lexapro for anxiety?

I recently started back on Lexapro after weaning off Remeron; TERRIBLE transition. Insomnia, gas, but now also anxiety, so even if I CAN sleep, I wake up anxious and can't stay in bed even though I'm exhausted. Anyone else having this reaction? I'm taking 4mg, thinking of going up to 5mg.

[Agora1]

probusybody46, by any chance are you doing this on your own?

4-5 mg is nothing with Lexapro but you need the prescribing physician to

adjust it accordingly. Please be safe xx

[Hidden in reply to Agora1]

Thanks so much, Agora, I was following doc's orders coming off Remeron and adding Lexapro. But partway through, I had a night of literally NO sleep and SPINNING mind. No sleep is a Remeron rebound, but I blamed the spinning on the Lexapro. He exprectedme to end up on 15-20 mg of Lexapro, but the side-effects past 5mg were just too unpleasant. I'm thinking of going back up to 5mg, just to try and knock out the anxiety. But, I'm nauseated all the time. Hoping to find the sweet spot. At least to be able to sleep without anxiety.

BTW, I'm 76 years old and pharmaceuticals often give me side-effects bigger than the primary effect I'm looking for.

[Agora1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi dear. I have been on Lexapro for a while after weaning completely off Xanax.

The dose for Lexapro was started at 10mg and increased to 15mg taking about 6-8

weeks to reach it's full efficacy. I was in patient at the hospital at that time as they

played with the dosages. I was given the Lexapro at lunchtime each day and continued

that schedule ever since. I have no lethargy, feel clear headed after getting off benzos,

feel full of life once again and more importantly, I have full control over anxiety/agoraphobia. You are still at the beginning stages in finding the right dosage

for you which will allow your brain to get over the effects of Remeron.

I wish you well in believing your doctor has your best interest at heart. I'm glad you are

here with us. Stay Positive xx

[Hidden in reply to Agora1]

Well, there's the rub; I don't really trust my doc anymore. He got me off Remeron in 12 days, which I think was way too fast. It's very sedating and I think after six years my brain forgot how to sleep without it! And rather than giving me something just for sleep, he had me on various other anti-depressants with their own set of side-effects, many way scarier than depression or anxiety! I'm trying gabapentin, xanax (only one night at a time) CBD gummies, benedryl. I manage to fall asleep, but I'm awake at least 3 times during the night. I get back to sleep unless it's 5AM or later, then, no more sleep. THAT'S when the anxiety makes it impossible to rest.

As I said, I'm very sensitive to pharmaceuticals, so I'm going slowly. During the transition from Remeron, I did have one or two really good days on 10mg Lexapro, but with a headache that took all my attention. That's when I started taking it back down.

Thanks for talking to me here; I'm new to this site and wasn't really sure it would be useful. But I really appreciate your honesty and kindness.

[Agora1 in reply to Hidden]

Remeron is a great medication but with heavy sedating effects. Coming off 6 years of

it in my opinion is too fast. I was on a small dose of xanax 0.25mg (once a day) for 30 years. It took me 2 1/2 yrs to wean off it with the help of a psychiatrist who specializes with benzo withdrawal. Actually the last minimal dose that was taken away was the one before bed. Any medication for sleeping needs time for the brain to readjust to making it's own chemicals.

Since we are not doctors, we are not suppose to get into medication so know that I can only speak through my own experiences. One last thing that my doctor told me was to try and keep the consistency whether weaning off a drug or going on one, to the prescribed dosage. The up and down of cuts in the drug prolong the symptoms.

It is true that we all respond differently to medication and age does have an effect as well. My best to you. xx

[Kinlay]

I definitely agree about that being way too slow to wean off remeron. I'd tell your doctor that you want to go back on a lower dose of the remeron and then wean off it SLOWLY. I'd bet at least part of what you are going through is withdrawal - which can last MONTHS. I have had horrible issues every time I switch meds, and have more than once had to go back up to wean off more slowly - after the first time this happened, I was the one explaining it to my doc. They usually mean well, but every patient reacts differently, so they sometimes lose sight of that.

I'm also on lexapro - in addition to mirtazapine (remeron) and my doc wants me to go up from 10 mg lexapro to 15, so you are on a pretty low dose of that as well. Your brain is basically adjusting from a steady dose of meds to almost none. Another idea is to ask if you could take a lower dose of remeron at night to help you sleep. I take mine at night and it knocks me right out, but I'm okay by morning, which is when I take the lexapro. Good luck!

If you want to research your own meds, side effects, dosages, etc., one of my go-tos is the Mayo Clinic. I always read up on drugs before starting them and when going off them so I know what to watch for: mayoclinic.org/drugs-supple...