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Has anyone taken Lexapro for anxiety? I'm nervous about taking it.

Posted , 4 users are following.

Kelso27
Kelso27

I went to see my Dr. yesterday for my anxiety, it has gotten really bad the last month or so and I have had two panic attacks pretty recently. I told him what all was going on and he prescribed me Lexapro. Have any of you been on this med before? What was your experience with it? Did it seem to help your anxiety? I'm nervous for some of the side effects I may have. I didn't read all of them cause I was scared I was going to read one that was really going to freak me out about taking it. My Dr. said that I will have nausea for the first week and that it can take up to 3 weeks for me to see any change in my anxiety. I'm not looking forward to the nausea at all and I'm ok with it taking a bit to relieve some of my anxiety, but I hope it won't be too long before I see a change. Also since I didn't read all of the side effects, I know that on some commercials for other depression/anxiety meds that some of the bad side effects include suicidal thoughts, I know I would never do anything like that but I don't know if this medicine would make me feel that way. Also I've heard from people who have taken it say that it will make me just not care about anything. Is that true? Has that happened to any of you? I start taking the medicine today so I guess I'll just have to see for myself what affect it's going to have on me but I just wanted some info from others who have had experience with Lexapro, I guess to put my mind at ease.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Kelso27
    Kelso27

    Posted

    Ok so I took my Lexapro for the first time at 9:30 this morning for most of the day I was feeling pretty good, a little nauseous but I know that's normal for at least the first week. Towards the end of the day around 5, I started getting dizzy while I was out sitting on the porch with my grandmother in-law, this could also be from me being outside in the heat too much today. So I went inside to sit in the air conditioning and drank some water. It took a little while for my dizziness to go away. After I was feeling a little better I went to make some dinner. Really soon after I got done eating I got what Im guessing was a hot flash. My face and chest got super hot and I started sweating. I went to the restroom to see if maybe if I went I would feel a little better. It didn't really help. I spashed cold water on my face, neck, and behind my ears and stood in front of a fan,it seemed to help and then I was feeling ok for maybe 5-10 minutes, then I started having a slight panic attack, well I just felt short of breath really, I breathed into a paper sack for a bit and layed down to try and get some sleep and maybe I'd feel better in the morning. I had a little trouble falling asleep, I was scared I should stop breathing in my sleep, I took some deep breaths and mannaged to doze off for like 2 1/2 hours and I woke up. I tried going back to sleep but I kept feeling funny. I don't really know how to explain how I felt, but it was kinda like my temples and ears had pressure in them, not .uch but some, it also felt like my head and ears were pushing outward, of course they we're it was a mental type of feeling. Ive been up since then and can seem to fall asleep, I'll lay there with my eyes closed and try my hardest but I go to this weird empty place in my head and I just can't get to sleep. I know this sounds so weird, I honestly don't know what's going on with me. I dont know if it's a side affect from Lexapro or my anxiety about taking this new medicine, but I can't seem to shake it. It could be mix of both. I guess I should mention I am aslo taking Metoprolol and Methimazole for my hyperthyroidism, I have no idea if that matters, I doubt they're all reacting badly to one another cause my Dr knew I was taking them when he prescribed me the Lexapro, but I just thought I should mention them.

    Has anyone else experienced these problems while starting out on Lexapro?

  • arlea13920
    arlea13920 Kelso27

    Posted

    Do the research, also is this doc an Endocrinologist? If not, I think you might think about seeing a doc who specializes in hyperthyroidism. I think a dietitian may also help a lot with your diet.

    I know it is tough. I am going through stages of nausea, body aches all over and depression, as I have always been pretty independent my whole life. I know this is hard.

    i wish you all the best.

    Arlea

     

    • Kelso27
      Kelso27 arlea13920

      Posted

      No he is not an endocrinologist, but I do see an endocrinologist for my thyroid. My anxiety had been getting so bad the last few weeks so I decided to get some help for it. I go in to get some blood work done at the Endo. On the 11th to check my levels I can ask them about it then, but if it gets too bad before then I can always call and see what they want me to do.

      Thank you. It's been hard for me since this is the first time I've ever had to be put on daily meds. I'm still new to all of this, plus I'm not a fan of taking medicines as it is. I do so now just because I don't want to feel like I did before I was on anything for my hyperthyroidism. That sucked and I know it's best for me to take them to get better.

    • arlea13920
      arlea13920 Kelso27

      Posted

      I just want you to know you are not alone. I was diagnosed in March, and like I said I am still waiting. However, I am pro active. I kept digging threw the web to have my questions answered. I found supplements that have helped.i also have COPD which isn’t helping with the breathing. I know where you are coming from. Fish oil, L-Carnitine, magnesium, potassium, vit D, zinc have all helped. I still have achiness but not like it was. My blood pressure is all over the place. I worry about that. However, if I take medication when it’s high, I crash and it is too low. Luckily my pulse has been under 90.

      i also looked up what food I can eat, and what to avoid. That has been tremendous help for me.

      These are just a few things you might want to look into. I was very anxious at first, but I am doing much better.

      hope this might inspire you.

      Take care

      Arlea

    • Kelso27
      Kelso27 arlea13920

      Posted

      Thank you, it feels good to k ow that other people out there know what I'm going through. This is my second day taking Lexapro and it's been ok. I woke up really anxious and have been just sitting around most of the day. I sat out in the shade in our backyard watching my baby play in the sandbox while I listened to some music and I felt pretty good. I am that way too, I'm always looking up questions I have to see if others have had the same probles and how they coped with it, it has definitely helped. I was just watching some videos on YouTube of people's first week on Lexapro and the side effects they experienced. Most of them were similar to mine and that said that after a week most of the bad side affects are gone. My Dr. told me the samething this morning when I called them. They want to to keep track of my symptoms and that they should do better after a week has gone by. I keep telling myself now that I just need to get through this week., And then in a month or two it will really have made a difference, which is what I heard happened to others. I really hope after I get.over this hill that this medicine works for me. I hate feeling like I'm sitting on the sideline watching my family have fun and my oldest daughter wants to play with me and I do my best, but a lot of the time I feel so bad that I just can, and it makes me kind of sad. I want to get better so I can be there for my girls and my husband and have fun this summer.

  • madge1979
    madge1979 Kelso27

    Posted

    ANXIETY is a Symptom of Graves Disease  or Hyperthyroidism   .. 

    And  So  ... when your blood results become normal again after anti thyroid meds ..

    THEN , and only then will that go away

    .......But   !!

    .......A  natural   Solution  for  Hyperthyroidism or Graves Disease  is ...............

    LEMON BALM

    MOTHERWORT

    and

    BUGLEWEED 

    Taken together these three things totally put my anxiety where I wanted it .. Gone !

    Please don’t think that because they are Herbs and NOT  

    Chemical drugs that they won’t do the business ..

    Of course you should Always at Least Google them individually 

    Eg ....

    Bugleweed / Hyperthyroidism 

    Or 

    Bugleweed / Graves’ disease 

    I believe that it is better to take these  ... rather than mind altering Drugs with awful side effects ...  and Yes ....

    I’ve definately heard of Antidepressants causing suicidal

    Tendencies...

    Who would want to go through that on top of what we already have    

    DOCTORS  should start trying to treat the illness ..

    Not just give us something to get rid of us ..

    Sorry but that’s my impression of them ...

    Luv Mx🌹

  • arlea13920
    arlea13920 Kelso27

    Posted

    I agree that nature is better than something that actually causes suicidal dependency. I see people on the TV who are dying from suicide every week. As a nurse I have also seen it in the E.R.

    Think wisely.

    Arlea

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