How long does Lexapro take to work?

Hi, gsauls!
"Side effects have been reported to be generally mild and transient. They are most common during the first 2 weeks of treatment and decrease in intensity and frequency with continued treatment. They generally do not lead to treatment cessation."
"Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working. Depressed mood, anxiety, and lack of interest in activities may need up to 6-8 weeks to fully improve."

New or increased anxiety is a very common side effect when initiating treatment with antidepressants including Lexapro. It should resolve quickly now for you but if it persists or becomes too troublesome let your doctor know.
Everyone responds a little differently to these medications so there's no specific timeline as to when you'll start feeling better. Being a week in already you can start looking for improvements any time but you probably won't feel it overnight because it's a gradual process as your metabolism adjusts to the drug. You might have a bit of the "roller coaster" effect where you start to feel much better and then have a few bad days. This is normal.
For many people it's difficult for the first couple of weeks but as the medication is kicking in you'll probably be amazed at how quickly your symptoms begin to subside.
I was on Lexapro for over 7 years and, like many others have said, it was a game changer for me.
Unfortunately, I can't take antidepressants any more but I'd give anything to have my Lexapro back! BTW, I only took the "brand name" for a few months because of cost factor but all the different generics I took (escitalopram) worked equally well.
Best regards and I hope it works as well for you.