Increased anxiety while increasing lexapro dose

Hi!! Hope everyone is having a good day. Just a quick question. Anyone that has taken lexapro, did you have an increase in anxiety/jitteriness/discomfort when you’ve increased your dose. I started VERY slowly on the medication almost 5 weeks ago. 1.25 for 1 week 2.5 for 1 week 3.75 for 1 week 5mg for 6 days 6.25 (just started today) I had pretty positive results within in the first week or so with lessened and more manageable anxiety. By week 3 I was doing pretty well and began doing some “normal” things I’d been avoiding. Last Monday I increased to 5, had some anxiety that night then was ok for a few days but then some anxiety on Friday and Saturday morning. Saturday Dr told me I could increase medication on Sunday. (I was planning on doing 5 for 2 weeks before increasing). I did increase but I’m still having bouts of anxiety/jitters/discomfort/tightness in chest. Has anyone else experienced the same? Dr said this is normal when increasing and shouldn’t last long. I don’t want to ruminate or Google. And not looking for reassurance. I just wondered if anyone had a similar experience. Thank you

CJzzz

Date posted: 3y

Yes!! It goes away don’t let that fool you at all. I ended up switching to zoloft for other reasons but yes it can get worse before it gets better especially when you up a dose like that. If it doesn’t change after awhile, talk to your dr and maybe go back down. Or try and find a balance

ChefT

Date posted: 3y

Thank you. I’m just on such a small dose. I felt better on 3.75 than I did on 5 and now 6.25. Today I feel the worse I’ve felt in a while. Just hope it doesn’t last long. Im not going to increase again until things settle.

CJzzz

Date posted: 3y

@ChefT Listen to your body but know alot of it will end up passing! I hope things get better for you

ChefT

Date posted: 3y

@CJzzz Thanks so much. It’s just frustrating. I guess I didn’t expect to have an increase in anxiety since I hadn’t had any when I increased any other time. I know the dose I started with was so small and each increase has also been small but maybe my body started to adjust and needed more. I don’t know nor do I understand it. I’ve been so careful and getting on the medication my own way, going slowly. I wish I had stayed at 5mg and let my body settle with that rather than increasing but I did what my Dr suggested. I should have known that if I was having an increase in anxiety on 5 that I’d still likely have that on 6.25. Oh well, too late now I guess. I am on two days of the 6.25 so I suppose I need to suck it up and let my body get used to it and hopefully it will adjust. I’m not increasing again until I feel good on this.

CJzzz

Date posted: 3y

@ChefT I completely understand! I always get nervous when they talk about upping my dose of zoloft because of stuff like that but like anyone would tell you sometimes the medicine can make it worse before it gets better especially with how much its trying to put those ducks in a line if that makes sense! Its okay to feel what you’re feeling

ChefT

Date posted: 3y

@ChefT That does make sense. Thank you. Tough not to get frustrated but I try to remind myself that it’s a marathon and not a sprint and as long as I get better that’s what matters in the end. Medication and the two hours of therapy I do each week(one with and ERP therapist from here and another therapist dealing with past trauma) along with the exposures, I am praying is what will get me to r end results I want.

CJzzz

Date posted: 3y

@ChefT The first step is that you’re getting the help you need and that should speak volume!! You want better for yourself and as long as you continue doing what you’re doing it will go as you want it. I hope you see progress sooner than later

Breezy624

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 3y

Every time you change a dose your brain and body have to restabilize so it is like you are starting over on the med. it takes roughly 6-12 weeks to stabilize and generally you will feel more anxious and have other effects at first before it settles. Lexapro caused me to develop intrusive thoughts though on week 3 due to the increased anxiety/suicial thoughts and now here i am 12 months later with full blown pocd and have gone through nocds program and still having therapy/dealing. I have been tapering off this med slowly so i understand wanting to take the time to minimize effects. It stinks but i know it works/helps some people.

Sarah McN

Date posted: 23w

Prozac question

Hey! I just started Prozac and I’m on day 4 or 5 and I’m feeling super anxious and having mini panic attacks, is this normal? I know my psychiatrist said anxiety will raise for the first two weeks but I just wanna know if this happened to anyone else. I’m also super tired Thanks 😊

Megcurry

Date posted: 20w

Starting new anxiety meds

Hi everyone, I’m 23 and have been on Zoloft since I was 16. For the past couple months I’ve been having panic attacks more and I’m sick of feeling like a zombie everyday. My boyfriend said I’m very sad and unhappy then when I first met him 2 years ago…. He thinks it’s the medicine. Throughout the years I have upped and lowered my medication, but now, I feel as though it’s not helping. Either it was too much where I didn’t feel emotions at all like very scary stuff or it wasn’t enough to help me. I was given 5mg of Lexapro to try…. I’m scared to take it. All I know is how Zoloft is. I don’t want to go crazy on it, be allergic to it, etc. I feel like I’m going to trip myself out when I take it and not actually feel the difference. I could really use some positive feedback I really just want to be a normal human😭

Health Concern OCD

justsomone1

Date posted: 10w

lexapro.

day 2 , I’ve been taking it at night. the nausea is unreaaaallll. I also woke up in panic but since I got off Zoloft I’ve kinda been doing that. Hope it gets better 🥹

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Increased anxiety while increasing lexapro dose

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