Dr. gave me Lexapro 10 mg?

Question

THe dr told me to cut it in half and take 5 mg. She gave it to me for anxiety. I have never taking a mendication. I'm freaking out about taking this. I cut one in fours so I would take 2.5 mg but I chickened out and wouldn't take it. I really need some positive feed back so I will take it. If anyone has any positive feedback please let me know

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I take 10 mg of Lexapro every day. Have taken it for a year and a half. I have been on many, many medications like this, and I have to say it's the only one that has ever worked. I feel like I can experience some joy in my life that I never felt before. I think it has lessened the roughness in my anxiety, too. Good luck with it. It won't hurt you, (even pregnant women can take it) just make sure you take the regular dose every day.

Answer 2

I took Lexapro for nearly two years without issue. I never had issue with starting it...no negative side effects there. The only problems I had was when I ran out and went without it for more than a day--I got some dizzy spells, but nothing debilitating.
The transition into SSRIs is very gradual. After a couple weeks, you'll suddenly go, "Hey, this isn't stressing me out like it usually does." and you'll realize that you're in a better headspace. It's not as though you'll wake up and suddenly have a new personality.
The only possible issue with starting it is nausea. Just take it with food and nibble during the day so you don't have an entirely empty stomach.

Ignore this John guy above me. As someone who has suffered from anxiety and depression for years, I am disgusted by people who think it's something you can magically cure with exercise or yoga, for god's sake. Give me a break. It is a medical condition, often inherited, and exercise can only alleviate the SYMPTOMS. Jumping jacks will not pop the seratonin into the correct neurological slots. It would be easier breathe yourself free of emphysema.

Answer 3

You are one smart young lady. You are already aware of the myth that her take this and you will be "fine"
First, have you tried other methods such as exercise, yoga,
meditation, a review of your diet, i.e. caffeine, sugar, vitamins?
These are very, very crucial in managing anxiety. I strongly encourage you to keep on managing your health. Nobody can do for you.
God be with you

Answer 4

i take it, and have been for about 1 year.
my anxiety was pretty bad, i started with 1/2 pill for a couple weeks then went to the whole pill. there are no side affects for me and i feel sooo much better, there are some break-thru's for me (very rare) and then i have to take a zanax too.
i know of a couple people that are on it and there are no complaints. good luck!

Answer 5

I have taken this same medication but 10mg instead of 5mg for around 2 years(been off for about 6 months) At first I had doubts on it and rarely took it, but my Dr told me that in order for the drugs to work, I had to take it daily and not miss any doses, I did feel a bit "normal" after a couple of months. The sooner you start to take your prescribed dosage the sooner you will "recovery" from your anxiety attacks. I hope all goes well. :)

Answer 6

Lexapro is a form of medication that helps people get access to the chemicals their brain produces to make them feel good. Some people's brains secrete the chemical serotonin in sufficient amounts, but reabsorb it too quickly before it can affect them and help them relax and be happy. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) like lexapro keep the serotonin your body has already made in your system so that it can help you feel calm, happy, and comfortable like it was supposed to do in the first place.

Serotonin helps people sleep, eat better, feel comfortable in tense situations, be happy, and relax. If you can't get enough of the serotonin into your blood stream that your brain is already producing you can have a really uptight, anxious, and unhappy life.

Lots of teenagers during growth can get serotonin imbalances and do well with a SSRI to help them make sure they can use all of the serotonin that their brains are producing. Other people need SSRIs at times of transition, stress, changing to third shift, or during sad times when our brains may decrease the amount of serotonin produced and let us drop into depression.

My mom has taken it for a little while a few years ago and she said it was like magic. She went from feeling very sad to noticing how beautiful trees were and birds in her backyard singing. Once her serotonin levels balanced out a bit she didn't need the medicine anymore, though some people just do better taking it for most of their lives. It just depends on your personal brain chemistry.