Lexapro and Anxiety

[ElenaOrtaly]

Hello Everyone, My doctor just put me on Lexapro 10mg for anxiety for short term gave me 8 boxes with 7 tablets in it each and told me that I probably wont even have to finish the whole box because i will be completely fine by then. I have had anxiety for 3 years and as years went by it got more severe. Also was diagnosed with partial hyperthyroid nodule gland that i had no idea about which affected me in many ways as well, I recently got surgery so physically im okay. I am also going to see a psychologist because i have had two traumatic experiences in life that i feel can be the root to the problem as well. Can any one tell me more about this medication? Side affects, how long until you start feeling better, if you can drink while on lexapro ( i am not much of a drinker but sometimes i like to have a glass) and also your side of the story as well would  be great too. Thank you

[ElenaOrtaly]

thank you very much for your response, but i decided medication is just not for me i am going to be taking natural herbal pills instead and go for therapy. I just never liked medications, and the last thing i need is for my body to get addicted to these pills, i used to be on propranolol 20mg for my heart beat and my doctor made me lay off of it and ever since then my heart has been going nuts because its so used to it and its causing me alot of anxiety. Pills are just a no no. because once your bodys addicted its so hard to go on without it. ive learned that, thats why now a days so many people are stuck on pills. and its just not me. on top of that ive realized this whole month i have been having alot of nausea and loss of appetite and scaly skin with red dots on my arm. i heard the disease "Lupus" causes all these symptoms as well as anxiety and other psychological disorders it is a disease in your immune system that goes comes and goes so alot of people have no idea about it because they think its jus a flu until it gets to the point where its really severe. in my case anxiety n heart palpilations on a daily basis so im going for a blood test for every type of sickness just incase. I dont know but thank you all for the response.

[Paxiled]

A good reason for giving Lexapro is that it has a reputation for having fewer side effects, but that isn't necessarily true, it could be just advertising.  Still, most psychiatrists think it is tolerated better than most of the other ssris.  So if you truly need an ssri, Lexapro is often the first one given.  And no, they aren't all the same, that's ridiculous.  Some are very difficult meds, some are just difficult, some appear better for depression, others for anxiety.  But it's hard to tell for a particular individual, as we all have different reactions and metabolize medications differently.  As for the suicidal thoughts, they mostly affect younger people, but can occur, but usually only when you first take the med.  It goes away usually.  If you truly can't cope without medication, and that, in my opinion, is the only reason to take medication, then a good psychiatrist can monitor these side effects.  Which is why everyone is telling you to get a different doc -- the ones you've seen aren't treating you as an individual, and they're telling you odd stuff you can learn more about just be googling the stuff.  What you want is someone who will listen to you and keep with you, and who knows whether you need anything at all, what might be best based on experience, and who knows how to stop the medication.  All that being said, Lexapro is where most of them start these days, either that or Prozac, because of the reputation of being the easiest to handle.  Good luck.

[ElenaOrtaly]

Have you used it by any chance? If so how long have you been on it?

[chester333]

lexapro is an excellent medication for DEPRESSION and GENERALIZED ANXIETY only. but its the fastest working antidepressant . its the active metabolite of citalopram side effects may include insomnia ;blurred vission , gases. but its a wonderful drug that helped millions around the world

[ElenaOrtaly]

Thank you for your response again, the only reason why my doctor wants me to get off of it slowly is because he doesnt think i will need it after i start feeling better, because i had a hyperthyroid for 3 years which i had no idea about until last year that pretty much turned my life upside down, it changed my hormones, my nerves, everything in a negative way and made me feel not normal. and recently i just got surgery on it and removed it so my bodys taking a while to adjust to feeling normal again, so he put me on these medications temporarily to snap me back to feeling normal again since my thyroid was the problem and it changed everything when i was sick.

[mammo]

All these medications come with side effects, but that doesn't mean you will experience any of them.  I don't have a problem with the medication, it's how your doctor wants you to take it.  You will be on it just long enough to feel better and then he wants you to wean off of it...which makes no sense, because you feel better due to the medication. Lexapro is widely used with excellent results.  I just think you need a qualified specialist who knows how to prescribe this type of medication. I have taken Lexapro with excellent results.  When you take a medication and you experience any type of side effect, you should contact your doctor and the two of you can discuss if you should continue on it or if another one would be better.  I think the whole issue is more about how your doctor wants you to take it, and not so much about the medication.  Good luck in whatever you do.

[ElenaOrtaly]

Yes definitely is crazyness, I am not a medicine person at all so im thinkin of not takin any of this and just get help through a psychologist, I been reading all the side affects it causes and how theres a huge risk of suicidal thoughts, i really dont need an extra worry on the side. Any of you experience anything like that?

[mammo]

This is craziness!  Your main doctor really hasn't got a clue as to how these medications work, and it would be well worth going thru the hassle of going to the other clinic for better care.  

[ElenaOrtaly]

Yes i am going to start off 5mg because he told me to take it half a tablet for a week and the week after start taking 1 whole tablet and once i start feeling better cut down to half again and slowly drift off to none.

[ElenaOrtaly]

Oops i meant SSRI 1

[ElenaOrtaly]

Hey everyone thank u for your advice, I will tell you exactly what happend and please tell me what you think, Monday night i had a really bad panic attack and went to the hospital because this was different from all my other panic attacks i have had and it really freaked me out,  Wen we went in they took a blood test to see how my levels are with my thyroid and they came out normal so i know my body is functioning fine, so after they checked me out the er since it was a goverment hosital which was olive view ucla medical center, they have different types of clinics in there. they send me to their psychiatrist clinic because of my anxiety, i talked to one of the psychiatrists and told him about all my problems, he gave me a list of medications which were "SSRI"  and told me any of these medications will help me, There is no difference in them i cant tell you which is better then the other because their all the same. So after that i had to go to another clinic so they can prescribe me either one. I didnt want to go through all that hassle so i just went to my main doctor and gave him the list and he chose which one he thought was best for me and thats how i ended up on lexapro. Please tell me what you think. Thanks you guys means alot!

[cj29]

I am going to have to agree here.  Do you have access to another doctor in that practice?  Can you get referred to see a psychiatrist.  Medications like Lexapro take time to 'kick in,' and are prescribed on a long term basis.  

[mammo]

Paxiled has given you great advice. It doesn't sound like your doctor bothered to tell you that you will need to wean off these medications, and not just stop them abruptly either. I would see a psychiatrist, they are most knowledgable when it comes to these types of medications and can best advise you.  Therapy can be a huge help, but it is a lengthy process and this is where medication comes into play in helping with your symptoms as you go thru therapy.  Your current doctor has given you enough medication so that you eventually feel better, but what then?  Once you wean off of them, all your symptoms will come back.  See a psychiatrist so you can learn how these medications work, and what course of treatment is best for your needs.  They advise against drinking while on these types of medications.  Having your thyroid taken care of and getting therapy should help a lot, but often therapy isn't enough.  I hope it does work for you and wish you all the best!

[Paxiled]

First, don't do this with this doctor.  See a psychiatrist who specializes in these meds.  Your doc gave you what he had in samples, because Lexapro is still under patent and therefore the pharmaceutical companies still give out samples.  It isn't a short term med usually, since ssris usually take 4-6 weeks to start working, but all meds are short term in the sense they are intended to tamp down intolerable symptoms until you can solve your problem in therapy.  That, of course, doesn't necessarily happen, which is why so many get stuck with these meds long term.  But I don't think a few sample are going to last long enough for this type of med to necessarily work, and most start it with 5mg and then work slowly up.  So again, I wouldn't do this with this particular doc.  Thyroid problems can be the source for anxiety, by the way.  As far as learning whether traumatic events caused your problem, keep in mind that type of therapy does take a long time.  Good luck.