Heart Racing Every Night, Can anyone Relate??

[Alexg66]

Hi everyone, I have GAD and my biggest worries are my health.  I have had some real big anxiety issues over the last couple of months and spent hours on the internet looking up what I thought I had which made my anxiety so much worse.

My doctor put me on Xanax xr for a couple of weeks to slow my mind down and then I got off and started 5mg of Lexapro.  I have been taking that for 8 days and I feel awful and not sure if it is getting of the Xanxax or starting the Lexapro.  I wake up every night with my heart racing.  I have been to every doctor and know that there is nothing wrong with me.  I feel like I have not been worrying so much as I used to but do not know why I feel so awful.  

I spent the last four years anxiety free so I am wondering why it is back.  I think I am going to get off the Lexapro and see what happens.  I think I want to take a more natural approach to my anxiety,

does anyone here use Lexapro and have been sick from it?  Does anyone have heart racing waking them up every night at the same time?  


Thank you for reading

[nursegirl6572]

Well, it sounds like you've got a good head on your shoulders, and you sound like you know what you need to do, and you have a good plan!

Even though it hasn't been too long since you started taking the Lexapro, you MAY want to ask your doc about doing a short taper off.  Most likely, after only 8 or so days, at a low dose, you should be able to just stop, but I always like to err on the side of caution.

Keep in touch!

[Alexg66]

Thank you for the reply!  I have been in therapy and continue today, I just let the anxiety get way out of hand way to fast. I think I am going to quit the Lexapro and try to work through this in therapy and coping skills.  I know I need to stay off the internet, I really need to just stop.  The heart racing waking me up every night is really starting to bother me.  I have rough mornings but as the day goes on I feel better till I wake up at 2 am.  I will keep in touch!

[nursegirl6572]

Hello and welcome!  I'm sorry you're dealing with anxiety, it really stinks!

When you were treating your anxiety before (before this reemergence of the anxiety), did you see a therapist, and work on learning different coping strategies?  While medications certainly can have their place in a treatment regimen for some people, they aren't a cure all...the REAL work happens in therapy.  Medications will help by minimizing the SYMPTOMS of anxiety, which makes working with your therapist a lot easier.

Anxiety (GAD) is a chronic condition for most people, so you will probably experience ups and downs with your anxiety for the long term.  You may have YEARS (like you did) with little to no anxiety, and then out of the blue, it rears its ugly head again.  That's pretty typical, and you won't always be able to find an answer as to WHY the anxiety is back...that's just the nature of chronic anxiety.  That's where the coping mechanisms are so important, as is being able to recognize when your anxiety is coming back.  The sooner you start reemploying those coping methods, the better and quicker you will be able to get the anxiety to a tolerable level.

As for the medications, it's WAY too soon to make any kind of judgement call with the Lexapro.  You started out on a low dose (which is good), and the usual recommended dose of Lexapro for the treatment of anxiety is 20mg, so you may end up having to try a higher dose down the road for the Lexapro to be most effective.  Adjusting to a medication like Lexapro is a process.  Unfortunately, you just kind of have to stick it out and wait and see how it will affect your anxiety symptoms.  It will take at least 4-6 weeks (if not longer) for you to be able to assess the 5mg dose.  Then, if you and your doc decide on trying a higher dose, you have to give the new dose several weeks as well.  So, basically, to give the Lexapro a fair shake, you're going to have to commit to a several month adjustment period.  Most people WILL start reaping the benefits prior to that, but to really get a GOOD idea, a few months.

Lexapro commonly causes an increase in anxiety initially, and often a "jittery" type feeling.  That's a normal start-up side effect.  That's where a medication like Xanax can be beneficial, as a short term, as needed medication to deal with the short term increased anxiety.  

You also have to start helping yourself where you can.  Googling for an anxious person is like gas to a fire.  It's ALL bad.  Don't do it.  You really have to make a concerted effort to refrain from doing things you KNOW is going to make your anxiety worse.

Keep in touch...hang in there.  I hope you start feeling better soon.  Stay distracted, exercise, eat well....just for starters.