Did increasing Lexapro to 20 mg help with anxiety?

I know this is years later but just in case anyone else reads this. Xanax gets a really bad rap. Here is what was told to me by my therapist. Xanax is only intended for panic attacks. NOT for anxiety! That's why it is a short term drug..meaning only lasting 4 hours or so. People that take it for anxiety get hooked on it because A - They are taking it for anxiety and not for panic attacks. B- Once it wears off and their anxiety starts they take it again... that's how being hooked on it starts. Best option here with Xanax is ASK YOUR DR what it is really meant for when they tell you how to take it and ASK QUESTIONS!!! I have been fighting anxiety and panic attacks now for 8 months. I also take 20 mg total of Lexapro a day. 1 in the am and another before bedtime.

I’ve been on 20mg of escitalopram for awhile now but just a few days ago my anxiety surged and I’ve had no appetite, I’ve had diarrhea, and the only medicine I have to help calm me is hydroxyzine. It helps sometimes but it has been 4 days and I don’t know what else to do. Any suggestions from anyone?

Try wellbutin and buspar together instead. Also get your thyroid checked. By an endocrinologist or 2 or 3 until you find a good one. Let them know about the shaking. And nausea if you have it. (Most Drs are not very good. You may have to go the a few.) If you are menopausal you may need HRT for that. Go off of wheat products. Read up on that. Read up on GMO and inflammation. Read up on anxiety and depression on the web and whatever books you can find. Try yoga. Find yoga for anxiety. Try meditating and journaling and deep breathing when tense or anxious. Stay out of stressful situations at work or at home if you can. Listen to ocean waves or anti anxiety music on youtube. Try neurofeedback. Even when you sleep. Good luck.

I’ve been on 10 ml of lexapro for 14 yrs. I just asked to go up to 20 as it didn’t seem to b working like it was.
I’ve been real jumpy and having attacks here and there more than before.
Especially in the am when I know I’m going to be alone. I have ptsd from when I was 20 I’m 54 now. I have lived with panic attacks 34 yrs!!! I hate the dehabitlating control that has over your body and mind. I’ve missed out on so much joy in my life because of it .
I was doing pretty good and then my daughter lost her identical twin boys two weeks before their delivery last October and it re-triggered my anxiety times 10.
I Was wondering how bumping from 10 ml to 20 ml actually works?

I have been on 20mg from day 1 which has been about a year and I guess it seemed to be helping up until about a month ago. It seems like it quit working. I don't know if that is the highest dose there is but I did asked dr today if he could increase it. I am still waiting on his response

I have a ton of problems and take several different medicines but several years ago when I first started Lexapro I believe that was the very first time I felt happy. I wouldn't stop taking that for anything. I take other medicines now as well and they interact with each other so I have periodically been put back to 10 mg of Lexapro but now I'm back on 20 trying to calm my mania. I can never remember whether the small amount helps with depression and a large amount helps with mania or if it's the other way around. But the 20 seems to be helping me calm down a bit and believe me do not ever try to go by yourself. My daughter try to do that and had what's called brain zap which is very dangerous and very scary.

Had depression since 23, then later came the anxiety. Finally on Lexapro 20 and for a while didn't wake up panicky but it is back again, cold sweats, shaky, overwhelmed. Taking ativan again for this awful feeling. I know your pain everyone and I wish and pray we could find a happy medium. Going to talk to my doc about increasing the lexapro to 30 in the am. I am sure we are all together tired to trying stuff to make us feel better. Be well my friends!

Yes it helped me. I was having aniexty so bad, it would hit me every morning. I started taking 20 mg about a week after starting off on 10 mg. I am so glad my doctor prescribed me lexapro. It has changed my life, I don't have a panic or aniexty attack near as often. Prayer is always helpful to get you threw one when it hits you, along with breathing techniques. Good luck !!

I'm a long time sufferer of mainly anxiety - panic disorder post Graves Disease that hit me at age 24 (am now 60) i have been on Zoloft, Effexor, Xanax in the past and now am on Lexapro and Ativan. I titrated up on the Lexapro and have been on the 20mg for 6 wks. The depression is better but the anxiety is still a problem without the Ativan. My psych assures me that staying on both long term and being a little addicted to the Ativan is far better than suffering daily panic attacks as long as I dont have to keep upping the dose to keep it managed - and I agree. I take 2mg of Ativan a day. I break up 1mg and take half in the morning with the Lexapro and half in mid afternoon. Then I take a whole 1mg at nite along with 25mg Atenolol which helps me sleep. I still feel shaky off and on most everyday but try to walk it out around the block when I can. Good luck to you and keep us posted on your progress!

I've been on Lexapro 20 mg. for about the same amount of time (maybe just 5 weeks)... I STILL experience dibilitating anxiety every morning as well. New to my anxious state is the trembling. I am prescribed .50mg of Ativan to take 1 or 2 as needed in the mornings. Sometimes that doesn't even help. Some mornings I've taken 3, but can't continue to do that or I'll run out of it before the new prescription can be filled. My doctor said to let the Lexapro do it's work, but for the anxiety, it doesn't seem to be helping one single bit. Need to address this with him again ASAP. Hope this helped.

I take 20mg Lexapo for depression as instructed by my psychiatrist. Lately I've been feeling very low. For me 20mg was okay, but personally I HATE Lexapro it has had so many side affects for me and now I'm feeling low my therapist wants me to see someone again about taking 40mg -_-" don't know how I feel about that. Whatever helps helps I suppose.

I take 5 mg of xanex for sleep, but during those anxiety times, I'll pop one and it helps. Also works for migraines when the other medication doesn't. I also take 150 mg of zoloft for the depression, but don't know about lexapro.

Increasing the Lexapro will help reduce the general anxiety. However, if you have intermittent panic attacks, Xanax is good because it acts immediately to block the panic. Xanax gets a bad rap but is key in the management of panic. Unless you or your doctor are concerned about possible addiction, or you are taking too many, Xanax is a great drug for panic attacks.