Aa
Back on Cipralex (Lexapro)
Well i'm on day 3 of a 2nd try at taking Lexapro on the advice of my physician. Last time the increase from 5 mg to 10mg after two days caused intense side effects that made me stop taking it. This time I am taking a much slower increase 5 mg for first week, then to 10mg to try and reduce the impact of the symptoms but I can tell after 3 days I am a bit more aggitated, nervous, anxious but nothing like last time. Also last time I was really against taking medication.. now... i'm ok with it.... my doc said if you have a cold you take something to minimize the symptoms... in a way this is the same thing.
I am wondering how long these "adapting" side effects typically last before my body gets used to the drug? I am hearing a week to two weeks for the side effects and then 4-6 weeks before the therapeutic effect of the drug to start really kicking in.
I have suspended all my business travel for one month to give this a chance to work so hoping for the best. I will say that already i feel less "nervous" emotionally....its almost like my mind is getting calmer but my body is still agitated. Don't know if that's possible after only 3 days but it feels that way.
I am wondering how long these "adapting" side effects typically last before my body gets used to the drug? I am hearing a week to two weeks for the side effects and then 4-6 weeks before the therapeutic effect of the drug to start really kicking in.
I have suspended all my business travel for one month to give this a chance to work so hoping for the best. I will say that already i feel less "nervous" emotionally....its almost like my mind is getting calmer but my body is still agitated. Don't know if that's possible after only 3 days but it feels that way.
Best Answer
I'm glad you are taking it slower with the increases in dosage. Anxiety is like any other medical condition that requires daily medication to control the symptoms. Too many people get caught up in because it's a mental issue...they should be able to handle it on their own...but rarely is this possible. Glad you realize this! There are side effects during the first week or two due to your body adjusting to the medication, and it will reach full therapeutic level in 4-6 weeks. I'm not sure you would feel anything after only a few days, it may just be that you feel better knowing you are finally doing something to help with all of this. You're on the right track and I wish you all the best!
Hey Turkee23.... well im only on day 4 of Lexapro... for everyone the side effects are different for me thus far it has been heightened nervousness/feeling edgey and thats about it. Doc gave me .25mg of clonazapam to take if i feel i need to take the edge off the side effects..
I had tried it once before and doctor told me to take half a pill 5 mg for two days then go up to the full 10 mg pill.... found the tapering up was too fast and on the first day of the 10 mg pill felt awful and went off it..... now im back on it a few weeks later and tapering up much slower... did 4 days on 5 mg then going to do another for with 7.5 mgs (3/4 pill) then up to 10 mg before i see me doctor on wed...
I have been told by my doc and by numerous people on this site that it can take up to two weeks for your body to adjust to the meds and the side effects to dissipate and another 4-6 weeks before the full therapeutic effect takes place. So I think the key with these meds is you have to stick it out unless the side effects are unbearable. So i cleared my work schedule of all travel for the next month to give this the best shot of working....
Im not that familiar with zoloft..alot of times you just have to take these meds to see how you react to them... everyone is different and as long as your doctor is there to help you monitor it ... i wouldnt be afraid.....good luck
I had tried it once before and doctor told me to take half a pill 5 mg for two days then go up to the full 10 mg pill.... found the tapering up was too fast and on the first day of the 10 mg pill felt awful and went off it..... now im back on it a few weeks later and tapering up much slower... did 4 days on 5 mg then going to do another for with 7.5 mgs (3/4 pill) then up to 10 mg before i see me doctor on wed...
I have been told by my doc and by numerous people on this site that it can take up to two weeks for your body to adjust to the meds and the side effects to dissipate and another 4-6 weeks before the full therapeutic effect takes place. So I think the key with these meds is you have to stick it out unless the side effects are unbearable. So i cleared my work schedule of all travel for the next month to give this the best shot of working....
Im not that familiar with zoloft..alot of times you just have to take these meds to see how you react to them... everyone is different and as long as your doctor is there to help you monitor it ... i wouldnt be afraid.....good luck
Hey JGF25... i actually tried Wellburtin after my first attempt with Lexapro. Unfortunately it was not the right drug for me... the stimulating effects were unbelievable and i stayed on it for 3 days and then stopped. I think for my type of anxiety and my personality (already pretty stimulated by nature) lexapro is a better choice to achieve a more stabilized effect for me. But that remains still to be seen.... i'm gonna taper up to 3/4 tablet tomorrow for the next 4 days with the hopes that with minimal increases like that the side effects will not exponentially increase.... i will keep ya all posted....
I tried a few others before wellbutrin so I know how you feel. Here's hoping that Lexapro is the one for you!
Posting this daily chronicle in case anyone else is going through a ramp up on Lexapro or another SSRI.....Well... day 5 of this round of Lexapro and i upped it to 7.5 mg (3/4 10 mg tablet today) with the hopes of fending off any major increase in the side effects - which have for me been increased nervousness/agitation, tingling in my arms and legs (that was there before but seems more pronounced) lightheadedness.... gonna stay at this doage until Wed when I see my doc for a checkin on how im doing on it..... took a .25mg clonazapam yesterday and it took some of the edge off.... no problems sleeping at night other than I seem to wake up every 3 hours but then go back...
Well day 5 of being back on Lexapro... at 3/4 tablet dose in the morning (7.5 mg) and have to say that the nervousness and edgeyness appears to be subsiding a bit... didn't have to take a Clonazapam (klonopin) yesterday to take the edge off which I am considering to be a good sign since I had to the day before.
Gonna stick at this level till Wed until I see my doc and then the plan is to go up to a full 10 mg tablet for a week or so and then begin ramping up again 1.25, 1.5 and then hopefully up to 20 mg by first week in August which is I think where the doc wants me to stay for a while.
onward and upward....
Gonna stick at this level till Wed until I see my doc and then the plan is to go up to a full 10 mg tablet for a week or so and then begin ramping up again 1.25, 1.5 and then hopefully up to 20 mg by first week in August which is I think where the doc wants me to stay for a while.
onward and upward....
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