Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
 | 
Breakthrough Anxiety after taking lexapro for 3 years?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Post a Question Back to Forum
MedHelp Member's Question

Breakthrough Anxiety after taking lexapro for 3 years?

by maryann77, Sep 27, 2006 12:00AM
I am having a tough week.:) I am posting here for the first time. A bit about me, I first started on zoloft about 4 years or so ago.  I had a very, very hard time with that drug when I first started.  I was like in bed for 3 days and just wasn't myself.  We ended up changing the dose and I was better.  It stopped working for me after a year or so and I tried lexapro and srated seeing a therapist who knows about these meds instead of just a primary physician.  I have done VERY well on lexapro for almost 3 years now. No heart palpilatations, no more of the anxiety for no reasons, etc. All of a sudden last Sunday I started feeling like I had an anxious feeling but it passed by Monday morning. For the next few days I felt out of it but that was probably due to hormones cause I was going to get my period towards the end of the week.  I also came down with a bad cold/flu. I did not want to smoke so I maybe smoked a whole cigerette out of 4 days. I am not a heavy smoker but this was very less than what I'm used to. Anyways, the Sunday night again I started getting an anxious feeling all over again. It has continued off and on still. I picked up smoking, because I thought after doing some research that giving or lessening nicotine would cause anxiety and I thought it would be best to go to the doctor and see what they recommend cause I obviously need help with this. So I've been smoking normally now for 2 days and am still having the symptoms.  I am feeling hot, dizzy, off feeling, anxious off and on and have had some of the heart palpitations again. Do you think this could be due to the decrease in nicotine then picking up again? Or, is this some sort of breakthrough anxiety whcih I may need to up my dose again? I've done so well just on 10 mgs of lex for so long.  I thought I was fine. I've had some work changes recently that may have also stirred things up for me more than I thought too. I work with children and that's already stressful enough.  This makes it so much worse.  Should I take the xanax I have for extra until I get to talk to my therapist?  I called her yesterday and again today and she hasn't returned my call yet. What do you all think?  I can really use the advice as it is ruining my days. :( Thanks M
Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D., Sep 30, 2006 12:00AM
Instead of upping the dose,you should try using the xanax more often as a temporary measure until you get over the stress. But be careful about the xanax...don't use it too regularly or become dependent on it.
Member Comments (8)

by Jenjoy76, Sep 28, 2006 12:00AM
It may be the smoking decrease.  I know that definitely can cause anxiety- even in people who are not prone to it.  Also it may be the cold/flu- it seems that when I am tired my anxiety is always worse.  But it also could be that you need to maybe increase the lexapro.  Talk to the doc about maybe taking 15 mg for awhile.  You can always decrease it slowly after tyou feel better. And definitely take the xanax if you feel bad.  Anxiety brings on more anxiety- you need to break the cycle before it gets too bad.

Good luck.

Jennifer

by maryann77, Sep 29, 2006 12:00AM
Thank you! I actually was seen tonight by my therepist. She thinks there is alot of change going on in my life and understands after knowing me for a few years that I am sensitive about situations. She also thinks that I should start taking the propranol that was prescibed to me by my nuerologist for migraines with aura. It should help with my anxiety as well.  She also gave me something else instead of the xanax to take 1-2 times a day when needed.  I can't recall the name. She does not want to increase the lex at this time. We may in a couple weeks after knowing if my anxiety goes down and if not, we will then need to increase it. I've had some work changes and she thinks that's mainly what's going on. Even though these things were set a few weeks ago, it can hit me now. Also, if it was the smoking the feelings would og gone way as soon as I started smoking again. So, it is current anxiety which is bothering me...we think :) More to come.

by maryann77, Sep 30, 2006 12:00AM
Hello,

I was told to throw out the xanax and start using the new script of Lorazapam when I needed it. Then also she had suggested to start taking the Propranolol every night to help as well. I took it last night (propranolol) and I feel very relaxed today. No problems getting out of bed this morning which I was warned to do slowly because I could get lightheaded. I have not used the lorazapam yet.

by imcrazy2, Oct 19, 2006 12:00AM
Just a tidbit....I was on Prozac for 3 years, and did GREAT on it.  3 weeks after the birth of my 3rd child, I CRASHED, and had horrendous symptoms that I had never even had before I started the prozac.  I am convince that I had postpartum psychosis, but the point here is that the prozac was not helping anymore.  I went to my doc, and the nurse described "Prozac poopout", and mentioned Lexapro as another drug with a similar reputation.  The general idea is that for some reason, your body just suddenly stops responding to the meds, and in addition to the meds not working, your body can also suffer withdrawl symptoms. My strong suggestion is to be VERY aware of how you are feeling, and don't hesitate to take the lorazepam if you need to....if you continue to feel like your symptoms are not under control, talk to your doc about switching to something similar, like prozac or paxil.  Many people need to swap off every few years so as to avoid this phenomenon.  Good Luck!

by scaredycat1, Oct 19, 2006 12:00AM
how long did it take you to start feeling better, every day is just so frustrating you keep waking up hoping you are going to be you again. the other things eventually worked for you?

by imcrazy2, Oct 19, 2006 12:00AM
I just wanted to comment on the smoking.....I have been a sporadic smoker for years, and it DOES alter your anxiety level, but not necessarily as immediately as you might think.

I noticed a significant increase in anxiety when I began smoking again but not right away...maybe a week or two.  THEN, when I quit again, I had even worse anxiety for a couple of weeks.  The worst thing for anxiety is ANY form of stimulant, and nicotine is a powerful one.  The best I've felt is when I was nicotine, caffeine, and refined-sugar free, stuck to a healthy diet, exercised, and took my medication regularly, plus VITAMINS--magnesium and the B complexes are VITAL to your mental health, and believe me, I am the farthest thing from a health freak.  I hate exercise, LOVE candy, and am terrible about remembering to take pills.  It is an effort, but if you try it, you will be surprised

by VMeista, Nov 26, 2006 12:00AM
I've been off Lexapro for like 3 weeks now. I'm having a MISERABLE time. I can't get excited about anything. I am BEYOND negative about everything and everyone. I can only exist in a simple way, trying my hardest not to cuss and not to flip out at the littlest thing. My poor husband doesn't know what to do with himself and I want him there and yet all I want to be is left alone, crawl up in a ball and sleep. That's another thing. I'm completely exhausted. Worst of all, the only reason I came off Lexapro is so that he and I can try to get pregnant. I cannot see myself getting pregnant and feeling this way. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!
Back to Forum
Expert Activity
Salmonella typhimurium outbreak sic...
Jan 07 by Enoch Choi, MD
Can Sleep Apnea Cause Alzheimer's?...
Jan 05 by Steven Y Park, MD
Optimal Health in 2009- Happy New Y... 
Dec 31 by Lee Kirksey, MD