Lexapro and morning anxiety

I know what u r saying.. It comes out of the blue.. My side effects started on day 4 of my increase.. And this is day 13 and still with me.. But it will go away as quick as they popped up.. Just give it time... TIME is the answer...😊

Thank you. I really hope this feeling goes away. I appreciate your optimism

Hi Leigh

Yes I'm still on the meds (20mg) I worked my way up from 10mg then 15mg then 20mg.

I am feeling better just a tiny bit of anxiety on waking but that soon goes. I won't lie it has taken a while and there were days when I thought the meds weren't working but it is a slow process and worth it in the end. Stick with it and gradually increase your dose until.you feel it is making a difference. I increased my dose myself without asking the Dr as I felt it was doing something but not enough, I told my Dr after and she was happy enough that I did the increases myself, I have myself a good 3 weeks on each increase before upping again. You will feel better I promise just take each day as it comes and try not to be on your own so much as I felt this made it worse for me. Work certainly helped as I didn't have time for the anxious thoughts to overtake my mind. I also felt beyter as the day progressed so mid afternoon and evening I felt very nearly 'normal. Stick with it it isn't a quick process but the meds do work. Don't hesitate to ask anything it's good to know others have/are going through the same. Take care and look after yourself x

Alex... How did u know u needed more Lexapro ? 

Alex... How did u know u needed more Lexapro ? 

Hi

I felt the meds were working but not enough after increasing each time. I gave it a couple or three weeks on each before upping by 5mg. It takes so long to get Dr's appointment that I decided to do it myself and tell the Dr at my next visit. I did have Diazepam to help for the first 3 months. I personally think if your on the same dose for a while and your not seeing improvement then you need to increase. I'm not saying anyone should do it the way I did without asking Dr first but everyone knows there own mind and body and shouldn't struggle on a low dose if a higher dose will work. x

Thanks for your response and encouragement.

I agree...😊 So u r improving.. What mg. r u on now?

Thank you Nickie! You are an encourager. Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question .

Leigh 

Hopeful ... I know what u mean about bumping up .. It's like u start all over again... It's no Joy ride at all... I'm feeling somewhat better at 10 weeks of 10 mg. but I'm still having this choking feeling and Indigestion and heart burn.. I need it to go bye bye... Take Care and  keep us posted..😊

I think you really need to see your Dr about an increase, the side effects are temporary but I know that anxiety isn't. I was willing to put up with the side effects for a few days than contime to feel how I did all day everyday, if that makes sense?

Don't suffer any longer than you need to you will feel better I promise, it is a process that you need to go through and unfortunately it isn't a smooth ride there will be bumps along the way but if your still feeling the same you need to think about an increase. The side effects are temporary being free from anxiety will, hopefully, be for good. x

My Dr said I can increase anytime I want to. I decided to go up to 12.5mg today. Have any of you gone up by such a small amount (2.5mg)? Did U feel bad side effects from it? Did that small of an increase even help?

Yes ... That's the only way I have gotten to 10 mg. 2.5mg. Increase at a time..I bumped up to 15mg3 weeks ago and after 4 days had to go to 12.5mg then I bumped back down to 10 mg. 2 weeks ago and yesterday started having throat aniexty horrible.. Probably from my drop down 2 weeks ago.. It will probably last for a week r so.. I'm going to give my 10 mg. a few more weeks to work and get the post bump down side effects gone then I'll decide what I'm going to do.. Remember u know your body and mind better than anyone.. What works for one person may not mean it works for you.. This blog site is for everyone to post what the medicine is doing to and for them.. Remember that... We Are All Different in how we respond to Lexapro...😊

Ya. I know we are all different but it does help to hear what works for others. My Dr said if in a week I still do t feel much better we will tKe me off all antidepressants for a washout period. That scares me too. I’ve been on an SSRI for 14 years. But I guess what else is there to do. I’ve never had a hard time like this before. I’d up doses in last with no prob. I’d switch SSRI without issues. I’m so confused why it’s so difficult. Thanks for responding. It does help to hear how other ppl are doing. 

I took lexapro for 8 years then stopped for 2( weaned myself off I am a registered nurse ).  First time I took it I was able to go right into 10 mg no problem no side effects . Now  I was just started back on 11 days ago due to anxiety secondary from menopause and hormonal issues. Mother and grandmother had breast cancer so hormone replacement is not something I can do .  Amazing how your body chemistry changes. I am taking 2.5 now and having all sorts of side effects. I believe if I started right on 10 mg the top of my head would blow off .  It’s like not even dealing with the same body as I said I had no problem with Lexapro the first time perhaps it is all the weird hormonal stuff in the mix with this.  I agree with everyone when they said that we each know our bodies better than anyone and we should do what we need to do for ourselves to be comfortable taking it.  I would love to bump up to five but with the side effects I am having on 2.5 after only 11 days I am taking it slow and steady .  Anxiety is absolutely the worst feeling I have ever had and this is all new for me .  I was on Lexapro several years ago because I had empty nest syndrome and that seemed to help with that. But once I got used to that I decided to come off. My timing was not good as then I went straight into menopause with all the crazy reactions you can have mentally with that.  Like I said anxiety is the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my body and I am really ready for it to go.  I run 3 to 4 miles every day and eat a healthy diet. Since this bout with anxiety I’ve dropped from 135 to 125 pounds in three months .  My heart and prayers go out to each of you who suffer from anxiety as I know how troubling this is to you and how I can certainly impact your life and activities. Once I get my anxiety under control I want to find a way to help others who suffer from this horrible emotion chronically 

Hi hopeful

I’ve been on ad’s for 18 years citalopram worked well for me for 14years but the last 4 years I’ve tried lots of different ones with just a few weeks relief at a time I’m thinking the same about just getting off them and see how it goes but I’ve gone down to 10mg from20mg a few weeks ago and I feel terrible had to go back to 15mg and back up to 20mg tomorrow feel frustrated 

I too am an RN and I prob over analyze stuff but it’s in my nature. Lol. I’m 43 and had a few of  my hormones checked and supposedly they’re ok but something is different in my body now. I wonder if it’s the rapid switching my Dr did on me. I was on Zoloft for years and it was fine but lost it’s effectiveness. My Se said let’s try Cymbalta since I’ve never been in an snri so I was on that 7 mo and felt it kinda made me have weird phobias I’ve never had before. Like claustrophobic in auditoriums and fear of the dentist. Lol. So I weaned off cymbalta in 1 week in February while taking Prozac to help the wean and all went down hill after that. The week after I was off the cymbalta I became shaky, no appetite, crazy anxious that’s worse in am, nausea. Dr thought it was the Prozac so put me back on Zoloft. After 4 weeks on that no help. Still felt awful so she put me on lexapro. Now day 32 of lexapro 10 and still no real improvement. I had to take a leave from work because I can’t comcebtrate on caring for patients like this. 

Next step is to stop all antidepressants and see what happens says my Dr. That’s scary too. But I think that might be the next best thing to try. I don’t want another med. 

I still wonder if somethings off hormonally still. I’ve never had this happen to me ever before. And it’s bewn going on long time. 

Hopefully we can all feel better soon and find what works for our bodies. 

Maybe the drop was too much to handle. Go slow with the weaning. I’m on my on 10mg so I think I’ll go to 5mg for 2 weeks and see how I do.

Leigh... I can relate with all u have said.. I’m 63 years young and I to have hormone issues .. that is what broke me .. I’ve always had GAD and Panic but with the hormone issue plus the other I went over the top..my story is long and will not bore u all with it but as u said ANIEXTY  effects every part of your life.. I could not even leave my home r go anywhere.. Horrible... I’m very much a people person and Live Life.. u r doing as I had to do with Lea pro.. baby steps .. 2.5 mg. At a time..it has taken me sense Dec. 31 2017 to get to where I’m at  10 mg... Stay in our conversation..😊

It seems like what I’ve been reading as far as us women it’s also hormonal... but I had a whole hormone panel done and they said I was ok... don’t think that is correct.. our hormone fluctuates daily..I’m confused along with a lot of you.. I’m on 10 mg. and I’m Just thinking  I may just ween off and do it like I’ve always done it.. I hate hearing how after a period of time the meds stop working..I really do not want to go thru this again..😐

I’m so sorry you are going through this . I understand the anxiety it’s horrible.   I have always been an extrovert on the go .,people call me The engergizer bunny.  I think it’s because I got a severe case of gastritis and 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut so I was not producing it which threw me way way off and now they’re trying to get me stabilized again., it is a long, horrible , painstaking, process.  I am one of the small population that cannot take PPIs because I get muscle aches and headaches so it is having to heal on its own which is taking a lot longer  I just want to bounce out of bed like I use to in the morning and stay busy all day like I always have . right now it is hard for me to plan things day by day until I know how I’m going to feel but I still try to get out and do some stuff .  But  I just separately want me back !  I hope that you can find a medicine or coming off the medicine to be helpful to you and you can return to your normal self 

Thanks Nickie I will.  I’m so glad I found this conversation group. Sometimes you  feel like you’re the only one in the world with this issue and this group seems to really care about each other . 

Don how r your withdrawal symptoms doing now.. ? I was on 15 mg. About 4 weeks ago and drop down to 12.5 3 weeks ago then went back down to 10 mg. 2 weeks and boom yesterday aniexty in the throat all day yesterday .. today not so bad.. how long did your withdrawal symptoms last.. b4 u bumped back up to 15mg. ?im hoping it goes away soon...

Anyone that has Panic.. Aniexty ..Depression r any mental disorder has compassion on others that have similar issues...stay connected with our conversation.. We can help each other and others that read this blog..😊

Small increases are a good idea. Even though I upped 5mg per dose I really felt I needed to and glad i did. 2.5mg increase is good if only to lessen the side effects....slow and steady. Stay strong you WILL see improvement and that improvement encourages you to go forward x

Don- how are u doing going down to 5mg? I’m on day 7 of going down to 5mg and the past 2 days have been hard. Headache dizzy nausea and shaky. My Dr said to stick at 5mg and stay here. I hate the way I feel.

How are u feeling now? Any better? 

Don- how are u doing going down to 5mg? I’m on day 7 of going down to 5mg and the past 2 days have been hard. Headache dizzy nausea and shaky. My Dr said to stick at 5mg and stay here. I hate the way I feel.

Hi I was reading your post that you wrote 5 months ago.  I too had gastritis in April of this year.  I was in the hospital for 4 days when I came home the anxiety and depression hit me hard.  I am 45 years old I never have had anxiety and depression like this before.  You are right about what you said about the serotonin being produced in the gut.  I have been putting off taking anti-depressants for months.  I finally gave in to try Lexapro today.

Hi,   Bless you as I know that all you want to do is get rid of this anxiety and have some normalcy in your life . I took lexapro briefly... actually cut the pills in fourths  and felt horrible on it and took myself off .  I am even happier to report that since June  I have had no anxiety.  It was so weird I had so many of my good friends praying for me and I was praying constantly about it also since my son was getting married in July .   They were great they each took turns praying so I was literally being prayed for around the clock 24 hours .  I knew I could not get through wedding showers ,rehearsal dinner , guests from out of town , and a wedding in the state I was in. It was like somebody flipped a switch . one morning I woke up and I had no anxiety and I was back to my normal self. Of course I was thinking this was just for that day but when the next morning and then the next morning and the next morning etc  I have absolutely no anxiety and I continue to have no anxiety three months later !  I also started getting acupuncture in  june.  I had never had anxiety before in my life and I pray to God I never have it again!  That was such a Bizzarre few months ... came on all of us sudden left all of a sudden .  My thoughts and prayers are with you and everybody else who suffers from this debilitating state. In the past when somebody told me they suffered from anxiety I would just think to myself well they just need to get over it. But now that I have been through it myself I have a real heart for people that are going through this and I completely understand .  I am also a runner and continued to run during my anxiety Period.  This was really hard to do sometimes as it was hard to get off the couch and make myself go outside and do that ... I am so blessed that I am able to say that I am on no medications that I have no anxiety and I am back to my normal extrovert on the go self. May all those who suffer from this horrific debilitating emotion be healed .  My heart goes out to you !