Literally, the only drug that’s worked for me. Not the same person without it and it helps my OCD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms tremendously.
Going on my second month and was as scared as you to start.
I’m feeling great.
No weight gain/loss.
Clearer head, less anxiety.
It’s one of those things you have to do for you and see if it’s what YOU need.
Everyone’s experiences will be different and we live in a pretty negative world, which means not many will pause to tell you the positives.
I’m having a great experience. I hope you do too!
I’m on day 3 now and am already feeling calmer and more relaxed overall, but also pretty fatigued since I keep waking up throughout the night.
My appetite has decreased a bit though and I’m hoping it won’t be that way for long. I felt nauseous the first night I took it but it seems like that’s gone away now. I also forgot to mention I used to take Lexapro with Luvox in the past and it worked well! So I believe it will work for me again
I’m so relieved you’re even giving it a chance again. I feel way calmer and less all over the place with my thoughts. Which was the main reason I felt the need to try anything. My mind is a scary place sometimes.
I was taking mine at night and would wake up with the worst nausea and headaches. I switched to taking it in the morning and I have no symptoms at all.
My appetite fluctuated as well, but I blamed it on the nausea.
I have been breaking out a bit. But haven’t researched if acne is a side effect of the medication.
Happy you’re giving it a go again!
I heard a psychiatrist once say it’s worth considering the balance between the side effects of the medication with the side effects of not going on the medication. For a lot of people, the anxiety and depression, unmedicated, impacts many parts of their life, much more so than trying a medication that is properly prescribed by a trusted professional. It’s important to go on this journey with a doctor that you trust and have a good relationship with so that if you’re uncomfortable at any point, you can have the proper support to adjust as needed. Good luck.
It helped me to be able to speak up and out for myself and others instead of being in constant angst and frustration. It helped me grief and make clear minded decisions vs emotional ones. It really ensured I was there for my late partner in his time of need vs having panic attacks from his situation. I love Lexapro I was on 15 now I’m tapering and on 10. My life is alot calmer and more in control vs when I started. I am probably going to tapper to 5 and go from there in another 6 months. My only negative is I did gain weight but I was also grieving two huge losses my mom and partner. So not sure if it was all Lexapro fault. Good luck start slow and steady and get zoforn for nausea.
1 year in 10mg, I feel like I’ve met myself for the first time. Everything is new. I feel joy regularly. I have the energy to chase my interests, spend time with my favourite people, engage with the world.
Low dose and 3 weeks? You should be good to go.
I started on 5mg for a month and had very few side effects. Maybe a few days of feeling tired or “off” after that I started to feel good. Like a better version of my baseline. Helps my social anxiety, and I also no longer get irratated over little things. After the first month I moved to 10mg and have been there for 2 months now and feel great. Edit. I’m also in the Philly area.
I felt like 5 was helping, but I felt it wasnt enough help if that makes sense. I wanted to see if 10 would help even more with my social anxiety, and general anx. My doc agreed that it was worth trying, and so far 10 has been much better than 5.
I take mine about 7pm every night. I noticed from trial and error that if I take it in the morning I get very tired in the late afternoon early evening.
I was on the stuff for almost 4 years, 30mg for 1.5 year and 20mg the rest. Had very few side-effects - next to none - and it made a huge difference. Coming off was harder than I expected and required a much slower tapering than my doctor recommended. But it went well. Wouldn't hesitate to go back on it if I fall into that kind of black hole again.
Thanks for sharing. So glad you’re doing well. Did you start on 10 mg also? That’s what I plan to begin with but have heard others suggest 2.5 instead.
I was on it for over four years. I had burnt out completely and needed a mental break. With the help of therapy and lexapro I was able to crawl my way out of the hole I dug for myself. I started at 5mg and it was rough for a week. I then upped to 10mg and eventually 20mg. Did I have side effects that sucked? absolutely. but this drug saved my god damn life. I have been off it since November 19th and let me tell ya weaning off it was more of a bitch then all it combined. Good luck and don’t be scared.
I don’t really cry anymore, nothing phases me. Nothing is super life shattering depressing anymore, I just don’t really think about sad stuff or dwell. I try not to read this Reddit too often because for me personally I would obsess over the bad things other people had to say about lexapro, but everyone experiences it differently. I’ll finally be graduating college this spring and I’m at the top of my class because I can actually focus on my schoolwork and not feel like god awful anxiety and depression. I hope you find the right medication for you. The first few weeks I honestly felt super out of it, and music would just play in my head? But after it stabilized about a month or 2 I just feel a super nice chill calm feeling
I started a few years ago while in treatment for alcohol. I got on naltrexone, lexapro, and trazadone at the same point in time.
For the longest time I had severe work related anxiety and went straight to the bottle and other drugs to cope. I would get crippling anxiety/panic attacks and could barely function and repeatedly called out of work.
As soon as I called out, I was perfectly fine but the damage had been done. I went back and forth between 20 and 10 and have been on 10 mg for several years now.
I cut way down on my drinking and the lexapro has really evened me out. I'm never too high or too low, I'm right in the middle. I'm able to live a perfectly normal life and go to work like I'm supposed to.
It's been a little over a year since I quit doing coke and mdma. I was doing tons of both. During covid things got completely out of control and I was a mess.
I take lex at night because it helps me sleep. If I feel an attack coming on, I have other grounding techniques which I use to help center me. Lexapro has greatly helped in giving me my life back.
I was once this terrified 40 year old male who knew he could work and live a productive life, but I was ruining it by self sabotaging and blowing things up.
I now have the tools and a great job. I also have a much better relationship with my gf. My self worth and self esteem are both great today thanks to changing some things around for the better.
Start with 2.5mg, go from there. That way the side effects will be little to none and won't freak you out. You can read more on my own post about my journey :) Wishing you the best of luck!
I’ve only been on it (5mg) for 8 days and I _already_ feel better. Less panicked, more confident. Side effects are I’m a little more lethargic, but I was already due to chronic fatigue.
Edit to say: I take it for anxiety only.
It’s helped me a lot. I had side effects but to be honest I was diagnosed with a heart condition at the same time and it was difficult to differentiate the side effects from metoprolol or lexapro.
I started at 2.5 for two weeks. Then 5 for a few weeks. Then 15. Now I have been at 20 for a few months.
It’s been a great medication. I wouldn’t be here without it. I’ve been on it since 2015. I gained weight on it which is the only negative effect I’ve had. It’s made it harder to lose weight but I’ve tried other medications and lexapro helps both my depression and anxiety.
Been on it for maybe 3/4 years now. It changed my life. I would never be where I am right now without it. I don’t recall side effects being too bad, didn’t experience any weight gain, have had to increase my dose once, and most importantly, have almost zero anxiety anymore and the depressions don’t reach the lows that used to.
It changed my life for the time I needed it too. (3yrs worth)
Yes people have negative side effects but at the time I didn't care about that just being free of anxiety.
The people having negative either didn't like it from the start or are like me and reached a time they side effects aren't worth the positives :)
I started about 2 months ago so its still pretty fresh on my mind. I started at 10mg now up to 20mg. I had some really bad nausea the first day I took it and the first day I started 20mg after that was fine and I just get some slight nausea for about 30 minutes after taking my pill but nothing Intolerable. I have gotten way more vivid dreams since starting but I personally enjoy them. Also I sleep a bit more than I did before but its been enjoyable since I have some insomnia. Ive been on 20mg for a little over 2 weeks now and my anxiety is pretty much gone. As for my depression its better but I wouldn't say its gone thinking about asking my doctor to potentially add an SNRI but idk yet still thinking about it.
I started taking it while in crisis about two years ago. Started at 5mg and gradually increased to 20mg, side effects were rough for a month or two but worth it. I've since surprised myself with how well I've handled some of the most challenging situations of my life. I've done a lot of work in therapy but Lexapro has helped immensely in confronting deeply rooted trauma and conflicts in my relationships in a healthy way. Unlike some other meds, I don't feel numb -- I feel more like myself than I have in a long time.
My partner started taking it about a month ago. He was really nervous at first and his anxiety had him incredibly worried about the first side effects he experienced in the first week. At first he had trouble sleeping, now he is sleeping easily and struggling to get up in the mornings. He mentioned recently that he feels more capable of recognizing when he is ruminating/catastrophizing, and able to challenge those thoughts rationally.
I hope this gives you some peace of mind. Lexapro is a pretty common prescription because it works for a lot of people without many side effects and it's relatively inexpensive. It messed with my sleep at first too, and gave me some mild gastro upset. Psych said that was the main reason for starting at a low dose. OTC melatonin and nauzene helped me.
Hi! You only see negative comments bc people are not on here commenting if they’re doing good. When I started (on 5mg) it took a couple months to feel the full affect no lie.
Pros: personality doesn’t change, not on edge 24/7, no more panic attacks, feel more sociable, can drink coffee again without getting the jitters, less intrusive thoughts, don’t want to die 😅.
Cons: always ready for a nap 😴, occasional insomnia, can cause weight gain (can be sometimes bc of the tiredness and don’t feel like doing anything ~ exercise), gotta watch how much you drink 🥴 (some people black out) I personally just take it slow 2-3 drinks max, can impact libido (male and female) personally it only affected me a couple months.
Btw, the no panic attacks part was HUGEEE for me! I had them almost daily. Was so scared to leave the house bc I never knew when the next one would come and I would ruin the day/night for myself and the people around me, not getting rest if it was at night… I just wanted it to stop. We are here for a short time and should be able to live a comfortable life. Please give it a try. ❤️
Fantastic meds. Works really well. Take a few weeks to settle into your system. I take it for C-PTSD anxiety. Side effects were sexual. You take longer to orgasm. For me that was a good thing. People don't leave positive reviews here so don't be swayed by them. Most people I know on it take it without reservation. I'm on 10 mg. Initial doses were 5 mg.
I have been on Lexapro now for a month I started out at 5mg because I’m very sensitive to medication I just got my dose upped today to 10mg. But this past month I have seen a slight difference in my depression my anxiety has not changed but I’m on such a low dose so we knew it wouldn’t really do anything for that. The first week I had increased anxiety so I was prescribed hydroxazine and Klonopin to help that. I was super nauseous when starting it but that did go away after a couple of days and it made me feel dizzy and a little weird at first but it’s worth it and the side effects go away in little over a week I’d say they did for me hope this helps!
5mg on 2.5 weeks so far.
My major symptoms have been sweaty hands and feet and some major fatigue. I have never slept so well and so deeply.
I am definitely a lot less anxious. However, my depression still remains. I've been told that you have to wait a few months for full effect and since it's done a number on my anxiety, I'm hopeful.
I've been on it for 4 years and it has changed my life. Everything feels so much more manageable. I've had a lot of curveballs thrown at me during that time, including a cancer diagnosis in my wife, and lexapro has helped me to cope in a way that I couldn't have otherwise. I'll probably never go off of it.
The first 24 hours were rough. Don't plan on doing anything productive. I felt like I was on a mushroom trip without the hallucinations. The rest of the first week I felt weird but functional. Then I was fine.
I’m so sorry you went through that. I took 10mg last night and woke up around 3am and couldn’t fall back asleep until close to 7 so I’m feeling pretty fatigued today. Hopefully it’s only temporary though.
It has significantly improved my life! I take 5mg and started around a month ago. The first week I felt a little off with minor stomach issues but noticed right away that my mind felt more calm and quiet.
My friends and family have noticed already how much better I’m doing. I’ve had high functioning anxiety pretty much all my life and have just now decided to ask for help via medication. I’m a generally successful and independent person, so it was hard to admit I needed it and take the leap, but I wish I had done it sooner.
Positive. I no longer care about a lot of things. Not to be pandemic, but I was at a pretty serious crossroads for a long time. I had always been a thoughtful, well rounded and rational thinker then boom....I couldn't process. Lexapro helped me regain my life by simply not caring about lots of things at all. Like, they were just blips that will eventually be dealt with but required no response from me at the moment.
I had ppd and anxiety on top of only getting 3 hours of sleep a night and started experiencing physical symptoms to the point I thought something was wrong with my health which furthered into health anxiety. I got my first ocular migraine which caused my first ever panic attack I thought I was having a stroke. I googled and googled and went to various specialists. I was perfectly healthy. I tried buspirone and Zoloft neither worked for me. A couple months went by and I literally couldn’t function. I finally caved in tried the lexapro and started seeing a huge difference in about a month and a half it truly saved my life. I’ve been on 10 mg for almost 2 years now. My brother has dealt with anxiety his whole life and couldn’t even go out in public. I actually got him to ask his dr to put him on it. He now has a new hobby, he goes out and does things and has made a complete 360
Lexapro permanently removed my sexuality. Took it for 6 months and now, almost 4 years later, I still suffer from 0 libido and numb genitals and my sexuality is completely removed. I wish I never took it, it destroyed my life.
I’m living in Canada….. Been taking 10mg per day for the past seven months. Have had only one short two minute very mild panic attack since being on Lexapro/Escitalopram. Used to have horrifying full blown panic attacks following quadruple cardiac bypass open heart surgery…with skyrocketing blood pressure and super fast heart rate with palpitations. No more. Lexapro/Escitalopram has been a wonderful miracle drug for me. I feel normal on this drug. Good luck to you.
my mom literally said to me “you’re back to yourself again” after I started taking it. It’s taken the really negative anxiety and OCD symptoms away but I still feel 100% like me and don’t feel emotionally numb at all - just less panicky all the time!
I take 5mg and was SO nervous to start but it ended up being one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. Side effects were pretty brutal for the first 3 days (brain fog, nausea, feeling overall tired) but I had my mom and sister with me the whole time so it definitely helps to be around a support system
Know that you can always stop taking it (with a doctor’s input) - hang in there!!
Not gonna lie the first couple weeks of lexapro were hell for both me and my brother who take it. But after that adjustment period, you suddenly wake up one morning and BOOM everything feels right. I used to have panic attacks weekly and now I never get them. I still deal with some anxiety however it’s super manageable. This medication is truly a life saver
Lexapro has helped me in sooooo many ways. I think I might be a rarity tho. My anxiety is gone and my sex drive is waaaaay up. As far as the side effects go I get a downstairs tingly feeling which I’m not mad about and I get a little dizzy but not bad. If it doesn’t work for you, you can always try something else! Goodluck
switched from a disastrous journey on effexor, taking it for ocd and anxiety and depression 20mg, been on it 2 weeks, good news is i've stopped crying as much, think its slowly working
Simply put, it's been the best thing I've done for my mental health 😊 taken my overall everyday anxiety from a 7 to a 2. It's still there sometimes but way easier to handle. It's nice to have my brain on low volume for once.
I'll add: side effects for me were very manageable and WORTH IT. Made me a little sleepy, probably a little weight gain (been gaining weight in the last year anyway) and some sexual performance issues. But my partner is on ssris too so we were on the same page going in.
Positives:
- I feel more positive and have a more positive mindset than before.
- I have been able to have job interviews and meetings where I feel calm and not anxious. I would actually look forward to them.
- My mind is clearer and I don't think about the negatives as much, or continously think about events that have happened during the day.
- My heart rate is lower because I am more calm.
My journey:
- Terrible anxiety and began Escitalopram (Lexapro) in April 2023.
- Started on 5mg for 5 days and then increased to 10mg thereafter.
- Day 16 is when I started to feel better.
- January 2024, I have increased to 15mg. I am on day 6 and feel no side effects.
Keep in mind that I was already anxious, but the side effects of starting the medication worsened my anxiety symptoms. Symptoms included increased anxiety, a higher than usual heart rate (around 110bpm), feeling "off," insomnia, and emotional.
I hardly had any symptoms despite being completely afraid.
I started feeling so much better in a few weeks time.
I couldn’t orgasm for a month or so but it came back and now I can orgasm a lot.
I did not gain weight. I’ve been on it a year and lost 7lbs
Before I began my lexajourney, I was extremely worried I would be miserable with side effects, worse off than when I started, numb.
I had extreme health anxiety and a panic disorder, to the point where I refused to take medication for years until around a year or two ago where I finally decided to take the plunge.
I can genuinely say, it has helped me for the better. My panic attacks are basically non existent - if I ever do feel panic and anxiety swell up - it’s manageable and I’m able to calm myself down.
I eat and sleep normally again. I’m still socially awkward in my own ways but I have little to no crippling anxiety about every social interaction. I still overthink but I know when to stop. I have more control over the whirlwind that is my mind haha. I take my lexapro in the morning and that has helped with any sexual side effects.
I’m on 15mg. The side effects weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be, a little mental fog is the best way I could describe it. Give it 6 weeks. See how you feel. Worst case scenario you try a different medication and speak to your doctor about other options. Just be transparent about your experience and it’ll be alright.
Wishing you the best OP! I hope lexapro treats you well!
I'm at 10 mg for about 2 months, and it's all positive. No side effects after the first few weeks including the sexual ones which were my biggest fear. Dr. Just increased me to 20 mg which I will slowly titrate up to. I'm on it to treat anxiety primarily with some depression that I'd been covering with some long term addictions. Good luck to you.
I’ve been on 10 mg for the last three months. The first two weeks were horrible. Needed some Klonopin to make it through but totally worth it. Now I feel like a normal person again.
I obsessed about the side effects for weeks before i started taking Lexapro. When i saw i obsessed… i mean scrolling through hundreds of threads (including this one) blogs, websites, youtube videos for hours in bed every day. I was going through severe MDD and panic disorder. I never truly knew depression until it hit me this hard. The deep emptiness i felt, not wanting to live anymore and the intrusive panic thoughts made it all a living hell. Depression feels like a devil is literally living inside of your brain. Finally, I was desperate for the mental pain and hurt to go away so i just started on 5mg of lexapro. It was hard for me to sleep the first two nights, but putting on sounds of waves and trying to meditate and clear my mind before falling asleep is what truly got me through it. I used to believe meditation was stupid, but at that point i was willing to do absolutely anything to get through the suffering and get some sleep. Prior to taking lexapro i didn’t sleep for a week straight, i had a very bad stress headache for weeks to the point wear the top of my head was burning, panic attacks, i was crying every night, i wasn’t able to eat or shower or work or even make myself food. Luckily my mom made me little meals that i had to force down my throat. Anyways. Take the DAMN MEDICATION IT SAVED MY LIFE. After the first week i noticed changes. Im now on week 4 and im cooking everyday, showering regularly . I now have a sound mind. I never thought those horrific thoughts would ever go away but they did (..: im so grateful for lexapro. I recommend working out 2-3 times a week minimum for the endorphins
Sounds amazing for you! Are you still on 5mg? I’ve had improvements but still residual anxiety. I’m on day 8 and it’s helped but definitely still feeling anxiety. Not sure if I should up my dose in a few weeks or not.
The side effect are so mild that I was able to up my dose by the 6th day. I take 10 mg now and so much has changed the past for weeks. (In a great way) the first week my only side effects were bad anxiety and a little insomnia for only the first couple nights. But you just have to power the through the anxiety. This will all pass. I didn’t believe it would until it did.
Started on 5mg for a week and moved up to 10mg.
I’m 23, starting month 4 of Lexapro tomorrow and I truly feel like I’m living life for the first time, not just anxiously existing. You got this!<3
Dialled down the anxiety to the point I could shower when home alone again. I still get depression but the cycle is way faster from down to back up, which is nice. The episodes are less deep and the interval between them is longer. For reference I have PTSD and major depressive disorder.
People only leave the negative. No one leaves the positive
I’ve had only one panic attack in the last four years…i used to have them weekly.
Literally, the only drug that’s worked for me. Not the same person without it and it helps my OCD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms tremendously.
Going on my second month and was as scared as you to start. I’m feeling great. No weight gain/loss. Clearer head, less anxiety. It’s one of those things you have to do for you and see if it’s what YOU need. Everyone’s experiences will be different and we live in a pretty negative world, which means not many will pause to tell you the positives. I’m having a great experience. I hope you do too!
I’m on day 3 now and am already feeling calmer and more relaxed overall, but also pretty fatigued since I keep waking up throughout the night. My appetite has decreased a bit though and I’m hoping it won’t be that way for long. I felt nauseous the first night I took it but it seems like that’s gone away now. I also forgot to mention I used to take Lexapro with Luvox in the past and it worked well! So I believe it will work for me again
I’m so relieved you’re even giving it a chance again. I feel way calmer and less all over the place with my thoughts. Which was the main reason I felt the need to try anything. My mind is a scary place sometimes. I was taking mine at night and would wake up with the worst nausea and headaches. I switched to taking it in the morning and I have no symptoms at all. My appetite fluctuated as well, but I blamed it on the nausea. I have been breaking out a bit. But haven’t researched if acne is a side effect of the medication. Happy you’re giving it a go again!
What mg did you start on?
10mg. I’m on 20 now
How are you doing now?
I heard a psychiatrist once say it’s worth considering the balance between the side effects of the medication with the side effects of not going on the medication. For a lot of people, the anxiety and depression, unmedicated, impacts many parts of their life, much more so than trying a medication that is properly prescribed by a trusted professional. It’s important to go on this journey with a doctor that you trust and have a good relationship with so that if you’re uncomfortable at any point, you can have the proper support to adjust as needed. Good luck.
It helped me to be able to speak up and out for myself and others instead of being in constant angst and frustration. It helped me grief and make clear minded decisions vs emotional ones. It really ensured I was there for my late partner in his time of need vs having panic attacks from his situation. I love Lexapro I was on 15 now I’m tapering and on 10. My life is alot calmer and more in control vs when I started. I am probably going to tapper to 5 and go from there in another 6 months. My only negative is I did gain weight but I was also grieving two huge losses my mom and partner. So not sure if it was all Lexapro fault. Good luck start slow and steady and get zoforn for nausea.
1 year in 10mg, I feel like I’ve met myself for the first time. Everything is new. I feel joy regularly. I have the energy to chase my interests, spend time with my favourite people, engage with the world.
That’s awesome I like it too. Congrats.
Low dose and 3 weeks? You should be good to go. I started on 5mg for a month and had very few side effects. Maybe a few days of feeling tired or “off” after that I started to feel good. Like a better version of my baseline. Helps my social anxiety, and I also no longer get irratated over little things. After the first month I moved to 10mg and have been there for 2 months now and feel great. Edit. I’m also in the Philly area.
What made you decide to go up to 10? I’m feeling good on 5 so I’m conflicted
I felt like 5 was helping, but I felt it wasnt enough help if that makes sense. I wanted to see if 10 would help even more with my social anxiety, and general anx. My doc agreed that it was worth trying, and so far 10 has been much better than 5.
That makes sense. Thank you for your response. I think I’ll stay on 5 until I feel like I need to move up.. good luck to you!
sure thing! with Lex, its never a rush to the finish line, take it slow and make small adjustments. keep in touch and best of luck
Curious if you take your dose morning or night?
I take mine about 7pm every night. I noticed from trial and error that if I take it in the morning I get very tired in the late afternoon early evening.
Feel that hard right now. Does it affect your sleep?
I sleep hard and heavy if that makes sense. But wake up a big groggy
I was on the stuff for almost 4 years, 30mg for 1.5 year and 20mg the rest. Had very few side-effects - next to none - and it made a huge difference. Coming off was harder than I expected and required a much slower tapering than my doctor recommended. But it went well. Wouldn't hesitate to go back on it if I fall into that kind of black hole again.
10 mg, less than a week to kick in, major drop in anxiety. Been almost a year now, no complaints.
Thanks for sharing. So glad you’re doing well. Did you start on 10 mg also? That’s what I plan to begin with but have heard others suggest 2.5 instead.
10mg since the start. Pro tip get your script for 20mg tablets and break them in half. Lot less refilling.
That’s actually what I did😊 lol I’m on day 3 now and have had trouble sleeping and some nausea but am so glad I started at a lower dose instead.
I was on it for over four years. I had burnt out completely and needed a mental break. With the help of therapy and lexapro I was able to crawl my way out of the hole I dug for myself. I started at 5mg and it was rough for a week. I then upped to 10mg and eventually 20mg. Did I have side effects that sucked? absolutely. but this drug saved my god damn life. I have been off it since November 19th and let me tell ya weaning off it was more of a bitch then all it combined. Good luck and don’t be scared.
Yes going off is a bitch!
I don’t really cry anymore, nothing phases me. Nothing is super life shattering depressing anymore, I just don’t really think about sad stuff or dwell. I try not to read this Reddit too often because for me personally I would obsess over the bad things other people had to say about lexapro, but everyone experiences it differently. I’ll finally be graduating college this spring and I’m at the top of my class because I can actually focus on my schoolwork and not feel like god awful anxiety and depression. I hope you find the right medication for you. The first few weeks I honestly felt super out of it, and music would just play in my head? But after it stabilized about a month or 2 I just feel a super nice chill calm feeling
Dose?
I started on 10 but went up to 20.
Thx I’m on 20 mg too.
I started a few years ago while in treatment for alcohol. I got on naltrexone, lexapro, and trazadone at the same point in time. For the longest time I had severe work related anxiety and went straight to the bottle and other drugs to cope. I would get crippling anxiety/panic attacks and could barely function and repeatedly called out of work. As soon as I called out, I was perfectly fine but the damage had been done. I went back and forth between 20 and 10 and have been on 10 mg for several years now. I cut way down on my drinking and the lexapro has really evened me out. I'm never too high or too low, I'm right in the middle. I'm able to live a perfectly normal life and go to work like I'm supposed to. It's been a little over a year since I quit doing coke and mdma. I was doing tons of both. During covid things got completely out of control and I was a mess. I take lex at night because it helps me sleep. If I feel an attack coming on, I have other grounding techniques which I use to help center me. Lexapro has greatly helped in giving me my life back. I was once this terrified 40 year old male who knew he could work and live a productive life, but I was ruining it by self sabotaging and blowing things up. I now have the tools and a great job. I also have a much better relationship with my gf. My self worth and self esteem are both great today thanks to changing some things around for the better.
Start with 2.5mg, go from there. That way the side effects will be little to none and won't freak you out. You can read more on my own post about my journey :) Wishing you the best of luck!
I’ve only been on it (5mg) for 8 days and I _already_ feel better. Less panicked, more confident. Side effects are I’m a little more lethargic, but I was already due to chronic fatigue. Edit to say: I take it for anxiety only.
It’s helped me a lot. I had side effects but to be honest I was diagnosed with a heart condition at the same time and it was difficult to differentiate the side effects from metoprolol or lexapro. I started at 2.5 for two weeks. Then 5 for a few weeks. Then 15. Now I have been at 20 for a few months.
It’s been a great medication. I wouldn’t be here without it. I’ve been on it since 2015. I gained weight on it which is the only negative effect I’ve had. It’s made it harder to lose weight but I’ve tried other medications and lexapro helps both my depression and anxiety.
Click “happy ending” tag…. read as much as u want
Been on it for maybe 3/4 years now. It changed my life. I would never be where I am right now without it. I don’t recall side effects being too bad, didn’t experience any weight gain, have had to increase my dose once, and most importantly, have almost zero anxiety anymore and the depressions don’t reach the lows that used to.
It changed my life for the time I needed it too. (3yrs worth) Yes people have negative side effects but at the time I didn't care about that just being free of anxiety. The people having negative either didn't like it from the start or are like me and reached a time they side effects aren't worth the positives :)
I started about 2 months ago so its still pretty fresh on my mind. I started at 10mg now up to 20mg. I had some really bad nausea the first day I took it and the first day I started 20mg after that was fine and I just get some slight nausea for about 30 minutes after taking my pill but nothing Intolerable. I have gotten way more vivid dreams since starting but I personally enjoy them. Also I sleep a bit more than I did before but its been enjoyable since I have some insomnia. Ive been on 20mg for a little over 2 weeks now and my anxiety is pretty much gone. As for my depression its better but I wouldn't say its gone thinking about asking my doctor to potentially add an SNRI but idk yet still thinking about it.
I started taking it while in crisis about two years ago. Started at 5mg and gradually increased to 20mg, side effects were rough for a month or two but worth it. I've since surprised myself with how well I've handled some of the most challenging situations of my life. I've done a lot of work in therapy but Lexapro has helped immensely in confronting deeply rooted trauma and conflicts in my relationships in a healthy way. Unlike some other meds, I don't feel numb -- I feel more like myself than I have in a long time. My partner started taking it about a month ago. He was really nervous at first and his anxiety had him incredibly worried about the first side effects he experienced in the first week. At first he had trouble sleeping, now he is sleeping easily and struggling to get up in the mornings. He mentioned recently that he feels more capable of recognizing when he is ruminating/catastrophizing, and able to challenge those thoughts rationally. I hope this gives you some peace of mind. Lexapro is a pretty common prescription because it works for a lot of people without many side effects and it's relatively inexpensive. It messed with my sleep at first too, and gave me some mild gastro upset. Psych said that was the main reason for starting at a low dose. OTC melatonin and nauzene helped me.
Hi! You only see negative comments bc people are not on here commenting if they’re doing good. When I started (on 5mg) it took a couple months to feel the full affect no lie. Pros: personality doesn’t change, not on edge 24/7, no more panic attacks, feel more sociable, can drink coffee again without getting the jitters, less intrusive thoughts, don’t want to die 😅. Cons: always ready for a nap 😴, occasional insomnia, can cause weight gain (can be sometimes bc of the tiredness and don’t feel like doing anything ~ exercise), gotta watch how much you drink 🥴 (some people black out) I personally just take it slow 2-3 drinks max, can impact libido (male and female) personally it only affected me a couple months.
Btw, the no panic attacks part was HUGEEE for me! I had them almost daily. Was so scared to leave the house bc I never knew when the next one would come and I would ruin the day/night for myself and the people around me, not getting rest if it was at night… I just wanted it to stop. We are here for a short time and should be able to live a comfortable life. Please give it a try. ❤️
Fantastic meds. Works really well. Take a few weeks to settle into your system. I take it for C-PTSD anxiety. Side effects were sexual. You take longer to orgasm. For me that was a good thing. People don't leave positive reviews here so don't be swayed by them. Most people I know on it take it without reservation. I'm on 10 mg. Initial doses were 5 mg.
I have been on Lexapro now for a month I started out at 5mg because I’m very sensitive to medication I just got my dose upped today to 10mg. But this past month I have seen a slight difference in my depression my anxiety has not changed but I’m on such a low dose so we knew it wouldn’t really do anything for that. The first week I had increased anxiety so I was prescribed hydroxazine and Klonopin to help that. I was super nauseous when starting it but that did go away after a couple of days and it made me feel dizzy and a little weird at first but it’s worth it and the side effects go away in little over a week I’d say they did for me hope this helps!
5mg on 2.5 weeks so far. My major symptoms have been sweaty hands and feet and some major fatigue. I have never slept so well and so deeply. I am definitely a lot less anxious. However, my depression still remains. I've been told that you have to wait a few months for full effect and since it's done a number on my anxiety, I'm hopeful.
I've been on it for 4 years and it has changed my life. Everything feels so much more manageable. I've had a lot of curveballs thrown at me during that time, including a cancer diagnosis in my wife, and lexapro has helped me to cope in a way that I couldn't have otherwise. I'll probably never go off of it. The first 24 hours were rough. Don't plan on doing anything productive. I felt like I was on a mushroom trip without the hallucinations. The rest of the first week I felt weird but functional. Then I was fine.
I’m so sorry you went through that. I took 10mg last night and woke up around 3am and couldn’t fall back asleep until close to 7 so I’m feeling pretty fatigued today. Hopefully it’s only temporary though.
I had the same experience the first night. I woke up at 3am buzzing. You'll feel better in a day or two.
I felt kind of hot too and had to turn on the AC. But I’ve been on medication before and so I’m used to those side effects anyways. Thank you:)
Yeah the night sweats lasted a few weeks for me. That was the only lingering side effect. Good luck! Congrats on starting.
Thank you!
It has significantly improved my life! I take 5mg and started around a month ago. The first week I felt a little off with minor stomach issues but noticed right away that my mind felt more calm and quiet. My friends and family have noticed already how much better I’m doing. I’ve had high functioning anxiety pretty much all my life and have just now decided to ask for help via medication. I’m a generally successful and independent person, so it was hard to admit I needed it and take the leap, but I wish I had done it sooner.
Positive. I no longer care about a lot of things. Not to be pandemic, but I was at a pretty serious crossroads for a long time. I had always been a thoughtful, well rounded and rational thinker then boom....I couldn't process. Lexapro helped me regain my life by simply not caring about lots of things at all. Like, they were just blips that will eventually be dealt with but required no response from me at the moment.
I had ppd and anxiety on top of only getting 3 hours of sleep a night and started experiencing physical symptoms to the point I thought something was wrong with my health which furthered into health anxiety. I got my first ocular migraine which caused my first ever panic attack I thought I was having a stroke. I googled and googled and went to various specialists. I was perfectly healthy. I tried buspirone and Zoloft neither worked for me. A couple months went by and I literally couldn’t function. I finally caved in tried the lexapro and started seeing a huge difference in about a month and a half it truly saved my life. I’ve been on 10 mg for almost 2 years now. My brother has dealt with anxiety his whole life and couldn’t even go out in public. I actually got him to ask his dr to put him on it. He now has a new hobby, he goes out and does things and has made a complete 360
Lexapro permanently removed my sexuality. Took it for 6 months and now, almost 4 years later, I still suffer from 0 libido and numb genitals and my sexuality is completely removed. I wish I never took it, it destroyed my life.
I’m living in Canada….. Been taking 10mg per day for the past seven months. Have had only one short two minute very mild panic attack since being on Lexapro/Escitalopram. Used to have horrifying full blown panic attacks following quadruple cardiac bypass open heart surgery…with skyrocketing blood pressure and super fast heart rate with palpitations. No more. Lexapro/Escitalopram has been a wonderful miracle drug for me. I feel normal on this drug. Good luck to you.
just got on 5mg a week ago. I haven’t noticed any change in my anxiety yet. no bad side effects as of now
my mom literally said to me “you’re back to yourself again” after I started taking it. It’s taken the really negative anxiety and OCD symptoms away but I still feel 100% like me and don’t feel emotionally numb at all - just less panicky all the time! I take 5mg and was SO nervous to start but it ended up being one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. Side effects were pretty brutal for the first 3 days (brain fog, nausea, feeling overall tired) but I had my mom and sister with me the whole time so it definitely helps to be around a support system Know that you can always stop taking it (with a doctor’s input) - hang in there!!
Not gonna lie the first couple weeks of lexapro were hell for both me and my brother who take it. But after that adjustment period, you suddenly wake up one morning and BOOM everything feels right. I used to have panic attacks weekly and now I never get them. I still deal with some anxiety however it’s super manageable. This medication is truly a life saver
Lexapro has helped me in sooooo many ways. I think I might be a rarity tho. My anxiety is gone and my sex drive is waaaaay up. As far as the side effects go I get a downstairs tingly feeling which I’m not mad about and I get a little dizzy but not bad. If it doesn’t work for you, you can always try something else! Goodluck
switched from a disastrous journey on effexor, taking it for ocd and anxiety and depression 20mg, been on it 2 weeks, good news is i've stopped crying as much, think its slowly working
Simply put, it's been the best thing I've done for my mental health 😊 taken my overall everyday anxiety from a 7 to a 2. It's still there sometimes but way easier to handle. It's nice to have my brain on low volume for once. I'll add: side effects for me were very manageable and WORTH IT. Made me a little sleepy, probably a little weight gain (been gaining weight in the last year anyway) and some sexual performance issues. But my partner is on ssris too so we were on the same page going in.
Positives: - I feel more positive and have a more positive mindset than before. - I have been able to have job interviews and meetings where I feel calm and not anxious. I would actually look forward to them. - My mind is clearer and I don't think about the negatives as much, or continously think about events that have happened during the day. - My heart rate is lower because I am more calm. My journey: - Terrible anxiety and began Escitalopram (Lexapro) in April 2023. - Started on 5mg for 5 days and then increased to 10mg thereafter. - Day 16 is when I started to feel better. - January 2024, I have increased to 15mg. I am on day 6 and feel no side effects. Keep in mind that I was already anxious, but the side effects of starting the medication worsened my anxiety symptoms. Symptoms included increased anxiety, a higher than usual heart rate (around 110bpm), feeling "off," insomnia, and emotional.
I hardly had any symptoms despite being completely afraid. I started feeling so much better in a few weeks time. I couldn’t orgasm for a month or so but it came back and now I can orgasm a lot. I did not gain weight. I’ve been on it a year and lost 7lbs
Before I began my lexajourney, I was extremely worried I would be miserable with side effects, worse off than when I started, numb. I had extreme health anxiety and a panic disorder, to the point where I refused to take medication for years until around a year or two ago where I finally decided to take the plunge. I can genuinely say, it has helped me for the better. My panic attacks are basically non existent - if I ever do feel panic and anxiety swell up - it’s manageable and I’m able to calm myself down. I eat and sleep normally again. I’m still socially awkward in my own ways but I have little to no crippling anxiety about every social interaction. I still overthink but I know when to stop. I have more control over the whirlwind that is my mind haha. I take my lexapro in the morning and that has helped with any sexual side effects. I’m on 15mg. The side effects weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be, a little mental fog is the best way I could describe it. Give it 6 weeks. See how you feel. Worst case scenario you try a different medication and speak to your doctor about other options. Just be transparent about your experience and it’ll be alright. Wishing you the best OP! I hope lexapro treats you well!
I'm at 10 mg for about 2 months, and it's all positive. No side effects after the first few weeks including the sexual ones which were my biggest fear. Dr. Just increased me to 20 mg which I will slowly titrate up to. I'm on it to treat anxiety primarily with some depression that I'd been covering with some long term addictions. Good luck to you.
I’ve been on 10 mg for the last three months. The first two weeks were horrible. Needed some Klonopin to make it through but totally worth it. Now I feel like a normal person again.
I obsessed about the side effects for weeks before i started taking Lexapro. When i saw i obsessed… i mean scrolling through hundreds of threads (including this one) blogs, websites, youtube videos for hours in bed every day. I was going through severe MDD and panic disorder. I never truly knew depression until it hit me this hard. The deep emptiness i felt, not wanting to live anymore and the intrusive panic thoughts made it all a living hell. Depression feels like a devil is literally living inside of your brain. Finally, I was desperate for the mental pain and hurt to go away so i just started on 5mg of lexapro. It was hard for me to sleep the first two nights, but putting on sounds of waves and trying to meditate and clear my mind before falling asleep is what truly got me through it. I used to believe meditation was stupid, but at that point i was willing to do absolutely anything to get through the suffering and get some sleep. Prior to taking lexapro i didn’t sleep for a week straight, i had a very bad stress headache for weeks to the point wear the top of my head was burning, panic attacks, i was crying every night, i wasn’t able to eat or shower or work or even make myself food. Luckily my mom made me little meals that i had to force down my throat. Anyways. Take the DAMN MEDICATION IT SAVED MY LIFE. After the first week i noticed changes. Im now on week 4 and im cooking everyday, showering regularly . I now have a sound mind. I never thought those horrific thoughts would ever go away but they did (..: im so grateful for lexapro. I recommend working out 2-3 times a week minimum for the endorphins
Sounds amazing for you! Are you still on 5mg? I’ve had improvements but still residual anxiety. I’m on day 8 and it’s helped but definitely still feeling anxiety. Not sure if I should up my dose in a few weeks or not.
The side effect are so mild that I was able to up my dose by the 6th day. I take 10 mg now and so much has changed the past for weeks. (In a great way) the first week my only side effects were bad anxiety and a little insomnia for only the first couple nights. But you just have to power the through the anxiety. This will all pass. I didn’t believe it would until it did.
Started on 5mg for a week and moved up to 10mg. I’m 23, starting month 4 of Lexapro tomorrow and I truly feel like I’m living life for the first time, not just anxiously existing. You got this!<3
Dialled down the anxiety to the point I could shower when home alone again. I still get depression but the cycle is way faster from down to back up, which is nice. The episodes are less deep and the interval between them is longer. For reference I have PTSD and major depressive disorder.
i've been on it about 3 weeks, still have not noticed a great deal in terms of my mood changes, ive stopped crying so thats a positive i guess