm my digestive tract since they are all one in the same. Xanax doesn't help me much with my digestive issues because I can't take it during the day or if I'm going to drive. It makes me to sleepy. I typically take Xanax if I'm going to fly, if I'm having a full blown panic attack, or if I can't shut my racing mind at night.

I am so sorry you are going through this and can totally relate. 7 years ago when my digestive issues started, I lost about 20lbs in a month because I wouldn't eat. Start taking the Lexapro and you should see a difference in the first couple weeks. And don't get discouraged with any side effects. I've been on it going on 43 days now and still have mild side effects. It takes a while for your body to get use to the medication but will help termendously in the end.

Good luck!!

Hi LC,

I am really sorry that your doctor neglected to schedule time enough to go over your medication concerns with you...this is not good practice, and I am dissapointed to hear this.:(

I would go ahead and schedule a consult time, where you can go in and have all your questions answered to your satisfaction. You deseve this time and treatment!

Know that your concerns are not at all unusual. The irony of anxiety A/D Rx's is often that the anxiety itself prevents some from starting that which will ultimately help!

If you are interested, I can pull up a link for pharmacophobia...or the fear of taking meds, and you can see if there are some helpful tips there for you...just let me know if you'd like the link.:)

If your concern is more of taking these meds together, then rest assured, SSRI's and benzodiapzepines are prescribed together commonly, and work well in combination. (one for daily maintenance, and one for acute episodes/attacks)

Wishing you the best, and sending encouragement!

S.C.

It's funny. When I was going through my digestive issues a couple years ago, the last thing I thought was that I had anxiety. I just thought there was something internally wrong with my digestive track. After all the tests came back normal and my doctor suggested an anti depressant for my digestive issues, I thought to myself, I'm not depressed or have anxeity so why is he prescribing this to me?? Then he explained that our brain and digestive track "talk to one another". That's why when we get anxious or have panic attacks, some people also have upset stomachs, get that unsettling feeling, nausous, etc. They all work together. After I started taking it, I understood. When I'm less anixous, my stomach isn't upset, so I don't worry about having a bathroom near by. Anxeity is very powerful and can have control over all sorts of things in your body you didn't realize. At least for me I didn't realize it.

Also should I try seeing a therapist? Right now just discussing this with my primary.

I'm on about 6 weeks now of the 5mg and as far as my digestive issues go, it is now pretty much non exsistant. I actually can't believe how much it has helped subside my fear/anxiety regarding my stomach issues. I don't worry about going out to eat and having that fear of needing a bathroom nearby. For me at least, it's caused (and sorry about the TMI) me to be "regular" which in turn has helped reduce my anxiety.
Now for my other anxiety issues, which include instrusive thoughts, derealization, and general anxiety (caused by other things than thinking about my stomach); it has helped, but not where I feel I should be. I hope by increasing my dosage to 10mg, I will feel a more therapeutic affect.
So I know everyone is different, but the biggest side effects I had/have with starting Lexapro are headaches (which lastest a good month before they started to go away), insomnia (which helped when I switched to taking it in the morning), increased anxiety (which seems to be a common start up side effect), shakiness/jittery (which I still have but more managable). I did use Xanax for about the first week/2 weeks which helped calm the anxiety and racing thoughts. I had to take my Xanax as night, as they make me very sleepy (which is good when you need a good nights rest from all the side effects!)
These aren't to scare you, but help you. While they were uncomfortable, they did settle down/subside, and it was well worth keeping on the medicine.
And like AngelLisa said, I think therapy will help you. Thanks to this wonderful site and all the wonderful people on it, they showed me links to mindfulness which has help A LOT. I highly suggest that when start Lexapro. It has helped me get through some tough times.

Post Edited (Meeshy1) : 7/16/2015 7:00:08 PM (GMT-6)

Thank you so much Meeshy for telling me about your experience. Also thank you to everyone else who took the time to reply to me, the info provided really helped.

I am so nervous, my script is waiting for me to come pick it up. Im supposed to be starting it tonight. I haven't even mentioned any of this to my fiancé, I guess I am embarrassed for some reason.

You are very welcome! Everyone on here has such great advice and it really helped me when I started going through all of this, so anytime I can give back and help. Keep me posted on how you're doing. Don't be embarrassed. If I've learned one thing in life it's that we all have our own struggles and having a good support system makes it easier to get through.
On another note, I saw my doctor today and he said I was able to increase my dosage to 10mg. I'll let you know how it goes!

I had to take Xanax until my Lexapro kicked in. I haven't needed Xanax since my Lexapro became therapeutic. You could split the Xanax to .25mg-helped me with mild anxiety. I'd take the .5mg for more moderate anxiety. Of course, I'm not your doctor but a smaller dose may make it not as scary? Good luck! I LOVE Lexapro-I got my life back.

Stay OFF Google, it will only make things worse. For every one horror story you read there are probably 50 positive stories, the thing is when people have a positive result they aren't very likely to leave feedback. I don't know why that is, but I find it with nearly every medication out there. I hope you didn't go to benzo buddies, that is the worst site on the internet, full of internet trolls.

Lexapro is a very safe medication, it is actually one of the AD's with the least side effects. I know this is a personal decision and we stand by you whatever decision you make, but please don't make that decision over stuff you read on the internet.

Thank you both. I'm going to try again tonight.