Anxiety lexapro and Xanax

[johnny5isalive]

I was taking .5mg of Klonopin daily with .25mg of Xanax as needed for about a year and a half. I stopped taking both in September under the supervision of my doctor. I was great until December. So i started to take the Xanax again as needed. It started to get bad enough that I had to go back to my regular doctor. He suggested that I start taking Lexapro 10mg daily and 4 .25 mg of the xanax daily. I am wrried about taking the Lexapro because I took Effexor XR .375 a couple years ago and I had my first full blown panic attack and had to leave my job in an ambulance because I didn't know what was going on. So I stopped that immediately. So I got off the klonopin because of the horror stories I heard and I am super worried to take the Lexapro.

Does anyone have anything good to say about it? Will it make my anxiety worse in the beginning? I prefer to take nothing but I cannot go anywhere while feeling like this. Thanks in advance for your time.

[johnny5isalive]

Thanks!

[johnny5isalive]

Thanks!

[lynn57]

Xanax taken regularly shouldn't scare you any less than Klonopin.  They are both Benzos and the Klonopin is actually more suited to long term usage. If you are taking the xanax four times a day, every day, you are going to become dependent on it.  Klonopin causes dependency too, but you are less apt to need larger doses as it has less tolerance issues.  SSRI's commonly cause a rise in anxiety or panic attacks in the first couple of weeks after starting them.  This usually tapers off and the drugs begin to help.  They are not for everyone, but you have to give them time.  I know it's tough but it usually pays off in the long run.  Hang in there.  I'm sure your doctor will find the right combo.

[johnny5isalive]

Thanks

[tschock]

Everyone reacts differently to different medications, so it's quite hard for us to tell you how you will react.
Some of us, ( me included ) are very sensitive to all medications.
I'm one of those people that had to suffer through anxiety without any help whatsoever because even the lowest dosages, cut in half, messed me up.

I have heard others say that they had no problems with it at all...except a few that had nausea and other "minor" side effects.

Ativan, ( the pill that you take when you feel the first symptoms coming on ) is the only one that I'm aware of that really makes anxiety attacks worse for ( up to ) the first six weeks. The rest take time to infiltrate your body, and should not make it worse.

Hope that helps a bit.