Worried lexapro could be not working anymore
Posted , 4 users are following.
i have had a tough summer and keep having setbacks with a few days to a week of feeling good in between. my panic and anxiety seem to rear their head in the early morning and by evening i am usually calm again, but slightly dread the next morning being the same. i have a high stress job and i wonder if it is all worth the pay. i also start to wonder if lexapro is doing the job. i had almost a year and a half of feeling food, then this summer my anxiety has started to build. i have read lots of books that say i need to accept and surrender to these physical feelings of panic and allow time to pass. i fear this feeling of panic so much bc it doesnt allow me to fully be there for my family and i struggle with work. just looking for any encouragement and kind words.
0 likes, 7 replies
matts4912 amber09486
Posted
Hi again Amber,
It will always be the pattern in the mornings because this is when the cortisol is at its peak. When it is out of balance it can be stupidly high in the morning which gives rise to the dread. It is a viscious circle as it then feeds of itself.
Those books are the only way unless you want to keep trialing one med after another and potentially make yourself worse. It is a LOT of work, but it can be done. Today I had a new client to see, which can be nerve wracking, but I managed 45 minutes with no problem. Then I had to go into the town - about 10 minutes walk through lots of busy people. Plus on top of that it is 30 degrees out there! A year ago, I would never have done this. I would have told client to go to someone else, and bought things online.
These methods do work. Trust in them, but I know it is so hard. I still have bad days, but I just have to keep going.
Matt
amber09486 matts4912
Posted
i am reading the books and listening on youtube. i struggle with just surrendering to the sensations and fear and accepting it. they talk about just letting go of trying to fight it-that is so hard. i suppose i need to gain some patience around all this. i think this is extra hard bc i am the type of person who will quickly address any ailment (cold, etc) and not just be patient and let it take its course. almost like i cant stand any uncomfortable feeling. this is like that, i just want it gone so fast, but i am realizing now i have to allow more time to pass while accepting.
matts4912 amber09486
Posted
Amber... I really understand, and your reply to Albert is right on the mark. The symptoms kick things off right then and there before you have had time to try out any of the tools. This is exactly what happens to me. My good days are getting more adventurous in what I can achieve, but this doesn't stop the anxiety attacking. You see I am writing in the morning and my overall tone is a lot more somber.
It is also about getting some resilience against what happens, but like you say, you approach this with the same attitude as cold symptoms - again, just like myself, and this is such a curse. It is only when you get to that point that you think, well this it is, lets just get on with life if it is always going to be like this, that you find it improves as you stop letting it get in the way. When the symptoms occur, there is little you can do, and when it happens to me, I just have to surrender, but on the better times, I will stare it in the face. This is how it is done. You cannot brave the anxiety all the time. It is just not possible, and in thinking this way, it will prevent you going forward.
The problem is that I have depression mixed with anxiety, so days when I am low, even if I feel I can face my anxiety, I do not feel there is any point as I will not find any pleasure or reward from doing it.
Again, I really feel for you - please keep chatting away and let us know how you are getting on.
Matt
albert_99155 amber09486
Posted
Amber, I stumbled across your post and could not help but reach out. My heart breaks for you because I am in a very similar situation. I had a very rough year at my job last year, I am a teacher, and it really put me over the edge. In addition to the mental, the stress was also causing physical Gastro intestinal issues as well, so I am/was combining two evils at once.
The original medication I was prescribed years back was Wellbutrin. I have always taken it in the morning, and I do feel a significant difference. However, recently, as things escalated physically and mentally, I was prescribed Lexapro, and it worked very well for me. I had a foggy brain the very next day, but other than that really suffered no other side effects, but, after reading the possible side effects, I think I convinced myself it was doing me more harm than good in retrospect. As a result, I started trying other medications and things spiraled downward very quickly. I tried Cymbalta, Trintelex, Elavil, Viibryd, and Prozac lol. The only other one that clicked with me was Prozac, but unfortunately it did not help all of my symptoms. Despite which medication I was taking, I too felt as if I was not being there for my family, mainly because the medications to change one’s personality a bit, however that is not always a bad thing.
I take diazepam – Valium for actual panic attacks
And I am now taking the Wellview trend in conjunction with 5 mg of Lexapro. This regiment seems to be working, what I do is wake up about two hours earlier, take the meds, does off, and when I have to wake up for work, I do not have that edgy feeling. I know this is not something everyone can do because many people cannot fall back to sleep after they are awake, but this has truly helped. Another option is to take the medication before bed, if you feel it makes you wide-awake, there are medications that have calming affects to promote sleeping. I truly hope this info helps, and just know you are not alone in this battle. Hopefully you do not have the Gastro intestinal issues to accompany the anxiety as I have, it is truly the end of the world. Feel free to reach out anytime as I am always happy to be supportive within our community.
Excuse errors- I’m using text to speech while multitasking.
amber09486 albert_99155
Posted
Albert,
thank you for sharing your experience with me, it helps so much to know we arent alone in this struggle. tomorrow i have an apt with my dr to talk about my recent setbacks over the last 4 weeks. all i can say is i feel like i have been on a constant roller coaster going from good days to bad in a flash. i too have the gastro symptoms, they actually sometimes set in before my mind has even registered i am anxious, then when the symptoms arrive i start to get anxious. i am trying to remind myself these are physical sensations due to my overactive nerves and to try and accept them and let time pass.
tomorrow i will ask my doctor about possibly switching medications. i know many ppl who have had success with celexa. in the meantime i am taking a low dose of klonopin in the morning to take the awful morning anxiety down a notch.
i will let you know how it all goes. i find these forums a positive place for me...just knowing others are out there going through similar situations.
albert_99155 amber09486
Posted
so sorry you too are cursed with both issues, it makes things a million times worse. please keep me posted about your DR. appointment. to be honest, I was so desperate i visited A medical marijuana doctor and plan on giving that a shot- i have never touched the dyuff and do not know what to expect. ughhhh so glad we talk!
matts4912 albert_99155
Posted
Albert,
Just to let you know that a friend of mine in Canada has been through a multitude of medications to no (or very little) avail and has recently be on medical "leaf" and has reported to be quite a relief. I am very happy for her as it also helps with pain along with her mood.
I wouldn't hesitate in giving it a try.
Best of luck my friend,
Matt