Lexapro vs lorazepam

[Cpadilla210]

I  really trying to see which one would be better for me. I have pretty bad anxiety, I can hardly ever go out and when I do I'm scared and when there is a lot of people I feel like I'm about to lose it. I don't feel myself, when I'm talking it don't feel like it's me talking and I just feel like I'm in a dream like state. I take lorazepam 1 mg which makes me feel good and last about 4-5 hrs with no side effects other then just being a little sleepy. I've been reading into lexapro and curious on any opinions. I want to know if their ate any serious side effects of lexapro and what would happen if I continue to take lorazepam. Please any help

[Paxiled]

Please please please don't believe that you don't have to slowly taper off an ssri just because you're taking another ssri.  This is completely false and dangerous information.  They all work differently and target different neurotransmitter receptors, so substituting one drug for another will not stop withdrawals.  Everyone, please, be cautious with these meds -- the first rule of medicine is, first, do no harm!

[Paxiled]

I don't want to prevent anyone from contributing anything, but I've seen in your recent posts information that just isn't really correct in general though it may be for you.  For example, here you state that no antidepressant covers chronic anxiety, only benzos do.  Actually, it's the opposite -- benzos only act for a few hours while antidepressants once you're on them act all the time.  Benzos are quite difficult to stop taking, even harder than antidepressants, and have far more reports of protracted withdrawals.  I do believe you've found the best alternative for you, but be careful telling others they will get the same results you do.  It's great to share your experience, but not so useful and could be dangerous to tell someone else this is what will be best for them.  Paxil destroyed my life and I counsel caution with it, but I don't think what happened to me will happen to others so I don't tell them it will.  Love your contribution, but try to be more cautious in generalizing to others.  Peace.  

[DYSLEXIC]

how many mg  Lexapro were you on long term . and what is your new med that you have to detox lexapro for, if its another SSRI  no detox needed just swap overnight ,

[sunny1018]

Lexapro worked very well for me at one time.  I was originally on it for about 1 1/2 yrs then went off when I was feeling better.  I went back on it 1 yr later and stayed on it for 10 yrs.  It worked all that time, no panic attacks, only normal anxiety.  Suddenly this past December it stopped working for me.  We tried to increase the dose to no avail.  I'm still on 2.5 mg while starting a new med.  Everyone is different but I would recommend it.  Only noticible side effect was tiredness but it never bothered me too much.  I had no weight gain or sexual side effects.  I loved it and wish it still worked.

[DYSLEXIC]

If a person was to get scripted Ativan like me , I take 6mg  a day as well has an AD  because no AD  out there can cover chronic ANXIETY  that's a fact . IF you just took Ativan on its own in large mgs you run a big chance of depression

[Paxiled]

Therapists who specialize in anxiety usually have more tools at their disposal -- they know how to teach relaxation techniques and decondition your thinking.  CBT is supposed to be the best option, but there are others such as hypnosis.  Your ordinary therapist just talks to you, and that doesn't usually do much for chronic problems.  It might, but even if it does it will take a long time.  When I said it works all the time, it's in your system all the time -- it isn't short-acting like lorazepam, which only works for a few hours.  So if it works it works all the time, not just for a few hours.

[Cpadilla210]

When you say if lexapro works it will work all the time, what do you mean when you say that. I have not yet seen a psychiatrist, just been seeing a counselor and I'm not sure that she is specifically for anxiety. I was given the lorazepam 1 mg when I went into the emergency room during a panic attack. Before leaving I asked them if there was any way they could give me some more for short term use and they give me a script for 20 pills of the lorazepam 1mg. I've only used 3 pills within the last two weeks. What I've been gathered from my research is that lexapro might be a better solution for anxiety and I might want to start from a small dose and increase if needed. Thank you for all information you've been giving but I need more input. I want to go back to my normal life before the bad trip.

[Paxiled]

If you take lorazepam on a regular basis it is classified as an addictive drug.  People do respond very differently, but for many that means you'll need to keep upping the dose as it stops working.  You could move to clonazepam, a longer lasting benzo, but you'd still have the dependency problem.  Benzos are just better if taken on an as-needed basis, not regularly, if you can do that.  Lexapro, if it works, will work all the time, not just for a few hours, and it isn't classified as addictive, though in truth it can be just as hard to stop taking.  Antidepressants tend, though, to not conk out as quickly as benzos -- you can go for years on them without them conking out if you're lucky.  But they do have more side effects than benzos, though again this depends on the individual -- some slide by, some don't.  The best treatment is to find a therapist who specializes in anxiety treatment and have it actually work -- not easy to do, but it solves the problem, whereas medication just tamps down the symptoms.  For me, I think the antidepressant, if it works, is a better option because it works all the time and there's no temptation to abuse it, and if you do need to combine it with a benzo it's easier to just take the benzo when you absolutely need to, not all the time.  But there's no generalization that is true here -- you're experience will be your experience, not somebody else's.  I was put on these drugs many years ago when nobody told the patient the dangers of these drugs and most of us weren't searching the internet for that info.  So it's good you're doing your homework -- I wish that option had been known to me.