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giving up hope on lexapro

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Posted 12/6/2014 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
In 2010 I was diagnosed with GAD and was prescribed 10mg of lexapro. It worked great for me, i returned to my normal self and in 2011 i weaned off it and was pan and anxious free until a month ago. I was put back on 10mg of lexapro and i am in week 3 ( december 8 will be week 4 ) and i have had increased panic attacks
,so bad i have to go to ER. I FEEL better but the anxiety and panic is still there. I cany remember how long it took last time but i am losing hope. I am on 50mg vistaril for when i feel anxious and 1mg xanax when i have a panic attack. I go back to my pyschiatrist on the 26, im gonna give it till then to see if it works. I know when starting lexapro it can increase anxiety but is that normal in week 3? I just want to be normal again.
Posted 12/6/2014 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome,

I have recently been diagnosed with GAD and am six weeks into my lexapro. It has just really started to take effect this week. I did have increased anxiety the first week but then it subsided slowly.

On Effexor my blood pressure and anxiety increased so much I ended up in the ER.

Are you in some form of therapy. My CBT is helping me get through the tough times.
Posted 12/6/2014 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
Thats good to hear, i know it can take 4-6 weeks, i get disapointed when i have a panic attack and wonder will it ever work. I have not had a therapy session yet. My GP is the one that prescribed the lexapro and suggested i seek therapy since this is the 2nd time i have went through this. Im hoping therapy will help. December 26 cant get here fast enough!
Posted 12/6/2014 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
I hear you. I hope your anxiety decreases and you can get in with a good therapist. My GP suggested the same thing over a year period and I was too stubborn to go. When I finally did it was one of the best choices I ever made.
Posted 12/6/2014 5:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi trl and welcome!

I am sorry to hear that you are dealing with return anxiety...but glad that you are taking steps to feel your best.

I commend you for hanging in there until the end of the month and your appointment. This is wise...and you may very well be feeling better by then! (fingers crossed for you)

It is also great news to hear that you are going to pursue therapy. I can personally attend to its benefits!

For now, please see the first post on the main page (Resources) for great self help ideas and other information that you will find of use at this time ...and beyond your start up.:)

Keep posting with us if you find it helpful. We understand and support is key!

Scaredy Cat
Posted 12/6/2014 1:30 PM (GMT 0)
Tri,
Sorry you are having a hard time with the start up effects of lexapro. I heard they can be tough, but surly they will subside soon. I have heard that after you take an AD and get off it, then get back on it, it sometimes work a little differently. It sometimes delays the effectiveness by a little bit. So it might just be that! I'm sure it will work, just might take a teeny time longer. Hang in there.
Posted 12/14/2014 6:23 AM (GMT 0)
Going on week 5 of Lexapro. The past week I felt great, Friday evening after work I could feel a panic attack coming on but I breathed and talked myself out of it. But the " feeling" of being zoned out has lingered around since last night. I will say the brain fog is gone, which I am so thankful for, I understand and can process what is going on around me. So im being hopeful I will start feeling full effects within the next week. I would rather have a few good days a week than 7 bad days. I think I trick myself into a panic attack because im so scared to have another one, but I cant help but think about it because it effects my daily life. I still havent returned to driving ( im worried about having a panic attack while driving). But I found the strength to drive into town today so its a start. It feels better knowing I am not alone and I am not the only person that suffers from such a nasty illness.
Posted 12/14/2014 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tri

Welcome to the forum glad to hear you have been feeling better this past week it can take a while for the Lexapro to kick in sometimes upto 8 weeks so stick with it and keep in touch with your doctor.

Hibee
Posted 12/14/2014 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
Way to hang in there Trl!!

Keep up the good work...and thanks for updating us, so that we can keep you in support.:)

Continued success!

S.C.
Posted 12/17/2014 6:59 AM (GMT 0)
Well, my physciatrist appointment was moved up to today. I went and cried the whole session. He decided to up my dosage of Lexapro to 20 mg. I got home and took two 10mg pills. I felt fine for about 6 hours and here I am at 1:00 in the morning and just had to take a xanax. Will upping to 20mg make me have start up side affects again? Has anyone had to up the dosage to 20mg? What should I expect? I just want this to stop. WHY ME! Mental disorders suck big time! I was planning on goinb with my daughter on her school field trip tomorrow, but im so worried that I will have a panic attack. I dont want to disappoint her if I tell her I cant make it.
Posted 12/17/2014 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
tri,

I have heard that increases can cause some side effects, similar, but not as dramatic or lasting as the start up effects.

Hopefully this will be short lived and your system will adujust quickly.

I hope that you were able to get some good sleep, and that you can make the field trip with your daughter.

Use your coping skills to get you through the rough spots, and know that we are in support.:)

S.C.
Posted 12/17/2014 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Tri,

My dose was upped to 20mg 28 days ago and I did feel some of the side effects for only 2-3 days. Within a week, I felt great for a whole week, then I decreased my 1mg of Klonopin and things some of the anxiety came back again. So I increased the Klonopin back to 1mg. I am feeling better overall with the help of Klonopin, but still not that great. Anxiety is now management although uncomfortable.
What I am trying to say is that DO NOT change any of your other medication, that way, the only variable is the increase of the 20mg of Lexapro. You WILL feel better if you have noticed improvements since taking the 10mg.
It is very common for people who have had panic attacks to worry about having another one. Keep the xanax bottle in your pocket and carry it with you (you don't have to take any). This gives you re-assurance that if you do have a panic attack coming, you can stop it within minutes with xanax. It is a psychological trick.

But please know that you will BE BETTER. Anxiety issues are almost always temporary. There is always a solution for it, medication, therapy, relaxation etc...
The fact that drove is a great success. Celebrate it.
We are all here for you as the members are here for me
Posted 12/18/2014 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
I was able to attend my daughter's field trip with no problems. ( I had my xanax in my purse just in case ) after the field trip I went to work and took the 20mg Lexapro. Its been 2 hrs since I took it and im starting to feel more anxious. I dont want to take a xanax ( I dont want to get addicted ). But if everything fails, I know the xanax is there if I need it.
Posted 12/18/2014 2:10 AM (GMT 0)
Tri,

You exceeded what you thought you were capable of and that is awesome!! :) I am really happy for you!

Sounds like you had a big day...field trip and then on to work...a little anxiety is probably not unexpected.

Hopefully you get through the rest of your shift with no trouble...you can get home and get a good night's sleep...and feel great tomorrow!

High fives!

S.C.
Posted 12/18/2014 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
Scaredy Cat

I was extremely proud of myself! Especially since we went to a movie theater.That was a big improvement to me as movie theaters sometimes can be hard to get out of in a hurry. As far as work goes, I really have no choice but to go. My boss is VERY understanding and works with me the best she can, but I rather save days for REALLY bad days. Im hopeful the lexapro will kick in and my paranoid taste of mind will ease. I have noticed lately that I have an urge to do things, but sometimes my anxiety gets the best of me. To me, ateast WE WANTING to do things is a step in the right direction. How are you holding up?
Posted 12/18/2014 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Doing well...thanks for asking! !

Got my shopping almost all done...and even did shopping for my folks...my mom just isn't able to do it anymore, and my dad doesn't have the 'shopping savvy'...so I am pooped...but feeling accomplished. :)

Keep posting and talk to you soon!

S.C.
Posted 12/18/2014 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
P.S.

Again...really glad you went today!

Enjoy those field trips! I went to just about all of my kid's. My youngest is in junior high this year...so no more for me...bittersweet, but hey, I am discovering ME time...what a concept! ! :)

S.C.
Posted 12/19/2014 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
I am on day 4 of increasing my lexapro to 20mg. I feel out of it today. Im assuming this is due to my body adjusting to the higher dose. I have been able to hold it together and not rely on a xanax but man I am tempted to give in to one. Will keep my progress updated.
Posted 12/29/2014 5:25 AM (GMT 0)
Almost 2 weeks since ive increased lexapro to 20mg. Some days are GREAT and some days my mind is going 90 to nothing. I dont know how much longer to give the lexapro. I just want to feel 100% again and not have to worry about it. I cant seem to take my mind off of the idea of having another panic attack. This is not how Lexapro affected me the first time around. I felt GREAT and never had to think about a panic attack. I dont know whether to give it more time or switch to somwthinh else.
Posted 12/29/2014 5:36 AM (GMT 0)
I'm in the same boat. I was in 5 mg of lex for 10 days then bumped to 10 mg . Been on taking it for 6 weeks now total. I'll have 4 good days in a row then a bad day. Then 4 good then a bad. So I'm hoping that around week 8-9 we will be A OK. That's kind of the time frame I'm hearing
Posted 12/29/2014 5:41 AM (GMT 0)
Trl,

Is 20 mg your final increase and what your doc feels your ideal dosage?

What does he/she say about how you should proceed?

Can you tell us what your total time since start up was? (7 weeks approx?)

S.C.
Posted 12/29/2014 5:43 AM (GMT 0)
Thats exactly how the past week has been for me. I hate that this is a "wait and see" situation. Maybe I should give it a few more weeks.
Posted 12/29/2014 5:46 AM (GMT 0)
Scaredy cat,

My Dr hasn't discussed what the ideal dosage is. He told me to give the 20mg 4 weeks until my next appointment. I started Lexapro at 10mg approximately 7 weeks ago. Spent 5 weeks on 10mg and will be hitting 2 week mark on 20mg on Tuesday.
Posted 12/29/2014 5:50 AM (GMT 0)
My wife's friend told her she feels great all the time but took her 6 months to get there in Lexapro. I'm hoping for the 8-9 week mark LOL
Posted 12/29/2014 5:53 AM (GMT 0)
...well try to hang in until your next appointment then, you have come this far!

...and many people don't feel the even the beginnings of theraputic effects until week 10-12, so you are still on the inside range of the start up.

Don't give up hope!

S.C.
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