Good Morning,This is Kitt and I am glad you have joined us. Many of our members have chronic medical disorders as well as anxiety. I am so sorry to read you have been suffering for 10 years with anxiety and just now starting on medication to help you.
I have a hubby with a 37 year history of Crohn's Disease so I have lived with someone much in the same boat as you are.
Lexapro is a good drug for many and I will keep my fingers crossed that this will be a huge help for you. The recommended dose of Lexapro is 10 mg once daily. If the dose is increased to 20 mg, this should occur after a minimum of one week.
Most of the medications in this category take 4-8 weeks for the full therapeutic effect to kick in, however, you should notice some relief of your sx after a couple of weeks.
I am not a Dr. so the info here is just from my own background in using this medication in the past.
We are here to help you deal with all your problems, both physical and mental so stick with us as we truly care.
Gentle hugs,
Kitt