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Anybody any information about lexapro?

Posted , 4 users are following.

amy39007
amy39007

Hi guys, this is my first time on this site, thanks for taking the time to read my post. I'm 32, separated mother of two. I have always been happy go lucky and very laid back. But the past twelve months have been hard, I have had 5 operations that took it's toll on me, and my marriage broke up. Then I started getting chest pains, and I suppose like everyone else I thought this was it, I'm dying of a heart attack. Then came pains in my back, stomach problems, feeling a huge lump in my throat, heart palpitations, you name it I got it. I went straight to my doctor and she explained to me that no I was not going to die but that it was anxiety.  She put me on 5mg of lexapro for 4 days and then 10mg for 6 weeks, then 15mg. I had been doing great on the 10mg but after a couple of weeks the symptoms all came back again. I'm 2 weeks on the 15mg but I have had two awful days now, I didn't sleep a wink last night and had to come home early from work today because I can't get rid of the elephants in my tummy!! I just feel so on edge! Any advice would be welcome. 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • kennybhoy
    kennybhoy amy39007

    Posted

    Hi Amy,

    Sorry to hear your story,

    I wasn't on lexapro but I was on citalopram for 6 years,

    You'll probably be thinking that it was good for me and it was I suppose.. To an extent, I started on 10mg then upped to 40mg daily,

    Life went on and I was just dealing with my anxiety and realised after a long time that this was not the right medication for me, 

    I won't say anything bad against it but it wasn't great,

    Good luck 

    • amy39007
      amy39007 kennybhoy

      Posted

      Thank you kennybhoy for replying to me. I suppose I'm luckier than most because I know it's anxiety so I'm not back and forth to the hospital. It's just I want to shake off this feeling but I can't, it's so frustrating. My son is 10 and my daughter is 4 and they both need me, I can't afford to be lying around feeling miserable. 

      Thanks for the quick reply, take care of yourself.

      Amy

  • malcolm47
    malcolm47 amy39007

    Posted

    Hi Amy,

    I think that along with Citalopram this is sometimes a doctor's panacea for anything related to anxiety,I was on it many years ago and had some success with it although I was on a higher dosage than you,unfortunately once the anxiety heightens it can become non-effective.

    Reading your story it seems that your symptoms after such a traumatic time are not entirely surprising albeit quite severe,and yes anxiety can cause untold side-effects,I feel you have done very well to get through all this in one piece,however Lexapro(Escatilopram) is not the way forward.

    Suggest you get back to your doctor and get this checked out,I am a lifelong sufferer of anxiety/depression and at 64 it is manageable but still affects my stomach and everywhere really when at its worst,but I put up with it,have learnt to accept and to tolerate,at half my age you are suffering a lot and I think it is harder when younger.

    I hope you find a way out of this,I take Pregabilin,non-addictive,very effective and am on 600mg per day,soon to go up to 900mg,it is good but not all people can take it as it can cause dizziness and unsteadiness at the onset.

    Please take care and try not to let this rule your life,it has ruined a lot of mine and I am lucky to still have my wife and family,help is out there and make sure you get some,after your experiences I think you need some and quick.

    Oh and get rid of those elephants,they belong in the jungle,not your tummy.

    Regards Malc

    • amy39007
      amy39007 malcolm47

      Posted

      Thank you malcolm47 for your quick reply. Sorry to hear you have suffered for so long, it's a horrible feeling to have to live with. My doctor thinks I have PTSD as through one of my surgeries last November I woke up on the operating theatre will they were cutting me open, I don't have flash backs of anything like that but it did frighten the hell out of me, before that surgery never fazed me but now I need another operation and am quite frankly refusing it because mentally I know I couldn't cope. So I started counselling 6 weeks ago and my counsellor is quite big into mindfulness but I haven't found it any help at all and in Ireland there is no funding towards it, so as a single mum of 2 and Woking for the government I really can't afford it anymore !!

      Hope this message finds you well and thank you so much got your advice.

      Amy 

  • malcolm47
    malcolm47 amy39007

    Posted

    Hi again Amy,

    Yes well not surprised you suffer after all that surgery,and having to see to your children besides,but it proves how strong you are,anxiety happens because certain of us care too much sometimes,it's easy to be selfish,although other factors come into consideration with you for sure.

    So no funding eh! Typical of our wonderful country,mind you I'm not big on counsellors all they ever did was listen(which is good),but their experiences are only from text books,I can read that for myself,I think those that have suffered anxiety and worse,if it were possible would make the best counsellors and I told my doctor and psychiatrists that.

    Anyway you make sure you get the right medicine,and try to find time for yourself in all of this,a few meditations wouldn't go amiss,and you can always talk to me or others on here,mind you some make a lot of fuss over nothing at times,but we're all different thank God.

    Stay strong,get some different meds,and stop the counselling if it doesn't help.

    For now Bye

    Malc

    • Dannie1989
      Dannie1989 malcolm47

      Posted

      malcolm! sorry to hijack this post but you've disabled PM and i didnt know if you were still on here. 

      it's been forever since we've talked and would love to know how you're doing. 

      please don't be a stranger my dear friend.

      eagerly awaiting communtication.

      Danielle x

  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 amy39007

    Posted

    You have a lot on your plate! Give the lexaporo time to work. Any human being would be struggling in your situation. A lot of adjustments and change for you and your kids. Hooefully you are done with the surgeries. And youll see as time goes in you will become well adjusted and get used to a new routine and have it manageable. It will take time. Sometimes anxiety can really stem from change or lack of knowledge and here you are now an independent mother with two young children for the first time. Give yourself some credit here. On a positive note you will be one strong indeoendent woman when you get all adjusted to this and your kids will have a great role model. They notice a lot more then we think, even if they dont understand it. They see there moms got a handle on it all and thats soeaks volumes. So for right now you are learnig the ropes of becomeing that indeoendent woman and it can be scary and you came thru many surgeries so i can honestly see how all this has produced anxiety and probably ptsd. They have meditations for kids and adults maybe all three of you can sit together and start eith meditations for kids. What a great gift that would be for the kids to oearn to self calm when they are little.and it would give you time to meditate as well, a well needed release for you.good luck and feel good. I dont know you but reading your story im proud of you.
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