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How to know Lexpro is working

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Posted 1/8/2013 7:01 PM (GMT 0)
I have been taking 10 mg of Lexapro for 8 weeks now and I really have not noticed much difference.  I have more GAD/Anxiety, over thinking things and panic (sometimes severe, but a lot of times I have learned to calm that down, at least to the extent of not having a full blown panic attack).  I just don't feel any different.  The idea was for me to back down on my Klonopin and then eventually stop taking it all together.

I still have anxiety and that disconnected feeling when I am in the super market or driving.  And of course, I am still over thinking things - which may be something I need to work on in a different way.

I was going to call my doctor and agree to the 20 mg dose he originally wanted me on; however, after reading up on it, studies show that there was no difference in patients' symptom relief by increasing dosage. 

Any advice is appreciated.  Thank you!  Anita

Posted 1/8/2013 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Anita - I think individual reactions to the medication differ considerably. So if 10mg is not working, and your doctor thinks you should try an increase (could be to 15mg or 20mg), I would not worry too much about study results, which are obviously aggregated. Your mileage may vary. You could also talk with your doctor about adding an additional medication to the Lexapro. I was on Lex and also a beta blocker called Atenolol. (Now off both; I think I tapered the Atenolol a bit too fast, but that's a different story for another thread, sometime).

None of this medical advice, of course -- I'm not a doctor and have no ability to offer medical advice. Just some thoughts...

Best wishes, medved
Posted 1/9/2013 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Medved,

How did your taper go? I know you were on 5mg then tapered to 2.5 then to zero... I went from 10mg to 5mg, found the sx too horrible went up to 7.5mg. I've been on 7.5mg for close to 2 months and thinking of going down to 5mg in the near future. The one thing that is stopping me is just the thought of having to go thru sx again. Am glad you are doing fine without the meds anymore. Great job!
Posted 1/9/2013 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
The taper off Lexapro went fine for me. No issues Part of that may be attributable to the fact that I was on a low dose to begin with (5mg). Actually, iniitially I had been on 10mgs but I had side effects that I found very difficult to deal with. Maybe I should have just "waited them out" but I felt like I could not do so, and at the same time meet my other obligations -- including a very demanding job -- so I reduced to 5mg, stayed on that for about 9 months, and then, when I felt in a better position and wanted to try to live without medications, I tapered off. I should add that I also tapered off Atenolol, after finishing Lexapro. I think I did that a bit too quickly, and I felt extreme stress at work. It is hard for me to separate, in my mind, the stress that is caused by work with from the stress caused by the taper off of Atelolol, but I do think there was added stress/anxiety from the Atelolol taper. If I had it to do over again, I would have tapered off of that one much more slowly. (I did what my doctor recommended -- actually a little slower than he recommended -- but I don't think his recommendations were solid on this point; he tends to minimize these things).

But it is all behind me now, and I am feeling OK. I still live with some anxiety, and I wish I did not, but part of that is attributable to my work. And it is all more or less manageable. Best wishes to you, Medved
Posted 1/10/2013 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Medved, thanks for your thoughts. I really have not experienced any bad effects from 10mg's of Lexapro, unless I just don't notice them. It's almost as if I am taking a placebo; no difference one way or another. I was in a very, very stressful job and was layed off afte 8 years back in October. It appears I may be getting a job finally, in the same field, so I know I will be stressed again.

I am happy for you that you have found a way to live with the anxiety. Unfortunately mine had brought on some panic attacks, just a few, but I had to do something to save my job - work with clients. I faught any type of anti-depressant, so my doctor gave me Klonopin, but kept insisting I try Lexapro so I can eventually stop the Klonopin. I started having panic and anxiety back in 2007, so it took that long or me to cave and agree to the Lex. I was so hoping it would be more of a resolution to the issue than it has been so far. I think a lot of times, the fear of having anxiety and possibly another one of those terrile panic episodes, just creates a vicious cycle. I have gone to therapy and it has helped a bit.

Do you have panic with your anxiety? Also, I read up on Klonopin and Beta Blockers years ago before agreeing to Klonopin. Beta Blockers scared me, they seemed unsafe, but Klonopin is supposed to be addictive - though I don't think that has happened with me. My doctor monitors me pretty closely. He knows I hate any drugs, but I simply have to do something until I can find a better natural approach.

Thanks again for your insight! Virgo
Posted 1/10/2013 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Virgo. Regarding whether I had "panic" along with anxiety, the honest answer is I really don't know. What I mean is I am not sure where is the line between "anxiety" and "panic." My anxiety fell into two basic categories. First, I just tend to get more worried/nervous about things than is objectively necessary. Second, there were certain events in my life about a year ago that caused me extreme, accute, all-consuming anxiety. It was this that caused me to seek help. (The "first" kind of anxiety I guess I have just always had, and have learned to live with). After 10 months or so of psychotherapy and Lexapro and a beta blocker, I feel like I am in a better spot. The accute anxiety I was suffering has dissipated and I spend a lot less time thinking about the issues that caused it than I used to. I guess I am still left with being a bit more anxious than most people. But I try to channel that in a positive way -- making me focus more, work harder, etc. Look, it is not really a positive. But I am who I am, and I try to make the best of it. I did not resist the Lexapro at all, when it was recommended to me. I knew I had a good, experienced psychiatrist, and when he recommended it, I willingly went along. Besides, I was in REALLY bad shape -- barely able to function -- so I was in no position to debate whether I needed a particular medication. I did, as I said, reduce my dose after a couple of weeks because I was feeling a nervous and jittery feeling in the mornings, which was extraordinarily uncomfortable. But I know not everyone feels that. And it went away when I reduced to 5mg. In terms of the beta blocker, I am no doctor so can't advise there. But I will say beta blockers have been used for MANY years for hypertension and some other conditions (including anxiety, on an off-label basis). So if they were really so dangerous, I don't they would still be so commonly used.

I feel like I am doing A LOT better than I was a year ago. And I wish the same for you.
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