some help please

i just recently started taking 10 mg of lexapro and (.5 mg of ativan as needed) until the lexapro kicks in in a few weeks. im one of those people who worry and want to take meds to help but them when im on them i look for all the possible side effects and fear that i have them all and want to stop taking the meds!

i decided to start taking meds because i've been dealing with anxiety/panic for 2+ years(im 20) and its starting to get overwhelming. I don't want to work, i hate being alone i just want to be home where i feel im safe! I have some symptoms i wanted to see if anyone else had.

-the other night my head just started feeling really funny. like it was blank or somthing reallllly hard for me to explain. my head felt heavy and i didnt feel like talking. i felt like i didnt know what was going on around me i just needed to sit down or i felt like i was gonna fall over or pass out or somthing. my heart started racing and i got this weird feeling like i couldn't swallow and it felt like it was somthing in my head that wouldnt let me swallow? i dont know it was really strange and i got really scared so i went yet again to the ER and the doctor checked me out and said it was anxiety and gave me .5 mg of ativan to take for a few days until i got into my regular doctor yesterday. do i have any hope with medicine?! Im just affraid to take the medicine because i dont want to feel like at my age i have to take a medicine everyday just to feel more like myself. any advice would be greatly appreciated

I think its normal to feel anxious about taking meds. For me, I dont ever take anything. I have surgery and never took a single pain pill. I stuck my foot under a mower this summer (accidently) and I didnt take any pain meds! I just like to stick it out, mostly because I hate having to take things. Sometimes I am afraid of what it is doing to me on the inside that I cant see. But, right now, if I had something to take for anxiety or depression, I would take it. I hate living this way. I would rather just take something. It doesnt mean that you are any less of a person just because you take something to feel like yourself again. That doesnt make you a failure or anything!

I totally understand about being home in a 'safe place', I feel the same way! And I can relate to your experience. Sometimes I feel that way. I start feeling really bad and my head feels really strange in a way I cant explain. But, I understand what you explained. I have gone through it. Not sure exactly what it is, but I just wait and it usually passes.

So, I guess I am the resistent type and feels as if I must be strong and stick everything out. But, I have tried doing that with anxiety/panic/depression, and it doesnt work! So, I would take something even though I am against it and I am terrified of side-effects. But, hey, if I can feel better, why not.

I can really relate to you. So, I know how it is. And it never feels good, but I hope you can figure out something so that you can feel more like yourself! Take Care! And have a great day!

.......TeNNiS.......

Thanks everyone for your posts. It feels so good to know that im not the only one who feels this way! Anyone on lexapro here? Just curious because it seems like the ativan worked better for me alone before i started taking the lexapro.taking the lexapro and the ativan a little later on like i did lastnight made me feel really anxious like the ativan wasn't working. for the past 2 days i've had this weird feeling in my throat. like theres mucas there that won't come up? i feel like i can't swallow or like i have to force myself to do so. i feel like i have a nervous twitch or somthing that i do when i'm trying to swallow when im feeling anxious. i dont know i feel like im going crazy!new symtoms just keep coming up it seems like. just when i think i know what to expect from them, it throws me for a loop.

anyone taking lexapro?

chicka,

Just wanted to let you know that when you start a medicine for A/P, the anxiety increases slightly until your body adjusts to the med, then everything usually levels out.  Just thought you should know it isn't just you with the increase in anxiety since you started taking the Lexapro.

Sylk

Hello Kchicka,

When my anxiety and panic were at a peak, I had a difficult time swallowing.

I always felt as though there was a lump in my throat.

Also, I had a difficult time taking a deep breath.  To yawn or sneeze became a struggle.

I believe most AD medicines have a tendency to make you feel jittery in the beginning.

Your body has to adjust.  Give it some time.

You will get lots of support here.

Good Luck to you!

Take care,

Mary

I just wanted to say I had the same feeling the first time I took my AD's, well its been 2 weeks, but i felt strange. I believe its because of the fact that i know im taking medicine, and I look really closely for side effects and how i feel, if i feel better, or if i feel worse. Don't worry, you are not going crazy, its all the anxiety. Im sure you had experience of panic or feelings of shortness of breath and it turned out it was nothing serious. So next time you feel like you are about to faint or feel like there is something wrong with your head, say to yourself "ive been anxious before, it was nothing serious, so its probably the same this time". The first step i took in overcoming anxiety is the realization that most of my disturbing thoughts are anxiety based and there really isnt anything wrong.

hope it helped.

Since i started taking the lexapro almost a week ago, i feel shaky when i wake up the morning. any others taking this med and feel the same way?