Going back on lexapro - anxiety

Stripes11

Brief context I was on prozac then lexapro from maybe 2011ish-2017. Initially prescribed as I was very unhappy, depressed/anxious at the time. Tbh I was always scared to come off it but I did in 2017.

After coming off it thankfully instead of going back to how I was, I had a genuine joy for life. I dont think lexapro made me unhappy I just think I was in a good enough place to come off it and shedding it in a way closed a chapter of my life where I had been very sad. Coming off it was like letting go of that last thing tying my to that part of my life (I could have come off it much sooner but in a way it was a bit of a comfort for me and I held onto it for a long time).

Anyway I've been really happy these last three years. Happy for me meaning always living with anxiety but still being genuinely joyful and feeling good about my life. Did a year of counselling in 2019 to deal with anxiety symptoms and found it brilliant. April 2020 onwards as like many other people my anxiety is creeping up. Worrying more and less able to manage it myself, decided to go to my doctor who again prescribed lexapro (5mg).

I am kind of torn, realistically I could manage without it but on the other hand life would probably be easier on it for a few months. My dilema is that despite having taken it before I dont know what to expect this time.

My experience of it was in very different circumstances to my current situation and I guess I am wondering if anyone has taken it for milder anxiety for a short period of time and how they found it? Did it change your mood etc.

kronnn

I was in a similar place to you last year. Id been on antidepressants (not specifically lexapro though) before, but only after times where things had been really tough and I had already pretty much broken down, then felt better so came off them.
Then last spring/ summer I noticed my anxiety and depression gradually starting to creep up again over a few months, probably as I was supposed to be entering the final stages of my PhD (until covid came along and stretched it back out again). I also know that the last few months of the year the to be hardest for me, so around August last year I decided to go back on the last set of medication that worked for me to get ahead of things and to make sure I wouldn't get into a state where I wouldn't be able to function at all again. And honestly I don't regret doing it for one second. I still got the usual side effects of starting them up which tend to be fairly bad for me, but they passed within about 2 weeks and within 3-4 weeks of starting them there was a marked improvement in my mood. I had planned to come back off them probably 8-12 months after starting them, but with everything happening at the moment I might just keep them going a bit longer.
So I would say, if you feel your mood getting sure and think you need to stay them up again, and they worked for you before 100% go for it. Get on them now when you're wondering if you really need them rather than waiting until something happens and you know you need them. SSRIs like lexapro and other antidepressants are funny little drugs, they don't work for everyone, and when they do, some people are good after one or two 6-12 month stints on them, some people might need to take them for a while every few years to stay on track and so me people might need to keep taking them.
Also another benefit of starting them now since you are a bit apprehensive about it is that on the off chance that you decide that you don't want to to stay on them, it will be easier to look at other options with your doctor, rather than if you were feeling even worse. But chances are since you've been on it before and it's worked for you, you'll start taking them, get the usual starting up side effects that will start to get better within a week or two and then soon enough start to notice yourself feeling just better in general.

Meeoow

Hey, did you start the lexapro? I started them this morning. I'm nervous about side effects, but I need them. I left it too late, I should have gotten something sooner.