Can it take 6 to 8 weeks for Escitalopram to fully kick in

[will351]

Been on 10mgs for 12 days. Usually need to take one .25 Klonopin or 2 vistarils a day for anxiety. Just started having side effects 2nd week in is this common.

[Anxiety7]

I’m 2 months in and I feel very sick in the mornings but once I eat food I’m okay for the day. Anxiety is manageable and not overwhelming which is great. Sometimes I feel angry instead of happy but I think that’s because im in a good mood and most people aren’t so I get agitated ��

[NervousKel]

It can take 6 to 8 weeks for it to fully kick in. Supposedly it takes that long to get the full effect of the medication in your blood stream.

I think most people do get the side effects almost right away (or within the first week), but I did read some reviews online where people got side effects in the 2nd week. It could be too that the Klonopin or Vistaril sort of blocked your ability to feel the side effects the first week; but now that it's the second week you are noticing them a bit more.

What side effects are you having?

[will351]

Basically stomach cramps and gas. Trouble sleeping. Also bad anxiety but always had that. Are you feeling less anxious now.

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Do you take anything for the anxiety?

[NervousKel]

My anxiety comes and goes. I have it every morning as soon as I wake up, and all morning. Then it varies in the afternoon. Yesterday, I didn't have any anxiety in the afternoon; the day before, I had anxiety and low mood all afternoon.

In the evening, the anxiety always lessens.

I'm not taking anything for the anxiety; but I am taking trazadone at night as needed to sleep. When I started Citalopram, I had to take trazadone and lorazepam in order to sleep; it's possible I'll have to do the same when I move up to 10 mg of escitalopram at the end of June.

[will351]

How many days have you been on Lexapro. Have you noticed any improvement since week two. I seem better in the evening, but mornings are awful. I have to push myself to go into town.

[NervousKel]

I'm on Day 17. I'm on such a low dose though (really a starter dose rather than a therapeutic dose) that I'm not expecting to see much difference until I bump up to 10 mg. I'm leery if even that dose will work for me; I was on 40 mg of Citalopram for 5 years, so it's possible I'll have to go up to 15 or 20 mg on the Lexapro.

[Phill2]

My anxiety comes and goes. I have it every morning as soon as I wake up, and all morning. Then it varies in the afternoon. Yesterday, I didn't have any anxiety in the afternoon; the day before, I had anxiety and low mood all afternoon.

In the evening, the anxiety always lessens.

I'm not taking anything for the anxiety; but I am taking trazadone at night as needed to sleep. When I started Citalopram, I had to take trazadone and lorazepam in order to sleep; it's possible I'll have to do the same when I move up to 10 mg of escitalopram at the end of June.

I used to get anxious in the afternoons around 4pm and found having a light snack helped.

[will351]

How long have you been on it

[Sleepy]

I've been on escitalopram for 12 weeks in all, 2.5 then 5 then 10 which I've now been on for 10 weeks. I had insomnia and nausea from the start. The nausea was short-lived, but the insomnia didn't sort itself out until I was on 10. The nausea reappeared for a few days with each increase.

I've been on 15 now for 5 days. My sleep was disturbed initially, but I had a good 8 hours last night. I went up because the anxiety, which was much better on 10, started to break back through. I haven't had any nausea with this increase.

I also do intermittent fasting ( have done for 5 years) and on fasting days I feel really cr*p. More anxiety, more weird physical symptoms. Never used to happen before escitalopram. Hoping I'm now on an adequate dose for me.

[will351]

How many weeks on 10 did it take the anxiety to go away?

[Sleepy]

I kept a diary through all this and have just been checking back.

I had been having panic attacks pre-escitalopram and they didn't stop completely until I went up to 10mg. The anxiety attacks got less and less severe until they disappeared after a week or so. A big anxiety symptom for me was bladder issues. It took about four weeks on 10 for those to resolve. I hoped that I would be able to continue on 10, but the anxiety started to creep back. I had a swimming head, fullness in my ears, sweating amongst other things.

15mgs is going ok. Sleep is fine, no nausea. Some relief in ear, sinus problems beginning now after 9 days. Still come back if I get triggered by something e.g doctor messing up my prescription. Had to go for ultrasound though and felt pretty calm, so something's working.

[will351]

Sleepy,
Did you have stomach cramping when you were on 10mg, about 2 1/2 weeks in.
Is this normal.

[Sleepy]

I didn't have cramping, no, just nausea, but we're all different.