HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Lexapro / Cipralex - how long to kick in?

Support Forums
>
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/26/2006 10:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi guys im new to this forum, well i started to get panic attacks about 8 months ago when i nearly passed out whilst driving on the motorway.since then life has changed dramatically and not for the better, am currently waiting for cbt but the NHS have a waiting list.Anyways im have been on lexapro (also known as cipralex) for about 18 days know im on 10mg does anyone know how long it takes to kick in ,i take it at night but wake up still feeling groggy! replies would be much appreciated cheers
Posted 9/26/2006 10:40 AM (GMT 0)
From my understanding it can take up to 4 to 6 weeks for the full benefits of the med you can ask for something short term to help you get thru til then like ativan or something simuliar '
Welcome to HW plenty of great peeps and fantastic support here
keep coming back and you will see what I mean
Glad to have you aboard sorry for all you are going thru though
Others will post as many are on this med
God bless and be well
Lyn
Posted 9/26/2006 10:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hi and welcome to Healing Well. Glad you vound us.

I am sorry you have to wait so long for CBT. Lyn offers some good advice with activation time and what not. I am sure others will be by soon to share aswell.
Posted 9/26/2006 10:59 AM (GMT 0)
There is a free online CBT MoodGyms .Training Program I do and it is great for me ..........Just a thought
Posted 9/29/2006 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Spicegirl479.
Welcome to healingwell.
I am from the UC site but come here from time to time because I take lexapro
myself and like to be able to talk to others on it.
I have been on lexapro 20 mgs for 1 1/2 , I started on 10 about 2 yrs ago. It took me about 2 weeks to notice a differance. And what a positive differance it was.
Good Luck and hope you are feeling well real soon...
Posted 9/29/2006 5:06 AM (GMT 0)
You should be feeling initial effects about now although it can take up to 6 weeks. The first 2 weeks were really rough for me, and then i felt much better for 2 weeks, and then I felt awful after that. I felt emotionless and depressed. Im off it now and I definitely feel better. Ive heard of it doing great things; for me that never happened. Just give it a few more weeks and see how things work out.
Posted 9/29/2006 8:19 AM (GMT 0)

welcome

people who have panic attacks dont crash their cars and in general should keep driving

if the lexapro side effects are too much of a nuscience you can cut the tablet and take half a day for a while, when and if it works, it will help a lot

CBT info is in many self help recovery books for panic disorder and agoraphobia, on line bookshops have these, some can get all the info they need from the recovery books, others need to see a therapist of some sort for their CBT instructions

try to get some valium type meds, these go well with lexapro and always help to reduce the anxiety

a valium tablet disolved under the tongue will greatly reduce any panic attack but sadly many docs are completely against them and wont prescribe any

Posted 9/29/2006 10:05 AM (GMT 0)
I am so happy to see all the great and informative input from the Members
This is what HW is all about IMO
Like I said in prior post just keep coming back
How are you doing anyways
Post and let us know please
Take care
Lyn
Posted 9/29/2006 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Spicegirl,
I am on Lexapro, and have been for about a year and a half. I also started at 10mg and it took about 7 weeks for me I think. I really like it... it has helped me a lot. We have had to try different dosages on me, 10 wasn't enough, 20 was too much, and I ended up on 15mg (pill cutting), which is helping me a lot. I hope it works well for you also. Let us know how you are doing. ((((Hugs)))),
Bear[code]
Posted 9/29/2006 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
H guys thanks so much for the replies! im going to keep taking it for another week or so last night for the first time i had palpitations , so the doc has reccomended i got back to 5mg! very frustrating as you all probably know.Im lacking in energy levels even to walk the dogs is hard at the moment.
Posted 10/1/2006 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi I took lexapro for almost two months, but I didn't like the side effects it gave me. But it's different for everyone. I've been off for about a week and have been going through some pretty rough withdrawals. I will tell you while I was on it I felt about 60% better, enough to where I could go back to work. Like I said I stopped taking it because of side effect and plus we want to have a baby. It took about four weeks to work for me but the first two weeks were pretty bad. It just takes time to get full benefit. I hope it works well for you.

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply