I have really bad nausea, spacey feeling, lightheaded/dizziness, increased anxiety, tired/lethargic , slight headaches. I'm on the 4th day of taking 10mg of Lexapro.
Is this normal Lexapro side effects?
Question posted by Kentom on 28 Jan 2017
Last updated on 4 February 2019 by Sandr123
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
4 Answers
Sandr123
4 Feb 2019
Hi, guys,
does anyone have anxiety as a side effect of taking Lexapro?
I was taking it first week 5mg with Klonopin 1 mg (somewhere midweek we reduced this does to 0.75 - I could sleep first 3 days fine but then had an interrupted sleep which was fine overall), but 2nd week Lexapro was upped to 10 and Klonopin was reduced to 0,5 before bed. I started to have anxiety again and can't sleep for 2 days already, I wake up with my heart racing, and I have a bit of jitterness.Klonopin doesn't help to keep me sleeping. I am just at loss what to do as i want to sleep badly... and maybe my immune system is weakened because of that. I m seeing the doctor today.
chuck1957
28 Jan 2017
Kenton; Just as Migraine has said and more so on this class of antidepressant the SSRI'S and you just started it 4 days ago most of these are all hard on us with these side effects for the first 2 weeks, Then if not a day or two before or after go away. Really it's like what your being treated for intensifies. Try to ride it out and Really Lexapro with many people these start to go away a bit quicker. And I might as well let you know shortly after the 2 weeks between week 3 and 4 you gradually start to feel better each day or two and you reach the full blood level of the medication at 6 to 8 weeks. Also, it is very Important that you take this medication about the same time each day and don't miss any doses.. It's too bad but too many doctors don't even tell the patients about all of this and the same when the time comes to go off of them you have to be tapered off of them very slow to avoid withdrawals from this medication.
And by the time you reach the peak level of this medication, it works real good with the Anxiety and depression. Glad you found us and please feel free to bookmark us so you can find us if you have any other question that one of us can help you with. Please try and have a good weekend and you really should be feeling a bit better shortly.
Inactive
28 Jan 2017
The side effects of lexapro never went away for me. I took it for several months and felt awful on it. I was not able to take it. It gave me no relief. My anxiety got worse while I was taking lexapro. If you still feel bad in a few weeks, tell your doctor and see if he can let you try another antidepressant. If one will be right for you, you should not have to feel bad with start up effects any longer than the first two weeks. Or it's time to try something else.
migrainesuf1166
28 Jan 2017
Chuck, you are so correct Drs definitely are not telling patients all that they need to be and its in part bc they aren't explaining fully and as I have learned too many Drs today are just handing out way too many prescriptions that they don't fully know enough about.
Inactive
28 Jan 2017
I have a friend here, who has commented in these support groups for a few years. She was encouraged to stay on a particular antidepressant by her fellow support group members here. She was having side effects and feeling bad while taking a particular one. She stayed on it anyway, with their urging, and ended up with permanent eye damage in one of her eyes, which is documented by her eye doctor. So listen to your body and decide how long you can stand certain side effects. And people, listen to what your body is telling you! We are dealing with medications that affect the brain. Some side effects are irreversible.
migrainesuf1166
28 Jan 2017
These boards are for people to post their experiences and post their opinions . This is NOT where anyone should come to find professional medical diagnosis or treatment. We are just other people who have been through similar experiences attempting to help others by our own experiences. To talk, even if someone encourages someone to or not to do something it's on them what they do.
migrainesuf1166
28 Jan 2017
Also, I'm certain if she had said anything remotely having to do with vision or eyes that everyone would have encouraged her to call a dr immediately.
chuck1957
28 Jan 2017
G Mc; Yes and very sorry about your friend and her vision, And just as you said we too have to trust in ourselves also because as we know it does come down to our chemical structure and the medication's balance. And they don't always work the same on all of us. What is a miracle medication for one, can be just like toxic or poison to another and really we have to advocate for ourselves.
Inactive
28 Jan 2017
She was encouraged to stay with an antidepressant that was giving her a lot of problems. She didn't know it would cause eye damage. She didn't come here to discuss that aspect with anyone. A sad side note is that while she suffered through months of misery, at the encouragement of her fellow support group friends, she inadvertently developed permanent eye damage. She is just more careful to listen to her body and what it is telling her. No, I am not here to argue, just to state an experience and answer someone's question with personal experiences of mine and a fellow support group member. We all share experiences and try to help one another. But we have to be careful not to urge someone to stay on something that is not right for them. If I have had side effects or withdrawal syndrome, and someone asks for an experience, then I share mine, but hope for the best for that person. I also keep everyone in my prayers, because anxiety/depression is so debilitating and hard to live with. Peace.
Inactive
28 Jan 2017
She didn't come here for medical diagnosis or treatment. As you said yourself Migraines., doctors are giving out way too many prescriptions with too little information. Things happen. She is a well informed member of this site. She is in regular contact with her doctor, She just happened to have a bad experience. We just need to be informed, educated, and aware of these medications. That's part of the reason for posting here, to share.
migrainesuf1166
28 Jan 2017
Oh understand, yes, you most definitely have to listen to your own voice in your body. I know that one for sure.
janiebme
28 Jan 2017
I agree that things have changed since the generics are now made in foreign countries with little to no regulation. I noticed more and more poster over the years are having more side effects and issues with the generic meds.
I also could not tolerate Lexapro generic. I took it for over 2 months and had to quit due to bad side effects. Do I think that antidepressants are good for humans? It may be better than nothing for some. But if you can avoid having to take them I would. But that is my personal opinion. Doctor do not tell their patient what to expect, nor do they tell them about possible withdrawals after stopping them. I also do not put much faith in statistic. Most of what we read is in some shape or form is connected back to the Pharmaceutical companies who usually fund the study.
There are people on this site that say you will feel better soon, or hang with, ride it out. I do not know where they get their crystal ball? How do they know this will work? My second question is, and if they do not get better soon then what? I am all for giving someone your experience with a med. But to tell them they will start to feel better, no one knows that. It the hope that they will feel better.
Kenton I hope you do what is best for you. I am not going to tell you it will get better. It may or may not. It is up to you to continue to your level of comfort and to discuss it with your doctor.
janiebme
28 Jan 2017
I have to also remember how powerful and influential my words may be to those that feel lost, hopeless, sick and vulnerable. They are free to make up their own minds on meds, but I have to act responsibly and compassionatly.
Not saying anyone that has responded is right or wrong. Just curious about how people respond.
Inactive
28 Jan 2017
Hi Kenton: I had the same side effects, and I was taking lexapro at 10mg and then 20mg. I went off and on it a few times. I had the same withdrawal effects when I went off of it, and I had the same side effects when I went back on it, and the whole time I stayed on it. It was a horrible antidepressant for anxiety for me. It just made my anxiety much worse.
Kentom
28 Jan 2017
have u found one that works for you??
Inactive
28 Jan 2017
Hi Kenton. Yes, I have. People are all different and we all react differently to antidepressants. I have taken one particular antidepressant, off and on, for many years for anxiety/depression. It gives me energy, motivation, and focus. It calms me. I feel "normal" on it. It keeps me from having anxiety attacks. I had been through lexapro, celexa, effexor, pristiq, serzone, but they all made me very fatigued, but anxious at the same time, and many of them caused me weight gain, memory loss, aches, spacey feeling, brain zaps, migraines, whooshing in my head, tinnitus, carb cravings, nausea, dizziness, and other intolerable side effects. Wellbutrin SR (12hr time release), slow release, doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me the best of any thing I have taken. Some people say it makes their anxiety worse. It is often given off label for ADHD. It is given to help people to quit smoking. It helps for many things as well as anxiety/depression.
I have had so much relief with my Wellbutrin SR, I will take it for a long time. Antidepressants can be very effective, but sometimes it takes going through a number of them to find the right one. Some people are fortunate enough to find the right one on the first try. I hope you find yours soon. I empathize with you. Please keep posting. G
chuck1957
28 Jan 2017
Kenton, Just so you know it is very rare for any patient to have as many problems with the medications that G Mc Has had in fact a study last year was the average person may get about 3 side effects and most the time they can be controlled or they go away so please don't let that scare you off of the Lexapro for now. You are getting so close to starting to loose some of those beginning side effects you don't want to have to start all over when so many do so well on this.Or at least continue until you can talk with your doctor on Monday. Best wishes
Inactive
28 Jan 2017
Chuck, my intent was not to scare Kenton off. I was stating my personal experience, and yes, I did get all those side effects, more than three. Everyone doesn't do well on many of these medications, as we have seen on these sites. There have been a lot more side effects that people have experienced since we have all had to go to generics because of changes in insurance coverage. Most of them are coming out of foreign countries, therefore are not regulated as well as the brand name medications used to be. But it is what it is.
chuck1957
28 Jan 2017
G Mc; Yes that is very true and not what I was trying to point out I am sorry if that is the way it came across I just have noticed that if your not in that one group of people that either only have the 3 side effects or have many people that have to go all through these medications before the doctor well admit that you are SSRI OR SSNRI not sure if you want to say allergy or sensitive it's like the just don't believe us yet that we have all these problems with some.in that group.I am just really trying to push the fact that we pretty much all know is it can be hell for the first 2 weeks as you know as well if not better than anyone. nice to see you around. and am very sorry if my confusing post sounded like I was jumping on you. you should know by now that I would never do. have a good weekend
migrainesuf1166
28 Jan 2017
Hello, I believe these are all side effects of most all antidepressants. How long have you been on it? And Is that when the all of this began?
I took lexapro many years ago and I loved it, it just quit working after a few years. If it's not severe and you can deal with it, maybe wait and see if it subsides. If you've been on this for 6 weeks or so, then it's probably not going to improve???
Kentom
28 Jan 2017
this is my 4th day on it!
migrainesuf1166
28 Jan 2017
And it started once you started the med?
How severe are the side effects?
Kentom
28 Jan 2017
no the first day was completely fine, just felt a little tired. but after the second day is when i started getting all these symptoms
Related topics
lexapro, headache, anxiety, nausea/vomiting, generalized anxiety disorder, side effect, fatigue
Further information
- Lexapro uses and safety info
- Lexapro prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Lexapro (detailed)
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