Lexapro

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2005
Lexapro
4
Fri, 03-31-2006 - 10:09am

Hi everyone,

I was given Lexpro 10 mg by my PCP yesterday. She told me to take it before bed. I was fine all day until around 7 pm. I had recoreded Lost the night before because we weren't home so we sat down to watch it. From the minute it started I began to have an attack. It lasted the rest of the night. When I went to bed around 8:30 I took the meds. I swear they only made me feel worse. I slept like crap. I kept playing the chrus of a song in my head the entire night while I was sleeping and I tossed & turned until it was time to wake up at 3:15. It didn't end when I woke, it just becam more intense. It was so bad that I had to actually wake my wife up because I was freaking out so bad. The usual stuff; my chest, feel dizzy, unreal, etc. I came so close to calling in sick which would not be good but I mustered the will to go to work. I felt like crap there too.
Right now I am just so scared that things are going to get worse and that I will find no relief from my problems. I am scared to take the Lexapro tonight thinking that it may be amplifying things. Is that possible or am I just getting overworked over nothing?

Take care,
Rob

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2006
In reply to: mrmet
Fri, 03-31-2006 - 10:46am

Hey Rob,

I would keep taking the meds as your doc prescribed. Remember that your attack started before you took the meds...maybe you were anxious about taking them and anticipating possible side effects?

I know what you mean about the "chorus of a song in head" thing. That often get me right before bed! When I went on the Effexor about 3 weeks ago I had some not-too-bad side effects (dry mouth, stomach discomfort) that went away in a week like the doctor said. My second week on the meds was great...it was like all those little voices in my head stopped chattering at me all the time with the obsessive thoughts - I was the most relaxed I had been in months! This week is harder b/c of a lot of job stress, but I can still feel a difference from the meds.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, give it time :) The meds won't work if you don't give them the chance. And, when they do start to work, it enables you to concentrate more on your therapy and learning relaxation and coping skills. See, the meds won't remove stress from your life...but they can make it easier for you to learn a better way to deal with the stress. At least, that's the approach I'm taking.

I wish you luck...you can do this. You've made some big steps recently with going on the meds and your upcoming appointment...don't forget to be proud of what you are doing to help yourself!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
In reply to: mrmet
Fri, 03-31-2006 - 11:20am

Rob, I think if you look through past posts, we have all felt worst the first few days.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
In reply to: mrmet
Fri, 03-31-2006 - 12:24pm

We are our own worst enemies, Rob. If you are worrying about the lexapro this morning, you will more than likely put in another bad night. You began the anxiety before taking the med. Now, you associate the med with the anxiety & all the bad feelings you experienced. I have done it hundreds of times.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
In reply to: mrmet
Fri, 03-31-2006 - 5:55pm

Hi

I have been on lexapro now for 6 weeks, 10mg., the very first time I took it I had a severe panic attack that lasted a long time. I called my p doc and she said stop taking it, so I did. When I went back to see her a few weeks later she said she didnt think it was the med but me, and wanted me to start it again. I did but only half a pill. Well I felt fine, no panic. She was right, like Sheri Ann said anticipatory anxiety! I had it as well. Now that I have been taking it for 6 weeks I am so much better. I used to obsess over dying, or my kids dying and the thoughts were awful, sometimes worse than the panic I d feel.

This is the first med I have ever taken, and was so afraid to take it. When I started thinking of it as medicine for a sickness I felt sooo much better. I now take my lexapro every morning without even thinking about it. Now and then I still feel some anxiety, or slight panic, or obsessive thoughts. But nothing compared to how I used to feel.

When I do get anxious it sometimes sticks around for awhile because I keep thinking about when the feeling is going to go away. That makes it stay! When I keep busy, or ignore it it goes away faster.

Good luck with the lexapro, and really give it a chance. If it really still bothers you find out if you can cut it in half and start that way. I actually cut it in fourths and increased it to 10 that way!

It will help, keep it up!

HUGS,
Kathy