Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
Awhile ago I started a discussion asking for people's experiences with Lexapro because my doctor had given me a 5 mg sample pack. I finally worked up the courage to give it a try after a particularly calming session with my therapist who reassured me that the medication was "very tolerable" and side effects were "generally rare."
Well, I went into trying it with a good attitude. I felt hopeful that it would ease the discomfort of my GAD. The doctor told me I probably wouldn't start noticing a difference until at least a week into the medication, so I was surprised when I started feeling really, really strange after only the second dose.
I took the pill (with food) at 4:00 pm and by 10:30 I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I felt dizzy, nauseous, and incredibly jittery. I felt like my body was experiencing a whole new degree of anxiety. I was up most of the night crying with a panic attack feeling like I couldn't calm myself down because my body felt so "wired." The next day I called my doctor and she advised me to stop taking the medication.
I found an interesting piece of information that I wish I would've known before:
Q: Will Lexapro cause anxiety symptoms such as agitation, restlessness, and panic attacks?
A: An increase in anxiety and related symptoms may occur when taking SSRIs early within the first few days or weeks. LEXAPRO has been shown to improve anxiety symptoms associated with depression by week 2 of treatment. Occasionally, in very anxious patients, starting with a smaller dose for the first few weeks helps, but it is generally best to "wait it out."
I wish my doctor and/or counselor would have shared this piece of information with my before I started taking Lexapro, then I wouldn't have felt so surprised while having this scary panic-attack episode.
Well, I went into trying it with a good attitude. I felt hopeful that it would ease the discomfort of my GAD. The doctor told me I probably wouldn't start noticing a difference until at least a week into the medication, so I was surprised when I started feeling really, really strange after only the second dose.
I took the pill (with food) at 4:00 pm and by 10:30 I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I felt dizzy, nauseous, and incredibly jittery. I felt like my body was experiencing a whole new degree of anxiety. I was up most of the night crying with a panic attack feeling like I couldn't calm myself down because my body felt so "wired." The next day I called my doctor and she advised me to stop taking the medication.
I found an interesting piece of information that I wish I would've known before:
Q: Will Lexapro cause anxiety symptoms such as agitation, restlessness, and panic attacks?
A: An increase in anxiety and related symptoms may occur when taking SSRIs early within the first few days or weeks. LEXAPRO has been shown to improve anxiety symptoms associated with depression by week 2 of treatment. Occasionally, in very anxious patients, starting with a smaller dose for the first few weeks helps, but it is generally best to "wait it out."
I wish my doctor and/or counselor would have shared this piece of information with my before I started taking Lexapro, then I wouldn't have felt so surprised while having this scary panic-attack episode.
I haven't had much luck on antidepressants. I have had really bad side effects with all of the ones that I have tried. So, I refuse to try any more. I'm exploring more natural approaches.
My therapist told me that people with anxiety often feel very agitated starting an SSRI, so it seems like your reaction wasn't that unusual. But it's too bad you weren't warned about it ahead of time.