Lexapro/Escitalopram Success Stories

[Tranquilwaters]

Hi. I'm currently in the worst period of my GAD and Panic Disorder that I've ever experienced in my 10 plus years of dealing with this. I am under our CMHT Crisis Team, and would have been inpatient if not for Covid. I've tried all strategies (Claire Weeke's teachings, DARE, CBT and occasional failed attempts at meds under a hopeless psychiatrist who I am now changing).

In all my time of seeing the above mentioned Psych., he never once carried out a Hamilton Anxiety Scale assessment, and the Crisis Team's psychiatrist is appalled! Anyway, she has decided to start Lexapro/Escitalopram this coming week at 5mg, and I am currently on continuous 5mg x 3 daily Diazepam as I was seriously at risk of suicide due to how bad my anxiety has become. I have to say that at the moment, even that is not doing much to help surprisingly. The Diazepam is temporary and being closely monitored.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has reached rock bottom like myself who has had good success on this medication (I realise the first few weeks can be rough).

Thank you in advance - and hugs to all of you as this truly is a living hell.

[Lm92]

I haven't been suicidal, but I have been to the point with my anxiety that I wasn't able to functionI in any capacity. Lexapro has been a wonderful tool for me. I think your caregiver is doing the right thing starting you at a low dosage to give your body time to acclimate to it. I worked up to 10 mg and stayed there for about 2 years. During a particularly stressful time last year, I did have to go up to 15 mg, but I feel more stable with my GAD than I have in a long while. As you know, it goes in cycles and it may end tomorrow, but for now, Lexapro has been exactly what I've needed.

[Tranquilwaters in reply to Lm92]

Hi! Thank you so much for replying- I really appreciate it. I'm so glad to hear that you've had a positive experience with it. Yes, it certainly does go in cycles for sure. I'm hoping it might be enough to help improve my baseline at least. 💜

[Lm92 in reply to Tranquilwaters]

I will keep my fingers crossed for you. It's always a bit intimidating starting a new medicine. I weaned off my antidepressants about 7 years ago and did fine for a couple of years until my relationship with my husband hit a big snag. That set me way back and I'm still trying to get back to the baseline I was at. It was such a hard hit because I was hoping I was done with meds for good. My anxiety kept getting worse and worse and even though I started going to therapy, my physical symptoms just kept piling up until I really thought I was going crazy. My doctor at the time was a young resident and he kept pushing gently to get me to take the meds. Finally I did and I was so glad. It was hard getting started with the nausea it caused me, but it was so nice to finally start feeling less on edge all the time. Just remember to be kind to yourself and remember that you are loved and cared for by more people than you'll ever realize. Don't be afraid to reach out and say you need help or a listening ear. I can't tell you how many times I've had to call crisis lines in the past just to have someone on the other end of the line to let me vent in the middle of the night when I felt like the walls were closing in. You can do this! I believe in you.

[Tranquilwaters in reply to Lm92]

Thank you for such a beautiful and thoughtful reply! I appreciate it so much. I'm so sorry that you have such tough times - I always say that with each blow despite the pain, it makes us stronger in the end and bestows upon us an empathy for those who find themselves in a similar situation. Your words have meant a lot to me today. Much love.💜💜

[Hidden in reply to Tranquilwaters]

Hi,

If it helps, I had a bad time some years back and I had citalopram and it really helped massively. In fact it cured it for some years. Been on it for 15 years now and although they say it doesn’t lose its ability to work it has on me. Been severely anxious for the last year now, never been this bad in my life but it’s over psychical symptoms I have which are making me anxious. Like you I’ve been rock bottom and all year my stomach has been in knots. I barely ate for two months and have been extremely suicidal. They haven’t done a thing for that for me, even my parter called doctor last week and he didn’t do a thing. I’m just trying to get through day by day and hoping I’ll get back to being me again sooner rather than later. I know what you are going though and one website did help me a bit and it was called the worry games. Would be worth you having a read through because the author has been though many years of this and she’s now stable. These periods on life never last in my experience... I’m mid forties and it comes and goes . Massive hugs x