12 days on Lexapro at 5 mg a day

[TND89]

I was instructed to take the lexapro for 14 days at 5 mg and then up to 10 mg after assessing tolerance for 14 days. I am continuing to follow this advice and hoping for a break through, but posting here to hear some feedback from all of you with experience taking this med. For me the 12 days has been a challenge and I’ve seen a lot of people on here say that the break through happens after about 2 weeks. I feel like I have experienced every side effect to some degree, in spirts however nothing has stayed consistent. I have been unusually tired, even upon waking before I take the medicine. As the day moves on I don’t feel as tired. I had one night with severe night sweats. The anxiety continues to be geared up in high drive, and although I’m trying not to, there have been days I have settled to using .25 of Xanax. Some of the feelings I get are so hard to deacribe that I can’t find the words to write down and verbalize them. Whatever it is that triggers my anxiety, could be chest pain specifically or brought on by seemingly nothing, I will get this sort of creepy crawly feeling over my body and i will get a flushed panicky feeling in my body. My heart is not racing at all, it’s actually very slow and relaxed most of the time when this happens. Also due to the fact my anxiety is health and heart focused, all of a sudden the gym has become a big trigger for my anxiety. Even on the lexapro it’s gotten almost harder to get to, and go through, a workout at the gym. I’ll get very anxious and short of breath on my way to the gym. I’ll often times end up throwing up which makes me feel much better in the middle of my workout. My heart rate will sky rocket almost immediately upon beginning to lift weights after one set and pretty much stay elevated. What I’m trying to get at is 12 days of 5 mg is proving to be a huge challenge. And just hoping that the breakthrough is on the way and everything I’m going through is normal.

[Paxiled]

This does happen to some people -- exercise to the point of getting short on breath can feel to some like what they feel when they are anxious.  This shouldn't happen with lifting weights, but the mind is a strong strong thing, and us anxiety sufferers can turn anything into a trial.  As for the Lexapro, you can only hope you will adapt to it and it will work, but usually it takes 4-6 weeks for the positive effects you're looking for to fully kick in, while side effects start right away, but this differs by the person and how well you're absorbing the med.  If problems persist, you might need to try a different med.  I also encourage you to find a therapist who specializes in anxiety treatment if you ever want to be off meds again in your life, as meds only treat the symptoms, not the disease.

[AnxiousNoMore]

It might be weeks more before there is a reduction in side effects.