Increased Lexapro - feeling terrible. Could this be something more serious?

[MyMiddleNameisHypo]

Saturday night (3 nights ago) I increased my Lexapro from 10mg to 12.5mg. Monday morning upon waking I started feeling just down right horrible.
I feel a little lightheaded and dizzy, my brain is in a fog, I feel a little jittery but fatigued. It feels like I am going to just freak out at any moment - and these symptoms haven't lessened. I feel just really scattered-brained and just out of it.

I don't know if this is due to the Lexapro increase or something more sinister but I'm feeling really panicky. 

I feel just impatient, angry and on edge.

[2sungo]

Most probably just some ssri initial anxiety from the increase, it should subside or you might want something (benzo) to help you cope if needed until it goes away.  Did you have such strong reactions when you first began the lexapro?  Doubt it is anything "serious" but you shouldn't have to feel so uncomfortable, speak to your doc about it.

[EclecticJoe]

Saturday night (3 nights ago) I increased my Lexapro from 10mg to 12.5mg. Monday morning upon waking I started feeling just down right horrible.
I feel a little lightheaded and dizzy, my brain is in a fog, I feel a little jittery but fatigued. It feels like I am going to just freak out at any moment - and these symptoms haven't lessened. I feel just really scattered-brained and just out of it.

I don't know if this is due to the Lexapro increase or something more sinister but I'm feeling really panicky. 

I feel just impatient, angry and on edge.

Most likely it is the Lexapro, that is common for the first few days. Vigorous exercise will help this, trust me.

[insights]

I don't know if this is due to the Lexapro increase or something more sinister but I'm feeling really panicky.

Unless you have a reason to suspect "something more sinister" it is most likely related to the Lexapro dose increase. Whether this is then due to chemistry or psychological is less clear. What was your experience after previous increases?

Ian

[eyebob]

Same thing happened to me every time that I went up on lexapro.  I eventually switched to Prozac and I am getting the same feelings.  Just took .125 of klonopin for the first time to help with the adjustment.  Don't know how much longer that I will be on klonopin but if it helps during the ramping up stages of Prozac I will stay on some low dose.

[tamay138]

Glad I found this strand.  I just started taking Lexapro.  Had a major panic attack the first day and went to the ER.  It was unlike anything I had experienced before.  Thought for sure I was having a heart attack. They did the EKG & blood test, everything looked great.   My back, arms, chest all felt like there was icy hot coursing under my skin.  It kept happening...so I just said forget it.  Only took it for a few days and decided not to take it any more.  I'll have to wait a week before I talk to my dr.  He isn't in today and I'll be out of town all next week.  I just couldn't handle. I was waking up in the middle of the night, scared with that icy-hot feeling going on.  That's how I found this site actually. 

I keep getting the feeling a little bit in my back, but the rest has calmed down.  Instead I'm dealing with the chest feeling I was getting before I started taking it...but not as bad.  I don't know. A lot of deep breathing and prayer I guess.  Not sure what to do or what medicine I should be on.  Plus, my husband and I are trying to have a baby.  I read about all of the birth defect possibilities with Lexapro. 

Any suggestions?

[insights]

Not sure what to do or what medicine I should be on.

All you've described are typical initial side-effects of starting an antidepressant. They are from the higher serotonin levels the drug is triggering. Unfortunately, they can't be totally avoided but they can be minimized by starting on a low dose, 2.5-5mg and ramping it up by the same small amount every 7-10 days until the target dose is reached. Lexapro comes in a 5mg starter tablets just for this purpose. So ask your doctor for a prescription if s/he has prescribed it in 10mg tablets.

Plus, my husband and I are trying to have a baby.  I read about all of the birth defect possibilities with Lexapro.

With the exception of Paxil (paroxetine), the evidence for SSRI birth defects is pretty week. Studies have found small increases in the rarer defects, but there is little consistency in the defects reported which raises the possibility that they may just be random fluctuations in the results.

You need to also be aware that uncontrolled maternal anxiety and/or depression can harm the baby too, both immediately and in the longer term. Babies born to anxious or depressed mothers tend to have lower birth weights (PDF), be born prematurely and have impaired neuronal development (PDF). As children and adults they are more prone to asthma, dyslexia and to have learning difficulties. They are also much more likely to develop anxiety disorders and/or depression later in life.

Ian

[tamay138]

All you've described are typical initial side-effects of starting an antidepressant. They are from the higher serotonin levels the drug is triggering. Unfortunately, they can't be totally avoided but they can be minimized by starting on a low dose, 2.5-5mg and ramping it up by the same small amount every 7-10 days until the target dose is reached. Lexapro comes in a 5mg starter tablets just for this purpose. So ask your doctor for a prescription if s/he has prescribed it in 10mg tablets.

No one tells you this stuff.  I hadn't read it anywhere, except people where having these side effects for a while...longer than 'getting started'.  I am still thinking that I would rather find a more natural remedy.  And one of the reasons kids turn out to be anxious and follow a mom's footsteps is a learned behavior.  I know mine comes down the line from my grandmother-mom-me. 

I do know that going to the Chiropractor has made me feel more calm than about anything. 

[insights]

I am still thinking that I would rather find a more natural remedy.

The only effective alternative treatments to antidepressants with a proven track record are psychotherapies such as CBT and REBT.

Ian