Starting lexapro, feel exhausted

[Jules1963]

H Everyone,
I'm back on this group after a long period of absence, I have GAD and panic attacks. I was doing well up until a couple of weeks ago when I had terrible anxiety at work and couldn't finish my shift.
Anyway, I have just started on Lexapro and feel terrible, so tired but can't sleep, jittery feeling in my body and dry mouth. I've been on 5mg for 3 days and the doc wants me to go to 10 mg after a week. How long do these awful side affects last?

[2sungo]

I restarted on Lexapro, maybe a day on 5 and 12 so far on 10, but I take .5 klonopin at night for sleep and sometimes a quarter or so additional if I am agitated in the day.  I also tried an ativan yesterday, that also calmed me down.   Today is the first day I felt good enough to go to work, albiet for only a half day, my mood seems better and the anxiety is lower.  So you may want to consider something to help you cope with the initial anxiety and fatigue that the lexapro may be causing.  This stuff really tests one's patience, but it will get better.

[Jules1963]

Thanks for your reply, but today I feel SO depressed can hardly get out of bed. I only slept about 3 hours and feel I can't go on like this. I don't know whether to just stop the lexapro, I wasn't depressed before I took it

[insights]

Thanks for your reply, but today I feel SO depressed can hardly get out of bed. I only slept about 3 hours and feel I can't go on like this. I don't know whether to just stop the lexapro, I wasn't depressed before I took it

The depression may be more from lack of sleep than the Lexapro. Ask your doctor for a low dose trazodone prescription to help you sleep. It too is an antidepressant, however, it doesn't act like one at doses much under 200mg, but is sedating at low doses. It can also counter some SSRI side-effects.

Ian