Increased chest pain with lexapro

Posted , 9 users are following.

Hi guys i have been on lexapro 10mgs for abouy two and a half weeks. My anxiety levels esp in the am is through the roof. I wake up at 3am now and have to take a 2.5mg valium to relax, i have noticed though an increase in chest discomfort. Should i get an ECG done? Im getting worried. The discomfort is also only on my left side. My left elbow also feels weird. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Edited

    Hi there. Yes, the morning anxiety is or can be horrible and I experienced the same and was waking up at all times of the night. The chest discomfort is most likely due to your anxiety. I felt that as well along with a tightening in my throat. Unfortunately, increased anxiety is common with initial start up of lexapro... And sometimes dose increases will also cause more. But given time, the symptoms calm down. As far as your left side pain, I think you should be seen by your doctor. Pcp's can do a simple ekg in the office to see if your heart is functioning properly. And if going and getting checked out ease some of your anxiety after starting this medicine, all the better!!!

    Also, I hope you're exercising, so key to alleviating anxiety. Prayer and using the "calm" app helped me a lot. Still does. God bless you!

    • Posted

      Thank you so much Tammy for your reply. I definitely will see my doctor and get the ekg and no i haven't been excercising but i will start with short walks and see how that goes. I am a teacher so I really pray this passes soon for my sake and my students. Thanks again and i will dlownload the calm app and give it a try as well. God bless you and everyone on this support group.

  • Posted

    Yes yes and yes.. Sounds like aniexty and side effects from Lexapro.. But do get checked out .. It will put your mind at ease .. One less thing to worry about and cause needless aniexty..the side effects will calm down but it varies for everyone as far as how long the side effects last.. I bumped up to 12.5mg. 16 days ago and I still have a few side effects hanging on but they r tolerable.. Praying they go away just as fast as they came on..but Lexapro has helped me greatly but I'm not completely there yet...Take Care..😊

    • Posted

      Thank you again Nikki. I cannot say enough how much this support is helping me. Nobody seems to understand me except for everyone here. Everyone keeps saying "relax its all in your mind". I will go tomorrow and have the ekg done and hopefully put that behind me. Thanks again.

    • Posted

      U r welcome.. And don't get me wrong it's very hard to relax when u have aniexty and things running through your mind and your body having such random side effects .. Just know that the side effects will lessen each day but u may have days where u think what is going on.. But just hang on and post if u need to .. Someone are all of us will write a encouraging word to u .. I have bad days to where I need support.. We r all alike. We all have our down times..Take Care and remember this blog never shuts down..post if u need to share.. We r here..😊

  • Posted

    Hi everyone! I definitely agree with getting an EKG. I find that a lot of my anxiety is often in my chest. I have been on Lexapro 20mg for about 8 weeks now, I worked my way up from 5mg starting around Thanksgiving. I also take Klonopin 0.5mg at night & 0.125mg in the morning. I’m currently working on weaning the Klonopin. I have been on & off all of these SSRI drugs for 18 years. The anxiety definitely increases with each dose increase but will fade. May God bless all of us to help us through these adjustments!

  • Posted

    I have been on escitalopram (generic lexapro/cipralex) for what will be 4 weeks on Saturday. I have had a wide array of side effects. Everything from chest pain (always causes me anxiety because I have a congenital heart defect) to night sweats to headaches and increased anxiety especially in AM. My psych tried me on celexa before this and I had a severe reaction to it so he switched to cipralex and aside from lots of annoying side effects , which i hope stop over time, it seems to be working well for my anxiety and depression. I think I'll stick with the cipralex as it beats having daily panic attacks and anxiety.

    • Posted

      Hi jrmyolvr,

      ‘I have been on generic Lexapro 10mg for 24 days. This past week every other day my anxiety is much reduced but the other days the anxiety is intense.  Do you think the med is starting to kick in. I just want the chest pain from the anxiety to go away. When did the anxiety stop. It’s so discouraging. Thank you

    • Posted

      I still have the anxiety, mostly in the morning every couple of days, but the really extreme panic attacks (one of which put me in the hospital cardiac emergency department) stopped within a few days of being on the meds. I sleep much better now (I take the med at night). Hoping the morning anxiety subsides as well. I am seeing my psych this Saturday for a followup. Been on cipralex/lexapro for 3 weeks.
  • Posted

    hello i am just joining the forum and have read a lot of good stuff. I've been on Lexapro for about a year 15 mg . It is a great drug .but the chest pain is randome throughout the travel. It is tough sometimes to deai with a but it eases off .Mostly after a big meal

    Morjing anxiety still gets u sometimes he I t very bearable.. Considering the before anxiety. ive tried a lot of meds n lexapro has been a wonder drug. Any time u have chest pain no mattrr what meds ur on javebit checked if nothing but ur own mind set

  • Posted

    Hi I have been on lexapro still 5 mg till tomorrow then up to 10 for a week now I often feel like I can’t breathe but my spo2 monitor says 99 percent so ik I can breathe I often have sleepless nights were I get no sleep at all I keep asking myself is it really worth all these side effects 

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