Using Lexapro for GAD (generalized anxiety disorder)

[Lady E]

Is anybody else using Lexapro for anxiety or depression? I started it today.
My doc told me that it could either make me mellow or energetic.

My doc said, if it makes me energetic, take it in the am. If it makes me mellow/tired, take it before bed. If that happens, I hope it helps me not need the Ambien to sleep.
Any personal-experience 411 would be appreciated.
-E

[ladybug52]

I think 5 is a reasonable dose, I hate to take too many different pills, BUT, all this week I haven't been able to sleep and I'm probably the last one on the forum each night. Onc time I went to bed then got back up from 2-4. I have 10 mg but I always use to half them before and now sometimes the ten doesn't phase me. I hope it's just a stage I'm going thru. I am ADHD and settling down at night has always been a problem for me.
Thanks for the reply,
Bug

[painterlady13]

I take 5 mg but I agreee with you that sometimes it just does't work........  But also I am afraid to take any more meds than I am already on.

[stangshelly]

I am taking effexor but in the same group of anti's..both work well. Just a precautionary warning they are hard to come off of without sides.

[NYgirl]

I've been taking Paxill since a month before I started treatment. It was one of the best moves I ever made.

Remember kiddo - if it makes you hyper you can always switch to a different one. On top of the riba nobody needs any more help not sleeping do they!  :)

[Lady E]

Thanks for all your information.

Aiuta: How are you doing since you stopped tx? I've been thinking about you often. (And thanks for the long distance hug)  :)

[aiuta]

Never been on Lexapro, but I hope it helps you.  My psychiatrist friend says if her patient's don't feel the AD's after 10 days, she worries and if they don't feel it by 2 weeks, she drops the experiment.  I hope it helps you.  If not, don't give up hope.  It took them a while to find the right "cocktail" for me.  I am sending you a hug through the mail.  Aiuta

[illona]

I took Lexapro 5 ml for a 48 week on TX. No bad side effect at all.
I took a small dose but I did not want to take more then a lower dose. A/D make me feel much better, less crying , less screaming and more important  my family kept me around:-)

[ladybug52]

How much ambien do you take? I have had the hardest time sleeping this week and I'm taking ambien, sometimes it just doesn't work.
Bug

[painterlady13]

I was taking Wellbutrin in the am and it didn't seem to be working well enough so my doc suggeted I try lexapro in the evening also.  I take 10 mg.  tried it at night for 3 days and got maybe 4 hrs sleep total so I moved it to about 2pm and still take my ambien in the evening to sleep. But I am no longer bursting in to tears for no reason... so it is working.

[ladybug52]

Celexa and lexapro work best for me, not together. I was on celexa then lexapro and switched back to celexa. It's generic only now and cheaper co-pay. Good luck. did you get my post awhile back when I said that anxiety IS helped by A/d's. It was the last post so you might not have seen it, back when you were first asking about a/d's.
Bug

[mremeet]

I just tried lexapro recently (currently week 22 of treatment). I was on it for about a month and half, it was the first A/D I've ever tried. I didn't think it did squat for me. Although my girlfriend says I was much more irritable coming off it than when I was on it. But I think that was just because my skin/itching was flaring up at that time, but she thinks it was helping. Hard to be completely sure with so many chemicals flowing through my blood. But I stopped it and switched to Effexor, hopefully that'll work better. If not I guess A/D's are just sugar pills to me for some reason. Anyway, lexapro is supposedly one of the more docile A/D's with the lowest side effect profile. Hopefully it'll do you some good, best of luck with it.

[sunspot]

I've been on Lexapro for about 4-5 years. I have no sx from it. I take 20mg AM and 20mg PM.
IIRC, it's almost like Celexa. It keeps me sane. What more could I ask for?
I take 5mg of Ambien to sleep.
Best to you kind Lady, Dana