Posted by jessers11581 on June 11, 2005, at 17:12:41
In reply to Re: Anyone Had Success with Lexapro for anxiety » wiggum, posted by JenStar on June 10, 2005, at 13:32:37
Hi JenStar! Your post rings so close to home for me. I am also a HUGE hypochondriac and cannot live a normal life because of it. I have lots of physical symptoms that I get freaked out over(numerous digestive issues, fatigue, congestion, etc.). I am constanly worrying that I have some kind of physical problem. My latest obsession is candida, which suupposedly can manifest itself in just about every symptom known to man. All I want in this WORLD is just to STOP WORRYING about these things all the time. I have a feeling that if I were able to get myself together emotionally, all the physical problems would go away. But who knows. I've had just about everything checked and it doesn't appear that there is anything "organically" wrong with me. I think I have low self-esteem and some issues with adequacy that cause me to focus too much on my health. Do you feel this way also? I'd really love to talk to you about this because it's such an issue in my own life. Please give me your thoughts. Thanks! J
> hi Wiggum,
> I'm currently taking 20 mg/day Lex for severe anxiety. I'm also sort of hypochondriac-ish (people who know me might say "SORT of???!!!" and shake their heads in half-joking disbelief) but to me it just feel "sort of" because all the physical symptoms I have seem very real to me.
>
> Anyway, I have a long history of obsessing over potential illnesses I think I have because I experienced certain sypmtoms. The anxiety from this becomes overwhelming and I sort of stop functioning normally, and all I can do, all day, is think constantly about getting sick & dying.
>
> So I went on the Lexapro (with Xanax initially, to help me over the "hump"). I started on 10 mg/day and it helped some, but 4 wks later I was still anxious, so the doc upped it to 20 mg/day. Now, 2-3 wks after that, I'm feeling "better." I don't think about being ill all the time. I still think about it SOME of the time, and some days are better than others. But I haven't needed a Xanax in weeks and I'm feeling more normal.
>
> I went through this exact scenario about 2 yrs ago - thought I had an illness, anxiety got completely out of control, had to go on Xanax + Lex, dropped the Xanax, stayed on the Lex, felt better. I felt so much better, in fact, that I went off the Lex and was "good" for over a year. I guess the anxiety caught up with me again!
>
> I'm not sure when or if I'll be able to "get off" lex this time. Maybe my anxiety needs constant medical supervision to keep it in check. But I AM feeling better.
>
> what are YOU anxious about? What meds have YOu tried?
>
> best of luck to you!
> JenStar
poster:jessers11581
thread:510458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050611/msgs/511111.html