i am switchin from remeron to lexapro. i started with 5mg for 5 days increased dosage to 10 mg. i am feeling some side effects and still feel anxious, depressed and a bit obsessive. i just want to return to my positive, energetic self. i have three questions. when does lexapro kick in? will it help correct my negative thinking? and will i return to my old self? i guess i am just scared and need a little reassurance. thank you.

Took me about 2 weeks to begin seeing results, 6 weeks to fully kick in. I had increased anxiety during that time, but Ativan saved me until my body adjusted. Now, I hardly ever need it. I did switch to Celexa for cost reasons, but it works just as good as Lexapro for me. It did help with my negative thinking and obsessive behavior. Not so sure about the return of energy. I'm still searching for that, but wouldn't change a thing. LOVE THE STUFF!!!

Dear 'praria'
Switching from one AD to another always takes sometime and as the body adjusts feelings of nervousness and anxiety may increase.
I am on Prozac,20mgs a day.I started many years ago and it took almost three months to feel the full benefits.I too started on a low dose and gradually increased to 20mgs which seems to work for me.However I was also prescribed a small dose of Xanax to use as needed as the Doctor did tell me I would feel anxious and jittery in the beginning.He was right and the Xanax really helped.
Please try to stay positive.Patience is the key as it does take time for the mind and body to accept the new AD but sounds as if it has helped Tidal Waves so hopefully it will be good for you.

Gradually you will start to feel calmer and more like your old self.Meanwhile try to stay busy.Get in some walking and do not drink too much coffee as this will add to the jitters.
Keep in close contact with your prescribing Doctor.It may well be that he may eventually up your dose to 20mgs and perhaps you might discuss an anti-anxiety med. till you feel better.

Praying that things do get better for you as I have been there and it is really an awful sad experience but honestly things eventually improve.
Keep in contact and let us know how you get on
Warm Wishes
Elizabeth

thank you so much for your responses and the encouraging words. they mean the world to me. it is good to know i am not alone. i am beginning to feel better. it is almost 2 weeks before the 5 mg and 5 days after the 10 mg increase. my mind feels a bit more stable and less obsessive and the negative thinking seems to be quiting down. it feels better than being on remeron which did nothing to uplift my mood. however, i still feel that i dont feel good in a consistent manner. will the consistency come as well? i hope so. again, thank you for understanding.

Hi
How long does it take for lexapro completely quiet the scary thoghts and obsessiveness. i upped the dosage from 5 to 10 mg and i feel it is really working. however, once in a while a scary thoght enters my head and then i obsess about it making me feel discouraged. anybody had this experience. can you give me some feedback? thank you

I was really bad before I started Lexapro. I don't remember exactly when it happened, however, I still would get the thoughts but I was able to let go of the thoughts and move forward. They didn't stay stuck which was my big problem, not being able to let go of the health anxiety thoughts. It really helped with that and the general anxiety. I tended to be very flat emotionally though and energy wise. My only problem was that I was so unmotivated so now I have switched to Pristiq which is some sort of offshoot of Effexor. I am on my third day (didn't wean off Lexapro first), I am a bit dizzy. I am hoping this will work on all levels. If not I'm going back on Lexapro, I had minimal side effects and it helped so much with the anxiety and panic and obsessive thinking for me. I just hope if I go back on it it works just as well. I was on it for 3 months and except for the non motivation it was really good. I also lost my cravings for sugar which was a plus and I didn't gain any weight on it. I did have to take a Xanax at night to sleep though because I would stay awake until whenever if I didn't. But, I always have insomnia anyways. All in all Lexapro really helped alot. Keep with it, it might take a while to really get into your system. Take care, Mich

after you too lexapro when did you notice that the thoughts were not sticking? thank you

I'm guessing but I'm gonna say about a month to 6 weeks. I was able to shake off the thoughts much easier. They still came but not as frequently and when they did they didn't grab a hold of me. Everyone is different so you may feel the effects sooner if the AD is working for you. I think one of the reasons is because it is somewhat sedating, it kinda made me apathetic. I also tended to hibernate, even though I didn't freak out with anxiety I think when I had the thoughts it made me hibernate even more because I just wanted to feel safe inside my house, like nothing bad could get to me if I just stayed here. Again, you may react totally different. All I know if the Pristiq doesn't help me with my get up and go. I will take Lexapro and hibernate if it comes to that. How long have you been on Lexapro and how are you feeling so far?

Same here mich! Obsessive thoughts no longer have that hold on me! It's GREAT!!!!! WOO HOO!!! WOO HOO!!!

i started with 5 mg first week and then increased to 10mg qnd been there for one and half weeks. it worked immediatelly. i became calmer, less obsessive and feel positive and connected. but once in a while the "what if" thoughts come in a get afraid i am going back. what do you think?

I know that was the best part of Lexapro. I am praying that the Pristiq does the same thing plus gives me a little more connection to the outside world. I'm gonna be p!ssed if it doesn't work and then I try to go back to Lexapro and Lexapro doesn't work again. This med o go round makes me loopy. I'm just a guinea pig for fun and recreation, lol. This is day 3 - woke up dizzy - but all in all so far not too bad. Time will tell. I'm glad Lexapro is working for you, it is a relief to stop obsessing isn't it??

so i switched from remeron to lexapro. i am taking 10mg. i stopped remeron completely 3 days ago. i felt really good (calm, not obsessive) for two weeks but have been feeling anxious the last three days. so what should i do? i want to have that feeling good back. can anybody relate? can anybody please give me advice? i have been on 10 mg for about 17 days. will this pass? thank you

Praia, excitedly reading your thread. I just started Lexapro too, I'm only on my second day of 5mg. My anxiety has been OUT OF SIGHT for more than a month. Finally gave in and decided on Lexapro and my pcp says it has the least side effects. I'm very med phobic. Although I'm on Ativan and feel as though I'm building a tolerance already. Hoping the Lexapro brings the anxiety down so I can get off the Ativan. Not sure of side effects so far. I feel so anxious all the time I don't think I'd notice any increased anxiety. I do feel a little more tired than usual, and maybe a little woozy. But I just keep telling myself "it's just the lexapro" and not freaking out about it. Anyhow, keep writing and letting us know of your progress.
Kelly

I tool Lexapro about 3 years ago when my depression and fear were out of control. I did not know it at the time but I was starting menopause. I did not want to take an AD but I had hit rock bottom and was desperate to feel happy again. It was a neurologist that suggested it and he assurred me it was safe. It began to work within 6 days; it was a real life saver. I stayed on it about 6 months and when I felt under control again I weened myself off. I was taking 10mg. I know 3 people that have been on it for years and refuse to get off of it. They say they just are not ready yet. Just make sure that when you decide to stop taking it that you ween yourself off of it very slowly and you should be fine. I had absolutely NO side effects. It really does work. Best of luck to you.

Haap, thank you for your encouraging email. i am taking 10mg and feel better. i think i am going to stay at this level.