# Another Lexapro diary- 10 weeks



## Sam1814 (Dec 24, 2014)

Lexapro Diary

I'm not going to discuss my symptoms in this thread, (read my other posts for the details of them), Just going to talk about the medicine.

6/16/15- Day One
Saw a psychiatrist for the first time. Requested Klonopin, due to its many success stories here on the forum, but she refused. Gave me Lexapro, 5mg, once a day, instead. Wants me to increase to 10 mg a day after one week, if no side effects or no improvement. Took it at 11:45 am. Noticed increased anxiety within the hour, probably just from my fear of meds though. Or I could be withdrawing from Xanax. (I've been taking .25 mg a day for two weeks and skipped it today) Could I even have withdrawals after that short of a time? Noticed dry mouth, and waves of nausea about 4 hours later.

Day Two-
Couple light waves of nausea, a little akathisia. Nothing severe or limiting. Haven't noticed any effect on my DP/DR.

Day Three-
No side effects, but no effects on dpdr or anxiety either.

Day 4-
No side effects, but no effects on dpdr or anxiety either.

Day 5- No side effects, but no effects on dpdr or anxiety either.

Day 6- No side effects, but no effects on dpdr or anxiety either.

Day 7- No side effects or benefits so far, so I upped the dosage to one 10mg pill, per the psychiatrists directions. Took it at 7:30am. No side effects. No benefits either.

Week 2- 6/23/15-Day 8- Felt maybe 5% better/less anxious. Noticing I'm yawning a lot, even though I'm not tired. And after I yawn, my teeth chatter for a few moments. Other than that, no side effects.

Day 9- Felt about 10% better/less anxious. I drove out of town for work. Being outside is absolute torture, due to the overwhelming unreality, but I didn't freak out as bad as normal. I don't feel any more like "myself", and things aren't getting familiar again unfortunately, but I didn't freak out.

Day 10- felt about the same; 10% better/less anxious. My symptoms are all still present, they are just a hair less overwhelming.

Day 11- felt about 10% better/less anxious. Really just stuck with the existential incomprehension and unreality, and the Lexapro doesn't help that at all. It just makes me a bit less anxious about it. Have not had a panic attack in 5 days though.

Day 12- Today wasn't horrible. Felt noticeably better, about 15%... I did take .25 Xanax though. The DR was worse than the DP.

Day 13- Another not horrible day. Thoughts and feeling are still there, unreality and unfamiliarity are still there- they just don't bring as much terror. I would say I feel 20% better than I did before the meds.

Day 14- Same, 20% better/less anxious

Week 3- 6/30/2015- Day 15- Didn't feel as good today, maybe only 5% better. Started feeling pretty alien in the afternoon, took Xanax.

Day 16- Felt terrible. Feel the same as I did before I ever got the prescription. As if I never took the medicine at all. Am I already building a tolerance? After two weeks? Or does it lose its potency after one week, unless you increase it?

Day 17- safe to say the Lexapro has stopped working. Every symptom is back, and amplified.

Day 18- woke up to a panic attack, and so disoriented I wasn't sure who or where I was, I thought I was dead. No improvement.

Day 19- no improvement.

Day 20- no improvement.

Day 21-no improvement.

Week 4- 7/7/2015- Day 22- no improvement.

Day 23- no improvement. Called the doctor and explained my situation to her receptionist. She may increase the dose&#8230; But in my opinion, if it stopped working once, it will stop working again- even after the increase in dosage.

Day 24- No improvement. Psychiatrist said she did not want to raise the dosage of my Lexapro again until my next visit with her, which is July 17. She said increasing the dosage too soon could cause adverse effects. My "as needed" Xanax does not seem to be helping anymore either, at such a low dose. Very hesitant to raise that though.

Day 25- no improvement.

Day 26- no improvement

Day 27- no improvement

Day 28- no improvement

Week 5- 7/13/2015- Day 29- no improvement

Day 30- no improvement

Day 31- No improvement

Day 32- No improvement

Day 33- no improvement. Went to the psychiatrist today. She upped my dosage to 15 mg of Lexapro per day. She also prescribed .5mg Klonopin for help with the panic attacks. Will start both of those tomorrow

Day 34- no side effects, no improvements

Day 35- no side effects, no improvements

Week 6- 7/20/2015- Day 36- 10% better/less anxious

Day 37- 10% better/less anxious

Day 38- 10% better/less anxious

Day 38- 15% better/less anxious

Day 39- 15% better/less anxious

Day 40- Upped my dosage to 20mg. No side effects, still 15% better/less anxious

Day 41- 10% better/less anxious

Week 7- 7/27/2015 Day 42- 10% better/less anxious

Day 43- 5% better/less anxious

Day 44- stopped working again. As if I had never taken it at all. Back to square one.

Day 45- no improvement.

Day 46- no improvement.

Day 47- no improvement.

Day 48- no improvement

Week 8- 8/3/2015- Day 49- no improvement

Day 50-no improvement

Day 51-no improvement

Day 52-no improvement

Day 53-no improvement

Day 54-no improvement

Day 55-no improvement

Week 9- 8/10/2015- Day 56- no improvement

Day 57-no improvement

Day 58-no improvement

Day 59-no improvement

Day 60-no improvement

Day 61-no improvement

Day 62-no improvement

Week 10- 8/17/2015- Day 63- no improvement. Saw psychiatrist. She is weaning me off Lexapro, and starting me on Cymbalta. This is what she prescribed another dpdr client and it cured her. However, he other client has dpdr as a side effect of GAD and it was not nearly as all-consuming as most of us on this website. I will post that thread after a few weeks.

Over all- Lexapro did "work" but not for long enough to go be considered successful. It only reduced anxiety. It did not help reverse the perception change that is dpdr. It did not help with unreality,or existential thoughts/feelings, it did not help with unfamiliarity of people/places.


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## Mochan (Jul 14, 2014)

Ah it sucks to read this since I started taking 5mg Lexapro 3 weeks ago and slowly upped my dose to 10mg since today, since I had very severe side effects. I take oxazepam on the side for emergencies. I wish you a lot of luck with the next med trial!


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## sharp (Nov 20, 2014)

Too bad this is a trail and error medication. Some people had no side effects on Paroxetine, I was puking half the time and felt more dead than alive.
When I started using Lexapro, after a month I felt better, so for me Lexapro was a miracle drug.

But I don't think medication is the only solution. You should also treat your anxiety by way of therapy.

I think this is just as important or even more important then medication.


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