Anxiety and Lexapro?

[callalillyanne]

Hello, I am new here....I just started taking Lexapro a little over a week ago and have been noticing that I have TERRIBLE morning dread, and I can barely get out of bed in the morning! My stomach just rolls around, and I have had some diarrhea (sorry to be gross). Is this a normal side effect with this drug? Did this happen to anyone else when they first started taking Lexapro? Please tell me it gets better! My psychiatrist gave me some Klonopin to take with it, and it does help during the day, but the mornings are awful, and I have times when I feel really down (as opposed to anxious) during the day. :

Also, did anyone else suffer from health anxiety with their PPD? I guess that is how mine has manifested. I feel like I am losing it!

Thanks in advance for any advice, mommas! Sorry if my post is hard to follow, I just have so many emotions swirling around me right now, IYKWIM!

[mmkmommy]

This is very normal with Lexapro, most side effects I found go away after the first 2-3 weeks. Although I have dizziness on it, I have taken it almost 6 weeks now and am still pretty dizzy. You are lucky if you don't have this side effect. It DOES help the anxiety though eventually, I think I really noticed a difference about the 15th day.
As for health anxiety, I know about that too and the Lexapro should help that. That is why I am so hesitant to switch, but I can't live my life dizzy.
Hope this drug works for you, good luck!

[callalillyanne]

Thanks for your reply!

Mmkmommy, thanks so much for your response! I do feel better knowing I am not the only one is experiencing some of these things! I am so sorry to hear that you have been so dizzy! I guess I am lucky that I have not experienced that side effect. I hope that it improves for you, since you said it has been helping with the anxiety/health anxiety. Ahhhh, that would be so wonderful to feel some relief! I guess I'll just sit tight here and keep my fingers crossed- for the both of us!



-Anne

[Jish]

I had the health anxiety and was on Lexapro after both my second and third children. I had some of the same side effects, but didn't have the morning issues. When do you take your pill. I'm wondering if you usually take the Lexapro in the morning, perhaps if you switched to before bed that would aleviate the morning anxiety. Another idea would be to take the Klonopin at some point at night. If you typically wake up at some point to go to the bathroom, perhaps you could take it then to get it into your system by the time you wake up.

[**guest**]

I'll be starting Lexapro on Monday. I am so afraid of side effects because I'm alone with my son (single mom). I took celexa before and got horribly ill with it so I'm really afraid to start a new med. Eek!

Good luck to all on meds.
Hugs,
Liz

[callalillyanne]

Thanks to all of you who have replied! I have been so nervous the past couple of weeks....I went back to my psychiatrist yesterday for a med check up and she said that I wasn't at the right dosage, she is upping me to 20 mg. I was a little bit disappointed, but if it makes me feel better, I will do it. She also told me I shouldn't be having any breakthrough panic attacks (like I've been having in the morning), and she told me to take half a Klonipin before I go to bed and that should alleviate it (good advice, Beth, thank you!).

Last night was the first night (I usually take it in the evening) I doubled my dose of Lexapro and took the Klonipin at night before bed. I must say I woke up feeling better. I have been doing better today, too. The doc also told me to take 1/4 Klonipin twice a day if I need it. She said that the evening dose of Klonipin might alleviate the need for the morning dose, though. So far she (and Beth) was right!

Now if I could just get rid of this sinus infection I have, I really might start to feel better! Being the nut that I am, I have researched every possible horrible disease that I could have Hopefully once the Lexapro is completely in my system, the obssessing will be curbed

Anyway, thanks to you all for listening to me go on and on! I really appreciate all of your support!