Lexapro - can it start making you feel worse before making you feel better?

I am 41 and just started Lexapro 2 days ago. I am so willing to give it a full try if it will help with my anxiety and depression that began with the sudden death of my father 3years ago. I thought it would just get better as time went by but I recently realized it was only getting worse. I was having more days in tears and panic attacks than ever before. I spoke with my doctor about it and she prescribed Lexapro 20mg. I'm not noticing any worsening symptoms of anxiety and depression but I feel like I'm choking and I'm extremely nauseated. I'm also having symptoms of dizziness that comes in waves along with the nausea. I want this to work because I'm tired crying and feeling sad all the time. Any suggestions for these symptoms and are they normal? This is my first time ever taking any sort of prescription besides an occasional antibiotic.

I have started lexapro 10mg-felt better but noticed positives. Went to 15mg after two weeks as per Dr instructions. Just had session and we decided to go to 20mg. Thing is my anxiety is super high three days in and not going down. Is this normal has anyone else had worse anxiety on higher dose??? Will it settle down or not? Is it normal and wil go away? It’s sunday so I can’t call to check with Dr. should I persist till I can talk to doctor??? Thankyou for your insights?

I have been having really bad anxiety and intrusive thoughts for about two months now. Sometimes i feel like i am crazy and belong in a mental institution, although i know all these things are quite normal for some people and are very well managable, i keep telling myself things wont get better. I started on 10mg lexapro about a year ago. I stopped taking without winging myself (bad idea) i went back to the doctor yesterday & she put me on 20 mg. I feel foggy and more jittery than before. I hope i start to feel better soon. Is that a good dose to be on? Just looking for positive feedback i guess.! Hope everyone has a blessed day.

I just started Lexapro 10 mg and this is my 3 week. I am feeling sad. It’s as bad as it was before I started the medication and sometimes I feel it’s actiall worse. I have no other side effects and no troubles eating or sleeping but I don’t want to talk and when I do, I cut it short. I guess I will hang in there hoping it will get better.

By changing your brain chemistry, Lexapro can have unwanted side effects initially. Those might include anxiety, insomnia, weird dreams, etc. Hang in there. In my experience, the side effects diminish rather quickly. I think the worse goes away after about a week. The upside, for me, was a remarkable improvement in my attitude toward life... along with less anxiety and an end to intrusive/negative thoughts. Lexapro affects positive change rather quickly. Good luck :)

I stopped taking this stuff on day 6. My doctor tried Zoloft and Effexor and they both had the same effect. Some people just aren’t meant to be on SSRI’s or SNRI’s. My doctor tried a tricyclic (an old school med) and it’s working like a charm! Day 5 and I’m already feeling more like myself. She put me on amitriptyline. Talk to your doc about switching meds. Lexapro was not for me and may not be for you, either.

Thank goodness for this thread. I’m only on my second day of 5mg lexapro and I feel horrible. Racing thoughts, no appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, dry mouth, panicking a lot about everything. I can fall asleep but can’t stay asleep and I will toss and turn for five hours and then my alarm goes off. Also getting that horrible anxiety feeling of crawling skin/numb/on fire skin feeling all at the same time. Told my doctor who will lower my dosage, but I hope I can tough this out for two weeks. I can’t take much more of this :(

I have been on many of these medications and yes they will probably make you all kinds of nervous etc. They basically increase and alter the chemicals in our brain that control mood , happiness, and sadness. I’d stick with it for a while longer I always described it like a roller coaster ride.

Once you reach the top and level out it can make it all worth the crazy ride.

But if it continued for an extended abnormal period of time then I would recommend asking for something else. I know first hand that not every anti depressant fits everyone.

I stopped Lexapro because of its sexual side effects. After about two weeks, I started to notice a return of anxiety attacks. They were small and controllable moments. Nonetheless, I was reminded of life pre-Lexapro. Started back on Lexapro today. I am now experiencing much stronger anxious feelings. I'm planning to tough out whatever a return to the medication brings me because I know I will eventually benefit. As far as the sexual problems (I am a male), I've checked out the medication "holidays" suggested on WebMD and other sites. I may try a holiday but not for a few weeks. My situation is different from the question but we share same anxious effects with the start of this med. Just hang in there!

Hi! I’ve never posted on a thread before.. I’m on buspar 3.75 2x daily and my psychiatrist just added lexapro 5mg. I was started on this for anxiety but since starting lexapro I feel as though I’ve developed depression. Staying in bed all day, not eating, no motivation and loss of interest. Should I stick it out or give up?

Hi guys! I started taking 10mg of Lexapro 5 days ago and I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin! Constant panic, worry, white wash feeling. Last night it woke me up and I couldn’t get back to sleep. I’ve never been on antidepressants before and this thread has really helped me believe that this will work. I might ask my doc for some Xanax to get me through the initial few weeks. Here’s hoping these symptoms subside soon because it’s driving me mad!

This is a hopeful and really helpful thread. I am on Lexapro 30mgs for severe OCD, anxiety, and depression. About a month ago, I was on Zoloft 200mgs for these conditions. My doctor and I then switched over to Lexapro. I'm having a tough time right now with some sedation, vivid dreams, internal agitation, and increased depression. My psychiatrist wants me to go up to 40mgs eventually.

I am hopeful that, if I can really try to stick it out, this medication can help me and the side effects go away. I know it takes time. Thanks for your encouragement!

So glad to have found this post... I started on 5mg of Lexapro 13 days ago and upped to 10mg 7 days ago... I'm on it due to high anxiety but the sadness I've experienced over the last three days has been so scary... I'd take the anxiety any day (& the anxiety is still here too).. Can anyone share whether they've experienced this hopelessness after starting Lexapro and does it pass, after how long? So difficult to hear when you've children to care for etc.. Thanks for any help, Sandra

Yes, it will get worse (anxiety, etc) but by week 3-4 should be evening out and you will feel better.

Thanks for having this forum! Really helps me calm down knowing other people are going through the same problems I am. Similar story to everyone else. 10mg Lexapro and it seems my anxiety is SO much worse. Especially in the morning. Can't seem to get out of bed. But it's also just the first week of me taking this drug. Seems like I should stick to it... but it's very tough, as all of you know.