Posted by KathrynLex on January 31, 2004, at 19:53:38
In reply to really struggling here with lexapro!!, posted by slippinaway on January 31, 2004, at 18:28:16
Hi Slippingaway,
I've been on Lexapro for about 7 wks now. It's been wonderful for my anxiety and depression. But like you, I had trouble with the side effects. They didn't subside until the end of the 4th week. I felt dizzy, disoriented, anxious and came down with some flu-like symptoms to name just a few.
Sometimes if you start out at a very low dose like 5 mg and slowly increase to 10 mg you can avoid a lot of the side effects. You could even start at 2.5 mg if you're particularly sensitive to Lex.
An odd side effect of Lexapro is that it can cause you to feel very anxious for the first few weeks that you take it. Funny, since it's prescribed for anxiety. You might consider asking your pdoc to prescribe a benzo such as Lorazepam or Xanax to help relieve some of your initial anxiety on Lex. It can be very helpful.
Another slightly frustrating thing about Lexapro is that it can take a while to kick in. For me it took about 5 weeks. But in my case it was worth the wait. I feel better than I have in months.
So, like I said tell your pdoc the Lex is making you anxious and ask about one of the benzos I mentioned. It might bring you some relief. Also discuss with your pdoc the idea of taking a lower dose.
If you can, I encourage you to try and give the Lex at least another 2 weeks. It's supposed to be effective after 4 to 6 wks. By week 4 you'll probably know if it's the right med for you or not.
But above all else listen to your body. If the side effects are too much don't take it, it's not for everyone.
I'm sorry for the long winded post. But I've been where you're at...wanting to feel better, just waiting for the medication to work...it's a difficult spot to be in. Having as much information as possible can sometimes make it a little less difficult and less scary to be going through this. It's sometimes comforting to know that you're not alone in adjusting to a new medication, and you're not. I did it just a few weeks ago.
Best of luck to you.
K.
poster:KathrynLex
thread:307879
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040131/msgs/307912.html