Scared to take my meds! Lexapro

[Txxxrho]

I just got prescribed Lexapro for my GAD/HA/OCD/Panic/etc. Afraid to take it at all. I feel like I'm too stressed out to take anything if that makes any sense because of all the problems I have going on right now and afraid it will screw up my brain or make me commit suicide. I get really bad panic attacks when I start meds also so I'm scared to death to try it.

I know meds aren't the answer but they can help until you learn to manage or get through some therapy but I can't ale myself take them.

Advice?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Like all anxiety & depression meds, there is an element of "leap of faith" involved.

You have to prepared that side effects are likely and whilsy any further anxiety is the last thing you need, it is a possibility. It won't harm you though and you will either get through it (and possibly benefit) or find the side effects too much and your doctor will try something else.

What you can investigate is how to start them. GP's are generally quite poor with these meds and they don't understand how to taper onto them as a specialist would. So, have a look at the meds board for it and see what others have done or raise a thread on there to attract some views from people who have tried it because I doubt you will get the best advice on this board.

They wont make you harm yourself but if you experience suicidal thoughts they advise you to contact your doctor or other medical support to be sure.

[Oosh]

Deal with the reality not how you fear it to be. It could very well make you feel better but you won't know until you try so feel the fear and do it anyway.

Start a mood/meds diary. If you observe your mood/thoughts going in a direction you don't want them too then come off.

[Davit]

Lexapro is not known for suicide but it is possible. I can not take SSRIs and don't ever want to find myself with a loaded gun in my hands and a fight to not use it. It was no fun. So if you find yourself seriously looking for a way to end it, stop taking it and get help. That said if it works you will benefit from it. I would if I was you, in your anxious state taper into it. The urge to end it was there but not real strong till the third dose. I knew then that a fourth and the gun would get used. You will have plenty of warning. It is not like you will go to the kitchen and cut your wrists after one pill. It doesn't come on that fast. It was my second try on Celexa, which is known for suicide that I had to stop taking it. First was okay, it just didn't work.

Do not use this with St Johns Wort. Stop SJW two weeks before.
Sorry if I've made you more scared but you do need the facts. And the fact is you are more likely to win the lottery than have suicidal thoughts from lexapro.

[Txxxrho]

Yeah, my doctor said it was probably the SSRI Witt the least side effects since I was stressing the side effects to him. I also have xanax which I took one during a panic at night and it didn't really work (I know the abuse and addictive nature. Also the deadly withdraw effects.) But I took one and didn't even notice any difference which scared me because it's supposed to be the short term meds until I get into some good therapy or try the meds, well both. And Davit, I'm still trying to do the stuff you sent me and all your CBT stuff you posted. I'm kind of weathering the storm of some paranoia stuff. I just can't focus on anything else right now because I'm in such a state of fear that something is going to happen but hopefully it passes like most of my irrational fears but this one seems stronger than anything I dealt with before. I just need to get out of this state to focus on getting better I guess.

[Davit]

Part of the reason it didn't work is by being afraid of it you added to the load it was supposed to handle. The rule is that you can and should take another after 15 minutes if it isn't working, but no more. Dependence is a state of mind where you have to have something that works. Addiction is where you keep taking it even though you do not get the effect you should. Both require that it was working at some time.

I'm open to any questions you have but I am going to bed before it becomes morning.

[MyNameIsTerry]

When I first went through anxiety my GP gave me some 5mg Diazepam and the first few worked ok for me. After that I started finding myself more anxious after taking them. I had only take maybe 5 at that point.

So, just because it doesn't seem to work it doesn't mean you have a dependence issue. Don't worry about that. As long as your doctor is sticking to the short term protocols for dependence forming meds like Benzo's & Z drugs, you will be fine on that score.

If you do some looking around you might find how others have tapered onto Lexapro. There is a subboard of the Meds board for Escitalopram so its worth a look and maybe see what they are doing and I know one regular poster across the boards is on that one and I think she is starting after taking them before so will be able to offer some advice.

I notice its a liquid form one so that makes tapering slightly easy than breaking pills open.

[Txxxrho]

I just always end up waking up in panic attacks and completely freaking out that I'm dying whenever I take them and also I'm afraid they'll like screw up my brain, like give me rumors or mess up the way my brain works in a bad way. No evidence of this but just fear of it. I really do need to give them a try. I'm just scared though.