Lexapro week 4

[Carla75]

Hi there!  I just started taking lexapro (completed week 4 on Monday) for anxiety.  I was misdiagnosed with a thyroid disorder and treated with meds for 2 years before being taken off and developed really bad anxiety.  I feel like the Lexapro is kicking in and I know it can take some time, but I am just curious about some of the side effects I've been having.  I am following up with my doctor also.  I have been tired, lightheaded and recently  noticed that my blood sugar has been on the lower side (low 80's) and I'm not diabetic.  I usually tend to run in the mid 90's.  I take my Lexapro 1 1/2 hours before bed.  Any information about what's normal with this med would be helpful.  I know we are all different, but am I the only one experiencing this?  I know 80's is not low, but I've been feeling really crummy lately.  Thanks!

[Carla75]

yeah, I know.  I've been bouncing around with thyroid meds (synthetic and dessicated) for the last couple of years.  One doctor put me on Levothyroxine and then the Endo said you should't have been put on it at all.  Then felt horrible and restarted and found a doc who was willing to try the dessicated and loved it.  Then the anxiety hit and he told me anxiety has no correlation to thyroid, which I know to be false.  My PCP was fighting to put me on something for anxiety at that point and I refused it.  Found another Endo, who was a female and thought she might be a little better.  She let me continue dessicated, but wanted me to switch to Armour vs NP Thyroid, which I'd been taking because she new what was in Armour and wasn't as familiar with NP (which had just been backordered).  Started that and then at my next visit she wanted to switch me to Tirosint.  I felt horrible on it and started having low blood sugars ( i am not diabetic).  Fast forward to me just being sick of not having anything work and getting frustrated and I met with the NP at my PCP's office and told her that I was just tired and frustrated and could we try going off of it...and by we I mean me...lol!  She looked at my labs and I'd been pretty stable throughout the course of thyroid meds around 2-2.30 ish so she said let's give it a shot.  Two and a half to three months later my levels were checked and even lower and I began to feel like myself again, still with a little anxiety.  Then woke up a week after Thanksgiving feeling off with palpitations, anxiety and elevated Blood pressure and TSH was elevated again, but I saw two PCP's (my current one and a possible new one) and neither wanted me to go back on thyroid meds.  After tests (ekg, blood work, etc) my PCP wanted to put me on Lexapro.  I was so beat down, frustrated and anxious that I gave in.  Didn't want to, but I needed a "break".  I feel like there is still something thyroid related or hormone related going on and I will push him to check.  A friend recommended a new PCP and I make take her up on it, but just don't want to appear to be doctor shopping.  I know this will all get straightened out eventually, but it's a frustrating process!  ok, that's my book/vent...lol

[remar]

I'm glad to hear you're having your TSH checked again tomorrow. It's not uncommon to have to tweak thyroid meds to get you to a level that feels good to you.
I see in one of your above comments that your anxiety came back when your number was around 4.

[Carla75]

yes, I'd had my levels (TSH, ft3 and ft4) tested regularly.  Been to 3 Endocrinologists (2 said I shouldn't be on meds) and finally the third one got me stable on a 1/4 grain of Armour.  Still wasn't feeling very good so we decided to go off of meds and see how that went.  TSH was lowest it's ever been since even starting meds (just above 2).  Almost 3 months later after feeling great, I just had a bad day and had it checked again.  slightly over normal range.  We are looking at some other things, but having TSH checked again tomorrow to see where I'm at.

[remar]

Your TSH is above normal. Why did your Dr take you off of the meds? Were you having your numbers checked on a very regular basis while you were on the meds?

[Carla75]

I've been told that it can take 6-8 weeks for it to kick in and as birdie said we are all different.  I felt the same way you did about taking a SSRI, but the anxiety got so bad that my blood pressure was elevated and I was having palpitation so I gave in.  I have to say that all the negative thoughts I had before about doing it have almost pretty much disappeared.  You will see a lot of negative and positive posts everywhere about them, but I think giving in was the right decision for me.  While there are a ton of side effects when getting started, I feel a lot better then I have in a long time.  I am more positive and deal with things better.  Still getting it worked out, but it was the right decision for me.  Before I only had anxiety every now and then, but when I started the Lexapro I began to have it every day along with dizziness and fatigue and some other things, but that all seems to be getting better and from what I've read it's normal.  As for your thyroid labs make sure that the results are not only normal, but optimal.  Most doctors are only testing your TSH these days and that's NOT a thyroid lab...it's a pituitary gland test.  You need to have your T3 & T4 free's checked.  Good luck!!!

[birdie0907]

Each person's experience will be different because of the difference in our brains so you can't correlate what one person experienced to what you will get.  

[msfuqua]

Hi there. I'm new to anxiety. I just had my first anxiety appointment with my Family Doctor today. I had my Thyroid checked a couple weeks ago and they say my levels were fine, but I can't seem to shake this anxiety feeling. She diagnosed me with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and want me to take Lexapro 10mg. I'm a little scared to because I don't know much about SSRI's and I really do not want to feel worse than I already am. She told me it can take up to 4 weeks before it takes effect. I just want to know how is it working for you? Are you still experiencing a lot of side effects? I'm trying to convince myself to take it, because I want to feel better. Any advice or suggestions  would be greatly appreciated.

[Carla75]

Yes. Back in 2011 I was diagnosed with vitamin d deficiency, put on the high dose for 12 weeks and after taking the last dose I started feeling off.  Went to the DR with palpitations and high blood pressure.  They ran labs and my tsh was slightly elevated (4.6) and said I was hypothyroid and gave me a script for levothyroxine. I followed up with the NP at my PCPs office the next day and she agreed. Went to my first endocrinologist a few months later feeling awful and she said nope and took me off meds. This went back and fourth for almost the entire 2 year period and finally after multiple docs and multiple thyroid meds (dessicated to synthetic) nothing seemed to work. I met with my doctor and said I wanted to stop thyroid meds. Did it and felt pretty good until 3 months later. Woke up 1 day and anxiety came rushing back. Tsh slightly elevated (4.3) but doc said no thyroid meds. He wanted me to try lexapro and I fought it for a long time. So here I am. Going to have tsh tested again tomorrow. Anything stick out to you?

[remar]

I'm a little confused about your thyroid diagnosis. Did they say you had a thyroid disorder when you did not?

[Carla75]

thanks!  That's exactly what I keep telling myself.  I never realized what an issue anxiety could be and nobody "gets it" unless they've been through it.  I totally appreciate it!!!

[nickwch]

I had Lexapro for 6 mths (I have juz tapered it off in mid Nov last year). For me, I felt better at around week4 too. I do not have any major side effects. Try focusing on "I will get better as kicks in" rather than on the possible side effects. But seeing the doc gives you peace go ahead. Hope this helps.

[mele48]

Hi, there -

I'm not familiar with Lexapro, but I think you are right in following up with your doctor.  In the mean time, eat several small meals throughout the day - good carb/protein combos work great.  Good luck!