Lexapro for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• Ter...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 26, 2014

"I have suffered with anxiety and agoraphobia since I was 6. Since the age of 19, I never went more than 45 mins from home. I started on Lexapro and an anti-anxiety medicine in 2009. I have made it to a beach that I hadn't seen since I was 14. I am now 60 and have been 7 times since 2009. The drive is 1 hr 30 mins from home. I go every summer, more than once, and sometimes stay a few days, one time staying 6 days! This medicine is a Godsend. I wish they had it 20 years ago."

• god...
• August 25, 2013

"I had suffered from anxiety disorder for at least 11 years. Worrying, palpitations, shortness of breath, basically all the popular anxiety symptoms. I am on Lexapro because it works. Side effects like lower sex drive, difficulty reaching orgasm, and insomnia all go away. I find myself fearless, my life is active, no more 'what ifs,' and no anxiety attacks. It's a miracle pill. BUT, I was 135 pounds and skinny. I'm 5'5, and I had an amazing metabolism, my body was rock solid. After 3 years of Lexapro, I am now 165 pounds. I have to try to work out and eat healthy, I know. Please don't wait as long as I did to change your life and get back to your wonderfully made self!"

• Tes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 25, 2019

"After being off of Lexapro for about 3 years and trying natural remedies, I met my breaking point. All areas of my life were suffering. I restarted 5mg the first week, then 10mg the next 2 and a half weeks. The side effects during those first 3 weeks were horrible: nausea, extreme fatigue, dizziness, and no appetite. I knew I would go back to square one if I stopped. I increased my dose to 20mg as I had done very well on it in the past. The side effects were still there but not as bad. One and a half weeks on 20mg, I feel great. More energy, feeling social with family and friends. Before, I hated being around people. I still have a little longer to feel normal, but I'll continue this medication. Regardless of the horror stories you've heard, remember everyone is different and your body will most likely respond differently. I know it's hard not to get discouraged and question whether it's working the first few weeks, but don't give up and don't stop taking it. Give your body the chance to get used to it. Trust me, you will be glad you did."

• Anonymous
• October 20, 2010

"Lexapro has been incredible for me. I am a 37-year-old man. It has now been 5 1/2 weeks on 10 mg and I feel amazing. For the first three weeks, it was not effective, and I did have some side effects: loss of appetite, fatigue, no sex drive (although I could still perform), trouble sleeping, and I would wake up with a very uneasy feeling, basically anxious. But at week four, it all seemed to turn around. My sex drive came back, I started eating normally, I had more energy during the day. It is sometimes still hard to sleep at night, but not too bad. I am truly amazed at how I feel. I am a very successful person, have my own business, a beautiful family, but have always felt close to worthless inside, always feeling less than everyone else."

• Gin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 1, 2019

"Lexapro has given me my life back! Before taking Lexapro, I couldn't drive, felt like I had someone sitting on my chest, couldn't eat at restaurants...now I look back at those times and can't imagine living like that again!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2023

"I'm a healthy 32-year-old female. I started to experience severe panic attacks, insomnia, and had no appetite. The anxiety got so bad that it turned into derealization basically 24/7. I was dizzy all the time and had heart palpitations, chest pains, and shaking. I couldn't even leave my house. Then started the depression. I was crying on and off most days. I couldn't function and didn't feel like myself at all. I have always been against medication and did everything the natural way. None of that helped. I finally decided to try Lexapro 5mg, and it honestly saved me. I was so scared of feeling like a zombie or having no emotions, but it's not like that at all. I feel like me, just no anxiety or depression. I had some nausea in the beginning and slightly increased anxiety, but Ativan helped with the side effects. I've been on it for a little over 2 months now, and I don't regret anything. I sleep and eat great now. I live a normal, happy life. Please give it a try if you're suffering."

• Pam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 29, 2019

"I have been on medications for anxiety since 18. I am now 64. Effexor was the best, but severe side effects when I had to stop taking it. I weaned off over 6 weeks, thought I was going crazy. Had to stop taking it because of no insurance. Too expensive. But now I started taking Lexapro since January this year (now 8 months), and I got to say it has helped me so much with my anxiety. Affordable, only side effect is my vision is more blurred. No weight gain, no insomnia, no feeling weird. It has allowed me to deal with the issues that cause my anxiety (my job) while not feeling the physical symptoms of the anxiety. I hope this continues to work for a very long time. It took a couple of weeks to level off in my system."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2015

"Before Lexapro, I couldn't get out of bed. I was stuck in my room for 6 months straight. I didn't go anywhere. I had social anxiety. I never went to school. I cried all the time. Had anxiety with breathing problems. I was suicidal daily. NOW I'm a totally different person! I'm so happy. I never have a terrible day. Got a job, have friends, and thinking positively about my future. I now love myself. I don't obsess over pointless things now. I'm more awake and have energy. No more depression or anxiety. 20 mg right away, I love it. It's never disappointed me."

• B0b...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 21, 2023

"I’m writing this review as a thank you to all of those who wrote reviews before me and got me through some dark days. I’m a 31-year-old high-achieving professional female that’s always had anxiety, but overnight developed severe shortness of breath that turned quickly into nonstop panic - insomnia, terror, heart palpitations, etc. I was worried I would ruin my professional and personal life forever. I’ve been seeing a therapist for years and my psychologist prescribed me Zoloft with terrible side effects - constipation, tingling arms and legs. I had to stop. I was scared of trying other SSRIs, but was terrified of being dependent on Klonopin & took Lexapro (almost no side effects). I doubled down on therapy, started swimming, took a health leave from work, started acupuncture, journaled. Day by day it got better and 2.5 months into Lexapro I am feeling like a braver version of myself. I’ve stopped letting my anxiety control me. You can get here too. Good luck, stay strong"

• Tet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2013

"Just wanted to thank everyone who took their time to write these reviews. I was adamant I was going to overcome anxiety by myself, but I lost more and more control. Lived in constant fear of it and was obsessed. My life has been literally on hold for the last 8 weeks, and my husband and children have suffered from it too. After reading your reviews yesterday, I took my first Lexapro, didn't think it would work for a few weeks, but actually the effect was pretty immediate. About an hour after taking it, I went out and suddenly realized the world, the color, the people, everything looked like it used to! Very little side effects so far, only dry mouth and poor appetite. So far so good."

• lee...
• April 3, 2022

"I said I would come back in a few weeks. It’s been about 3 weeks, and oh my god! This medicine has completely changed my life for the better! I have not had one panic attack since the medicine has adjusted! I eat more than I did before, and I'm getting healthier. I am also driving again and doing things on my own! This medication gave me the confidence to start a new career, and I feel like the main character in my life now instead of a prisoner in my own body! Give this medication a full try. It’s hard at first, but if this is right for you, the results are life changing!"

• TOa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 7, 2020

"Life and work progressively got worse over the last 18 months, withdrawn, moody, insomnia, short with family, lack of concentration, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and plans. Had major panic attack, ended up in the hospital with symptoms similar to a heart attack and even had an angiogram. Started a cocktail of meds and ended up with 10mg of Lexapro and now on 20mg. It has really settled me, however, I still struggle to complete tasks and am off work. Counseling is also assisting. I have a review this week but diarrhea, insomnia, and slight nausea have continued. If I can fix the diarrhea, I will be very happy. I take meds in the AM."

• Lon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 5, 2020

"Been on 10 mg Lexapro for 8 months and overall it’s been an excellent medication. The first two weeks were tough - I don’t think one is warned sufficiently by the medics that you’re likely going to feel worse than before you started - but gradually I started to see the benefits kick in. No longer sweating the small stuff or waking up with a feeling of dread. The only thing that stops me giving this full marks is the reduction in libido and the feeling of slightly ‘can’t be bothered’ but the upside of no longer having nightmares or being filled with dread every morning is hugely appreciated."

• Bri...
• October 29, 2016

"I have been on Lexapro for just about 3 years. I was first diagnosed with both depression and anxiety my sophomore year of high school, after I had missed weeks of school due to these conditions. After just the first week on Lexapro, I felt better. Eventually, I had to have my dosage raised as I started to feel anxious/depressed again. I'm now a freshman in college and couldn't be happier with what Lexapro has done for me. I'm actually studying to be a psychiatric nurse to help people like myself with mental disorders."

• TDe...
• May 21, 2019

"All I can say is WOW! I never write reviews on anything, but this Lexapro drug well and truly deserves a review! This has been my third medication I’ve been on in the last 4 years for GAD, which I recently came off my previous medication that I was on for four months, as it wasn't doing anything. Once I started mirtazapine, I felt better within 2 days of taking it. My physical symptoms of anxiety like nausea and rapid heart rate have completely gone. I was waking up every day with anxiety, but now it's completely gone! I’ve been on Lexapro for only a week or maybe less, and I can’t wait to see what I’m going to be like in a month or two down the track. I was at my wits' end with this horrible rut I’ve been in for 6 months, and within the space of two days, I feel like myself again. I honestly can’t comprehend it. Hands down the best medication out there for anxiety and depression. Thank you so much Lexapro."

• Reb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 29, 2023

"Give this a try. Definitely start low and slow. I started at 5 mg, which is lower than most doctors will start at. Ask for that. You can even cut that in half and do that for a week or two. This will greatly reduce those bad side effects people mention. I had a slight increase in anxiety and some stomach upset the first week. After a couple of weeks, I started to feel a bit better. After a month, I increased to 7.5 mg. That’s what I’m at now, and I’m feeling pretty good. If you try this, at least give it a month and I think you will be happy!"

• 41M...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2023

"I started having anxiety at church and in meetings for work. I think the stress from work brought them on. They slowly started getting more often, so my family doctor suggested I take Lexapro. I did a week and a half on 5 mg and then went up to 10 mg. My anxiety increased tenfold during the first seven weeks. I had a severe panic attack and didn’t feel comfortable leaving my house or driving. By week 3-4, I started feeling better, and it got better every week after. I now feel great at week 9. I just went to a work conference full of meetings and dinners, and I had very little anxious feelings. I am back to being able to go to church and eat at busy restaurants with no issues. I moved my medicine to nighttime, and it helps me sleep great and feel great during the day. My advice is when you start this medication, stay home for a couple of weeks if possible. I thought I was going crazy, emotional all the time, and queasy stomach, but I am so glad I kept going. I now feel like I am back to my old self!"

• Bet...
• April 30, 2015

"I have been on Lexapro for a few years. I LOVE IT! Without it, I get depressed and feel a constant sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. I have frequent panic attacks that feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest, and my mood swings? LEGENDARY. Lexapro saved me. I have been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and panic attacks. Those should be enough, but I also had cancer and a miscarriage. So the depression, which has always been a thing, became a major problem. After finally having a child, the mood swings, another something that was always a thing, became horrific. No one could stand me. I've been on Lexapro since about 2010, and I have never felt better. I don't just exist. I live now."

• Liz...
• June 10, 2014

"I suffered (still do) from generalized anxiety disorder. About 4 months ago, I finally had to do something. My anxiety got so bad that I couldn't do anything, and I didn't want to do anything! School didn't interest me, I never wanted to go out with my friends, and the symptoms were so bad that all I wanted to do was stay in bed (dizziness, fatigue, muscle aches, panic attacks, and waking up out of nowhere during the night). I went to my doctor, and he prescribed me 10mg of Lexapro. At first, I was scared to take it, but finally, I was like, WHAT THE HECK?! This might help me. And it did. The first week or two I felt dizzy like I was swaying back and forth, and the dry mouth was annoying, but I got used to it. This medication makes me feel like a new person!"

• Lif...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 11, 2013

"Lexapro changed my life. I am so against medication and was scared to try anything, but after 6 months of pure hell and not being able to function, I surrendered to Lexapro and am so happy I did. The side effects were bad, but with the help of my doctor and this page, I didn't give up. It took 6 weeks to start feeling like a human again. The two things I would say to anyone starting is 1. Give it time, 2 months plus, and 2. Pills are not miracles, you have to work on yourself and with a professional in addition, but it's worth it. Stay strong."

• Jdo...
• April 14, 2019

"I've suffered with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder for 28 years. I was terrified of taking medicine for fear of feeling out of control of myself. The first week of starting Lexapro was very difficult for me. My anxiety seemed to worsen a bit during the first week, but on day 10, my life began to change forever. I began to feel normal and get back my old self. I've been on 20 mg for 7 months, and it has changed my life. I can do things that were difficult for me without worrying excessively and don't feel that panic feeling anymore. I'm very happy, and my family is too. I don't feel the limitations that my anxiety had imposed on me most of my life. I feel free to live again. I highly recommend trying this even if you're scared to death like I was. Now I just feel normal."

• Qun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2019

"I just hit my sixth week on 10 mg of Lexapro and I finally feel like myself again, but without the crippling weight of constant anxiety and panic. I had a rough time adjusting to the medication for the first few weeks as it was my first experience with an SSRI, but this past week I’ve felt at complete ease and peace in a way I haven’t felt in years. I’ve been sleeping through the night, eating well, socializing, and enjoying life again. I was skeptical at first, but I’m so glad I stuck with it because the effect is incredible! Seriously a life-changing medication."

• beh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 4, 2024

"I'm a 36-year-old male, and I too searched these websites for information. In the beginning, I was so scared and afraid to start this medication, but I got to the point where my GAD was so bad I needed to try something. Finally, I committed. I will say I took too much too early, and like many say, the first 2-3 weeks were pretty terrible. My advice to any of you: please slowly ramp up and stick it out! I'm at 15mg now, and it has changed my life. However, it is not a magic pill. Make life changes, go to therapy, join a group, whatever. Over time, you will find the benefit of this medication while also bettering yourself. I'm a huge advocate, tough it out. The only way out is through!"

• Lit...
• July 15, 2021

"Day 11 on Lexapro. Began on 2.5 mg, no side effects, helped me sleep. Increased to 5 mg and currently on day 4 taking a whole pill. Will increase after a week. Taking this for generalized anxiety and panic disorder, which induced agoraphobia and derealization. So far, the only side effects I've noticed are small and short bouts of increased anxiety after increasing to 5 mg, but nothing major. My side effects have been minimal and close to none, and I cannot wait to reap the benefits once it starts kicking in since I've tolerated it very well. So far, it has given me hope. I will be back to update after 6 weeks."

• All...
• September 25, 2019

"Back in May, I was having a pretty bad bout of anxiety. I was getting very little sleep. I had no appetite, and my stomach always felt like it was in a knot. I had no desire to go out and socialize. After dealing with on-and-off anxiety/panic attacks for a decade, I decided I had enough. I started on 5mg Lexapro at the end of May. My doctor said it would take 4-6 weeks to fully work. By around week 4, I felt doubtful. I went on vacation and still had random nervousness. But I noticed small changes. In addition to GAD/panic disorder, I also had social anxiety. I never quite knew the extent of it until I started feeling Lexapro's full effects. I began to find it easy to make conversation with strangers. I found myself becoming more social. I'm less afraid to say what comes to my mind. I haven't felt the emotion of embarrassment in months now, which is something I'd struggle with. Lexapro has changed my life. I can truly say that I've become a better version of myself."