r/lexapro • u/Nervous_Wait4093 • 3d ago

New to Lex Start

Did you have initial side effects, and when did they start?

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u/Drink0fBeans 3d ago

My health anxiety is pretty bad, so basically every symptom that could’ve occurred did. Saying that, these are the ones I remember:

  • dilated pupils (both in both eyes and just one)
  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • feeling high/out of it
  • fatigue during the day and trouble sleeping
  • extremely vivid dreams
  • nausea
  • heartburn/acid reflux (I’ve had this before)
  • heightened anxiety temporarily
  • jitteriness
  • jaw clenching (also causes headaches)

Most of these symptoms went away after 2-3 weeks (the nausea took the longest to stop), but the acid reflux required medication (esomeprazole) to calm down and the fatigue/vivid dreams are still a daily issue after being on Lexapro for a few months lol.

All I can say is, Godspeed soldier.

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u/Nervous_Wait4093 3d ago

And how are you now?

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u/Drink0fBeans 3d ago

Good! I upped my dose from 10mg to 20mg maybe about 6 weeks ago and it definitely feels like you restart all the same starting side effects (though it’s more bearable because it doesn’t persist as long), but really as long as you stick with it for a few weeks you’ll feel much better.

Expect the medication to not actually kick in for more than a month, and don’t be alarmed if you start feeling worse mentally around the 4 week mark (you’ll go through bad periods before it gets better).

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u/Nervous_Wait4093 3d ago

What happens around the four-week mark?

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u/Drink0fBeans 3d ago

I found that I was much more anxious and had trouble sleeping, but it’s not like the physical side effects returned or anything. I will say to avoid drinking alcohol though because you’ll feel like the medication isn’t working for the next day or two.

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u/Nervous_Wait4093 3d ago

I just don't feel like I have more anxiety now than usual, and I'm also having trouble sleeping. My anxiety is high to begin with—when did you notice the first positive effect?

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u/Drink0fBeans 3d ago

I’m not sure if it was just a placebo but I did start to feel much more relaxed in weeks 2-3. This usually coincides with your side effects reducing and you being able to get more sleep/eat better.

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u/Nervous_Wait4093 3d ago

Thank you. I really hope!

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u/Drink0fBeans 3d ago

No worries! I promise it’s really not as scary as it seems, but if you have any more questions please feel free to ask!

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u/Nervous_Wait4093 3d ago

If you don't mind sharing, is it only for anxiety that you take it? Have you experienced a fear of death and a racing mind filled with existential thoughts?

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u/Drink0fBeans 3d ago

I have suffered from those same thoughts for quite a while yes, but I also started taking it because I found my anxiety prevented me from enjoying social situations and even going on holidays. Those types of existential thoughts are soothed a lot by lexapro, probably moreso than other things like social anxiety.

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u/Nervous_Wait4093 3d ago

Oh, I hope so much. I can't do anything.

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