ARDepressed

Kabanov, how are you getting on now? I am 5 weeks in and still struggling quite a bit. Am hoping to turn the corner here pretty soon.

Anyone out there in the beginning stages of taking escitalaprom/Lexapro? I am having a really rough time starting this up this time and was wondering if there was anyone to share this journey/nightmare with.

Thanks for the encouragement. I had no idea it was going to be rough starting up again.

This is my second time on Lexapro. I did great with it back a time but then decided I didn’t need it any more and quit. I was wrong and wish I had never quit it. Anyway, I have started back on it again at 5mg for the first 7 days and then bumped to 10mg today. I had totally forgot how hard this starting phase is. So far I have add tons of anxiety, any kind of stress sends me into a tizzy, nausea, worse depression and on and on. I guess I’m just looking for some encouragement or to see if anyone else is here in that startup phase.

Today is day 5 for me. I started really low only taking 5mg to start this time. I plan on taking this for a week and then bumping up to 10mg. I was actually taking 20mg the last time I was on it and that worked really well for me. I’m like you, I was crazy for ever stopping it.

I am trying to remember back to when I started it the first time and it seems like it’s about the same as last time. Are you experiencing these?

I have had increased anxiety and upset stomach. I have been on Lexapro before and did really well. I should have never stopped taking it but I thought I was better and just quit it.

I have done this also. I went from 5mg all the way to 20mg. What I did was step it by 5mg each time. Instead of jumping straight to 20, I went to 15 for a couple weeks and then 20mg. I really believed it helped me with side effects.

Shiz, for some reason it is that way for almost everyone. You could do a poll on here and I bet almost everyone would say the mornings are the worst. I wish I had an answer for that because I struggle with. It every morning.

Sorry to hear that shiz! Hopefully that will lift soon. I know exactly what you are talking about because I say that all the time.

Minor stomach issues (very minor), jaw clenching, added anxiety, and fatigue. Which I do still feel quite a bit, but I have definitely benefited from going to 20 and I'm sure the fatigue will pass with time. When people think of side effects, they immediately think about those that came when they first started. The side effects that came with dose increases were nowhere near as bad. Of course you always hear that everyone reacts differently to it, but if you were able to get past side effects once, I believe you will be able to do it again.

I actually started out at 5mg and stayed on that for about 6 weeks. The first 3 weeks on that was the worst for me as far as side effects go. I then moved to 10mg and tried to make it work but then bumped to 15 and now 20. I saw small improvements after each increase but I wish I would have went faster getting to 20mg.

I felt a little bit each time I increased my dose, but I did it very slowly. It was nothing like starting up in the beginning. I would say one of the biggest ones I had while increasing was being tired and sleepy at times during the day. I still have that some because I don't think I'm completely acclimated to this new dose yet. I did have some extra anxiety at times after each increase but it was nothing like the chemically driven anxiety I felt when I first started.

This Saturday will make 3 weeks for me on 20mg.

I am doing better than I was since upping my dose. It just seems like a slow crawl out of this hole with lots of bumps along the way. I was hoping to experience the effect that some people have where they wake up one day and are just better. However, I think my experience may be more common for most, Hang in there!