Increased anxiety? Lexapro

[TomRainKing]

I'm only on 5mg of lexapro but i feel as if my anxiety is greater, or at least different than before.  Today is day 8.  I had an incredibly bad day on day 4...like 6 hours of not calming down and thinking i couldnt breath.  Last night I couldnt fall asleep, as i couldn't feel my heart beating and it freaked me out.  I've also had attacks at work during the normal situations i usually did before the meds.  I've contacted my doctor this morning and am waiting for a reply.  I just can't tell if this is meds or me freaking myself out...but i can say for sure that when i have had attacks the past 8 days it's been different than before.  Let's say the doc wants me to switch meds...does anyone have any experience doing this.  Since i'm only on 5mg will that make it easier.  Anyone have success switching meds?  My wife had to get off of lexapro (post pardon) and switched...she had almost immediatly a better feeling.  She went to effexir (sp?).  Her problem was a little different though...lexapro made her feel like a zombie.  This is just so frustrating.  As i type i feel better, but when i'm in the thick of it it's like i'm dying. 

[jay8510]

I am on day 7 of 10mg of lexapro and I feel worse! I am hoping that it's the meds leveling out...I am in the same boat you are, I am confused and not sure what to do. The Doc said by Next Friday (January 18th) if it doesnt start working to call him. I am not sure if I can wait that long.

[stevo1111]

I felt the same way on Lexapro the 2nd time around trying it. I was probably at a 2/10 on the anxiety scale at the beginning,  just wanting to get on a long term med to balance me out and keep the bad days from getting too bad, and it brought me right back to where I had been at my worst, perhaps a 7/10. For me, the first time on Lexapro, this feeling went away after 2-3 weeks, and I started on 5mg and moved up to 10mg after 10 days. Within 3 weeks it had blocked my bodies ability to go into panic attack mode, or at least made it very difficult. At the 3 month mark I felt as close to normal as I could have at the time.

I find that medications that modulate serotonin directly, which people in lab coats speculate Lexapro acts almost only on serotonin, are difficult for me to start and cause a rash of unpleasant start up symptoms. In comparison, the tri-cyclics, which many dr's consider old and a 2nd line treatment- act on more neuro-chemicals and give me almost no start up side effects.

As with all ADs, it's best to give it 8-12 weeks to see if your body adjusts. Work with your Dr to get through the hard times and you will be rewarded with some peace in the end.

[jay8510]

I felt the same way on Lexapro the 2nd time around trying it. I was probably at a 2/10 on the anxiety scale at the beginning,  just wanting to get on a long term med to balance me out and keep the bad days from getting too bad, and it brought me right back to where I had been at my worst, perhaps a 7/10. For me, the first time on Lexapro, this feeling went away after 2-3 weeks, and I started on 5mg and moved up to 10mg after 10 days. Within 3 weeks it had blocked my bodies ability to go into panic attack mode, or at least made it very difficult. At the 3 month mark I felt as close to normal as I could have at the time.

I find that medications that modulate serotonin directly, which people in lab coats speculate Lexapro acts almost only on serotonin, are difficult for me to start and cause a rash of unpleasant start up symptoms. In comparison, the tri-cyclics, which many dr's consider old and a 2nd line treatment- act on more neuro-chemicals and give me almost no start up side effects.

As with all ADs, it's best to give it 8-12 weeks to see if your body adjusts. Work with your Dr to get through the hard times and you will be rewarded with some peace in the end.

My doctor told me if it doesn't get better by next Friday (January 18th) to contact him and we will switch....that's not right is it? I mean everything I read on AZ says it can take weeks for the Lexapro to start working.

[TomRainKing]

It's just driving me nuts.  I called out of work again today...and i cant even rest.  I know its mental but it feels like my blood pressure is low or something.  I'm tired as hell, but only feel normal(slightly normal) when doing something to occupy my mind.  I called the Dr, just waiting for a call back on what to do. 

[kmwondering]

Is this a gp or pdoc prescribing?both pdocs I've seen in my life expect an initial increase in anxiety on an ssri and prescribed a small dose of benzo to get through it. It helped me a lot the first time around and tapering off the benzo was easy once I was stable on the ssri. I'm hoping it goes as well this time. It can take several weeks at least.

[TomRainKing]

she's a gp.  Sorry if this is too general of a question, but could you describe the benzo...like how often you take it, or how it makes you feel

[kmwondering]

Sure. I take a tiny dose of an older benzo. 3.75 of tranxene I take it three times per day. I am approved to double up on a dose in the face of a particularly anxiety provoking moment. The 3.75 is really a baby dose. My pdoc used this one because it worked for me last time. I expect to be on it daily for another month or two at least and then taper to as needed.

[kmwondering]

As to how it makes me feel, just less anxious. Slightly sedated the firś day or two but not impaired or slow in any way.

[jay8510]

Yeah, the klonopin I have been taking the last couple days is great for getting rid of the anxiety, but the depression is still terrible. I cannot believe I have been able to go to work the last 5 days in this condition. I am always scared and anxious and depressed, but I cannot lose my job it is just not an option. When I wake up in the mornings just thinking about the day ahead, it is so frightening and scary.

[EclecticJoe]

Yeah, the klonopin I have been taking the last couple days is great for getting rid of the anxiety, but the depression is still terrible. I cannot believe I have been able to go to work the last 5 days in this condition. I am always scared and anxious and depressed, but I cannot lose my job it is just not an option. When I wake up in the mornings just thinking about the day ahead, it is so frightening and scary.

Describe what you mean the depression is terrible? How do you feel?

Just as side note, the waking up in the mornings feeling scared is a common symptom of anxiety.

Hang in there. BTW I am a 12 year Celexa/Lexapro user.

[jay8510]

Yeah, the klonopin I have been taking the last couple days is great for getting rid of the anxiety, but the depression is still terrible. I cannot believe I have been able to go to work the last 5 days in this condition. I am always scared and anxious and depressed, but I cannot lose my job it is just not an option. When I wake up in the mornings just thinking about the day ahead, it is so frightening and scary.

Describe what you mean the depression is terrible? How do you feel?

Just as side note, the waking up in the mornings feeling scared is a common symptom of anxiety.

Hang in there. BTW I am a 12 year Celexa/Lexapro user.

I feel sad and have no interest in anything anymore. I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep all day.