Increasing the dose?

[jayjoe18]

I've been on a low dose (5mg) of Cipralex for well over a year now and I feel it has helped a great deal but maybe I might benefit more with an increase. I'm just wondering how long people were on the starting dose for? If you have been on a low dose for so long will increasing be more tolerable? I'm kind of worried about getting side effects if I go up to 10mg as I didn't really have any when starting at 5mg. The medication I feel has really helped and I can do a lot more than I could but sometimes the anxiety does break through. I also want to start college but my anxiety about it is too high to manage, so would an increase in dose possibly help me?

[swgrl09]

The first time I took this I was on 10 mg for 3 months, then increased to 20. I had some side effects, but they didn't last a long when I increased. I felt great at 20 for a year. I am starting up again and will be going to 20 after a few weeks as I know that is my ideal dose.

[karenp]

I am on 20mg too...sometimes I still get anxiety and depression but it has really helped me live my life again. xxxxx Good luck sweetie. You will know if you need to go up more. Getting to 10mg was hardest for me but the jump to 20 was easy xxxx

[jayjoe18]

Thank you both for your replies I got the 10mg from my doctor last week, she said to take 5mg one day and then 10mg the next until I get used to it but as with lovely anxiety I am feeling nervous about taking the first 10mg dose... any advice? I didn't seem to get many side effects starting 5mg (just a bit of visual disturbance, but not sure if that was just due to panic!) but now I'm worried I'm going to get them all because I'm going on a higher dose Think I need some words of encouragement as I keep putting it off!

[Sober2000june]

You could also try 7.5.
I've got liquid so I can go up 1mg at a time.
Good luck

[swgrl09]

The sooner you increase, the sooner you start feeling better. Everybody is different. The first time I took this, the increase was harder on me, however this time around it was smoother overall. The worst part was sleeping, but believe me, now that I am feeling better it is so worth it.

[jayjoe18]

You could also try 7.5.
I've got liquid so I can go up 1mg at a time.
Good luck

Oh, I didn't know that was an option! That sounds good!

The sooner you increase, the sooner you start feeling better. Everybody is different. The first time I took this, the increase was harder on me, however this time around it was smoother overall. The worst part was sleeping, but believe me, now that I am feeling better it is so worth it.

I agree it's so worth it, it's just getting myself to take that initial dose, I always fear the worst and put myself off and say 'I'll do it tomorrow'. Did you have side effects when starting up?

[Chrisy]

The sooner you increase, the sooner you start feeling better. Everybody is different. The first time I took this, the increase was harder on me, however this time around it was smoother overall. The worst part was sleeping, but believe me, now that I am feeling better it is so worth it.

SWGirl,

I think you're so right about this. Sometimes Im wondering if I'm just prolonging my suffering by titrating so slowly. The start ups upon each dosage increase can be brutal in which case I take a low dose of Klonopin to take the edge off. What is the official highest dose one can go on Lex? I just bumped mine up to 10 mg last night FINALY, even though I've been extremely anxious about doing so. From here I guess is when we can actually really start counting the weeks of when we can see therapeutic results?? My Panic attacks are most fierce upon waking in the morning (4:30) or waking in general for that matter...even if I take a nap I wake up with the racing heart, intrusive fearful thoughts and severe anxiety and panic. I know I'm not alone, but I sure feel like it oftentimes

[swgrl09]

I'm not sure, honestly, what the max dose is. I am on 20 mg and have been going steady since the last post I did on this thread. I feel great! I think once I got up to the dose I knew worked for me, yeah I had some side effects for a little while, but now I am regulated and feel so much better.

And the interesting thing is the second time around that I have taken lexapro my side effects were slightly different ... some familiar (sweating, constipation, sleep issues) but some different. I had odd things my first round, like burning hands and metal taste in my mouth but that didn't happen this time. I feel like my sleep suffered more this time, but after maybe 3-4 weeks at 20 mg I was back to normal with sleeping. The only lingering side effect is difficulty waking up sometimes. But it's worth it to feel better.

I don't think I know anybody who went above 20 mg, although maybe heard here or there about 30 mg. I think 20 is the max usually.